Christmas classics for the whole family

Planning a movie day for the children in a fun and cost-effective way to keep them entertained. Here are five Christmas-themed movies for the whole family.

Elf (2003)

Buddy, who was adopted by Santa after he crawled into Santa’s sack at an orphanage, discovers that he is human after growing up in the North Pole believing that he is an elf. Santa tells him the name of his parents, his late mother Susan Wells and his father Walter Hobbs – who is on the naughty list.

After meeting his father – who first rejects him, Buddy

He experiences a series of mishaps and along the way teaches the lesson of acceptance and having a Christmas spirit.

Home Alone (1990)

The McCallister family is planning to go on their annual holiday to Paris and gets together at Peter and Kate McCallister’s in Chicago.

Their youngest son, Kevin, is sent to the attic after ruining the family dinner following

being teased by his siblings and cousins – who he wishes would disappear.

A power outage resets their clocks, resulting in them oversleeping and having to rush to get to the airport, forgetting Kevin.

He wakes up alone and overjoyed that his family has left him.

Kevin is visited by a pair of burglars who have been robbing vacant houses in the neighbourhood.

He devises hilarious tricks to protect his home while his family tries to rush back to him for Christmas.

This classic movie is a Christmas staple which highlights the importance of family.

The Santa Clause (1994)

Tim Allen plays Scott Calvin, a successful toy salesperson, who despite not believing in Santa Clause convinces his son Charlie that Santa is real.

This is against the wishes of his ex-wife and her husband, who feel that Charlie should face the truth.

After reading Charlie a bedtime story, The Night Before Christmas, Santa lands on their roof.

Believing it is an intruder, Scott startles Santa, who then falls off the roof. After searching Santa’s pocket, Scott finds a card with the instruction: “If something should happen to me, put on my suit, the reindeer will know what to do”.

Charlie gets onto the roof and is followed by Scott and they both get into the sleigh and deliver some presents before the sleigh flies off to the North Pole where Scott is told that he is now subject to “The Santa Clause”.

This clause states that by putting on Santa’s suit, he has agreed to accept all his duties and should report to the North Pole on Thanksgiving to commence his responsibilities.

What follows are hilarious and strange changes and a lesson in believing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-z-JOub8Q0E

Buster and Chauncy’s Silent Night (1998)

Two musicians named Buster and Chauncey, who happen to be mice, travel to Oberndorf, Austria, to perform for the queen at the annual Christmas pageant, organised by Oberndorf’s mayor Huffenmeier.

While there, they meet Christina, an orphan who is staying in the church while waiting to travel to Vienna to live with relatives.

Together they encounter a pair of thieves.

The thieves masquerade as the Duke of Roache and his niece Lady Gretchen, who have come to observe preparations for the pageant, but in reality are there to steal riches stored in the church.

The movie follows these three as they escape from a cat and try to save the riches in the church while learning lessons along the way.

How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)

The Whos, residents of Whoville, love Christmas, but not the Grinch, a creature who hates the Whos and Christmas.

He meets six-year-old Cindy Lou who thinks personal relationships are the point of Christmas, and not the gifts and food.

After he saves her life, she decides to learn about him and his history, discovering his sad past.

The hilarious and timeless film follows the Grinch as he tries to get revenge on his nemesis, Agustus May, who won the heart of the girl he loved, Martha May, and cancel Christmas.

Through this, the Grinch learns many lessons.