As the seemingly most chaotic year of our lives comes to end, what better to do than to fall into the never-ending abyss of binge-watching what are, in my opinion, the best holiday films to date. Be sure to have your drink and snack of choice ready, and maybe even those comfy jammies you’ve had stuffed in your drawer for this exact occasion. So, in no particular order, here are my top ten movies to binge-watch this winter break. 

• “A Madea Christmas” – In the Christmas installment of Tyler Perry’s “Madea” series, viewers follow two families who butt heads when meeting for the first time during the holidays after finding out their children are married. Packed with a hilarious cast including director Tyler Perry, comedian Larry the Cable Guy, sitcom star Anna Maria Horsford and “Hocus Pocus” star Kathy Najimy.  

• “Elf”-  This comedy film featuring Will Ferrel tells the story of a man who was raised by Santa’s elves who then goes on a mission to find his real father in New York City. The only issue though, is that all he knows is being an elf, and it shows in all things he does while attempting to live in the real world. 

• “How the Grinch Stole Christmas”- This children’s classic starring Jim Carrey is a must-watch every holiday season. The comedic, bitter but eventually heartwarming story of the Grinch who tormented the village of Whoville during their annual holiday celebrations is a wild ride. It is only when he meets a young girl, Cindy Lou Who, that he begins to understand the true meaning of Christmas. 

• “Home Alone” –  Arguably the most classic Christmas movie to date, over the years Kevin McCallister’s iconic line “I made my family disappear!” is recited in households across the nation. The movie follows protagonist Kevin as he pulls off mischievous acts of defense against thieves who enter his home after he’s left “home alone” when his family forgets him as they leave for a vacation to France. 

• “Home Alone 2: Lost in New York” – The last of the “good” Home Alone movies, this time Kevin has found himself wandering around New York City, without his family once again, after catching the wrong flight. Kevin is once again tasked with defending against the same thieves from the first movie, who this time attempt to rob a toy store. 

• “The Polar Express”-  A young boy’s belief in Santa Claus has faded, but that changes once he, along with three other children, travel by train to the North Pole. Faced with a few predicaments along the way, the children overcome these obstacles and eventually learn to believe in the true spirit of Christmas once again.  

• “The Santa Clause” Series – Tim Allen is Santa in all three installments in the series “The Santa Clause,” “The Santa Clause 2” and “The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause.” Allen’s character Scott Calvin becomes Santa Claus after an incident with the past Santa and he now has to take over Christmas operations, fight to continue being Santa and even rival Jack Frost throughout the films. 

• “The Nightmare Before Christmas”- Is it a Christmas movie? Is it a Halloween movie? I’ll leave that for you to decide! In this animated film, we meet the mischievous Jack Skellington or the “Pumpkin King” of Halloween Town, who has grown tired of Halloween and attempts to take over Christmas by stealing Santa Claus after discovering Christmas Town. 

• “A Christmas Carol”- Yup, this is the Christmas classic that features the infamous Ebenezer Scrooge and his favorite line: “Bah humbug!” This Disney film based on author Charles Dickens’ novella “A Christmas Carol,” follows Scrooge who hates the Christmas Spirit, and captures his experiences with the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future. 

• “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe”– While not necessarily a “Christmas” movie, the setting is in the winter, so here it is! Four siblings enter the magical world of Narnia by way of a wardrobe. With the help of a lion named Aslan and a faun named Mr. Tumnus, the children have to defeat the White Witch who had cursed Narnia into a Hundred Year Winter. 

Make sure to check your local listings this holiday season as well as any streaming services. Happy binge-watching!