BEST HEART-WARMING HOLIDAY FILMS THAT YOU WATCHED ON VHS

The holiday season is upon us! There are so many beautiful traditions during this time that bring us joy. For those who celebrate Christmas, one of the greatest traditions many of us share is watching beloved Christmas movies. Even those who don’t celebrate Christmas often have a favorite Christmas movie they like to watch with their families.

So today we’ve gathered a list of our top ten favorite Christmas classics. These movies all came out on VHS tape, and they’re old-school films that many of us remember seeing during Christmas break, whether you were a kid home from school or a parent popping in a tape for your family to watch together. Embrace the nostalgia and check out our picks below!

THE SANTA CLAUSE (1994)

Starring Tim Allen, this VHS film was a must-see that many of us still watch every year. Cleverly named The Santa Clause, this is a holiday comedy about a man accidentally causing Santa to fall off his roof on Christmas Eve, and a sneaky “clause” means he must become the next Santa.

It’s the perfect cheesy holiday film: Tim Allen’s comedic one-liner timing, the adorable Charlie believing in his father, and a sarcastic elf with an attitude (and a Bronx accent) bring the story to life. If you’re someone who needs A-class writing, acting, and special effects, this probably isn't the movie for you. But if you’re someone who loves a fun movie fit for the whole family, this must-see Christmas film is probably one you still make sure to watch every holiday season.

ELF (2003)

In the same realm as The Santa Clause, Elf is a good-natured holiday comedy starring Will Farrell. His character, Buddy, is a silly but loveable human raised by elves. Once this “oversized elf” learns who his biological father is, he travels to New York City to find him.

Though many people remember first watching Elf on DVD or through streaming, it did originally come out on VHS tape in 2003 (and copies of it are still available on eBay!). Even if you did watch it only recently, this is a Christmas classic that’s sure to make you laugh out loud as you watch the grumpy father Walter Hobbs (played by James Caan) gain some Christmas spirit thanks to Buddy the Elf teaching him, and everyone else he meets, the power of “singing loud for all to hear.”

NATIONAL LAMPOON’S CHRISTMAS VACATION (1989)

“Yule crack up!” is the promise made on the original movie poster of this 1989 Christmas movie. And it’s not wrong: National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation is a festive, cheery, and good-hearted comedy. If you owned this movie on VHS tape and watched it every December, you’re not alone! For many people, it’s hard to imagine a better or funnier Christmas classic.

Starring Chevy Chase as Clark Griswold, this movie centers around the Griswold family preparing for a family seasonal celebration. Things don’t run as smoothly as planned though as Clark’s bad luck and obnoxious family guests turn a peaceful stay-at-home holiday into disaster. It’s fun, and a great movie to watch to reflect on love, family, and determination.

HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS (2000)

Ron Howard’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas must be taken for what it is: a reimagining of the original. It understandably doesn’t hold a candle in many people’s minds to the cartoon version of Dr. Seuss’s wonderful story, but it’s a refreshing Christmas tale nonetheless.

Released on VHS in 2000, this movie wouldn’t be complete without Jim Carrey’s performance as the Grinch. He creates a hilarious, laugh-out-loud character that gives you the Christmas giggles. The costumes and sets are beautiful with big colors and bigger designs. Probably not the holiday movie favorite of most, but it is certainly a classic worth watching.

A CHRISTMAS CAROL (1984)

If everyone had to choose one iconic Christmas character, Scrooge would probably be at the top of the list. A bitter old miser, Scrooge is visited on Christmas Eve by three spirits: the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Yet-to-Come. With their help, he moves past his greed and selfishness and learns true compassion.

Though there have been dozens of adaptations of the original 1843 novella by Charles Dickens, this is one of the most well-known and cherished. George C. Scott plays a brilliant Ebenezer Scrooge. His talent and charisma carries an already well-written film, making this version worth seeing. And though it was made directly for television, you may remember owning it on VHS tape and digging it out as soon as you felt the chill of winter starting to permeate your home.

IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE (1946)

This classic is not only one of the greatest Christmas movies of all time, but also one of the best movies in cinema history. Ranked high on the American Film Institute’s list and the winner of seven awards (including the Golden Globes 1947 winner for best director) and multiple nominations, this must-see holiday film is one for the ages.

When kind-hearted George Bailey (played by James Stewart) grows despondent after business-related trouble happens, an angel is sent from Heaven to help. He shows him what life would be like if he hadn’t been born, reminding viewers in the process that everyone’s life is cherished by loved ones and no one should be forgotten during the holidays. It’s more than a mere Christmas film. It’s a timeless classic, whether you watched it on VHS tape back in the 1980s and 90s or more recently through streaming. It’s a reminder that life is…well, wonderful.

MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET (1947)

“I believe...I believe…. It's silly, but I believe.” One of the oldest VHS films on our list is the original version of the well-known classic, Miracle on 34th Street. Doris Walker (played by Maureen O’Hara) hires a nice old man to play Santa Claus during the Macy’s Thanksgiving parade and for the main Macy’s store. She soon learns he calls himself Kris Kringle and claims to be none other than the real Santa Claus. When he’s arrested and put on trial for mental insanity, Doris’ neighbor steps in as his lawyer and argues that he is indeed the real Santa.

Kris Kringle is played by Edmund Gwenn, who, with the rest of the cast, brings this heart-warming tale to life. This original black-and-white version does a wonderful job showcasing the fight for the real meaning of Christmas against commercialism. Though a few remakes have been made of this classic VHS movie, in this case at least, the original is best and holds a special place in many people’s hearts.

A CHRISTMAS STORY (1983)

Love it or hate it, A Christmas Story is a quintessential holiday tale. It captures nostalgia better than most holiday films. Even now, 40 years after its VHS release, this tale about a young boy named Ralphie Parker wanting a Red Ryder Range 200 Shot BB gun for Christmas touches hearts like no other Christmas classic.

Whether your family goes to a Chinese restaurant on Christmas, has a leg lamp in the living room as part of the holiday decor, or simply digs out this film to watch a time or ten each year, this is a timeless movie that never gets old. It reminds us to be careful of what we wish for for Christmas. After all, we might shoot our eye out!

HOME ALONE (1990)

The holidays are only complete with Home Alone. It’s corny, cheesy,…and tickles the funny bones of both children and adults. Many people will remember watching this on VHS when it first came out in the early 90s. This classic is charming and certain to get you into the Christmas spirit!

When the McCallister family accidentally leave their 8-year-old boy Kevin (played by Macaulay Culkin) behind while preparing for a trip to France, he’s left with a kid’s dream: the house all to himself. But the fun really starts when two burglars plan a break-in of the house on Christmas Eve. With clever makeshift booby traps and two robbers turning into human Wile E. Coyotes, this film is a warm-hearted comedy classic. Not only does Kevin protect his house, he also learns lessons of compassion. A masterful family flick for the ages!

DIE HARD (1988)

To round out our VHS Christmas film list is…Die Hard? Is that even a Christmas movie? This is a heated debate you’re likely to have every Christmas if you’ve ever seen the movie. If you’re unconvinced it should be on our list, here are some arguments: it takes place during a holiday office party, it has Christmas music, the lead female is named Holly, there are presents involved, and - most importantly - it has Christmas themes such as family reconciliation.

And while you can absolutely argue that it’s an action movie that happens in spite of Christmas, and is not a Christmas movie, millions of people watch Die Hard during the holiday season (and according to DISH Network, 1.3 million Americans watched Die Hard on Christmas Eve in 2016). Between Bruce Willis as John McClane and Alan Rickman as the iconic Hans Gruber, this movie remains a great VHS to dig out and watch for Christmas. Yippee-ki-yay!

SUMMARY

So there you have it! Our picks for the top ten Christmas movies that came out on VHS tape. For the sake of brevity and consistency, we left out all of those wonderful 30-minute Christmas specials most of you probably recorded onto VHS tape: Garfield’s Christmas Special, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, Frosty the Snowman, Charlie Brown Christmas, Winnie the Pooh & Christmas Too, and many more. But this list of theater-length movies is what we loved to watch on VHS tape in the good old days - and what we still love to watch even today.

Thanks for reading! Whether your favorites made this list or not, we hope it sparked some fond memories. If you haven’t yet already, consider digging out your old VHS tapes of these Christmas classics and giving them a watch. If you need a VCR to play those tapes on, you can check our collection of those on sale here.

Have a wonderful holiday!