Our picks for best Christmas flicks

Christmas is all around – the only holiday of the year that doesn’t last one day (or as… Christmas is all around – the only holiday of the year that doesn’t last one day (or as carols would suggest, 12) but rather has its own season. Naturally, a day that commands such attention has carved out its own genre, giving us Christmas songs, Christmas TV specials and, of course, Christmas movies. While certain classics like “Miracle on 34th Street” have earned their place in the canon of holiday classics, every year sees the release of stockings full of new festive flicks. With so much to choose from, how can we know what makes a holiday hit? Let’s look back at the best 10 Christmas movies of the past 25 years:

1. “A Christmas Story” (1983) The triple-dog dare. The major award. The Bumpus hounds. “Fudge.” “A Christmas Story” has become emblematic for the holiday – its viewing itself is tradition. A pop-culture icon of an American Christmas, its annual marathon on TBS draws millions of viewers each year. It is rightfully a holiday standard and will continue to be such for decades to come.

2. “Die Hard” (1988) Bruce Willis stars as John McClane, a New York cop who makes his own rules in a Hollywood movie that does the same. “Die Hard” revolutionized the action genre, catapulted Willis’s career and combines two time-honored American traditions: company Christmas parties and fighting terrorists. “Yippee ki yay!” indeed.

3. “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” (1989) Before Ben Stiller was America’s favorite fool, Chevy Chase was the king of the humiliation comedy. Chase reprises his role as the pitiable patriarch of the Griswold clan, facing the usual indignities forced on him by his insufferable family. His gift from his irrepressible cousin Eddie (Randy Quaid) and an explosive finale are perfectly suited for the over-the-top series’ take on an over-the-top holiday.

4. “The Muppet Christmas Carol” (1992) Of the many adaptations of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol,” one of the best stars a cast of foam-rubber puppets. Michael Caine is remarkably sincere acting among Kermit, Fozzie and the whole Muppet gang in an adaptation that is both charming and reasonably faithful to the source material.

5. “The Nightmare Before Christmas” (1993) Half Halloween, half Christmas and all stop-motion animation, “Nightmare” remains both an impressive technological achievement and a spirited insight into the meaning of the season. It might have become an icon of emo and goth culture, but its visuals and music make this a beautifully realized fantasy with a strong regard for the brilliance and wonder of holiday magic.

6. “The Ref” (1994) This oft-overlooked black comedy stars Denis Leary as a Christmas Eve cat burglar forced to take a bickering couple hostage. If their arguing weren’t enough, he has to contend with their visiting relatives, suspicious cops, a drunken partner and a drunker would-be Santa. With sharp writing and a sharper cast, it captures the insurmountable stress of the holidays with an attitude that is both funny and frighteningly honest.

7. “Elf” (2003) When elf-raised Buddy (Will Ferrell) travels to New York City to find his father, he inspires Christmas cheer in even the Big Apple’s biggest scrooges. A flawless cast and effortless heart make this not only a new holiday favorite, but also a charming spin on the fish-out-of-water comedy genre.

8. “Love Actually” (2003) The tagline for this British film deems it “the ultimate romantic comedy,” and if you have a soft spot for the typically tired genre, it’s hard to disagree. The lives of the prodigious cast interweave in the weeks before Christmas as characters find (and lose) love in all the usual places. A climactic scene unfolds to the beat of “All I Want for Christmas is You,” and like the song, this movie is a fun and cheerful celebration of all that is sweet and sappy in love and Christmastime.

9. “Bad Santa” (2003) The title doesn’t lie – this movie revels in its own insensitivity, not pushing the limits of good taste, but showing an utter disregard for them. The Christmas miracle is that unlike so many other comedies that celebrate how crass and demented they are, this is both original and funny. Steer clear, however, of the unrated “Badder Santa” DVD, which proves that you really can have too much of a good thing.

10. “The Family Stone” (2005) Sly is nowhere to be seen, but the rest of the titular Stone family has soul to spare. This intimate family dramedy is irresistibly honest – even when it strays through cliche territory to a tidy, bittersweet ending, it’s an absolute joy and a reminder of the value of finding (and making) happiness among the people you love. It doesn’t get much more Christmas than that.