Every holiday season, a question is asked. No, it is not if Santa Claus – or Uncle Fred with hefty alimony payments – should be served non-alcoholic treats. It is not even if cash is the best Christmas present. The ultimate debate: Is Die Hard really a Christmas movie? For Legal Affairs Editor Scott Cosenza, the Bruce Willis classic action flick is not only a holiday motion picture but also the best Christmas film. But what does the rest of the Liberty Nation team think? We asked, and they shared.
The Best Christmas Movies
White Christmas (1954)
It’s definitely White Christmas with Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney, and Vera-Ellen. Unbelievable choreography (Vera-Ellen and Danny Kaye tear up the dance floor). The music, of course, is iconic, and the storyline is a heartfelt, feel-good movie. Plus, there’s that wonderful piece of dialogue that asks, “If you can find a Democrat in Vermont.” Wait. What? My sister and I watch it every year and always sing the Sisters song. A 1954 CLASSIC.
– Leesa Donner, Executive Editor
Die Hard (1988)
Roderick Thorp wrote Nothing Lasts Forever, a 1979 thriller, which formed the basis for the greatest Christmas movie ever produced. Demonstrating the primacy of the gifts that money cannot buy, this movie reveres the family Christmas through an unlikely vehicle, an action film. Thorp’s protagonist became John McLain on the silver screen, played brilliantly by Bruce Willis in Die Hard. The villainous grinch Hans Gruber, sublimely performed by the late Alan Rickman, would deny the McLains their Merry Christmas through his terrorist antics. Now 36 years old, Die Hard still manages to thrill, scare, warm, and celebrate. Ho-Ho-Ho & Yippee Ki-Yay!
– Scott Cosenza, Legal Affairs Editor
How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (1966)
How the Grinch Stole Christmas! by Dr. Seuss – the original 1966 version – is my favorite Christmas movie. Appropriate for all ages, filled with catchy tunes and narrated by the iconic Boris Karloff, there is a timeless appeal in the furry curmudgeon antagonist doomed to fail against the super-nice Whos of Whoville. The poor guy’s just lonely, and his bold burglarizing of the entire town is an attention-getting stunt driven not by avarice but by mischievousness. True, the Grinch’s treatment of his loyal dog Max would land him in prison for animal cruelty if he were not an animated fictionalization, but somehow the canine-lashing scenes make us wince less because we have chortled our way through the tale so many Christmas seasons past.
– John Klar, National Correspondent
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989)
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation is an uproarious classic starring Chevy Chase as Clark Griswold. Clark tries his best to make Christmas perfect for his family but can’t seem to do anything right, let alone remember to bring a saw when hiking into the woods to cut down a tree. Everything that could go wrong does. It’s certainly not as tasteful as It’s a Wonderful Life and probably isn’t suitable for the whole family. But this film’s unseemly slapstick style has caused teary laughter since the VHS days.
– Corey Smith, National Correspondent
Blast of Silence (1961)
A film noir Christmas movie? Blast of Silence, a low-budget 1961 film originally intended for the late great Peter Falk, sees a hit man from Cleveland travel to New York to kill a gangster. The movie is set during Christmas, and the lead character feels lonely as he yearns for his long-lost love. But the narrator, through voiceover, reminds him: “You’re alone. But you don’t mind that. You’re a loner. That’s the way it should be. You’ve always been alone. By now, it’s your trademark. You like it that way.”
The final scene is far from the traditional feel-good Christmas endings: Our hit man is ambushed in a lonely, isolated spot on the water and is shot dead. Merry Christmas, indeed.
– Andrew Moran, Economics Editor
The Year Without a Santa Claus (1974)
I grew up with Gen X TV Christmas specials. My favorite was The Year Without a Santa Claus. Heat Miser vs. Snow Miser, what more do you need?
But the best part is the music. Blue Christmas is the standout. Evocative and kid-catchy is a potent combo. Sung by Christine Winter, a Sesame Street child singer.
Always reminds me of Lila’s Theme from the outstanding ’70s kids movie Snoopy, Come Home. Sad-sack girl belts out hauntingly gorgeous melody. Shelby Flint sang that. She had a 1961 hit with the equally stunning Angel on My Shoulder. See? It all ties together.
– Joe Schaeffer, Political Columnist
Just Friends (2005)
My favorite Christmas movie is probably Just Friends. It is not your traditional Christmas film, but it hits a bull’s-eye for being stupidly funny and entertaining (not to mention it features the ever-attractive Ryan Reynolds). While not necessarily kid-appropriate, it is a great flick and one that I watch every year.
– Kirsten Brooker, Author
The Polar Express (2004)
(Photo by John Leyba/The Denver Post via Getty Images)
This year my five-year-old granddaughter is mesmerized by The Polar Express — the 2004 movie based on the 1985 book written and illustrated by Chris Van Allsburg — and so am I. Because Penelope thrives on repetition, I have watched it about six times in three days, soaking in the rich animation and marveling at its bold tackle of a very sensitive issue — belief in Santa Claus.
Most parents tiptoe around the topic with their young ones, perhaps dreading when their son or daughter poses the dreaded question: Is Santa real? Their answer usually starts with a pause and a stutter if they have not worked out beforehand how to field the query. For many, it carries the weight of the birds and bees.
But I must admit, I am continually impressed by the movie’s direct attack on the topic, exposing up front the young protagonist’s serious Santa doubts and then taking him on a journey to the North Pole loaded with enough Christmas thriller action and holiday warmth to convert the iciest atheist. So far, Penelope remains on Team Santa. Whew.
– Connie Pollock, Editor
A Christmas Story (1983)
In the 1940s, a young boy named Ralphie Parker attempts to convince his parents, teacher, and Santa Claus that a Red Ryder Range 200 Shot BB gun really is the perfect Christmas gift.
Folks should consider watching this classic because it is a sweet and nostalgic movie that offers a story of a simpler time, told from the perspective of a grown child. It is charming overall and even humorous at times. It also interestingly uses an adult narrator to speak the mind of the central child character. It’s very well made, very well cast, and has the instant feel of a classic.
– Frank D’Aurio, Video Editor