It’s the holidays and we’re wall-to-wall in Christmas movies, cartoons and the Jolly Old Elf. While some of our favorite movies get repeat airplay – National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, Elf, It’s a Wonderful Life, Die Hard, just to name a few (and please TV people, don’t ever stop playing these favorites) there are a few that are often overlooked in spite of their Christmas awesomeness when we’re sharing our top favorites over Christmas dinner.

Here are a few of my favorites.

  1. Trading Places. (1983) Yes, this one is an oldie but goodie. There’s nothing society loves more than seeing a success story taken down a notch or two and Louis Winthorpe III has it coming. An audacious bet between the down right filthy rich Duke brothers destroys his life, while inserting Billy Ray Valentine – a homeless scam artist into Winthorpe’s place. Saved by a hooker and a lucky happenstance in the bathroom, Winthorpe and Valentine outsmart the brothers and end up with a Merry Christmas after all. (An all-star cast of Dan Akroyd, Eddie Murphy, Jamie Lee Curtis and more, keep the laughs going.)

Moral of the story: Be kind. It could be you next.

Pro Tip: Protect Ya Neck

  1. Home Alone. (1990) Who wants a wish granted along with a chance eat ice cream in bed, and watch gangster movies with no chores and nobody yelling at him? Kevin McAllister, that who. Turns out his ultimate fantasy – to be left to his own devices, isn’t so great at all, and that annoying family he’s so over, is really the best thing that’s ever happened to him. Besides braving the basement, fighting off bad guys, and scaring the crap out of the pizza delivery guy, the best part of the movie is the heart-wrenching moment the reclusive neighbor next door bears his soul and shares his loneliness with Kevin after a long separation from his own son. Kevin’s love and appreciation for his family makes his “Christmas wish” for their return come true.

Moral of the story: Appreciate your family. They’re the only one you’ve got.

Pro Tip: Appreciate your family or they’ll leave you behind.

  1. Christmas with the Kranks. (2004) I love this movie for all it is and all it isn’t. Ready to enjoy the empty nest, Luther and Nora Krank are set to ditch Christmas tradition and sail away on a cruise to the dismay of their friends and neighbors who count on their annual party and Frosty display. Nothing can sway them except for the return of their daughter, ready to share her family’s traditions with the new man in her life. Neighborly love comes together in full force to save the day, and the arrival of Blair with their future son in law is celebrated with a revitalized sense of community probably lost over the years of just going through the motions. The most poignant moment of this underrated movie is when Luther’s neighborly archenemy across the street is seen with his terminally ill wife through the window and the ice melts in his own heart. Gifting the cruise vacation to the couple as a once in a lifetime opportunity, grab the tissues, and get ready to say Happy Holidays to that neighbor you never speak to. (This too has an all-star cast with Tim Allen, Jamie Lee Curtis, Dan Akroyd and more.)

Moral of the story: The grass isn’t always greener on the other side. It’s greener where you water it.

Pro Tip:  Don’t be cheap, buy the Police Athletic League holiday calendar anyway.

  1. Scrooged. It’s modern (for its day – 1988) and still holds up today. The timeless classic brings a dark edge to the story and with modern twists. It’s just fantastic. Scrooge is a television exec who’s forgotten what life is really about. Besides being ushered about by the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future, he’s chased by the shotgun toting Bobcat Goldthwait, and leads a loveless life, while never having forgotten about the bleeding heart, do-gooder love of his life, Claire. Making amends with his brother, winning back his girl with an open heart and even relying on Eliot (Goldthwait) in the production control room, Scrooge not only saves Christmas for American viewers, but saves himself in the process. (This all-star cast has Bill Murray, Karen Allen, Bobcat Goldthwait, Carol Kane, and more.)

Moral of the story: God Blesses Everyone.

Pro Tip: Put a little love in your heart.

  1. Jingle All the Way. (1996) Yes, I’ve always been an Arnold fan. But this one hits differently. Seeing him in a sweet role as a dad (yes, he was a dad in Commando, but that’s another story), it’s a whole different genre. Going to any length to get his son the ONE toy he wanted for Christmas (we all remember the Cabbage Patch Kids craze), it puts into perspective how easy it is to get lost in work, commitments, etc. while the beloved family is on the backburner. Through a crazy twist of fate after getting scammed on a black market resale, nearly blown to bits by his mail carrying competitor, and going head-to-head with a reindeer, Schwarzenegger catches a lucky break and saves the day as Turbo Man himself. (This all-star cast has Arnold Schwarzenegger, Rita Wilson, the late Phil Hartman and Sinbad.)

Moral of the story: Always keep your promises if you want to keep your friends.

Pro Tip: Christmas comes once a year. Order early.

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