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It's that time again when many of break out the annual yuletide themed flicks. What are some of yours? Mine are:

1) Muppet Family Christmas: Where else do you see The Muppets cross over with not only the gang from Sesame Street, but Fraggle Rock?!
2) Scrooged: I always tear up a little bit at the end, but this movie is always good for a laugh. Plus, Bill Murray. Nuff said.
3) Gremlins: My favourite of the bunch and one of my favourite movies in general. I never get tired of watching this. Usually, I'll watch this back to back with Gremlins 2. The sequel isn't Christmas-themed, but it's still Gremlins.
4) Die Hard: It takes place on Christmas Eve, there's the phrase "Now I have a machine gun. Ho ho ho," and the end credits song is Winter Wonderland. Also: fuck you, it's Die Hard. Anyone who complains about watching this movie can walk barefoot through broken glass.

Additionally, I love watching the Batman animated episode "Christmas with the Joker" and Justice League's "Comfort & Joy." And of course, the Doctor Who Christmas special.

I am a sucker for the classics. In no particular order;

Miracle on 34th Street (Natalie Wood version, screw those remakes)
A Christmas Story
Scrooged (My favorite version of a Christmas Carol)
It's a Wonderful Life
White Christmas
Christmas Vacation

I also love to watch non-Christmas movies that take place during the holidays

Die Hard
Lethal Weapon
In Bruges
12 Monkeys
Brazil

Scrooge with Alastair Sim as Ebenezer Scrooge
A Christmas Carol with George C. Scott as Ebenezer Scrooge.
I'll be Home for Christmas this is animated and features two pigs, Toot & Puddle, who had a show on Nick Jr for a season or two.
A Christmas Story
Santa Claus Is Coming to Town
Dr. Seuss's How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1966)

Home Alone: Watching it makes my inner nine year old very happy.

Movies:

1.)Elf: Its just a damn fun movie and Will Farrell makes it.
2.)Gremlins: Nothing says christmas spirit like fighting off an invasion of destructive hell beasts!
3.)A Christmas Story: This film just OOZED the element of relatability. Getting bullied, panic attacks over whether your getting the gift you want, and the utter disappointment from secret codes sponsored by things that sponsor stuff.
4.)Mickey's/Muppet Christmas Carol: Haven't watched either in a hella long time but I do remember both fondly.
5.)Nightmare Before Christmas/How the Grinch stole Christmas(original): These movies are bizarre parallels of each other, one is about a guy who tries to improve Christmas and fails, and the other is about a guy who wants to RUIN Christmas and fails. Both however are holiday classics with iconic songs(however only one has way too much merchandise).

TV Specials:
1.)Adventure Time Holly Jolly Secrets & Community's Abed's uncontrollable Christmas: I put these in the same spot because both are christmas specials that make fun of the numerous cliches IN Christmas specials, while still bringing the warm and fuzzies that you associate with Christmas.
2.)Arnold's Christmas: Kind of an obscure one but I really feel this special exemplified the true spirit of giving in it, and I'd watch it on Netflix if not for Neflix being incredibly fickle.
3.Pinky and the Brain Christmas special: Starting from the beginning it looks like a basic Pinky and the Brain plot, but the ending will knock your socks off with Christmas cheer.
4.) Santa vs. The Snowman: Its a half hour special about Santa fighting a snowman with an army of At Ats. FUCKING AWESOME!
5.)Justice League's Comfort and Joy: Especially J'onn's part, that was nice.
6.)Spongebob Squarepants Christmas Who?: This special symbolized the joy of Christmas, but the disappointment that can come with it as well(which was fixed by Squidward in the end BUT STILL!)

Muppet Christmas Carol

Gremlins
The Nightmare Before Christmas
Miracle on 34th Street (original)

Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas

Chalk up another vote for White Christmas and the original Miracle on 34th Street. Also, though it's not strictly about Christmas, Holiday Inn. And what Christmas would be complete without Home Alone and Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer?

Doctor Who: A Christmas Carol is by far the best of the Doctor specials.

Shawnacy said:

Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas

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I like this one, but The Christmas Toy is my favorite. I don't know how I missed Emmet Otter for the longest time, but I only just saw it a few years ago when I finally bought The Christmas Toy and it came included.

All the other ones I make it a point to watch every year have been said already. Christmas Vacation, Scrooged, etc...

BErt said:

I like this one, but The Christmas Toy is my favorite. I don't know how I missed Emmet Otter for the longest time, but I only just saw it a few years ago when I finally bought The Christmas Toy and it came included.

All the other ones I make it a point to watch every year have been said already. Christmas Vacation, Scrooged, etc...

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A Christmas Toy made me a bit squeamish as a kid. It was really dark for a kid's Christmas special. A toy seen out of place by a human basically "died" and they were mournfully carried off to the ever growing pile of "corpses" by the other toys. Then you had the Tiger Toy, being a complete dick to everyone, and pretty much putting himself on the chopping block just so he can continue being the best.

Gared said:

Chalk up another vote for White Christmas and the original Miracle on 34th Street. Also, though it's not strictly about Christmas, Holiday Inn. And what Christmas would be complete without Home Alone and Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer?

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That reminds me of another: the Rankin Bass version of Jack Frost.

The Star Wars Christmas Special

Twilight Zone: Night of the Meek

@stienman: this? THIS post gets my first-ever-since-this-incarnation-of-the-board negative rating? Really?


...Well, yeah, I can sort of understand but still! KAHN!

stienman said:

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Y'know, I still haven't seen it completely, and I'm still fairly sure I don't want to

Bubble181 said:

The Star Wars Christmas Special

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Wondered how long it would take before someone mentioned this. Specifically did not post it to find out.
Y'all gotta remember I got to see Emmett Otter when it premiered, I even had the "behind the scenes" magazine. What can I say, Muppets are amazing.

Not sure if I really have a "favorite," but I know two I would always really look forward to:


Also the Claymation Christmas Celebration, as well as the single short A Christmas Gift (which were often played together, but are from completely different companies).

--Patrick

Nightmare Before Christmas
Die Hard
White Christmas
Elf
Year without a Sant Claus (I'm mister Heat Miser!)
It's a Wonderful Life
and Claymation Christmas (which is the ULTIMATE in my list of Christmas movies, and if you've heard of it I commend you on your knowledge of obscure things.)

Rare Exports

Zero Esc said:

Rare Exports

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Not sure whether to rate this as funny or hugs...

Bubble181 said:

The Star Wars Christmas Special

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It was a Thanksgiving Special... nerds these days...

I'm also likely the only one here to see it "live"

1. Die Hard
2. It's a Wonderful Life
3. (Muppet) Christmas Carol - really any version of a Christmas Carol with a well cast Scrooge works for me.

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ThatNickGuy said:

Additionally, I love watching the Batman animated episode "Christmas with the Joker"...

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I much prefer "Holiday Knights"

sixpackshaker said:

It was a Thanksgiving Special... nerds these days...

I'm also likely the only one here to see it "live"

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I saw it, too. I don't remember much of it since I was only 7 at the time, but I know we watched it.

"Merry Christmas, Charlie Brown" - until I've seen the Peanuts Christmas special, it's not Christmas.

sixpackshaker said:

It was a Thanksgiving Special... nerds these days...
I'm also likely the only one here to see it "live"

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Nope.

--Patrick

sixpackshaker said:

It was a Thanksgiving Special... nerds these days...

I'm also likely the only one here to see it "live"

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Oh no, I stayed up to watch that abomination the night it aired. To this day, I still haven't gotten that hour back.

I remember being disappointed that the "stars" didn't show up until almost the end of the whole thing.

--Patrick

I guess I'm a big fan of tangentially-related Christmas movies, so Die Hard, In Bruges and Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. Also The Muppet Christmas Carol, because why not.

And obviously, "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire" (or whatever that first episode was called, I always forget--but it never fails to warm my meatbox heart every time.

• Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
• Merry Christmas, Charlie Brown
• A Christmas Carol (much love for the version with Sir Patrick Stewart)
• A Christmas Story
• A Garfield Christmas
• White Christmas

Nothing too shocking on that list. I like my holiday movies more on the classic/traditional side. And I've never seen Miracle on 34th Street or It's a Wonderful Life, so...

This year i'm going to be getting together with friends to watch two of my favorite Christmas classics

It's a wonderful life and Meet Me in St. Louis

It's a wonderful life in particular is a movie that I never get sick of. But I expect that my experience with the movie might differ from some of yours since it wasn't a film that I watched while growing up. I have watched it a number of times but only as an adult.

Die Hard has become a yearly tradition which I plan to watch with my flatmates.

The Muppet Christmas Carol is one that I enjoy. I think it might be my top Muppet movie.

stienman said:

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Paula, Itchy and Lumpy? Classic Wookie names!!

I've never watched that before, but this time I succumbed. I immediately regret this decision.

How did I forget It's a Wonderful Life? Classic Christmas movie right there, can't have the holidays without it.

It's a Wonderful Life
Gremlins
Scrooged
The Nightmare Before Christmas
Die Hard
A Christmas Carol (2009 film)
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
How the Grinch Stole Christmas (live-action film, though the animated special also holds a close spot in my heart)
Elf

EDIT: Forgot to add one more film.

Tokyo Godfathers

Iron Man 3 - "It's Christmas. Take 'em to church."
Lethal Weapon - The ending scene has Murtaugh invite Riggs to Christmas dinner with his family.
Gremlins
Home Alone
A Christmas Story

filmfanatic said:

It's a Wonderful Life
Gremlins
Scrooged
The Nightmare Before Christmas
Die Hard
A Christmas Carol (2009 film)
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
How the Grinch Stole Christmas (live-action film, though the animated special also holds a close spot in my heart)
Elf

EDIT: Forgot to add one more film.

Tokyo Godfathers

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OMS, I completely forgot this movie! SO good.

Always always always Nightmare Before Christmas. I memorized the songs when I was 12, pushed it on all my friends in high school, and now it's a tradition that Jake and I watch it on Christmas eve.

Sent from my ASUS Transformer Pad TF700T using Tapatalk

Cajungal said:

Always always always Nightmare Before Christmas. I memorized the songs when I was 12, pushed it on all my friends in high school, and now it's a tradition that Jake and I watch it on Christmas eve.

Sent from my ASUS Transformer Pad TF700T using Tapatalk

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Aside from being a notable movie (good songs, characters, and animation), I still hold it as probably the biggest triumph in movie marketing, ever. Span two neighboring holidays? Genius!

--Patrick

Santa Claus Conquers the Martians
Santa Claus
Star Wars Holiday Special
Santa and the Ice Cream Bunny

Wife and I did a Christmas binge. We watched the first three Christmas episodes of Community, then the Twilight Zone episode "Night of the Meek," then a Blackadder Christmas Carol, and finished with The Nightmare Before Christmas.

Tomorrow, it's Muppet Christmas Carol and maybe my cousins have the original How the Grinch Stole Christmas if I'm really lucky.

Zero Esc said:

Wife and I did a Christmas binge. We watched the first three Christmas episodes of Community, then the Twilight Zone episode "Night of the Meek," then a Blackadder Christmas Carol, and finished with The Nightmare Before Christmas.

Tomorrow, it's Muppet Christmas Carol and maybe my cousins have the original How the Grinch Stole Christmas if I'm really lucky.

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No Scrooged?

GasBandit said:

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Um... okay

Cajungal said:

Always always always Nightmare Before Christmas. I memorized the songs when I was 12, pushed it on all my friends in high school, and now it's a tradition that Jake and I watch it on Christmas eve.

Sent from my ASUS Transformer Pad TF700T using Tapatalk

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You were 12 when NBC came out? Great Flying Spaghetti Monster, I'm old.

Christmas movies I like to watch while sitting in my rocking chair and yelling at the kids to get off my lawn:
Santa Claus (as done by MST3K)
Nightmare Before Christmas
Santa and the Ice Cream Bunny (this has little to do with Christmas and a lot to do with insanity)
How the Grinch Stole Christmas (Chuck Jones version)
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General Specific said:

Santa Claus Conquers the Martians
Santa Claus
Star Wars Holiday Special
Santa and the Ice Cream Bunny

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Good choices. You are obviously a man who enjoys torturing himself with Christmas.

Have you seen Rifftrax's "Santa's Village of Madness" or "Magic Christmas Tree" yet?

DID ANYONE MENTION DIE HARD YET

oh okay cool.

joking aside, Die Hard is literally my only christmas tradition and the only thing i've done for every year of my life, no matter if i was alone, or with like 3o relatives ever since I knew the movie existed

Back when I was a kid I had access to a video tape that had 4 Nelvana animation specials on it.

Devil and Daniel Mouse.
Rom-E-O and Jul-E-8
Please Don't Eat the Planet.
and Cosmic Christmas

Cosmic Christmas is just one of those long lost Christmas specials that approaches the "What is the true meaning of Christmas?" question in a unique and fun way. It goes a little overboard sometimes when giving you the message, and with the religious significance behind the holiday, but I really do enjoy the animation and the voices. It was also a lot darker than a majority of Christmas specials. And not just in tone, but in the brightness of the animation as well. Most of the action happens Christmas Eve in the dark woods, so it definitely doesn't always have the bright cheeriness to it you see in other specials. Which is definitely the point of it. When it does get brighter, it's when people are coming to terms with the true meaning of Christmas.

Oh. And it's about aliens visiting Earth looking for Christmas.

Youtube it.

Emrys said:

Good choices. You are obviously a man who enjoys torturing himself with Christmas.

Have you seen Rifftrax's "Santa's Village of Madness" or "Magic Christmas Tree" yet?

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We saw Village of Madness last friday. We may be forced to watch Magic Christmas Tree this weekend.