Holidate (2020)

As someone who binges holiday rom-coms way more than I should admit, I thought I’d seen every mistletoe cliché out there. But “Holidate,” featuring Emma Roberts and Luke Bracey, is a refreshingly comedic take on your typical holiday Hallmark love story. The story follows Sloan and Jackson, two commitment-phobic, sarcastic and somewhat relatable individuals, who are tired of familial pressure to date. So, they decide to become each other’s holidates, or date for every holiday. “Holidate” accurately portrays holiday pressure, from awkward family member interactions to the all-consuming need to give the perfect gifts. Its slightly edgy festive cheer makes it a charmingly formulaic (and very much nostalgic) modern spin on a heartfelt romantic comedy. 

Home Alone (1990)

There’s nothing like settling down into a cozy corner of your couch with a mug of hot chocolate and turning on the Christmas classic “Home Alone.” From the chaotic energy of the McCallister family to Kevin’s witty personality (brought alive by Macaulay Culkin), the movie is bursting with the festive fun that I crave in my holiday watches. But what truly makes this movie timeless is its heart. It’s a story about family, love and connection, the very things that define the Christmas spirit. So, if you’re looking for a comforting,  laugh-out-loud classic to watch with your loved ones this holiday season, “Home Alone” is the perfect choice to remind you why family will always be worth coming home to.

Elf (2003)

Every year, the holiday movie I look most forward to rewatching is Elf. It’s classic, it’s hilarious, and the fact that Will Ferrell plays the lead role is reason enough to watch it. The movie follows Buddy, a human raised by elves at the North Pole, as he heads to New York to find his real dad. But being a grown man in a bright elf outfit who eats cotton balls for fun (and fights a mall Santa), nothing goes smoothly for Buddy. This movie is fast-paced and filled with absurd moments that never get old, even if you’ve seen it 100 times. At the same time, Elf is surprisingly wholesome, showing how family, kindness and strong holiday spirit can win over even the biggest cynics.

The Grinch (2018)

A classic Christmas movie adapted from “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” one of Dr. Seuss’s most famous books,  “The Grinch” from 2018 is an animated family comedy starring a cranky green grump with an addiction to binge eating and a hatred for holiday cheer. That is, until a young girl named Cindy Lou Who changes his life forever. I’m not a fan of overly sentimental movies, especially ones catered toward younger audiences, but “The Grinch” captures the magic of Christmas joy perfectly. I still remember leaning on my mom’s shoulder and singing along to “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch,” mouth covered in cotton candy residue and eyes drooping from a long day of play. Even now, the story’s original message still resonates: the holidays are meant for family and connection.

Miracle on 34th Street (1947)

Christmas came absurdly early when “Miracle on 34th Street” premiered at the start of summer. Studio executives, expecting more movie-goers in the warmer months, released this classic in May of 1947. Despite its off-season debut, Edmund Gwenn remains the only actor to ever win an Academy Award for playing Santa Claus. If that doesn’t sufficiently prove the enduring magic of “Miracle on 34th Street,” allow me to elaborate. Sentimental without being shallow, it reverses the basic formula of children believing in Santa: six-year-old Susan Walker is a skeptic raised to dismiss fairy tales. Yet, after meeting Kris Kringle, a man who claims to be Santa himself, she starts to doubt her beliefs. The film follows Kris Kringle as he is brought before the Supreme Court, which suspects that his claims of being the real Mr. Claus constitute insanity. After the whole hour and 41 minutes, every character has earned their happy ending. The film ends on a more ambiguous note: was Kris truly Santa? Director George Seaton refused to confirm. But in the end, there’s nothing cozier than a black-and-white Christmas movie about cynics believing in the holiday spirit.