With Thanksgiving over, the holiday season has now officially arrived. With a time to spread holiday cheer, now is the time to start turning on your favorite movies to get ready for a season of being merry and bright. 

My personal favorite holiday movie is definitely the comedy “Elf.” With many holiday movies being more serious, Will Ferrell in “Elf” makes a comedic masterpiece. Buddy the Elf is accidentally taken to the North Pole and then raised as an elf for his entire lifetime. Even though he is loved there, he wants to find his father in New York, Walter Hobbs. The childlike and not ready to be an adult Buddy has an incredible journey of struggles, love, and maturing all within this fulfilling movie. 

Though there are many other Christmastime masterpieces, the “Home Alone” series always has a special place in my heart. Although there are multiple spinoffs, the two original “Home Alone” movies are definitely the most popular and the best to watch. With a young child being stuck home alone away from his family during the holidays, both movies have very different settings. While “Home Alone 1” takes place in the main character Kevin’s home, “Home Alone 2” has him trapped in New York. While the infamously dumb burglars are trying to either rob the house or a toy store, Kevin has other plans in these two hilarious movies filled with pranks and wholesome endings. 

An underrated set of movies to watch this holiday season are the older claymation holiday movies. From “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” to “Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town,” claymation movies remain some of the classic staples in households across the world. Though these movies are anywhere from 50 to 70 or more years old, these sets of movies are timeless during the holiday season. Many of these movies will infest your TV screens this holiday season, making them a joyous way to get into the Holiday spirit. 

Though some holiday movies are objectively better than others, it is all down to personal opinion and which ones bring you and your family the most joy. The positive nature of most of these movies will help brighten your spirit while you get ready for the time of giving. For many, it is about reliving childhood memories while watching these movies. Whatever the reason to sit down and watch these wholesome movies is, the main goal is to celebrate the joys that the holiday season brings.