Alright, alright – depending on when you’re reading this post, there may be less (or more!) than 12 days until Christmas…
But I couldn’t let that stop me from posting about the top Christmas movies on EOFire’s list with the hopes that you’ll be inspired to watch at least a couple of them between now and Christmas.
Doing Christmas movie marathons is one of my favorite things around the holidays. This is, of course, in addition to lighting all the scented candles and playing Christmas music 24-7.
Why watch Christmas movies?
Good question. A lot of people think that television and watching movies is a waste of time. Fair enough.
John and I don’t have cable, but that doesn’t mean that we don’t enjoy TV shows that we can access via Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime – the list goes on! See for us, relaxing on the couch and getting into a TV series is our way of getting out of the business space, and into the personal space.
As entrepreneurs, we all know how tough it can be to “shut down”. Just because you turned your computer off doesn’t mean you turned your mind off – am I right?
It’s important to find things you can do that are going to allow you to take a break from your business.
Preventing burn out is something that a lot of entrepreneurs are constantly looking for advice on. That’s because you all know that in order to run a successful business and stay healthy at the same time, you have to learn what that “shut down” activity is (or activities) are for you.
Getting outside is another great way to unplug. But around Christmas time, it’s possible you live in a place where going outside isn’t so much at the top of your list…
It’s definitely different for everyone. If you have a family – kids, a wife, a husband – or if you have a hobby that you enjoy outside of work and family, then these are absolutely some of the things you can turn to first when you need to check yourself out.
So if you’re looking for ways to get into the holiday spirit AND give yourself a break from all the hustle at the same time, then check out this Christmas movie list we put together just for you!
A Christmas Story
A Christmas Story is a pure classic.
Quick, funny story for you: Several years ago just about this time I was wrapping up a project that had lasted about four months: an interactive Christmas card for my client (this is when I was working at the marketing & advertising agency.)
We decided that the interactive part would be one of those games where you’re shown two identical images and then you have to guess what’s missing. There were three levels you could conquer, gaining points as you identified the missing pieces.
In one of the scenes, we thought it would be funny to include the leg lamp. My client told me it was sexual and inappropriate, which I thought was rather ridiculous – I mean, who doesn’t know about the leg lamp??
I immediately asked him if he had ever seen A Christmas Story, to which he replied “What’s that?” I replied with nothing but, “Such a good movie.”
How The Grinch Stole Christmas
The Grinch Who Stole Christmas was one of my favorite movies to watch during Christmas time when I was growing up. I loved Dr. Seuss (in fact, I still do), and something about Whoville and its inhabitants just did it for me.
There are a couple of more recent versions of the movie – one with Jim Carrey called “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” and a cartoon version called “The Grinch”, which I absolutely love.
If you haven’t seen The Grinch before (or, even if you have), I highly recommend watching it this season!
The Nightmare Before Christmas
I probably watched this movie a handful of times when it first came out (so when I was much younger – it came out in ’93). I’m not sure what exactly it was that I liked about it so much, because after watching it again for the first time in almost 20 years I realized that it actually has a storyline.
You know when you’re a kid, and you watch movies over and over again but you never really piece together what everything means?
Conclusion: The Nightmare Before Christmas is a really great movie!
The Holiday
This would probably – no, most likely – okay, fine: what happens in this movie would never actually happen in real life, but it’s a great romantic comedy nonetheless.
Basically Cameron Diaz and Kate Winslet switch homes for the holidays with the hopes of escaping their “regular lives”. During their switch, they both end up meeting a special someone…
Great cast, entertaining story, more than a few good laughs, and waiting for you on Netflix!
Elf
When I first saw commercials for this movie I rolled my eyes a bit. BUT, I love Will Ferrell so much that I knew I had to give it a try.
I was definitely NOT disappointed. I haven’t laughed that hard in a really long time, and I laugh a lot as it is.
If you haven’t seen it already, the premise of Elf is that Will ends up in the U.S. from the North Pole, where he has lived his life as Santa’s helper. Trying to “fit in” and build a relationship with his father proves to be a challenge.
The Polar Express
I just watched The Polar Express for the first time last Christmas, and I cannot wait to watch it again.
The way this childhood fantasy was brought to life through some really amazing cinematography is very impressive. I would love the opportunity to watch this in 3D!
I highly recommend this movie for all ages.
It’s a Wonderful Life
I saw It’s a Wonderful Life for the first time about 10 years ago and immediately thought, “How have I never seen this movie before?!”
SUCH a classic, this 1946 film is an absolute must-watch for me now every single Christmas.
Disclaimer: it’s a tear-jerker!
The Family Man
I’ve just watched this movie (released in 2000) for the first time this year in 2024, and I LOVED it. Some might argue that it’s not a Christmas movie, but I would definitely classify it as such.
Featuring Nicholas Cage and Tea Leoni, this romantic comedy will keep you guessing until the very end (it did me anyway).
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!
I hope you all do find some time this holiday season to do whatever it is that helps you take a breather from all the hard work you’ve put into starting and building your business in 2013. You deserve it!
What’s your favorite Christmas movie?
