The holiday season is here and its time to gather with family and enjoy some good old quality time together. If your family loves to watch movies together during the holidays, this is definitely for you. Some of the best holiday things about the holidays are the movies, quality time with family and the music. But when you combine some of the classic favorites songs of the holidays with movies, it becomes magic.
Some of our favorite holiday films have music in them, so we’ve brought together our top 10 favorite films with holiday music that just makes everyone smile and feel a little bit better. To start off our list at number 10 is:
10. “What’s This” (The Nightmare Before Christmas – 1993)
This film has been up for debate recently on whether it’s a “Halloween” movie or a “Christmas” movie. Well, since we still look at it as both, this has to make the list of our favorite holidays songs in films. With a catchy tune and everyones favorite Pumpkin King, this ballad is all about discovering Christmas for the first time and what a way to discover it! When you watch The Nightmare Before Christmas and come to this scene, you get the feeling of seeing Christmas for the first time all over again.
9. “Hard Candy Christmas” (Best Little Whore House in Texas – 1982)
Our next song comes from the 80s and has two different versions. For our sake, we put in the version you see from the film rather than the Dolly Parton single or the original stage performance of the song. The song of a bittersweet Christmas as the ladies leave their home towards the end of the film, it’s a great song to bring up the spirits. Not really from a Christmas movie, but we had to add it to our list anyways.
8. “Where are you Christmas” (How the Grinch Stole Christmas – 2000)
The adorable Taylor Momsen started out on the big screen, starring alongside Jim Carrey as the Grinch. As little Cindy Lou Who, Momsen performed an adorable rendition of the hit song from the 2000 remake of How the Grinch Stole Christmas. We chose the film version, rather than the Faith Hill credits version, because it pulls so many more heartstrings hearing a little girl wonder what is happening to the holiday she used to love and why has it changed. Don’t we all go through this around the holidays?
7. “All I Want for Christmas is You” (Love Actually – 2003)
This one is just an amazing young lady who sings her heart out in Love Actually. A Christmas classic that we couldn’t leave from the list, the version performed in Love Actually doesn’t just have amazing vocals, but a great band of kids that make the song that much more fun to watch on screen. And not to mention the surprise at the end.
6. “White Christmas” (Holiday Inn – 1942)
The classic Christmas film that many love stars Bing Crosby, and here we have his rendition of “White Christmas”. A beautiful song, performed by a man with an amazing voice. Who could ask for more?
5. “Have a Holly Jolly Christmas” (Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer – 1964)
If you grew up without watching Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer during the holidays on TV, here’s your chance to see the end of it. This film is a stop motion classic from the 60s, part of a series of films created for the holidays. A classic that is played year after year, you can’t help but get into the spirit of the holidays when you hear this song.
4. “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” (Elf – 2003)
Who doesn’t love Elf. With Will Ferrell as Buddy the elf trying to figure it out in the real world and sharing his obsession of Christmas with everyone around him, we can’t help but love him. In this scene, Zoey Deschanel is singing in the shower, and Buddy, not knowing any boundaries comes in to sing with her and sit on the sinks while she showers. The end is quite hilarious, but the two of them singing is amazing.
3. “Welcome Christmas” (How the Grinch Stole Christmas – 1966)
From the classic animated How the Grinch Stole Christmas, we have the song that the Who’s sing at the end of the film, reminding us what Christmas and the holidays are about, being together. It’s not the presents or the tree or the ham and turkey, it’s about being together and enjoying family and friends.
2. “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” and “Auld Lang Syne” (It’s a Wonderful Life – 1946)
This is one of those Christmas classics that, again, makes you realize it isn’t about the material things in life, but rather it’s about family and friends. It’s about making sure that you are all together and happy with your family. No amount of riches can give you what family can, love.
1. “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” (Meet Me in St. Louis – 1944)
The last and first on our list is sung by the beautiful Judy Garland, and is a scene that brings tears to my eyes every time I watch the film. From Meet Me in St. Louis, the song is sadder than the others, because Garland’s character is attempting to console her younger sister about the fact that they will be moving to New York and leaving their home, but as long as they have each other that is what really matters. See a trend here?
Photo Credit: The Cat in the Hat Productions