4 holiday movies for your family tradition

With each passing year, we see more and more the importance of family, fellowship, and the traditions that bind us. Holiday traditions are a great way to come together with family and friends and celebrate the spirit of the season.

You may already have family traditions, but creating new ones and adding to the old can help keep your holidays vibrant. When it’s frosty outside and the fire is roaring, what better way to spend time with the family than by watching a heartwarming holiday film?

Below are four holiday films you should consider including in your family tradition.

It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)

This Frank Capra masterpiece has charmed and inspired people since its release in 1946. It follows a down-and-out businessman on Christmas Eve who is ready to give up on life until an angel shows him how different his family, and the world, would be without him. This one is sure to lift everyone’s spirits!

Home Alone (1990)

A true family pleaser, this one tells the tale of eight-year-old Kevin McCallister who is accidentally left home alone for the holidays. As if that weren’t bad enough, he also has to defend his turf against two hapless but determined burglars. This film shows you don’t have to go far from home for a holiday adventure, or to learn about the importance of family.

National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989)

In this third, and some say the best, installment of the Vacation series, Clarke Griswold goes to the limits to give his family the perfect Christmas, and every problem imaginable gets in his way. This is a modern holiday classic that reminds us that the “greatest” holiday is one spent with family and friends.

Elf (2003)

In this delightfully hilarious comedy, Santa's biggest (and worst) elf discovers he is human and embarks on a quest from the North Pole to New York City to find his birth father and his place in the world. But mischievous "elfry" dies hard, and this oversized elf's journey is full of hiccups and hijinks sure to make you laugh and deepen your appreciation for friends and family.   

Choose one of these movies to watch every year, or watch all four! Check various streaming services or JustWatch.com to see where they are available. To find other holiday family favorites, you can refer to IMDB.com or RottenTomatoes.com for lists of recommended holiday family films.

The holidays are a time to come together and experience the joys of the season. And sharing a holiday movie is a simple and rewarding way to do this. So, go ahead; watch and be merry!