I find Christmas movies to be my all time favorite genre of movies. They give a sense of comfort that I cannot get from any other entertainment type. There’s something about having a movie playing with snow falling and a fireplace lit that comforts me a great deal. 

The feeling of watching a whole family come together and celebrate, despite the problems and conflicts that occur, makes it worth the watch. 

Christmas movies tend to ignore real-world problems and lack controversy, so they can bring a sense of comfort. They focus more on themes like friendship, relationships, family and love. 

I would consider it disrespectful if I didn’t give the movie, “Elf” the number one spot. 

In “Elf,” Will Ferrell plays the main character, Buddy, who travels in search of his father, falling in love and creating relationships throughout the movie. This is my favorite Christmas movie because of the mix of comedy, seriousness and overall fun. 

If you like romantic Christmas movies, I want to give an honorable mention to “The Holiday”, (my favorite movie of all time). 

Produced in 2006, the movie is about two females who are struggling with their relationships, and who live across the world from each other. They basically switch lives, and both find love during the holidays. It is not fast-paced or comical, but it carries a lot of warmth. It is definitely worth the watch. 

Here’s some of your fellow Cougars’ opinions on their favorite Christmas movies.

Raul Jasso (12): Home Alone (first one)

“My favorite Christmas movie is “Home Alone” (the first one) because I think it’s funny, and it’s unreal that Kevin gets left behind at home.”

Madeline Borkowski (10): The Grinch

“It’s interesting to see how someone hated Christmas so much, and is so lonely that …he tried to take it away from them, but then he felt bad and decided to help them celebrate even more than they would have because they saw what life was like without it.”

Ethan Espina (12): Elf

“My favorite Christmas movie is “Elf” because of its connection to my childhood. It gives me nostalgia every time I watch it because of the memories I have when I watched it as a kid. It’s a funny, uplifting and timeless movie that I’ll always enjoy, no matter how many times I see it.”

Merissa  Zyrkowski (teacher): Love Actually

“I like that it brings a bunch of different story lines together, and by the end of the movie, you see how the characters’ lives are all intertwined. It brings in different various Christmas traditions that many people can relate to.”

Shay Pechter (12): Home Alone (first one) 

“My favorite Christmas movie is “Home Alone” because it is the first [Christmas] movie I ever saw, and it is a family tradition to watch it, because it’s also the first Christmas movie that my sister and brother watched.”