Watching Christmas Movies as a Holiday Tradition

Each holiday, people look for something that they can do together as a family. They want to find a tradition that they can pass on to their children. Spending the day opening presents and watching Christmas movies is a great way to spend time, and it helps bring the family together. This tradition can even be followed if you have guests staying for the holidays. And although some of these may not be appropriate choices for when the kids are awake, these kind of Christmas movies can be watched after the kids fall asleep. Here are some Christmas films, with a short description of each.

Elf: A man is sent to the US to discover his true identity after causing mayhem at the North Pole due to his size.

Bad Santa: A con man poses as Santa to rob department stores on Christmas Eve. This is not a movie that is fit for kids to watch, and most people will be offended by something in it.

Christmas with the Kranks: A couple decide not to celebrate the holidays, but when their daughter comes home, they must scramble to put together a holiday on short notice.

Christmas Vacation: As with the rest of the National Lampoon movies, the Griswold family gets themselves into trouble planning Christmas.

How the Grinch Stole Christmas!: Dr. Suess's masterpiece comes to television. The Grinch takes all of the presents out of Whoville, but realizes the meaning of Christmas when they celebrate anyway.

The Polar Express: A young boy who is doubting in the existence of Santa Claus rides a magical train on Christmas Eve.

Scrooged: A network executive experiences his own version of "A Christmas Carol" on Christmas Eve.

It's a Wonderful Life: When a man encounters a run of bad luck, an angel shows a man what his town would be like if he never existed.

Miracle on 34th Street: A lawyer defends a man who has been hospitalized as being insane for claiming he is Kris Kringle.

A Christmas Story: A child tries to get a BB gun for Christmas, when all the adults in his life are telling him "You'll shoot your eye out."

Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer: Rudolph is not accepted by the other reindeer, so he easily makes friends with some misfit toys. Then he discovers that he's the only one that can save Christmas.

A Christmas Carol: Ebenezer Scrooge learns compassion and the true meaning of Christmas when he is visited by three ghosts on Christmas Eve. This film has been made multiple times by many different actors and directors. Check the video store for your favorite version.

The Santa Clause series: In the first one, a man accidently kills Santa, and finds that he is automatically the next Santa. In the second one, Santa learns that he must take a wife, according to the rules. The third one, which has just been released in theaters, has Santa trying to protect his title from Jack Frost.

No matter which holiday movies you choose, they can help you start a tradition that your family will be sure to follow for years to come. Families rarely spend time together, and watching a movie can help bring you all together to laugh and share your favorite parts of each movie. And whether you choose to follow this tradition or a different one, spending time with loved ones is what the holiday is all about.