One Foot on a Banana Peel

I have an addiction that kicks in just about this time every year.  It is one that drives my family and friends nuts.  I plan my life around it as much as I can.  What is it, you ask, that tempts me so?

Christmas movies.

Yep, I’m hooked on Christmas movies and the cheesier, campier and more over-the-top they are the better I like them.  My movie collection includes a large number of holiday classics, but I’m always on the lookout for new ones.  I’m in my glory now that ABCFamily has begun its 25 Days of Christmas.  A guide to every holiday special airing for the next month rests handily by my spot on the couch and you know I’m going to see Deck the Halls at the theater (C’mon…Danny Devito’s character wants his house to be seen from space!).

In honor of the season I thought that today I’d share a list of my very favorite Christmas movies.  And no, this doesn’t include all the Rankin-Bass specials, Charlie Brown or the rest.  I’m hooked on those, too, but that’s a whole other catagory.  So here’s my top 13 Christmas movies.

13.  Christmas With The Kranks

I’ve always liked Tim Allen and Jamie Lee Curtis.  Together they’re hilarious as a suburban couple trying to save the family Christmas.

12. Elf

Will Farrell is so over the top to begin with.  How could a Christmas movie starring him not be as goofy as it gets?  James Caan is great as a dad just learning he has an adult son who thinks he’s an elf.  Bob Newhart also appears as Elf’s elf dad.

11.  Home Alone

A family goes on vacation at Christmas and in the ensuing confusion doesn’t realize they’ve left the youngest child behind until they are flying over the Atlantic on the way to Paris.  It’s a good old romp where the kid is smarter than the bad guys.

10.  A Christmas Carol

All versions of this story are good, but my favorite has George C. Scott as Scrooge.

9.  Scrooged

Bill Murray is yet another over-the-top SNL veteran whose antics greatly amuse me.  Scrooged is a modern-day retelling of A Christmas Carol that, while really funny, is also maybe a bit darker because of some of the modern elements and the special effects.

8.  The Santa Clause

Tim Allen’s second appearance on my list.  I like this one for a million goofy reasons like:  elves with attitude, Santa’s strut to Sharp Dressed Man and an endless parade of truly ugly sweaters.

7.  Jingle All The Way

I love action heros when they get all silly and Arnold is the best.  Here he is, the governor of California and he doesn’t take himself too seriously.  In Jingle All the Way he’s in a mad-capped race against a mailman, played by Sinbad, to find the last Turboman in town.  What parent hasn’t been there?

6.  Surviving Christmas

This is Ben Affleck’s foray into the Christmas movie scene.  He is hilarious (and also touching) as a filthy rich guy who has no clue about human relationships or Christmas.  He hires himself a family to live out his idea of the perfect family Christmas.

5.  It’s A Wonderful Life

Well, you knew this one would be on the list didn’t you?  Jimmy Stewart is so cornball, you gotta love him.  And this movie taught me that, "Every time a bell rings, an angel gets his wings."

4.  How The Grinch Stole Christmas

Oh, man I just love Whoville!  It doesn’t get any cheesier than this.  Do you not love the houses?  The clothes?  The hair?  And I have sooo got to get me one of those guns that shoots Christmas lights onto your house.

3.  White Christmas

As I tell my kids…..it ain’t Christmas till Bing sings White Christmas.  I love the elaborate sets and musical numbers and Danny Kaye is a hoot.

2.  Christmas Vacation

This is one movie the family doesn’t complain about watching.  We have worn out two copies and it is still a part of our holiday traditions.  Nothing says Christmas like Cousin Eddie pumping sewage into the storm drain.

And number one on my must see list….

1.  A Christmas Story

I’ve worn out a couple copies of this one, too, even though TBS shows it for 24 hours straight every Christmas.  This is the bestest, funniest Christmas movie ever made and it’s become tradition for the whole family (and anyone else here) to watch it together one time on Christmas Day.  I pretty much know it word for word.

There you have it.  Now when you’re feeling stressed by all you have to get done before the fat guy in the red suit pays a visit, you know what to do.  Get your hands on one of these movies, pop some corn, put your feet up, laugh your hiney off and forget about it for a while.