Best Christmas Movies According to the Gallagher – McCrummen Household

A Christmas Story is a 1983 American Christmas comedy film based on the short stories and semi-fictional anecdotes of author Jean Shepherd, based on his book In God We Trust: All Others Pay Cash.

Nine-year-old Ralphie Parker wants only one thing for Christmas: a Red Ryder Carbine Action 200-shot Range Model air rifle with a compass in the stock.  Ralphie's desire of course is rejected by his mother (as most mothers would do).  Most memorable line from the movie? "You'll shoot your eye out."

Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas!  As for this movie, I grew up on the original from 1966, but I must say I really enjoy the Jim Carrey version of the movie.  Carrey's humor adds to the movie and makes the Grinch seem like a really nice guy overall.

The Santa Clause is a series of comedy films starring Tim Allen. The film series includes The Santa Clause, The Santa Clause 2 and The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause.  I like this series, because one Tim Allen is great in it and secondly because it is just clean family entertainment.

The Polar Express is a 2004 3D animated musical fantasy film based on the 1985 children's book of the same name.  The film stars Tom Hanks.  The Polar Express is listed in the Guinness World Book of Records in 2006 as the first all-digital capture film. This is Castle Rock Entertainment's first animated film.

It's a Wonderful Life.  We can not forget this classic movie from 1946, based on the short story "The Greatest Gift".  The film is now among the most popular in American cinema and because of numerous television showings in the 1980s has become traditional viewing during the Christmas season.

The film stars James Stewart as George Bailey, a man who has given up his dreams in order to help others, and whose imminent suicide on Christmas Eve brings about the intervention of his guardian angel, Clarence Odbody (Henry Travers). Clarence shows George all the lives he has touched and how different life would be had he never been born.  Remember every time a bell rings an angel gets his wings.

Elf is a is comedy film starring Will Ferrell, James Caan, Mary Steenburgen, Ed Asner, and Bob Newhart. It's the story of one of Santa's elves (Ferrell) who learns of his true identity as a human and goes to New York City to meet his biological father (Caan), spreading Christmas cheer.  The film inspired the 2010 broadway musical Elf: The Musical and NBC's 2014 stop-motion animated television special Elf: Buddy's Musical Christmas.