my top five favourite holiday movies.

Okay. I am a bit of a holiday movie buff. I've seen an awful lot. From TV movies to the classics, to cartoons, and films old and new......yes, I have watched them all. I can't help it. I just love them! The stories, the magic, and that warm fuzzy feeling they give you. No wonder they have been playing non-stop in my apartment. They are the perfect way to get into the holiday spirit. In honour of that, I have decided to do another top five list. These are a few of my all-time favourite holiday movies.

Doug's Secret Christmas. There is one movie that my brother and I watch every single year. Well, it isn't quite a movie, but an episode of the TV show, Doug. We have it on VHS. And every year, that old tape is played over and over again. It is special because I get to watch it with my brother. It is also special because the episode is about dealing with people's lack of holiday spirit. Some years, I relate to that. It seems that I am bursting with holiday cheer - and other people are over it. 

Christmas With The Kranks. Oh, this movie makes me happy. It is a tradition that I have with my mom. Every year we grab ourselves a bowl of candy cane ice cream (and a couple of gingerbread cookies!) and pop in this DVD. For the next hour and a half, we laugh, smile, and share lovely moments together. I don't look at it as just a Christmas movie. It is our Christmas movie. This year? I cannot wait for our Christmas With The Kranks day.

Miracle On 34th Street. The best way to start the holiday season? Watch Miracle on 34th Street. I don't know why, but every year, my Christmas movie binge watching always begins with this film. While I have seen the original....I prefer the re-make. One of my favourite things to do is grab a cozy blanket, curl up on the couch, and watch this movie. It puts me in the holiday mood like you would not believe. The story and the music? Just everything about it. Perfection.

The Night Before Christmas. The next on this list might not be overly well known. In fact, it was tricky finding a picture for this post! But it is a movie my brother and I grew up watching. This cartoon plays off of the classic Night Before Christmas poem.....but fleshes it out to have a full story. The songs from this movie always get stuck in my head. So I find myself humming them throughout the holiday season. Confession? I have already watched this four times. And I will likely watch it another four times before Christmas day. It is absolutely wonderful.

The Year Without a Santa Claus. When it comes to Christmas, no one does it better than Rankin and Bass. While I love all of their holiday specials (Rudolph, Frosty, and Santa Claus Is Coming To Town) my favourite one has to be The Year Without a Santa Claus. Why? The Snow Miser is amazing! I admit. I have a total obsession with that snowy character. That plus all of the fabulous songs makes this a must watch over the holiday season.

Honourable Mentions:
- A Christmas Story (My family and I watch this on a loop every Christmas until dinnertime.)
- The Santa Claus (The amount of times I have seen this movie is insane!)
- Olive The Other Reindeer (It doesn't matter how many times I've seen it....I still love it.)
- Elf (My husband and I have watched this together since we started dating.)

Those are a few of my favourites. And honestly? It was pretty tough to narrow down my list. There are so many holiday movies that make me smile. There is something so special about them. The lights, the love, and all of the heartwarming moments. After all, that is what the season is all about.

What are your favourite holiday movies?

xo Shannon