As the holiday season grows near, many families are gathering around the fire with steaming hot chocolate, searching for the best Christmas movies television has to offer. This year, I will be reviewing five must-see Christmas movies every family can enjoy from a classic oldie to a more modern family Christmas dynamic.  

Tracking way back to 1947, Miracle on 34th Street hit theaters as the soon-to-be Christmas classic for the holiday season. This tender, heartwarming classic will have everyone in the family eager to find out how the movie ends.

While the movie had the lowest box office grossing of the five movies, the film more than makes up for it with nostalgic acting and the sprinkle of comedy throughout the entirety of the film.

Miracle on 34th Street is the film every family can enjoy with snow falling and the fire crackling in the background.

“One of the sweetest pictures ever turned out by Hollywood,” Kate Cameron said from her review in the New York Daily News in 1947.

Not many years after, White Christmas began to appear in theaters and weaved its way into the hearts of the families that viewed this film.

While the film may not appeal to all, the people who adore a Christmas musical extravaganza full of cheer and a helping hand holiday story will enjoy this classic film.

“The film, starring Crosby, retains popular affection as a nostalgic festive treat and it is a good musical with a lot of star power,” Martin Chilton, Culture Editor for the Telegraph, said.

The all-American Christmas classic, A Christmas Story, allows for a fresh twist on the holiday movie experience as families gather around to watch the main character struggle to survive the holiday season.

From the perspective of a kid, but with the narration of a man, A Christmas Story brings out Christmas cheer from everyone who watches the film and will create the need to rewatch the film every Christmas Day.

For the families searching for lots of laughs this holiday season, following the Griswold family in National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation will not disappoint.

With an over the top Christmas display quirky comebacks, the Griswold family will have the whole family in a nonstop fit of laughter as they relate deeply to the struggles of having everyone over for the holidays.

“Anyone that has family over at their house for the holidays can relate to this movie in at least one way,” senior Benjamin Makowski said.

The most modern Christmas experience can be found by watching Four Christmases — providing laughs and an inside look on a wide variety of different Christmas traditions.

A fun, family friendly holiday movie for the families who understand the difficulties of making it to every holiday feast.

Along with the lightheartedness of the movie, according to Box Office Mojo, Four Christmases had a domestic total gross of $120,146,040, ranking above the other four films.

No matter if the movie is playing in the background during Christmas dinner or all the attention is on the film, the comedic side of this romantic movie will have everyone laughing.

“By far my family’s favorite movie to watch together during the holidays, especially when we have family over,” Kassidy Schmidt, senior, said.

This holiday season, gather friends and family to watch one, or all, of these five must-see holiday movie favorites.