When it comes to holiday movies – as they are in many things – NAPA Net readers proved to be an interesting combination of traditional, new, and the unexpected.
Most holiday movie polls tread familiar ground – but leave it to NAPA Net readers to offer some new selections to this year’s crop – and even if they didn’t have a chance to garner many votes in this week’s NAPA Net reader poll, we do award points for creativity. New “entrants” this year were:
A Child's Christmas in Wales (1987)
The Family Man (2000)
And – we kid you not: Quentin Tarantino’s The Hateful Eight (2015)
As one reader explained, “The question, since the emergence of Quentin Tarentino's Hateful Eight movie, is whether it is a better holiday movie than the Die Hard holiday movies.” More on that in a minute.
Most Seen Scenes
Before we get to the list of favorites, we asked readers which of our holiday movie selection they had seen this year, though as one reader pointed out, “I've seen more movies that should be allowed! And they all live happily ever after! The way they should be at Christmas time!”
Nonetheless, here’s the list of top 10 most-seen, in order of most seen:
A Charlie Brown Christmas
It’s a Wonderful Life
How the Grinch Stole Christmas (cartoon)
Elf
Love, Actually
Christmas Vacation
Miracle on 34th Street (traditional, with Natalie Wood)
Home Alone
Santa Clause, The
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
Among our list of 61 possible holiday favorites, only 16 drew votes from NAPA Net readers as their favorites (in fairness, there are some pretty obscure choices). Here are the bottom 10:
White Christmas
A Charlie Brown Christmas
Polar Express, The
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
Holiday Inn
Miracle on 34th Street (traditional, with Natalie Wood)
Emmett Otter's JugBand Christmas (Muppets)
Home Alone
A Christmas Carol (Mr. Magoo version)
A Christmas Carol (George C. Scott version)
The Top 5
As for this year’s top five – it’s never easy. One reader explained that, “I was forced into choosing one favorite. At another time, I may choose It's a Wonderful Life, A Christmas Story, or Miracle on 34th Street.”
Indeed, our top five wound up being a top six, due to a tie for the fifth spot between:
- Love, Actually — One reader explained, “Love Actually is a fun romp, with many modern day issues, and some fantasy mixed in. The relationships among the adults and children draw you in. It’s hard not to get emotional in the characters’ angst, longings, and desires, all wrapped up in the magic of the Christmas season.” (Personally, I always get a kick out of watching Rick from The Walking Dead speaking in his real accent); and
- Die Hard — As one reader pointed out, “There are two types of people in this world. Those that know Die Hard is a Christmas movie, and those that are wrong.”
That said, the most picked favorite holiday movie in this year’s NAPA Net reader poll was:
It's a Wonderful Life,
followed by:
#2 Christmas Vacation
#3 Elf
#4 A Christmas Story
And it wouldn’t be a NAPA Net reader poll without some NAPA Net reader poll comments. Here’s a sampling:
- I love, love, love Christmas. I especially love being around the children. I also love the movies and watching them with family and friends. I wish there were more (very good ones) of them though. And I also enjoy reading (listening to) people's on Luke's story.
- Here in Central Pennsylvania, February 2nd is a celebration so watching Bill Murray in Groundhog Day is another great holiday!
- Although I can recite these movies word-for-word, I watch them all every year. I wonder if Rankin & Bass the producers of the classics like Frosty and Rudolph knew their movies would still be aired on TV decades later. The messages of love, hope and peace still resonate today and are needed now more so than ever!
- There is just something about sitting in the glow of the Christmas tree, eating snacks I probably shouldn't, snuggled up under a Christmas throw, and watching some corny Hallmark movie that makes me happy!
- The best line on Christmas (especially after you've been out shopping) ... "Every idiot who goes about with Merry Christmas on his lips, should be boiled in his own pudding and buried with a stake of holly through his heart."
- Life is good.
It is indeed. Thanks again to everyone who participated in this week’s NAPA Net reader poll – and all the NAPA Net reader polls throughout 2016. And thanks, as always, for your support of NAPA Net!
