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What better way to spend the holiday season than binge watching Christmas movies with your family…or yourself. There are so many holiday films to choose from that it can be a bit overwhelming. Here are 20 Christmas films you need to watch in your lifetime, at least once. So get your popcorn (or your favourite snack ready) and be ready to laugh, cry, and ride the tidal of feel waves that will come from these films.

In no particular order:

1. A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965). This short movie will have you wondering what Christmas is truly about.
2. It’s a Wonderful Life (1946). Another classic that leaves you feeling grateful for all the wonderful people in your life.
3. Miracle on 34^th Street (1947). I don’t know about you, but I believe in Santa!
4. Home Alone (1990). Left alone on Christmas? With burglars? Sounds like a classic Christmas move to me!
5. Die Hard (1988). Explosions, hostages, terrorists, and Christmas trees. Need I say more?
6. A Christmas Story (1983). Don’t shoot your eye out!
7. The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992). A Muppet twist on the Dickens’ classic, as told by Gonzo the Great.
8. How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000). Don’t be a Grinch and have your heart grow with this endearing film.
9. Love Actually (2003) A collection of stories that will leave you a puddle of emotions.
10. Frosty the Snowman (1969). “Happy Birthday!” as Frosty would say.
11. Babes in Toyland (1961). The iconic march of the Wooden Soldiers. What better way to get in the festive spirit with this classic?
12. Batman Returns (1992). Fighting crime during the holiday season? I’d watch that.
13. Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer (1964). While Rudolph may have not been an original part of Santa’s crew, this misfit reindeer shows being different isn’t all that bad.
14. A Nightmare Before Christmas (1993). “What’s this?” go on an adventure with Jack Skellington as he tries to grasp the concept of Christmas.
15. The Polar Express (2004). A tale of a young boy who goes on an adventure to the North Pole. It’ll remind you what Christmas is all about.
16. Jingle All the Way (1996). A parent’s adventure trying to get the hottest selling toy for his son. Let the hilarity ensue.
17. The Bishop’s Wife (1947). A bishop dealing with comprising his principles and his family for his new cathedral. Enter the angel to help him back on the right path.
18. Ernest Save Christmas (1988). It may not be considered a classic, but this comedy will give you all the feel good waves.
19. Elf (2003). Raised as an elf, Buddy searches for his true identity. His unfamiliarity with city life proves not only to be slightly disastrous, but quite hysterical as well.
20. Rocky IV (1985). “I will break you,” states Drago to Rocky in this iconic boxing grudge match, which happens to take place on Christmas Day.

What are some of your favourite Christmas films?

Many people love the holiday season. It’s a great time to create some wonderful memories with your friends and family. But what do you really know about it? Here are 10 interesting Christmas facts that will totally blow your mind.

Historians believe that Jesus Christ was born in spring and not on December 25. The majority of the population believes that Jesus was born December 25, however according to historians and the Bible this is not the case. During the 4^th century, Pope Julius I selected December 25 to commemorate and recognise Jesus’ birth.

Mistletoe isn’t as romantic as you think. When literally translated from Old English, mistletoe means “little dung twig.” It’s named that because the plant is spread via bird droppings. Yep. Not so romantic now.

Christmas has brought temporary truces in war. In 1914 during the First World War, British and German fighters took a break from fighting each other on the Western front. Instead of being enemies, for one day both armies shook hands and even shared cigarettes with each other. This later became known as the Christmas Truce of 1914.

Rudolph was not one of the original reindeer. Adults and children alike love Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, but did you know that he only joined the rest of Santa’s reindeer in the 20^th century? Created by Montgomery Ward to sell colouring books, Rudolph’s red nose was a bit controversial since a red nose signified alcoholism.

The Statue of Liberty was a Christmas present in 1886. Yes, that’s right. France gifted this green beauty to the United States during Christmas time. She is considered the largest Christmas present ever.

Santa’s infamous red suit was made popular by Coca Cola. In 1931, Haddon Sundblom, an artist for Coca Cola revamped Santa and his garb. He used to wear blue, green, and even tan suits but after his new red and white outfit appeared in 1931, the image has stuck ever since.

Christmas was even celebrated in space! In 1965, the first song to be played in space was “Jingle Bells” on the Gemini 6. The astronauts donated their instruments (a harmonica and bells) to the National Museum of Space and Aeronautics in Washington. Here’s another fact you may not know about the song “Jingle Bells.” Did you know that it was originally meant to be a Thanksgiving song?

The first decorations to don a Christmas tree were apples. We may have many choices when it comes to decorating our Christmas trees now, but originally trees were adorned with apples. These “decorations” were placed on the tree by actors usually depicting Adam and Eve.

People have been getting it wrong saying “Bah humbug.” The main character, Ebenezer Scrooge in Charles Dickens “A Christmas Carol” had the original catchphrase, “Bah Christmas.” So if you want to be a Scrooge during the holiday season state this instead.

Male reindeer don’t have antlers during Christmas time. During the holiday season, male reindeer will shed their antlers. Now think about all the pictures of Santa’s reindeer pulling his sleigh. Ever seen one without antlers? While their names may be masculine (Comet, Donner, Blitzen) it is most probable that Santa’s sleigh is pulled by female reindeer!

Hope you enjoyed these 10 interested facts about Christmas! Wow your friends with this new trivia you’ve learned!

Getting a Christmas present that you don't want is just the worst!

"Why thank you it's just what I always wanted... eh... what is it?"

Finding the perfect present for anyone can be a lot of pressure. Shopping for men, especially men who seem to have everything they need, can be the most difficult Christmas task of all! Luckily, it doesn’t have to be. Be inspired by these ten present ideas for the special man in your life and give a Christmas gift that will make even the toughest man grin with delight! 

A professional sports massage. 

Even if the most athletic your man ever gets is playing Wii golf in the living room, he will undoubtedly love a professional sports massage. Even a desk job can somehow cause a lot of mystery aches, pains, and muscle tightness that an intense professional massage will sort right out! 

Customised gaming equipment or a game. 

If he’s a gamer, you have two great choices. If there’s a game that he has been wanting and hasn’t bought for himself for whatever reason, give it to him for Christmas! Alternately, get him a cool piece of customised gaming equipment. 

A watch. 

Commonly thought of as the only jewellery that a 'real' man can get away with these days is a watch. 

A romantic multi-course dinner in. 

If you don’t have Cartier-money, don’t worry. A fancy homemade dinner is much more affordable, but will still be appreciated! What are his favourite dishes? Try to include as many as you can. Allrecipes or LovinDublin has a great collection of recipes! As for dessert, we’ll leave figuring that bit out to you.

A romantic dinner out.

If you aren’t much of a cook and/or you have a slightly larger budget, make reservations at a nice restaurant that you two have been wanting to try, or at an old favourite that has some significance to you as a couple, and treat him to a lovely dinner out! If you’re not sure where to go, check out Yelp for restaurant reviews!

A trip. 

Memories are golden, so why not book a trip and put some gold in the box. A long weekend trip to a mountain lodge, a ski resort, or a warm weather getaway is perfect! Check out Groupon or AirBnB for reduced rates! Or just play Ryanair Roulette and book the cheapest flight within Europe.

An outfit.

Instead of going with the cliched tie or socks and boxers, pick out a full outfit for him. Especially if your guy isn’t particularly confident in his styling abilities, he will love knowing that he has at least that one outfit that looks really great on him!

A leather wallet.

Maybe your guy likes to dress himself. A nice leather wallet is the manly equivalent of a lovely handbag! 

A fitbit.

A fitbit combines technology with sports and all with the fun element of competition. He can compete against himself, or friends, to be fitter with the snack wristband. Choose one in his favourite colour!

A knife set.

If he likes to cook, or recently moved into his own place, give him a nice knife set. It feels butch, it’s useful, and it’s something he likely doesn’t already have or at least not a high quality version. 

Enjoy stress-free holiday shopping for your guy! Any of these is sure to help spread holiday cheer. 

Good luck!

Freeze a jolly good fellow

Why does Santa have three gardens?


So he can 'ho ho ho'!

What does Miley Cyrus have at Christmas?

Twerky!

Knock, knock

Who's there?

Arthur

Arthur who?

Arthur any mince pies left?

What do vampires sing on New Year's Eve?

Auld Fang Syne

Why did Santa's helper see the doctor?


Because he had a low "elf" esteem!

What happened to the man who stole an Advent Calendar?


He got 25 days!

What kind of motorbike does Santa ride?


A Holly Davidson!

What do you get if you cross Santa with a duck?


A Christmas Quacker!

What is the best Christmas present in the world?


A broken drum, you just can't beat it!

How did Scrooge win the football game?


The ghost of Christmas passed!

Who delivers presents to baby sharks at Christmas?


Santa Jaws

Who is Santa's favorite singer?


Elf-is Presley!

What do Santa's little helpers learn at school?


The elf-abet!

What did Santa say to the smoker?

Please don't smoke, it's bad for my elf!

What do reindeer hang on their Christmas trees?


Horn-aments!

Why are Christmas trees so bad at sewing?


They always drop their needles!

Did Rudolph go to school?

No. He was Elf-taught!

Why did the turkey join the band?


Because it had the drumsticks!

What do you get when you cross a snowman with a vampire?


Frostbite!

What do snowmen wear on their heads?


Ice caps!

How do snowmen get around?


They ride an icicle!

What song do you sing at a snowman's birthday party?


Freeze a jolly good fellow!

How does Good King Wenceslas like his pizzas?


One that's deep pan, crisp and even!

Who hides in the bakery at Christmas?

A mince spy!

What do you call a cat in the desert?


Sandy Claws!

What does Santa do with fat elves?


He sends them to an Elf Farm!

What did Adam say to his wife on the day before Christmas?


It's Christmas, Eve!

How many letters are in the Christmas alphabet?


25. There’s "no EL"!

What carol is heard in the desert?


O camel ye faithful!

What do angry mice send to each other at Christmas?


Cross Mouse Cards!

What athlete is warmest in winter?


A long jumper!

What do you get if you eat Christmas decorations?


Tinsilitis!

What's the most popular Christmas wine?


'I don't like Brussels sprouts!'

What did the beaver say to the Christmas Tree?


Nice gnawing you!

Why are Christmas Trees like bad knitters?

They keep loosing their needles!

What do you get if you cross a bell with a skunk?


Jingle Smells!

What do you call a bunch of chess players bragging about their games in a hotel lobby?

Chess nuts boasting in an open foyer!

What's green, covered in tinsel and goes ribbet ribbet?


Mistle-toad!

Which famous playwright was terrified of Christmas?


Noël Coward!

What is the best Christmas present in the world?

A broken drum – you just can’t beat it!

How do you know if Santa is really a werewolf?


He has Santa claws!

What did the stamp say to the Christmas card?

Stick with me and we'll go places!

Why did no one bid for Rudolph and Blitzen on eBay?

Because they were two deer!

What does the Queen call her Christmas Broadcast?

The One Show!

What did Father Christmas do when he went speed dating?

He pulled a cracker!

Why don't you ever see Father Christmas in hospital?

Because he has private elf care!

How did Mary and Joseph know that Jesus was 7lb 6oz when he was born?

They had a weigh in a manger!

Why is it getting harder to buy Advent calendars?

Because their days are numbered!