Part of living a healthy lifestyle is getting the proper amount of rest. Without rest our bodies can not recover from stress, and we end up getting sick. One method of relaxation that I frequently use, is watching movies. I love the horror and sci-fi genres, but a good comedy is always welcome, and when the holiday season is here I have a great assortment of Christmas movies and Halloween movies to work through when I can find the free time to watch.
During the Christmas and holiday seasons, I love to watch the traditional holiday movies that I grew up with as a kid like The Christmas Story, as well as some of the excellent newer flicks like Bad Santa, and some unpopular films that I love like Ernest Saves Christmas.
Updated for 2016!
Warning: some of the videos below (like Bad Santa) contain R-rated content. Don’t view them if you are easily offended.
Movies You Should See Every Holiday Season
1. National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989) Rated PG-13
Get a bonus if you watch the PG-13 version instead of the PG for the TV version.
2. Bad Santa (2003) Rated R
Billy Bob Thornton at his finest playing a drunk Santa with a shoplifting problem, to say the least. The sequal is also good.
3. Fred Claus (2007) Rated PG
Another example of Vince Vaughn playing a jackass character who screws everything up then has a change of heart, saves the world, and gets the girl. But this time with eggnog. Hey, if it ain’t broke don’t fix it.
4. Elf (2003) Rated PG
The snowball fight scene though!
7. Jingle All the Way (1996) Rated PG
Extra points for a Schwarzenegger flick!
8. Die Hard (1988) Rated R
The legendary Bruce Willis is in his famous not-about-Christmas, Christmas movie.
9. The Santa Clause (1994) Rated PG
The 2 successful sequels make this a great Christmas trilogy.
10. A Christmas Story (1983) Rated PG
11. Home Alone (1990) Rated PG
Another franchise with a couple of great sequels.
12. A Muppet Christmas Carol (1992) Rated G
13. The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) Rated PG
Is this a Halloween movie or one of the better animated Christmas movies? You decide! Or choose both!
14. Scrooged (1988) Rated PG-13
Bill Murray is Scrooge. ‘Nuff said.
15. Ernest Saves Christmas (1988) Rated PG
You all are going to think this is a dumb movie and will probably remove Project Swole from your bookmarks, but I don’t care!
16. How the Grinch Stole Christmas (live-action Jim Carrey version 2011) Rated PG
Holiday Cartoons
A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965) Rated G
How the Grinch Stole Christmas (cartoon version 1966) Rated G
A Garfield Christmas Special (1987) Rated G
Frosty The Snowman (1969) Rated G
Rudolph the Rednosed Reindeer (1964) Rated G
For Swole Horror Movie Fans
Granted, we’re not talking about Halloween here, but some of us are year-round Die-Hard horror movie fans. I am one of them and if you are too, then this list is for you.
Selections range from the more mainstream Krampus to the underrated Finnish indie flick Rare Exports and even Bill Goldberg playing old Kris Kringle in Santa Slay. William Shatner makes an appearance in A Christmas Horror Story, and be sure to check out Silent Night, Deadly Night if you like those old 80’s slasher flicks. This one specifically was banned in theaters!
Krampus (2015) Rated PG-13
Probably one of the highest quality, mainstream Xmas horror movies ever made or perhaps I’m just biased. Make sure it’s the right Krampus as there are quite a few inferior Krampus flicks on the market.
A Christmas Horror Story (2015) Rated PG-13
Extra points for a William Shatner appearance as the local radio host on a Christmas Eve broadcast.
Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale (2010) Rated R
Black Christmas (original – 1974, remake – 2006) Rated R
The Original
The Remake
Silent Night, Deadly Night (1984) Rated R
This movie was banned from the theaters in 1984 and released unedited on VHS in 1986. It was scheduled to be remade for Christmas 2008, but never made it into production. Here’s hoping we see Silent Night, Deadly Night directed by Rob Zombie in Christmas 2009.
Silent Night, Deadly Night has 4 sequels of decreasing quality. I watched them all. This also has a remake from 2012.
Santa’s Slay (2005)Rated R
Let me know what you all think about these flicks by leaving comments!
Read more: 6 Sneaky Ways to Stay Slim During the Holiday Season
Tags: christmas, christmas movies, entertainment, movies, santa
Die Hard; nice! Love it!! Christmas Vacation, Elf, and John Denver’s Rocky Mountain Holiday (with the Muppets) are my faves. Merry Christmas everyone!
I would rather not to choose any Christmas horror movie because Christmas is for happiness. I like the last video in the first list, Garfield movie. Garfield has been my favorite cartoon character during my early years. I think it is a good idea to spend time to check all of these movies.
I just can’t miss the Garfield or Peanuts Christmas specials every December. It just wouldn’t feel right without them.
What about the original Die Hard?! I watch it every Christmas.
While not necessarily a classic Christmas movie, Die Hard is no doubt a classic and should definitely be watched once every December.
Wow! What a great list with many of my favorite Holiday Christmas Movies! I always look forward to: ELF! Charlie Brown Christmas, The Santa Clause Series, Christmas with the Kranks, Deck the Halls, the Grinch, and of course, Christmas Vacation!
ELF has quickly become a Yuletide classic!