Top 10 Classic Christmas Stories

10. The Little Match Stick Girl by Hans Christian Anderson: A sad tear-jerker about a poor little girl who gets to have the Christmas of her dreams. Don’t read it unless you have tissues handy.

9. The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg: This newer classic tells a story about a boy learning the importance of belief.

8. Christmas Day In the Morning by Pearl S. Buck: A classic tale about showing love at Christmas.

7. The Other Wise Man by Henry Van Dyke: The wise man who didn’t make it to birth of Christ in time finds out why Jesus really came to Earth.

6. How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss: “Maybe Christmas,” he thought, “doesn’t come from a store. Maybe Christmas…perhaps…means a little bit more!” Who could ever forget this line from this classic story?

5. The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry: The best Christmas romance ever written. It shows how we sacrifice for the ones we love.

4. T’was the Night Before Christmas by Clement C. Moore: The original story about Santa Claus

3. The Three Trees by Author Unknown: This story tells about three trees who served a great purpose.

2. A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens: This story of repentance set at Christmas is the best Christmas story other than the real story in the Bible.

1. The Nativity Story (Luke 2:1-20): This is the story of Christmas. Without Christ being born in Bethlehem, this would be a very dark world.

Top 10 Classic Christmas Movies of All Time

These are 10 classic must watch every year Christmas movies. Since everyone has their favorite version of A Christmas Carol, I didn’t include those movies. To see my favorite 10 renditions of A Christmas Carol, check next Wednesday’s blog.

10. Remember the Night

Released 1940

Directed by Mitchell Leisen

Starring Fred MacMurray and Barbara Stanwick

A prosecuting attorney asks for a pretty thief to be let out on bail for Christmas. When the thief is placed in his custody, interesting things occur.

9. The Homecoming: A Christmas Story

Released 1971

Directed by Fielder Cook

Starring Patricia Neil and Richard Thomas

This movie became the pilot of the TV series, The Waltons, and tells of a family during the depression.

8. Santa Claus, The Movie

Released 1985

Director: Jeannot Szwork

Starring David Huddleston and Dudley Moore

The best film that tells the story of Santa Claus.

7. 3 Godfathers

Released 1948

Director: John Ford

Starring John Wayne

A Christmas western where three outlaws must get a baby safely to the cow town of Bethlehem while running from a posse. This is my personal favorite John Wayne movie.

6. Home Alone

Released 1990

Director: Chris Columbus

Starring Macauley Culkin

First of many movies about a boy accidentally left home alone at Christmas time.

5. White Christmas

Released 1954

Director: Micheal Curtiz

Starring Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye

Best Christmas musical ever made with great singing and dancing features the song, “White Christmas”.

4. A Charlie Brown Christmas

Released 1965

Created by Charles M. Shultz

Animated

This animated classic helps Charlie Brown learn the true meaning of Christmas. The best part is where Linus tells the Christmas story word for word from the Bible and ends with “That’s what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown.”

3. Miracle on 34th Street

Released 1947

Directed by George Seaton

Starring Maureen O’Hara, John Payne, Edmund Gween, and a very young Natalie Wood

This is the best movie made about believing in Santa Clause. It also featured the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

2. A Holiday Affair

Released 1949

Directed by Don Hartman

Starring Janet Leigh and Robert Mitchum

This is the best Christmas love story ever filmed. It’s sad more people don’t know about it.

1. It’s a Wonderful Life

Released 1946

Directed by Frank Capra

Starring James Stewart and Donna Reed

This touching story of an ordinary man who sacrifices his own ambitions for others is my all time favorite Christmas movie.

The Top Ten Classic Christmas Stories

10. The Little Match Stick Girl by Hans Christian Anderson: A sad tear jerker about a poor little girl who gets to have the Christmas of her dreams. Don’t read it unless you have tissues handy.

9. The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg: This newer classic tells a story about a boy learning the importance of belief.

8. Christmas Day In the Morning by Pearl S. Buck: A classic tale about showing love at Christmas. 

7. The Other Wise Man by Henry Van Dyke: The wise man who didn’t make it to birth of Christ in time finds out why Jesus really came to Earth.

6. How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Suess: “Maybe Christmas,” he thought, “doesn’t come from a store. Maybe Christmas…perhaps…means a little bit more!” Who could ever forget this line from this classic story?

5. The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry: The best Christmas romance ever written. It shows how we sacrifice for the ones we love.

4. Twas the Night Before Christmas by Clement C. Moore: The original story about Santa Claus 

3. The Three Trees by Author Unknown: This story tells about three trees who served a great purpose.

2. A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens: This story of repentance set at Christmas is the best Christmas story other than the real story in the Bible.

1. The Nativity Story (Luke 2:1-20): This is the story of Christmas. Without Christ being born in Bethlehem, this would be a very dark world.