Holiday movies aren’t just entertaining,  they’re a tradition that brings families and friends together. Holiday movies help us feel the joy of the holiday season. 

Here’s a list of five family-favorite holiday movies:

1. Home Alone (1990). Home Alone is about a little boy named Kevin, who gets left behind while his whole family goes on a Christmas vacation. He gets left alone in a big house. Two men known as the “Wet Bandits” try to rob his house. As he is by himself, he learns how to be independent and stand up for himself by making obstacles to trick the Wet Bandits. Home Alone is an original movie that everyone has watched. This movie has an amazing plot and shows a great coming-of-age experience, with a mix of comedy and emotion throughout the movie.

2. The Christmas Chronicles (2018). The Christmas Chronicles is about two siblings who try to catch Santa on Christmas Eve by setting up an alarm system and a camera. They end up finding him and getting on Santa’s sleigh, but they crash it, almost ruining Christmas. This is a movie I watched with my brother growing up, watching this movie has become our tradition and has made our bond closer. This movie is ranked high because I love the plot and that suspenseful feeling of “What’s going to happen next?” There are also many funny scenes in this movie that makes the movie more engaging to the audience. 

3. A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965). “A Charlie Brown Christmas” is about beloved fictional character Charlie Brown who does not like to see Christmas trees and lights because he doesn’t understand the true meaning of Christmas. That is until his friend, Linus, explains the true meaning of Christmas to him. The movie shows love and friendship as Charlie Brown and all his friends connect during the holiday. I have always been a big fan of Charlie Brown and Charlie Brown movies. Also, I think this movie has an important message,  explaining the importance of Christmas and the true meaning behind the special day. 

4. Elf (2003). “Elf” is about a man named Buddy who was raised in the North Pole as an elf. He then travels to New York to find his father and tries to build a relationship with him. The message of this movie is to embrace who you are and be kind to others. “Elf” is a great comedy movie that has many funny scenes, but also shows a great message about being kind and being true to who you are, no matter what. 

5. Edward Scissorhands (1990). “Edward Scissorhands” is about a man named Edward who was created with scissors as hands. He was then taken in by a family and falls in love with their daughter, Kim. Edward has a hard time fitting into society’s expectations and has to learn self-acceptance. The message of this movie is very important, because it shows that everyone should learn to love who they are and accept their true self despite what everyone else thinks. Also, this movie is very romantic and shows two young people falling in love. 

Overall, these are my favorite holiday movies because they all have great messages and show scenes that are very humorous and beautiful.