Like everybody, we at the Austin Daily Herald enjoy a good holiday movie and Christmas jingle during this time of year.

This is the first, in a two-part series, listing our favorites, starting with movies. Look for our favorite songs in next week’s Spotlight.

 Jason Schoonover

1. “It’s a Wonderful Life,” 1946

This is the holiday film my family watches every Christmas Eve. It doesn’t feel like the holiday season until I watch this classic.

2. “A Muppet Christmas Carol,” 1992

Michael Caine playing Scrooge with a bunch of puppets sounds like a train wreck waiting to happen, but it’s a funny, heartfelt take on the Charles Dickens classic.

3. “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” 1965

Charlie Brown and Snoopy help find the true meaning of Christmas.

4. “Dr. Suess’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” 1966

Sure, the Jim Carrey film was painful, but this television classic is a near perfect rendition of D. Suess.

5. “Home Alone,” 1990

This and “A Muppet Christmas Carol” are two of the first movies I remember seeing in theaters.

Dave Churchill

“A Christmas Story,” based on Gene Shepherd’s excellent book, “In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash.” But the book is better.

 

Eric Johnson

1. “A Christmas Story,” 1983

The gripping story of a boy and his BB gun, the action of one man’s battle with a furnace, and the suspense of the “Oh, fuuuuddddggggeee,” tire-changing incident. Nothing says Christmas like this 1983 feature, film starring Peter Billingsly where Christmas goes off with anything, but a hitch.

2. “A Christmas Carol,” George C. Scott version, 1984

There are so many versions of this, it practically can be a marathon on its own, but for my money this version with George C. Scott is the best. It’s almost like he channeled Patton for Scrooge, but when he laughs it feels like the most natural thing in the world.

3. “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” 1965

You should watch this for Linus’ speech alone.

4. “It’s A Wonderful Life,” 1946

What makes you feel better in the end? Clarence getting his wings or George Bailey’s renewed faith in himself?

5. “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation,” 1989

The Griswold family brings its classic dysfunction to Christmas. Yeah, you should probably watch this.

Amanda Lillie

1. “A Christmas Story,” 1983

Although it’s a typical holiday movie, “A Christmas Story” will always be one of my favorites. Even if we don’t watch it as a family, I try and catch the leg lamp scene on TV each year.

2. “The Santa Clause,” 1994

As a child, I had ulterior motives to watching this; I had a crush on the head elf.

3. “American Psycho,” 2000

It may not be your run-of-the-mill, feel good Christmas movie, but the main character does attend a Christmas party during the movie. And it’s just an awesome flick, so it deserves mentioning.

4. “The Holiday,” 2006

Unlike “American Psycho,” this one is definitely a feel good movie. Best watched with hot chocolate, caramel corn and a cuddle buddy.

5. “Home Alone,” 1990

What 20-something wouldn’t claim to still love Home Alone to this day?

Don’t deny it, you know you wanted to be Macaulay Culkin in that movie.

Trey Mewes

1. “Die Hard,” 1998

I don’t care what anyone says, Die Hard is the best Christmas movie of all time. Families come together, there’s plenty of Christmas spirit, and Alan Rickman vs. Bruce Willis is too awesome for words.

2. “A Wish for Wings that Work,” 1991

This Christmas special is based on Berkley Breathed’s Opus and Bill comic. It is the one movie my mother makes us watch every Christmas Eve, after dinner and before we open presents.

Even though we’ve all seen it way too many times, my family can’t celebrate the holidays without watching it.

3. “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” 1964

This is a quintessential Christmas classic, along with any Rankin/Bass claymation movie. They’re all amazing, but Rudolph takes the cake.

4. “Frosty the Snowman,” 1969

Frosty is another childhood favorite and a must-see Christmas movie.

5. “Bad Santa,” 2003

For the evil little boy inside every adult. Also, Lauren Graham of Parenthood is hilarious in this film.

Susan Downey

1. “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” 1966

I can watch this movie anytime.

2. “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation,” 1989

3. “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” 2000

4. “The Santa Clause,” 1994

5. “Home Alone,” 1990

Brenda Landherr

1. “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation,” 1989”

I watch this with the family every year. Still think it’s the best.

2. “Frosty the Snowman,” 1969

3. “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” 1966

4. “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” 1964

I loved watching these as a little girl and even better watching them with my kids.

5. “Deck the Halls,” 2006

 Adam Harringa

1. “Christmas Vacation,” 1989

It wouldn’t be Christmas without Cousin Eddie’s solution for waste disposal or Aunt Bethany’s version of Grace.

2. “A Christmas Story,” 1983

Holy smokes. Do… Do you know what this is? This is … A lamp!

3. “The Muppet’s Christmas Carol,” 1992

I’ve yet to see a bad version of Charles Dickens’ classic, and this twist is the best of the best.

4. “Home Alone,” 1990

You can’t go wrong with a John Williams score, a soundtrack filled with Christmas classics and a kid beating the crap out of a couple of dense burglars.

5. “It’s a Wonderful Life,” 1946

I had to throw a classic in the mix, and this one is hard not to enjoy.