While there are certainly numerous heartwarming and inspiring Christmas movies out there, sometimes you just want to laugh, and the funniest Christmas movies let you do just that.
A Few of the Funniest Christmas Movies Available
While tastes differ, there is sure to be something for everyone in these popular, and funny, Christmas films.
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
Fans of the National Lampoon's franchise know that vacations for the Griswold family always mean crazy situations and hilarity. Led by Chevy Chase as Clark Griswold and Beverly D'Angelo as Ellen Griswold, this time they aren't traveling across Europe or embarking on a road trip to an amusement park. However, just because the family is staying at home doesn't mean it isn't going to be just as funny. Anyone who dreads spending Christmas with the extended family can appreciate the motley crew assembling in the Griswold home. Some of the more memorable moments from the film include:
- Clark's Freudian slips with the department store saleswoman
- The put-upon neighbors
- The squirrel in the Christmas tree
- Cousin Eddie's revenge scheme
- And oh, those Christmas lights!
A Christmas Story
With his big eyes and glasses, Ralphie Parker is an earnest and sometimes unintentionally funny character. While A Christmas Story has a nostalgic look and feel, some of the humor comes from the disconnect between what you normally expect from a classic Christmas movie and the harsh reality of Ralphie's world. There are bullies, dangerous dogs, and triple-dog-daring friends. He dreams of getting a Red Ryder BB gun for Christmas, but everyone refuses, saying, "You'll shoot your eye out!" What started as a quietly funny movie has become a Christmas institution, prompting all-day marathons on Christmas Eve and creating a consumer market for leg lamps.
Elf
Growing up in an orphanage, Buddy crawls into Santa's sack of presents and the unsuspecting Jolly Old Elf takes him back to the North Pole. He was raised for years with no knowledge of his true heritage. When Buddy, a grown man now played by Will Ferrell, learns of his past, he sets off to New York City to find his real father. Much of the movie relies on "fish out of water" humor. First, viewers are treated to scenes of Buddy living among the elves with many visual gags provided by the human in an elf-sized world. The New York scenes are also ripe for comedy potential, from Buddy being confused by everyday events to a knock-down, drag-out fight in a department store's "North Pole" when Buddy is distraught over a Santa imposter. Will Ferrell fans will appreciate Elf the most, but nearly anyone can get drawn into the childlike innocence he portrays in a gangly man's body.
Home Alone
If you love physical humor, you can't get much better than Home Alone for the funniest Christmas movies. Through a series of misunderstandings, in a rush to make it to the airport in time for a flight to France, Kevin's family leaves him behind. It's every kid's fantasy--what if the grown-ups left and you could do anything you wanted? However, after the initial fun of eating ice cream and watching violent movies, Kevin realizes he may be in danger from a local robbery duo. This is where the humor really kicks in, when his elaborate anti-burglary devices bring the robbers to their knees with a bit of cartoon violence. The movie made Macaulay Culkin a child star and his mischievous looks and sense of fun definitely add to the film. Even the side plot of Kevin's mom trying to get home as quickly as possible by joining up with a traveling polka band brings laughs.
No matter which film you choose, gather your friends and family and laugh together as you bask in the true spirit of Christmas--good times with the people you love.
