For many people, a familiar pastime in the weeks leading up to major winter holidays is gathering with family members and watching holiday movies, be they in a theater or on television. While vaccines are more widely available now than they were last year, for some plans still remain the same this holiday season, unsure about going to movie theaters. However, this shouldn’t stop us from enjoying holiday movies with friends and family.
During the month of December, the Falls Free Press featured new holiday movies for the year 2021 in its series “The 12 Films of Christmas.” We also asked readers and listeners of the Fallscast to tell us their favorite holiday movies to help introduce some old classics to new audiences.
Alex H.: National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (because it rules)
Bart S.: The Nightmare Before Christmas. I was terrified of the commercials for this as a kid, but grew up loving the bizarre so this has oddly become a classic for me.
Jennifer M: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, because we had to wait until Christmas every year to see it when I was a child an that lack of access made it more appreciated. Plus I always empathized with the island of misfit toys!
Mike S.: Die Hard.
Amy W.: Home Alone. I can’t explain it, I just love it so much!!!
Kristen F.: The Muppet Christmas Carol.
Melissa S.: A Charlie Brown Christmas because I love the Peanuts.
Christine D.: The Snowman. Fabulous animation.
Aimee P.: Albert Finney in Scrooge. The cinematography, authentic sets, original music– and Albert Finney.
Emily D.: Too numerous to mention– but I’ll list a few. I love the ones about transformation and personal growth. The same reason the Dickens classic is one. It’s a wonderful life, The Family Man, Scrooged, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Frosty. Now for just silly rom-com fu– I love Holidate, Single all the way… a few more. For the craziness of magic and the mountains I love Dolly Parton and Lee Major in A Rocky Mountain Christmas. It is dumb and ridiculous and very nostalgic.
Michelle S.: The Muppet Christmas Carol. The music is spectacular, it’s a heartwarming rendition of a classic Christmas tale, and uh MUPPETS.
Tom S.: Die Hard.
Brenda R.: White Christmas. It’s a classic.
Stephanie R.: The Grinch– overall my favorite non-religious Christmas message.
Gary D.: A Christmas Story. It brings back lots of Christmas memories growing up. This could have been my family in the 50s.
