Even the scrooges of the holiday season have a movie that they can’t help watching this time of year.

It’s easier than ever to watch any holiday movie your heart desires with streaming platforms like Netflix and Disney+ boasting extensive seasonal movie collections. Here are the holiday movies our staff will have on loop over the holidays:

“Elf”
Sarah Sachs | Culture Podcast Editor

“‘Elf’ tells the story of Buddy, a human who was raised at the North Pole, but travels to New York City to reconnect with his birth family. But adjusting to this new world provides many challenges to overcome, including connecting with his estranged father. This movie follows Buddy on his journey as he finds acceptance and brings the spirit of Christmas to New York City.

Elf incorporates a delightful combination of humor and heart with clever writing, fun musical interludes and an all star cast. So grab a bowl of spaghetti with maple syrup and sit down to enjoy this amazing film during the holiday season.”

“Klaus”
Clara Duhon | Contributing Culture Editor

“Serigo Pablos’ ‘Klaus’ follows the original story of a spoiled, arrogant young man forced to spend his time working in a seemingly mundane job as a postman in an isolated and cold town full of conflict. The postman’s frigid exterior melts away as he acquaints himself with a mysterious toymaker by the name of ‘Klaus’ and helps to unite the long fractured community.

This critically acclaimed comedy first graced Netflix and households around the world just a few years ago, but quickly emerged as a stand-out holiday movie for its striking hand-drawn animation and humorous, heartwarming plot. The film’s ability to provide an escape into a comedic, yet emotional story lies among the numerous reasons this film earned a spot at the top of my holiday movie watchlist this year.”

“Die Hard”
Zach Blackburn | Metro News Editor

“From bland meals to awkward interactions with family you’ve never met, holiday parties can often go awry. In the 1988 Christmas film Die Hard, John McClane (Bruce Willis) faces a deadly party-pooper at his estranged wife’s work Christmas party: a German terrorist by the name of Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman).

Die Hard ticks off all the staples of a Christmas movie – the importance of family, Christmas music and Santa-esque quotes like ‘Now I have a machine gun, ho ho ho.’ Die Hard’s thrills include shootouts and bombings, all grounded in the story of a man trying to win his wife back during the holidays. Headlined by a brilliant performance by Rickman as one of the most exciting villains in cinematic history, it’s impossible to go wrong with Die Hard this holiday season.”

“Dr. Seuss’ How The Grinch Stole Christmas”
Sidney Lee | Contributing Social Media Director

“The 2000 live-action adaptation of the Grinch starring Jim Carrey is at the top of my movie marathon list each holiday season. Through the influence of my dad, I have grown up a Jim Carrey stan, and this movie is no exception. The live-action brings the characters to life with comedy and meme-level quotes. While some people may prefer the original short Seuss story, this feature film will always be a classic from my childhood.”

“Christmas Vacation”
Nick Pasion | Research Assistant

“The holidays are terrible – this time of year overexposes you to your family, forces you to rehash childhood trauma and causes you to risk bumping into friends you wanted to leave behind in high school. Still, this is the supposed merriest time of the year. The few weeks of break where we are forced to be merry for the sake of the holidays is constantly romanticized by the media. National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation subverts the narrative and acknowledges how these inflated expectations commonly fall short.

Christmas Vacation follows the tumultuous and classic holiday shenanigans of the cookie cutter American family. From awkward interactions with family members that weren’t invited to the holiday party to finding the perfect Christmas tree, this movie is a staple in my holiday season watchlist. If you want to make your holiday season more tolerable, stay in and flip on this classic holiday movie.”