What’s the Best Holiday Film?
Marist students on their favorite holiday movies.
What's your favorite holiday movie? Source: user Lucius Beebe Memorial Library via Creative Commons
It’s finally the holiday season, one of the most highly-anticipated times of the year. Along with popular music and festive treats, the holiday season brings fan-favorite movies with it. Every person has a holiday movie that is an absolute must-watch every year, whether it be because of sentiment or just plain humor. Marist students weighed in on what they believe the best holiday film is and why it is important to them.
Classics such as “How The Grinch Stole Christmas”, “Santa Claus is Coming to Town”, “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer'' and “It's a Wonderful Life” were popular answers among students, primarily for their historical significance and influence on holiday movie culture.
“The overall meaning represents everything that the holidays are about: exhibiting kindness toward others, appreciating what you have and showing your loved ones how much they mean to you,” Tara Kenna ‘24 said as she reflected on “It’s a Wonderful Life”.
These classics also come with a feeling of comforting nostalgia, such as “The Polar Express”. Carey Gallagher ‘24 favors “A Charlie Brown Christmas”. “[It is a] classic film that genuinely makes you appreciate the holiday season,” Gallagher said.
The comedic genre of holiday movies is also a hit with the Marist community. Students gave praise to Will Ferrel’s “Elf”, as well as Tim Allen’s “The Santa Clause” trilogy for their classic humor and feel-good plots.
Kaitlyn Hastings ‘24 admired “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” for its impact on her family. “National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation” is my dad’s favorite and [it] is a tradition to watch as a family every year around Christmas,” said Hastings. Humor combined with the holiday spirit prove to be an iconic recipe for a memorable festive film.
When it comes to identifying the best holiday movie, debates might arise, but what makes a holiday film great is personal to the viewer. Having a variety of holiday films is the beauty of the season, allowing everyone the chance to replay their favorites or dive into a whole new festive world whenever they wish.