Michael's Favorite Christmas Viewing

"Viewing" because this list includes TV specials as well as movies. The TV specials were a highlight of my childhood, when videotapes, DVDs, and streaming weren't yet things. It was officially Christmas when The Grinch's heart grew three sizes, the Peanuts kids danced to a toy piano and Linus recited Luke, and the Bumble placed the star on top of the Christmas tree. I watched It's a Wonderful Life for the first time on tiny tv in my freshman dorm room with my roommate and we were both misting up by the end. A Christmas Story is perfection - everything about The Old Man is glorious (his unintelligible cursing, his battles with the furnace, his look of anticipation as Ralph unwraps the BB gun, his childlike joy over the leg lamp), Jean Shepherd's wonderful narration, the kids' interactions, the nostalgia, and Peter Billingsley is the cutest kid ever (bonus - it's set in Indiana). And the sheer joy that Will Ferrell brings to Buddy the Elf is infectious. Merry Christmas!