The holidays are finally here, and that means cozying up by the fire while watching your favorite Christmas movies. The holiday season should be spent with your family, watching the one genre of movies that will make you all laugh, cry, and fall in love all within a single scene. Whether it’s Thanksgiving, Christmas, or New Year’s, it’s always the right time to grab your favorite blanket and watch one of these classics.

A Christmas Story
“A Christmas Story” is a 1983 film that is always available on Disney Channelduring the Christmas season. Based on the short stories of Jean Shepard, “A Christmas Story” is the tale of Ralphie Parker, a 9 year-old boy, and his quest for a Red Ryder air rifle for Christmas. The story follows his family’s quirky exploits as they prepare for Christmas. The film is a classic and it gives an insight of how kooky and amazing Christmas can be when you spend it with your family.

The Santa Clause
For those looking for a family-friendly film, viewers should check out “The Santa Clause.” The film is about an ordinary man (Tim Allen) who accidentally kills Santa Claus and must now take up the mantle as Santa Claus. However, the job is not as easy as it seems. While the film may not be as comedic as others of its genre, “The Santa Clause” still holds the same amount of festivity and joy that comes with the spirit of Christmas.

The Polar Express
“The Polar Express” is about a young boy abandoning his belief in Santa Claus. On Christmas Eve, the nameless boy boards a magical train heading towards Santa Claus in the North Pole. No one besides the children who have faith in Santa can see the vehicle. His adventure to the North Pole is very touching and shows us that sometimes in life, we just need to believe.

Home Alone 2: Lost in New York
In “Home Alone 2: Lost in New York,”the glamorous city of New York,just like the Chicago suburbs in “Home Alone,”prove to be only a small problem for 10 year-old Kevin McCallister. After a mishap in an airport, McCallister finds himself far away from his family on Christmas Eve.

While fighting off robbers, setting up booby traps, and even befriending a homeless pigeon lady, McCallister makes the best of being stranded alone. Meanwhile, in Florida, his mother is desperately trying to locate him using information from his father’s stolen credit card, which McCallister mistakenly took. This Christmas comedy is filled with thrills and will make you feel satisfied with overall excitement.

How the Grinch Stole Christmas
Based on the fantasy story written by Dr. Seuss, “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” is an animated tale of the Christmas-hating recluse that will surely stir up your emotions.

In the city of Whoville, Christmas is celebrated by everyone except for the hateful Grinch, who is constantly planning nasty tricks to pull on the citizens in an attempt to ruin the joyous holiday. The Grinch, jealous because he has to spend his holidays alone in his cave each year, vows to ruin everyone’s Christmas by stealing their gifts. After the Grinch’s plan isdiscovered, it is up to six year-old Cindy Lou to change his heart. The Grinch’s sassy and disgusted attitude towards everything will have you laughing hysterically.

Elf
In “Elf,” Buddy, a full grown man raised by Santa’s elves in the North Pole, has always failed to notice the large difference between himself and his elf peers: his humanity.

After overhearing about his adoption and childhood mishap, Buddy sets out on a journey to find his biological father in New York City. Complications ensue when he learns that his father isn’t the man he had imagined, along with his experiences adapting to cold people. His clumsy and immature behavior holds him back from receiving his father’s approval, but he manages to be accepted by his little brother and his crush, Jovie.

Buddy’s childish and carefree behavior gets him in the most hilarious of troubles in New York, making this movie a thousand times worth watching.