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I'm Shay! I’m a cookbook author, lifestyle blogger, travel agency owner, wife and mama who loves making every day special for my family.

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Mix & Match Mama

Christmas ·

Fifty Two Shades of Shay: Christmas Movies


I am a Christmas movie junkie.  And by junkie, I mean that I break into a cold sweat and start panicking the closer I get to December 25 if I haven’t watched all of my favorite Christmas movies.  Twice.
It’s a problem.
I blame my parents.
Every year, I literally sit down and write in what movie we will watch each night on my calendar.  Yes.  On my calendar you might see something like this…
…I might even write it in a different, bold color…perhaps in a larger font…with a few exclamation points.
I told you…I take Christmas movie watching seriously!
So, what are my faves?  Well…I have many, but I will share with you my top 10.  (By the way, this was not an easy decision…it would be like if you asked me who I liked more, Kensington or Smith…it was that kind of decision ranking my top 10!)  
Here we go…in order of how much I love them…
#10: Miracle on 34th Street
I really, really like this movie!  Last year, Kensington watched it with me for the first time and she loved it too.  I know the original is classic and timeless…but the second one has him in it…

…and thanks to Steel Magnolias, I have a soft spot for Jackson Dylan McDermott.
#9: Christmas with the Kranks
My goal in life is to be Jamie Lee Curtis in this movie.  I strive for it.  She is so awesome in her Christmas knitted-vests with this over-abundance of holiday cheer…it’s infectious.  And I want to be like that.  This movie cracks me up every single time!
#8: Elf
Hello?!  Will Ferrell is an elf!  How can you not like this movie?  I could sit and watch Ferrell read the newspaper and probably still laugh until I cry.  Plus, the soundtrack to this movie is really good too!!
#7: Home Alone 2
I don’t know why this movie makes me as happy as it does…but it does.  Rarely are sequels equal or close to their original versions but this one is considered a classic in our house.  Forget Gone with the Wind and Casablanca…we honor great movies like Home Alone 2.
#6: Love Actually
I love this movie.  I really, really, really love this movie.  It’s actually one of my favorite movies ever (not just on my Christmas movie list).  I do have one disclaimer…there is nudity involved (senseless but nudity nonetheless), so if that concerns you, channels like TBS play the edited version all the time during the Christmas season, so make sure and DVR it!  Here are two reasons why I love this movie…
Hugh and Collin.  They are wonderful in Bridget Jones and equally as wonderful in this film too.  I really, really love this movie.
#5: White Christmas
Do I even need to explain?  Just when I thought I couldn’t love this movie any more, my kids fell in love with it too…and now, we all sing songs from it and dance around all year.  This movie just is Christmas.
#4: Home Alone
Yes.  I picked it as number 4.  Go ahead and act like you’re too good for this movie to be in your top four, but we all know that you secretly love it…that you can’t wait for Kevin to get those bad guys every time you watch.  That’s fine.  Pretend like you don’t love it…I know you do.  It’s just awesome!
#3: A Christmas Story
Classic.  An absolute classic.  I am one of those fools who actually watches it on repeat every Christmas Day on TBS when they play it for 24 hours straight.  I do.  I laugh and laugh and laugh and say “oh fudge” like a hundred times.  This easily could have been my number one…if not for these two…
#2 (Really my #1 but I’m afraid people will riot if I make this #1 and not the one I have listed as #1): The Holiday
Honestly, if I’m being truthful, this is my number 1.  I love every single little detail about this movie. I love the story lines, I love the settings, I love Kate, I love Jack, I love Cameron and I really love…
…Jude.
I seriously do love me some Jude Law (who I know is probably scum in real life but hey…in this movie, he’s super charming!).  This is such a great movie.  Love, love, love, love, love.
And love some more.
But…I couldn’t leave you with The Holiday (although, I probably should have)…instead, I’m leaving you with the ultimate Christmas movie…
#1: Christmas Vacation
I don’t care how many times I see Cousin Eddie in that white sweater and dickey…I laugh…
…and laugh some more.
So, there you have it!  My top 10 favorite Christmas movies!!  I do need to say something…before I get comments and emails…
I don’t like It’s a Wonderful Life.
Go ahead and send your hate mail to mixandmatchmama@yahoo.com.
I just think it’s depressing.  
It does not put me in the holiday spirit.
Andrew loves it and therefore, I watch it once every season.  About 5 years ago, I declared It’s a Wonderful Life night the one night a year I take a nap on the couch between 8 and 10 pm.  Andrew watches (and tears up every year) while I nap.  I just don’t like it.  Go ahead.  Hate me for it.  I’m still not going to like it.  Maybe Andrew can start his own blog and do his own list of movies and include it?  We can all hope for that.
Don’t forget, you can check out my favorite Christmas songs here.
And if you want to pin my favorite movies…here you go…

And if you missed the HUGE Black Friday giveaway from yesterday…it’s not too late!

Click here for all the details!

Today I’m posting Salted Caramel Brownie Trifles on 
…and not only are they delicious, they are super, super simple!!  You need to go check them out!  
Click here!
Have a great day!!!
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Comments

  1. Sheaffer {Pinterest Told Me To} says

    Okay friend. This is quite possibly my favorite post of yours EVER. I can actually feel the JOY coming through the computer!!!!
    "…and love some more"…HILARIOUS!
    And I totally agree (and I know we've talked about this), but The Holiday is movie perfection. I love it. LOVE LOVE LOVE it.
    And love it some more. 🙂
    Love Christmas movies and love you!

  2. Amy Heinl says

    I do the same thing….we always plan out our movies too…I share many favorites that you do but I also love While you were sleeping and Serendipity…two of my Christmas favorites and I love watching the Hallmark Channel Christmas movies and like you I absolutely hate A wonderful life…it is such a downer

  5. Elizabeth says

    i don't like It's a wonderful life either and my husband loves it! I don't think I have ever made it through that movie awake. I can tell you what happens at the beginning and after that…snoooze.

  6. Ashhog says

    Which of these do your kids watch with you? I know you mentioned two of them…do they watch the others? My kids LOVE the Grinch and so do we. Something about watching our kids love the movies we grew up with makes it even more magical, doesn't it?! 🙂

  7. vanillafrog says

    I have never seen #1 or #5, but my favorite is Home Alone! Love most of your list. I don't like It's A Wonderful Life either, my cousin told me that's like not liking puppies or sunshine, but I can't help it, it's boring! Have you seen The Family Stone with Sarah Jessica Parker? Love it!

  9. MonaK2 says

    Love your list! The made for TV Lifetime movie I have to see every year is If You Believe – a twist on Scrooge with Hayden Panettierre and Ally Walker. Do you also have a Kid's shows Top Ten (I know you do!) I love watching my favorite with my kiddos! The Year Without a Santa Claus is our favorite!

  10. Kim Pintar says

    I love your list! "Holiday" and "Christmas Vacation" are also at the top in this house…..but "Elf" just a bit higher on the list. I, too, don't like "It's a Wonderful Life", but my husband loves it and tears up every year! Look forward to your blog each day:)

  11. Jodi says

    "A Christmas Story" is not just my favorite holiday movie but my favorite movie 🙂 I can watch all 24 hours over Christmas if we were actually home to. I love holiday movies and feel the same way, I need to have them watched by Christmas. I feel like I am missing out if I don't watch when they air on TV too.

  12. Cheryl says

    Jude Law???…your comments made me snort my hot tea….ha, ha….but I'm 99% sure your thoughts on him are dead on!!!!….Elf and The Grinch reign supreme here!!!

  14. Tina says

    The Holiday is def #1! I love everything about it. And Jude is GREAT in this movie. I also really like The Family Stone (year around). Even though it is a little sad, I still watch it every Christmas.

  15. Meredith Broussard says

    Hallmark and Lifetime movies are also great! My Dad and I love to watch them together during the Christmas season. But I totally agree with your list. They are all great movies!

  16. Candice Kelley says

    Christmas vacation is my favorite christmas movie as well! I have seen all vacation movies with Chevy chase at least 50 times! Vegas vacation is great if you haven't watched it I recommend it!

  17. Alyssa says

    Come on, y'all… It's a Wonderful Life is such a classic! Love all your selections, Shay! Has anyone seen Family Man??? It's in our Christmas lineup! Such a great flick and kind of a modern day version of Its a Wonderful Life. 😉

  18. Jackie says

    The Holiday and Love Adtually are my two favorite movies of all time! Great list – I felt like I could have written it, because these are all in my top 10, too!

  20. Jami says

    I've never watched It's a Wonderful Life all the way through. Sure I've seen Veggie Tales version a 100 times but not the original. I don't like watching movies to be sad.

  21. Kim says

    We keep things classy at our house and cannot get through the season with watching Jim Carey's The Grinch, and Elf. When watching The Grinch,I think my grandson has as much fun watching his Grandpa laugh hysterically, as watching the movie itself. He knows when a particularly humorous moment is about to come on, and I see him watching to see if his Papa laughs as hard as he always does…..Love that!

  22. TorontoSAM says

    The Family Stone is on my top 10 list. We named our son Everett partially because we liked it from the moive.
    Another one I love is called One Magic Christmas. It's from the '80s, it's Disney, it was filmed in Canada, it has Mary Steenburgen in it, it's hardly ever on TV, I can't find it on DVD, but when I do see it on, it is such a treat.

  23. Katie @ Team Skelley says

    I love Christmas Vacation too! I used to have it on VH1 and I fully admit to liking that version better than the TV one. You can't edit Clark's post Christmas light rant. It is profane perfection. 🙂

    My second favorite Christmas movie is Scrooged. It is the rare movie that holds up from childhood. I still laugh like crazy when I watch it!

  24. Rachel says

    Great picks! Although, I would definitely need to add "It's a Wonderful Life". It's my dad's favorite movie of all time and we watch it every year the day after Thanksgiving while putting Christmas decorations up.

    Also, I'm not sure if it counts as a Christmas movie but I LOVE "Serendipity". John Cusack is so cute!

  25. Alice says

    We watch Elf ALL the time!!

    I like those you listed plus The Santa Clause movies (with Tim Allen), The Polar Express, and Four Christmases (Reese is my fave!),

  26. dresselfamily.blogspot.com says

    shay, I watch The holiday every year, whilst wrapping gifts. Just me, kiddos sleeping, hubby out with the boy scouts. and I cry at the same place every time, laugh at the same scenes.. I just LOVE LOVE LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!

  27. KatyA says

    My family watches Christmas Vacation every single year, so that is THE Christmas movie for me, too. The other day a friend was talking about how her cat likes to chew on the Christmas lights, and I couldn't help but chuckle (her cat apparently eats the bulbs, not the wires… so it shouldn't meet the same fate!).

  28. Kimberly says

    I really love the Holiday, but I love it for Jack Black! Hot guys are awesome, but funny ALWAYS wins in my book.

    Love Actually is one of my most favorite movies. I had an edited copy but it got scratched and it starts to skip right around the part where Colin Firth is proposing and we cannot have that. I will have to look for it on TV!

  30. stacey says

    i am a lover of cousin eddies black dickie too… so much so that i ordered the moose head glasses and it came with a FREE black dickie 🙂
    talk about my day/Christmas being made!!

  32. Sabrina says

    I love this post!!! I love the Holiday too!! 🙂 And of course who doesn't love Home Alone and CHRISTMAS VACATION?!?!?

    My very favorite Christmas movie is a Hallmark movie that I actually went out and bought. It's called "The Christmas Card" …it's such a heartfelt movie and I watch it every year! 🙂

    Happy Tuesday! 🙂

  33. Sharon S. says

    I love Christmas movies and always have great intentions but it doesn't always happen. You've inspired me. Today I am going to go through the movie drawer and pull out all the Christmas movies and make more of an effort. We love love love The Santa Claus with Tim Allen. So explains to small children how Santa works. Keeps them believing. Also love An American Christmas Carol with Henry Winkler. This movie was actually filmed in our small Canadian village a bout 35 years ago. In my mind so much better than the original. Not as dark.(and I watched Henry Winkler roaming the streets of our town when he wasn't working…was pretty cool – and now I've aged myself since I said that was 35 years ago which makes me think Lovie should write a blog, I would probably love it). And our new favorite in this house is also The Holiday. My daughter can actually watch it 5 times during the season and never tire of it.

  34. Liz/happymommy says

    I have never watched "It's a Wonderful Life" because everything I have ever seen about it looks SO boring so I just skip it. Love your favorites! Some of my favotites that are not on your list…Four Christmases, hilarious and Serendipity, could watch that movie every day….SO good! I would probably have to say my top 2 are the same as your top 2….good stuff right there!

  36. Lisa Iwasyk says

    Ok, not because I worked their for 7 Christmases, but girl you have to watch the Hallmark Channel during the holiday season! So many movies to love! My favorite is called The Christmas Card! It is about a soldier visiting a town were he received a card from….finds a wonderful family, falls in love yadda yadda yadda! I love it! Christmas vacation is my fave as well and I have all the ornaments from the series! And I have Ralphies Christmas house!

  37. Christine says

    I understand you, Shay…I don't really enjoy It's a Wonderful Life either. In fact, I've never been able to get through the whole thing. My hubby hates it so we never watch it. At our house, Elf and Christmas Vacation compete for the top two, and the kids love all The Santa Clause movies.

  38. Lauren K says

    "A Christmas Story" is on broadway in Boston this year! I'm going Thanksgiving weekend with a big group of family members. We bought tickets so long ago, but my company just gave us codes for 30% off tickets if you want to make a last minute trip to one of your favorite cities 😉

  39. Melissa at HOUSEography says

    A great list of holiday movies. Christmas Vacation is our family favorite Christmas movie too! We also love Charlie Brown but it's more of a show than a movie 🙂 My sister-in-law also raves about Annabelle's Wish which is a cartoon. Trying to get a copy from our library so we can actually see it!!

  40. Amie says

    My favorite is A Christmas Story too and I leave our TV on that channel for the entire 24hours! Same here with It's a Wonderful Life the Hubby likes that one too, it must be a guy thing!

  41. Sara Laverty says

    I watch the Holiday and Love Actually all year round. LOVE THEM too much not to! 🙂

    I do have to agree with your husband though, It's a Wonderful Life is awesome and makes me cry every time!!

    And how fun you get to introduce your kids to these classics and see them from their perspective now. Fun!!!

  42. mandyjacks says

    Home Alone is not just my #1 Christmas movie….it is my #1 movie period. My absolute favorite. No idea why. Something about it has just become deliciously nostalgic for me and I absolutely positively love it. Love your list!

  43. Shelli says

    Okay… so I have never EVER watched the Christmas Story. I have no idea why, because I am a total Christmas movie junkie… so much so that I watch all of the cheesy Lifetime and Hallmark channel Christmas movies too!!! I am totally watching that this year! I LOVE all of your picks!!!

  44. Jen says

    I really think you need to add in How the Grinch stole Christmas (Jim Carey edition). It is one of my favorites. Your kids will love all the decorations and details.

  45. Anonymous says

    Please add JINGLE ALL THE WAY its great and FAMILY MAN is a better version of ITS A WONDERFUL LIFE

  47. Kelly@TheAdornedAbode.com says

    Love your list – I agree with every choice (though Elf is my #1; it was me and hubby's first date years ago when it was released). I do love "It's a Wonderful Life", though…and another I have to watch each year is "Family Man". If you haven't seen it, you must watch it!

  48. Anonymous says

    I completely agree. It's a Wonderful Life is super depressing and it does not bring holiday cheer. Love your top 10!

  49. Rachelle S says

    Love the post, and LOVE Christmas movies~ one that made it onto my top 10 list the last few years is a new cartoon out called Arthur Christmas…. I even quote it every now and then in real life (whoops!) "there's Always time for a bow!". Check it out if you haven't seen it; its AWESOME! : )

  50. Jaren says

    I sure love me some Jackson from Steel Magnolias too! Love your list! My #1 would be The Family Man with Nicholas Cage. I could watch it over and over. I've never ever seen White Christmas. I'll have to check that one out! You probably know this already, being the Christmas movie addict that you are, but ABC Family starts their Countdown to Christmas tomorrow.

  51. {Jessica} says

    Oh my gosh, Shay. Seriously. I feel like I wrote this post myself. I agree with you on every single movie in every single spot (although, if I had to change one thing, I might move Miracle on 34th Street (the newer version) up a few notches – love that movie). And I totally agree with you about It's a Wonderful Life. I don't like that movie at ALL. But my husband loves it. So we watch it every year. And we fall asleep watching The Christmas Story every year on TBS and wake up with it on in the morning. It's the best!!!

  52. Kacey says

    Love love love this! It gets me thinking about all of my favorite holiday movies. The Holiday is definitely my #1!! I watch it all year long, but it's definitely my favorite around Christmas time along with the Santa Clause! Such great movies ?

  54. Margaret Hemmig says

    Hmm, not sure how an ENTIRE town coming to help George Bailey and his family in their hour of need could be seen as depressing, but to each is own, I guess. I am OBSESSED with all things British (I am in love with Colin Firth) but I found Love Actually to be a bit of a downer. Too many broken hearts in the end. Love, love, love, Elf and a Christmas Story, though.

  56. Awn says

    It's undeniable. You have amazing taste! These are all of my favorites, however I have never seen Love Actually. The horror!!! I'm going to get right on that. Like now.

  58. Melissa says

    Can't stand Christmas Vacation but love the rest of your choices! 🙂 I would also add "The Family Man" with Nicholas Cage and "A Christmas Carol". 🙂

  59. Amy M. says

    I love Christmas movies also! I could've written this same post. I start to get anxious if I haven't watched all the movies by Christmas either! And I watch the 24 hour marathon of A Christmas Story and my husband likes It's A Wonderful Life but I don't! I just love this time of year! I live in Washington, IL where the tornado hit so normalcy is what we are all craving right now. I think watching a Christmas movie is just what the doctor ordered. 🙂

  60. lilyv says

    My very favorites include "Serendipity" and "While you were sleeping". (so glad to see someone else posted those!!) I just love both of those movies so much. My fav traditional Christmas movie is White Christmas and I have never made it through an entire showing of It's a Wonderful Life although my husband likes it.

  61. Kim says

    Hi Shay!

    Love this list. Mine is very similar but I LOVE the Santa Clause trilogy with Tim Allen! They are a must for me, usually a few times each. #2 is my fave!! 🙂

  62. Kim says

    Hi Shay!

    Love this list. Mine is very similar but I LOVE the Santa Clause trilogy with Tim Allen! They are a must for me, usually a few times each. #2 is my fave!! 🙂

  65. Anonymous says

    I read your blog everyday but have never commented until now. Love your Christmas movie list mostly because you have A Christmas Story and Christmas Vacation in the top 3. I too dislike It's A Wonderful Life and am so glad to hear someone else does too!!

    Betsy P.

  66. Laura says

    Hmmmm well I do not understand the It's A Wonderful Life dislike at all!! It's theme is that "no man is a failure who has friends"! I do agree with a lot of your choices though, especially White Christmas, Christmas Story, Elf, the Home Alones and Miracle on 34th Street (the old one). I'm also a big fan of The Family Stone and Four Christmases

  71. Courtney says

    Too funny, Shay! You crack me up! You're probably right about possibly starting a riot…people love them some Christmas Vacation. We literally quote that movie ALL year long. Classic. I thought I was the only grown-up fan of "Jingle All the Way" but one other person mentioned it above. It's kinda cheesy but I could (and do) watch it over & over. The Home Alone flicks always bring us back to our childhood. I often find myself reaching for the sequel more often than the original. I don't know…maybe it's the soundtrack or maybe it's because there are more interactions between the characters in #2, but I just love it.

  72. Shoshanah says

    Absolutely love, Love Actually! As soon as it was released on dvd, my friend and I started watching it ever year in college after finals. And while I don't watch a ton of Christmas movies, that's the one I try and watch each year.

  73. Jessica says

    The Holiday is my favorite Christmas movie too! I don't know why I always feel guilty about that. My husband's and my first dance was to Aretha Franklin'e "You Send Me" all because of this movie.

  74. Jessica says

    The Holiday is my favorite too! Not sure why I feel guilty about that but my husband and my first dance was to "You Send Me" by Aretha Franklin all because of this movie.

  75. Anonymous says

    Second the Arthur Christmas comment, we must of watched that movie 20 times last December. Love it!

  76. Lesley C says

    Christmas Vacation is also my favorite and I'm not ashamed to admit that I watch it year round.

    My husband wore an ivory v-neck sweater and black dickey to a Christmas Party one year. Best part was no one really even noticed or got it for about 30 minutes!

  77. Eileen says

    Love this post! Love Actually is on the top of my Christmas list! I think we need a sequel – Kids' Favorite Christmas Movies. I never saw White Christmas (gasp!) but it's on my list for this year.

  78. Lyndsey Harms says

    a few more to consider, if not already posted:

    Holiday Inn-where Bing really wrote White Christmas.

    Meet me in St. Louis-Where Judy Garland sings Have yourself a Merry little Christmas. Amazing.

  79. Amanda Taylor says

    Love Actually is definitely my favorite Christmas movie 🙂 My husband hasn't seen it before so he will be introduced this year. I also love all the Hallmark movies 🙂

  80. Anonymous says

    I have a suggestion for your kids….Emmit Otters Jug Band Christmas by Jim Hensons Muppets. It is really cheesy (late 70's or early 80"s)and you can sometimes see the wires for the muppets…but incredibly cute at the same time. We also love to wacth Holiday Inn with Fred Astaire and Bing Crosby. My 19 year old even likes it. It is the movie where the song White Christmas makes its debut.Try them out. Shelly in Illinois

  81. Laura Koiner says

    Ooh..my #1 Christmas is Elf…but 2nd would be Family Stone….omg…I bawl like a baby but they nailed it! Not to mention many of my favorites in one cast..Genius!

  82. Theresa says

    White Christmas is my all time favorite Christmas movie! I watch it on Christmas eve when we get home at twelve until four or five in the morning on repeat. It is the best Christmas movie.

  83. Heather Forcey says

    Here it is the end of April, and I'm commenting on your Christmas movie post! I had to laugh when you said you don't like It's a Wonderful Life and your husband does because that is EXACTLY like my house. I think it is a depressing and sad movie, and my husband loves it and watches it every year. I only like the dancing scene where they fall in the pool. The rest of the movie makes me glum. My favorite is White Christmas. I'll usually watch it in July when we are in the middle of endless 110 degree days. It helps!

  84. Emily Morrison says

    The only movies on this I've ever seen are Elf and The Holiday. I've never even been tempted to watch any of the others! I'm a weird, crazy person I know! I love that I can feel your joy and excitement through this post though! Happy Holidays!

  85. Anonymous says

    I love that you have both Home Alone movies on your list!! I admit that I still love it… It was the only movie my grandparents had in their home, so my cousins and I have watched it 4,000 times by now – and I'm the only one who still likes it!! Glad I'm not alone.
    Karen I.