Over winter break and snow days, watching holiday or winter movies alongside family and friends entertained students while drawing them away from the persistent cold weather. Until spring arrives, here are five(ish) of my favorite winter movies to bundle up and watch, embracing the season from the comfort of your warm bed or couch.
1. A Charlie Brown Christmas, Happy New Year Charlie Brown, A Charlie Brown Valentine
Number one by far is the trio of winter Peanuts movies, A Charlie Brown Christmas, Happy New Year Charlie Brown and A Charlie Brown Valentine. I have always watched the Peanuts movies for each holiday, making them nostalgic for me. However, these movies depict messages relevant at any age.
In A Charlie Brown Christmas, Charlie Brown seeks out the deeper meaning of Christmas, a valuable takeaway in the midst of a focus on consumption and materialistic items that seems to spike this time of year.
Charlie Brown grapples with the dilemma of attending Peppermint Patty’s New Year Party and writing his “War and Peace” book report in Happy New Year Charlie Brown. Similar to Charlie Brown, students venture to productively complete assignments with the pressure of a new year, 2025 goals, and resolutions. Balancing this with striving to enjoy this fundamental period of life with friends and family is a relatable challenge.
A Charlie Brown Valentine is the 40th Peanuts animated movie where Charlie Brown yearns for a Valentine and, after not receiving any, he is re-gifted a used one. Sally has a misunderstanding regarding Linus’ Valentine’s present while he carefully contemplates a present for his teacher. The complexities of high school socialization are comparable to the intricate dynamics between characters, making it a meaningful watch. “I’ve seen a few of [the Peanuts movies] when I was younger and I really enjoyed it because I loved Snoopy,” sophomore Lily Zaiderman said.
2. The Holiday
Coming in at number two is The Holiday, a winter break classic starring Cameron Diaz, Jude Law, Kate Winslet and Jack Black. The 2006 movie revolves around Iris, a journalist living in a quaint cottage in the English countryside, and Amanda, a movie trailer editor living in a luxurious Los Angeles home, as they decide to switch houses during Christmastime amidst relationship problems. While enjoying the lighthearted plot, students can relate to the frosty weather Amanda adjusts to in England and patiently wait for the warm weather Iris dwells in.
3. Elf
Starring Will Ferrell as Buddy the Elf, Elf is a Christmastime movie that is sure to provide humor. “My favorite christmas movie is Elf because it’s very funny and I love the candy spaghetti breakfast,” Zaiderman said.
Raised amongst Santa’s elves, Buddy is clueless of societal norms and normal human behavior as he travels to New York in hopes of meeting his biological father. “My favorite Christmas movie is probably Elf because we watch every year on Christmas Eve, it’s our family tradition,” junior Mia Stubbins said.
4. Home Alone
Home Alone revolves around eight-year-old Kevin’s action-packed Christmas evening but is always an entertaining movie, regardless of the season. After being forgotten on his family’s winter break trip to Paris, Kevin defends himself from two burglars with a variety of pranks and traps.
5. Frozen
Frozen stars Snow Queen Elsa and her little sister Anna as they are exposed to the real world and features beloved songs such as “Do You Want to Build a Snowman” and “Let It Go.” This 2013 movie is one students remember from when it first came out, thus rewatching it is fitting at a time where enjoying snowy weather, cultivating nostalgia and celebrating traditions is sought-after.
