Christmas is a time when families join together to enjoy each other’s company, create memories and carry on time-honored traditions while beginning some new ones. Many families enjoy watching holiday-themed films together during the Christmas season, but choosing the perfect movies can be difficult. The following five classic Christmas comedies are ideal for any family gathering during the holidays, and they are sure to elicit laughter from even the grumpiest house guests.
Home Alone
This 1990 film, which helped launch the career of Macaulay Culkin, pleases audiences with its excellent mixture of slapstick comedy and heartwarming sentimentality. The film follows the adventures of eight-year-old Kevin McAllister as he spends the Christmas holiday literally home alone after a mishap that sends his entire family to Paris without him. Kevin enjoys his freedom at first, but quickly learns that being home alone is not as fun as it might have seemed initially.
Elf
Will Ferrell, Zooey Deschanel and James Caan star in this comedic fantasy film about an overgrown elf who leaves the North Pole to find his true family. Ferrell is hilarious as the naive and innocent title character who must try to combat the cynicism and apathy of his new, city environment. The movie is full of laughs, but it also features a touching love story and a moral center that emphasizes the importance of making family a top priority.
A Christmas Story
A Christmas Story was released in 1983 to lukewarm reviews and moderate success, but it has slowly become one of the most beloved Christmas comedies of all time. The movie tells the story of nine-year-old Ralphie Parker, who wants nothing more than a Red Ryder BB gun for Christmas. The film’s major story arc concerns Ralphie’s attempts to secure the gun as a gift, but it also features a number of hilarious subplots that add numerous memorable moments. Although A Christmas Story was only marginally popular upon its original theatrical release, it is now a staple of the holiday season in many households thanks to its strong presence on cable TV.
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation
Released in 1989, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation is the third movie in the popular Vacation series starring comedian Chevy Chase as the lovably bumbling Clark Griswold. Clark and his family aim to host the perfect holiday gathering for various relatives by showing a ridiculous amount of Christmas spirit. Naturally, events do not go as planned, and the family must find ways to escape a number of sticky situations that result in uproarious laughter.
Bad Santa
This 2003 film is considered to be one of the most hysterically funny Christmas movies ever made, but it is decidedly not appropriate for audience members under the age of 17. This raunchy, R-rated comedy features Billy Bob Thornton as a mall Santa who uses his position to rob department stores and other merchants every holiday season. The humor in this film is quite dark, but those who enjoy their comedies with a bit of a mean streak love Bad Santa. It may not be an ideal viewing choice for families, but it is perfect for adults to watch after the kids have gone to bed.
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