The season is officially here y’all. Play your music, sing your songs, put up your tree & all of the decorations. Who’s gonna check you??! Who dares ask you to wait? Tis the season!

Falalalala-lalalala.

Now that that’s out of my system, allow me to share my family’s love of Christmas movies with you. Oh how we live for all things Santa, elves, & Christmas bells! It’s such a fun time of year to be with my little family & witness my daughters’ excitement.

Around this time, I can’t help but think back to my former disdain for the holiday. I’ve shared this story many times but if we’re just finding one another, you may not know it. My paternal grandmother passed away around Christmas when I was younger. I remember rushing her to the hospital with my dad. Unfortunately, she passed away in the car while trying to turn & look at me one last time. I was in the backseat & watched her body become lifeless.

It was devastating for me & my grief lingered. Christmas was never the same. I always felt some kind of (negative) way about it until I became a parent. Witnessing my daughters’ pure happiness on Christmas day & feeling their love when they put their arms around my neck, revived joy in me! I feel alive & like a kid again.

How we set the mood…

You can’t just pop in a movie & turn out the lights. That’s disrespectful to Christmas cheer. If you want to do this like we do, set the mood by putting on festive pjs or socks, burning a holiday candle, & lighting the fireplace. Make sure the room is cozy but not too hot.

Next up, hot chocolate.

Whether you’re about that instant life or you want as much authentic goodness as possible, get it ready. Pull out your Christmas mugs, marshmallows, & whipped cream. Do you add cinnamon or peppermint, too? Go all out!

While the hot chocolate is cooling a bit, grab your snacks. We typically like popcorn with some sort of topping. If we decide on baked goods, we prepare them well before movie time. When all else fails grab chips, fruit, or something ready-made at the store.

Simplicity is life!

A bonus tip… make sure everyone has emptied their bladders & such. Lord knows we’re thankful for the pause button but don’t like to use it in the middle of a good movie.

Without further ado…

The Santa Clause Parts 1, 2, & 3 (With Tim Allen)

Home Alone (The first is the best!)

The Grinch (We love them all but Jim Carrey is hilarious!)

The Preacher’s Wife

Arthur Christmas

Elf

Nightmare Before Christmas (Our favorite holidays in one!)

Frosty The Snowman

Scrooged

Jack Frost (Makes at least one of us cry every time.)

Miracle On 34th Street

The Polar Express

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

The Elf On the Shelf Presents: An Elf’s Story

Santa Claus is Coming to Town

So tell us …. have you seen all of these Christmas movies? Which are your favorite Christmas movies for families? What movie on the list have you not seen? Inquiring minds want to know!

Hey… you can always buy one or more of these as a Christmas gift, too. Kids, tweens, teens, & adults alike are guaranteed to like a few of them (if not all). There’s another gift idea for ya.