Popular Christmas Holiday Movies: Part 2

You read the first list of some of the best Christmas themed films of all time. Check out Part 2 of the most popular holiday movies:

 

 

 

A Christmas Carol

 

What would movie watching during the holidays be without A Christmas Carol – the production dedicated to highlighting the value of doing good, as well as indicating that it’s never too late to do so. The original version of A Christmas Carol was written by Charles Dickens and published in 1843, but the story still has significant impact more than a century later with over 20 film adaptations (the most recent being the 2009 production starring Jim Carrey).

 

The story is set in London and centered on Ebenezer Scrooge – the character everyone loves to hate, but eventually loves. Scrooge is an extremely bitter miser and businessman who dislikes everything associated with the holidays and seemingly goes above and beyond to ensure that he ruins it for everyone. On Christmas Eve, Scrooge’s deceased business partner Jacob Marley returns to warn him of his impending fate if he does not change his ways. The Ghost of Christmas Past, the Ghost of Christmas Present and the Ghost of Christmases Yet To Come all take him on a journey, showing him snippets of his life and impending future.

 

When he awakes on Christmas morning, Ebenezer is a new man, and he goes about the town spreading good cheer.

 

 

It’s a Wonderful Life

 

Another holiday film with immeasurable prestige is the 1946-released comedy drama It’s a Wonderful Life. Directed and produced by Frank Capra, it’s an adaptation of The Greatest Gift, a short story written by Phillip Van Doren Stern.

 

George Bailey (played by James Stewart) is a popular businessman and community member on the verge of committing suicide because a series of events have gone against him, and he believes that his family would be better served with his life insurance. Before he can leap to his death, his guardian angel Clarence (played by Henry Travers) arrives on the scene.

 

When George wishes that he had never been born, Clarence takes him on a journey and shows him what the town and its residents would be like without him. Good deeds he would have performed – such as saving his younger brother’s life, and preventing a druggist (pharmacist) from mistakenly giving a child poison – would not have taken place. All these events lead George to realize that despite the challenges, he has indeed lived a wonderful life.

 

In addition to generally being considered on of the greatest Christmas films of all time (aided by the message it spreads), the film ranked #11 on the American Film Institute’s greatest movies list.

 

 

 

A Christmas Story

 

A list comprising of some of the most popular films about the holidays would not be complete without what AOL (and many others consider) to be the #1 Christmas movie of all time – A Christmas Story. The works of Jean Shepherd in his book In God We Trust: All Others Pay Cash provided the inspiration for the 1983 comedy film.

 

In the film, Peter Billingsley plays a nine-year-old Ralphie Parker who has his sights set on a Red Ryder BB gun for Christmas. Though his mother, schoolteacher, and the Santa Claus at the department store advise him against it, he is elated on Christmas Day when he discovers that his father got it for him. His father (referred to through the movie as The Old Man) did make him sweat, however, setting it aside from his other gifts, causing him to think that he wasn’t going to get it.

 

An excited Ralphie takes the BB gun outside for target practice, but is put on the spot when a BB ricochets of his brother and hits his glasses off his face. In trying to recover them, he steps on them and breaks them, before managing to convince his mother that a falling icicle had caused it. When he is ready for bed, the voice of an adult Ralphie is heard stating that the BB gun was the best gift he ever got.

 

 

Frosty the Snowman

 

Rounding off the list of classics – in the true sense of the word – is the beloved animation Frosty the Snowman. The 25-minute production was first aired on CBS on December 7, 1969, and its huge success has resulted in it becoming a staple among films associated with the holiday season.

 

In the holiday special, kids at an elementary school build a snowman and decide to call him Frosty. He is brought to life when they place the hat of Professor Hinkle – a magician – on his head. After temporarily losing the hat, Frosty expresses to the kids that unless he makes it to the North Pole he is going to melt.

 

To prevent this from happening, Frosty, a young girl named Karen and a rabbit named Hocus Pocus set off on their journey. After facing a number of obstacles (including Hinkle who tries to get rid of Frosty), Santa Claus steps in and saves the day. Frosty heads off to he North Pole with Santa, but promises to return every Christmas.

Popular Christmas Holiday Movies: Part 2