Snow covers the ground outside as junior Evelyn Carroza and her family cozy up together in front of the television. The movie of choice is “The Polar Express”, of course, since it is a family tradition for the Carroza family to watch the film on Christmas Eve.
A survey was sent out to Bellevue East staff and students, asking them what their top 5 favorite holiday movies were. It was concluded through popular vote that amongst 80+ students who participated, their list compiled of “Home Alone,” “Elf,” “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” various versions of “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” and “The Polar Express.” The 50+ staff members who responded said they enjoyed “Elf,” multiple types of “The Grinch,” “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation,” “Home Alone,” and “The Santa Clause.” Both students and staff share how holiday movies enhance their Christmas joy.
“They [holiday movies] are just so funny,” Carroza said. “I really like watching them because they are funny and they are Christmas and I really like Christmas. It’s my favorite holiday and I can watch it with my family.”
“Elf,” a PG-rated Christmas comedy film starring Will Ferrell, earned a high spot on both student and staff lists. This humorous movie, with an IMDb rating of 7.1/10, is about a human raised by Santa’s Elves who travels all the way from the North Pole to New York City to meet his father.
“I really like the main actor, Will Ferrell, and it’s a comedy movie and I really like comedy Christmas movies,” Carroza said. “The combination of comedy and this dude who obviously doesn’t fit in as an elf but is an elf, it’s just so funny.”
The 1993 film “The Nightmare Before Christmas” also ranked very well among the students. The movie, written by popular producer Tim Burton, has an IMDb rating of 7.9/10. “The Nightmare Before Christmas” is about a Halloween skeleton who tries to bring the Christmas spirit to his hometown.
“‘Nightmare Before Christmas’ is good because it’s both of my favorite holidays, Christmas and Halloween,” senior Michael Chantry said. “In ‘Nightmare Before Christmas’ I like the opening song.”
One film that appears on the staff list but not the students’ list is “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation”. Starring Chevy Chase, this PG-13 Holiday movie is about a Christmas vacation gone wrong and received an IMDb rating of 7.5/10.
“‘Christmas Vacation’ is to me, one of the funniest movies ever, not even just a holiday movie,” instructor Nathan Frankman said. “Chevy Chase, the main character, his sense of humor just kills me. It is dry sometimes, it is witty sometimes. That movie is just hilarious to me.”
Christmas can be a time for families to spend quality time together, especially while watching a movie together. According to Statista, over 60% of Americans view at least one Christmas movie with their family around the holiday season. Frankman watches holiday movies with his wife’s family along with his own.
“My family lives close which is nice, we see them more, but to see her family and spend that time with them is kind of rare now because having to travel is tough sometimes during the school year,” Frankman said. “But that’s how we bond and then you quote the movies and then it’s funny and it’s a good time.”
Regardless of someone’s preference for movies, the holidays are often regarded as a warm time filled with cheer and enthusiasm. Students like Carroza and Chantry get to reunite with their family members to commemorate Christmas.
“It’s the time for my family to get together, celebrate together, put all of our problems aside, and enjoy each other’s company,” Chantry said.
