Ah, Christmas time. The annual season that starts the second plates are cleared from Thanksgiving dinner and doesn't end until New Year's. And while the holiday season can be a bit of a stressful time for everyone, it's also the one time of the year where being nostalgic isn't just fun, it's encouraged. Nostalgia has always been a huge part of Christmas, and the same can be said about Xmas-themed movies. So this holiday, cuddle up and take a trip down memory lane with seven nostalgic Christmas movies that will bring you back to childhood.
Revisiting Christmas movies you used to watch as a kid is the perfect way to take yourself back to a time when Christmas was still magical — and I mean that literally. Some nostalgic Christmas movies have a way of taking you back to when you'd still leave out milk and cookies for Santa Claus, or try to stay awake in bed in the hopes of catching Santa dropping off your presents. More often than not, these films can help bring back the magic of the holidays by making you feel like a little kid again. So, here are seven Christmas movies that will forever remind me of childhood.
1. Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town (1970)
I have a confession to make: I have a crush on Santa Claus. Ever since I was a kid, every time I see Kris Kringle step out with his cute smile and bright red hair in the stop-motion classic Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town, I can't help but melt. (Yes, I do realize I'm admitting to having romantic feelings towards a puppet. And, no, I don't care.) In my defense, Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town is basically a romantic origin story of Santa and Mrs. Claus, so, it's not that weird.
2. Frosty The Snowman (1969)
No matter how many times I watch this animated version of Frosty the Snowman, it still makes me tear up. Even if the movie doesn't immediately fill you up with nostalgia, the "Frosty the Snowman" song will.
3. The Santa Clause (1994)
Because what looks more like your childhood than Tim Allen turning into Santa right before your eyes? Sure, it's terrifying, but you have to admit, it makes you feel like a little kid again.
4. Home Alone (1990)
The Christmas classic gave audiences the iconic Macaulay Culkin scream face and the unrealistic expectation that every kid left home alone automatically becomes a crafty genius! Home Alone is also a great movie about the importance of family on Christmas. No matter how much you might enjoy some alone time now and again, there's really nothing like being with some loved ones during the holidays.
5. Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964)
Another stop-motion animation Christmas classic, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer makes Rudolph the true Christmas underdog. Even if you never watched this one when you were a kid, it's guaranteed to bring you back to your childhood with its cute charm and timeless theme. Who hasn't felt like a misfit toy at some point in their lives?
6. A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965)
Is it really Christmas without at least one viewing of A Charlie Brown Christmas? Fun fact: The Peanuts movie turns 50 this year!
7. The Ultimate Christmas Present (2000)
OK, this one's a bit more random, but for all you Disney Channel Original Movies fans, you know the magic of The Ultimate Christmas Present. The 2000 movie is about a tween girl who gets her hands on Santa's magic weather machine and uses it to make her very own snow day in LA. Of course, the machine soon gets out of control, and a snowstorm hits LA. Needless to say, it's pretty epic (and it also helped launch Brenda Song's career at the Disney Chanel).
Merry Christmas everyone, and may your inner child live on forever.
Images: DreamWorks Classics; Giphy (5); dcomgifs/tumblr; school-marm-charm/tumblr
