It’s that time of the year, folks. Halloween has come and gone. Thanksgiving is nearly upon us and the Christmas season will follow soon after. As such, everyone has their favorite films for the festivities — It’s an absolute must, like football, ham or the ritual post-meal comatose. For your consideration, I’d like to present my personal favorites for the holiday seasons, and I hope they’ll inject a little cheer into your pre-finals drudge.
Author’s Note: I’ve been urged strongly by several of my friends and colleagues not to include “Die Hard” in this list, despite the fact that it takes place entirely on Christmas Day and its sole purpose is to spread holiday cheer. I’ll keep this guilty pleasure all to myself then, I suppose.
5. “Planes, Trains and Automobiles”
An absolute classic with some moments that rival the best of them, this 1987 John Hughes Thanksgiving travel flick features some of the best Steve Martin/John Candy camaraderie available, including the masterfully scripted car scene. While it becomes apparently clear Martin and Candy are not in fact going the right way, “Planes, Trains and Automobiles” very much is.

4. “Christmas Vacation”
One of the flat out funniest films you’ll ever lay eyes on, and by far the best of National Lampoon’s “Vacation” series. “Christmas Vacation” never fails to amuse, no matter how often I watch it. Clark W. Griswold always manages to take things to the next level when it’s least needed, and Chevy Chase’s do-it-all funny man will do whatever it takes to make this year a “fun-filled Griswold family Christmas.” Hilarity ensues.

3. “Holiday Inn”
Technically, this Bing Crosby/Fred Astaire musical romp explores the joy in a variety of holidays, but the spirit of the film starts with Christmas. Featuring a love triangle, plenty of raucous humor and more Irving Berlin tunes than you can shake a stick at, “Holiday Inn” is still perhaps best known for its rendition of “White Christmas” that entrenched the song forever in Christmas music lore.

2. “Home Alone”
John Hughes has found his way onto the list again, it seems. And it’s no surprise, as one of the most prolific directors of the 1980’s made sure the ’90s wouldn’t soon forget about him with this instantly recognizable children’s classic. “Home Alone” made Macaulay Culkin a star, Joe Pesci more than just a gangster and home invasion not so scary anymore. 

1. “It’s a Wonderful Life”
You had to know where this one was going; you just had to. While not strictly a Christmas film by any means, “It’s a Wonderful Life” embodies everything the holiday spirit is all about — love, selflessness and charity. The fact that it takes place on Christmas doesn’t hurt either. This movie is so much more to me than just a movie. It has taught me, and continues to teach me, more about life than a textbook or a teacher ever could. Most importantly, that I’ve fallen madly in love with Donna Reed.

Logan Keen is a finance sophomore from Slidell, Louisiana.