Photo Credit: Photo via flickr.com under Creative Commons License.

It’s that time of the year where Christmas decorations go up and Christmas movies are shown.

The Christmas season is here and that means that Christmas movies are playing on several tv stations. Here is a list of Christmas movies that should be watched this year:

• Elf– This movie has become very popular over the years and has made it as many people’s favorite Christmas movie. The movie focuses on the life of a man, Buddy, who had gone about 30 years thinking he was an elf, due to being raised by them. Buddy eventually finds out that he is a human and sets out on a journey to find his biological father who lives in New York. This movie is for all ages and a good family movie to watch for a few good laughs, it really brings the Christmas spirit. (Rated PG)

• Home Alone– Home Alone is a fun Christmas movie that will keep you entertained the whole time. Home Alone is about a young boy who gets left home by accident while his family goes on vacation. The boy finds out that his house may be in danger of burglars and decides to defend his house. During this the boy also embraces the Christmas season by decorating his empty house. (Rated PG)

• The Nightmare Before Christmas– The Nightmare Before Christmas takes a more dark turn for Christmas movies. Main character, Jack Skellington, lives and rules a Halloween based town. At one point he somehow finds his way into a Christmas based town. Confused by the strange holiday Jack tries to learn about the holiday and celebrate it, but due to his Halloween nature he makes some mistakes along the way. The movie also includes some musical elements and even though it is animated the movie is directed towards an older audience. (Rated PG)

• The Santa Clause– The Santa Clause is about a father who finds himself distant from his young son after being divorced. One night the father and son hears footsteps on the roof and the father runs outside to see what is happening. Discovering a man dressed in a Santa outfit he tries to get him down from the roof leading the man to disappear leaving the red coat behind. The father decides to put on the coat and magically becomes Santa. This movie is about Christmas bringing a dysfunctional family back together. (Rated PG)

• How the Grinch Stole Christmas– How the Grinch Stole Christmas is based off of the classic book by Dr. Seuss. The movie follows the main character the Grinch through his hate for Christmas. Along the way there are attempts made for him to start liking Christmas again. This movie is a family movie and can be watched on tv during the holiday season due to its popularity. (Rated PG)

• The Polar Express– The Polar Express is a movie for those who really love Christmas with a strong passion. The movie is full of true Christmas spirit and should be seen by all those who want to hold onto the happy nature of Christmas. The movie is about children getting on a train late at night on Christmas Eve to visit the North Pole and Santa. The movie shows the growth of friendship and believing. The main character, the Hero Boy, finds himself on the train after starting to lose his belief in Santa being real. This movie is very touching and for all ages, especially children. (Rated G)

• Love Actually– Love Actually is a movie aimed towards a more mature audience due to some of the storylines and language used. The movie follows several different relationships during the Christmas season, a growing love, a married couple, and a family love. The movie stars actors like Hugh Grant, Thomas Brodie-Sangster, Colin Firth, Emma Thompson, Andrew Lincoln, and Alan Rickman. At the end of the movie the characters all come together in strange ways and enjoy the Christmas season. (Rated R)

• Miracle on 34th Street– Miracle on 34th Street is a classic Christmas movie. The movie shows an old man who claims to be the real life Santa. He finds himself stuck in a sticky situation and a young lawyer decides to take on his case and defends him. This movie is about many people coming together to help an innocent man. (Rated PG)

• Christmas with the Kranks– This movie focuses on a family during Christmas. Husband and wife decide to travel for Christmas against several friends and neighbors protests. However a phone call from the couple’s daughter changes these plans when she announces that she will be going home for Christmas and expects to arrive to the family’s annual Christmas party. The couple rushes in this comedy movie in order to prepare for their daughter’s arrival with the help of the neighborhood. (Rated PG)
• Love at the Christmas Table– Love at the Christmas Table is a movie that is played on the tv network Lifetime. This movie is about a boy and girl who form a friendship at a young age. The movie shows their relationship growth throughout the years by showing an annual Christmas party they attend. Eventually the movie focuses on the present day and shows how much they have become attached to each other. This is a nice romance Christmas movie to watch and it pulls at the heart. (Rated TV-PG)