Classic Christmas movies you need to watch

By Jayce Speer-McMullen, Reporter

NOSTALGIC. Classics such as It’s a wonderful life are an absolute must watch during the holidays.

Do you know what’s vital during Christmas time? Watching Christmas movies. That being said, here are my three favorite classic Christmas movies that shouldn’t be forgotten.

It’s a Wonderful Life – 1947

First up on the list is “It’s a Wonderful Life.” Among adults, this is one of—if not the most—famous Christmas movies of all time., but I’d be willing to bet most teenagers today haven’t seen it! Frankly, this movie is such a classic you shouldn’t be allowed to celebrate Christmas without having seen it. Frank Capra, who directed “It’s a Wonderful Life,” also directed the classic “Mr Smith Goes to Washington,” as well as the now controversial “Why We Fight” documentaries. Without giving away the plot of the movie, “It’s a Wonderful Life” certainly has a sad premise; however, the movie itself is quite heartwarming. I don’t say this about many movies, but there are multiple life lessons you can and should take away from this movie. This movie is, simply put; a must see, and those who haven’t seen it are missing out.

Miracle on 34th Street – 1947

Staying in the year 1947, “Miracle on 34th Street” has a few very cheesy moments, but it’s fun and invokes that “Christmas Spirit” better than perhaps any other Christmas movie out there. Ultimately, finding out that Santa Claus isn’t real can be a dark moment in anyone’s childhood; however, in this fictitious universe, you don’t have to because Santa is not only real but declared legally so in a court of law. Ultimately, six year old Susan Walker, portrayed by Natalie Wood, found this out the hard way. In my opinion, there are few performances more iconic than Edmund Gwenn as Kriss Kringle in this holiday classic.

The Nightmare Before Christmas – 1993

Pivoting quite a bit here from the previous two by going from live-action to animated, “The Nightmare Before Christmas” is one of the greatest animated Christmas movies. I debated quite a bit between putting “The Nightmare Before Christmas” or a somewhat similar movie, “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” but the unique plot of “The Nightmare Before Christmas” sealed it for me. For some reason, intertwining Halloween and Christmas brings a special feeling to a holiday film.