Nothing makes the Christmas season more enjoyable than the best family-friendly comedy movies. With there being endless movies to choose from, there are only a few that get families excited to snuggle up together and watch. “Elf” and “Home Alone” are Christmas classics that make the audience burst into laughter, while also being able to teach a few life lessons. 

  Everyone knows how Santa will come down your chimney with a bag of presents, but no one has ever accidentally crawled into the bag and been sent to the North Pole. However, in the movie “Elf” there is one baby that makes an exception. Buddy, the human elf, accidentally ended up in the North Pole and continued to be raised by Santa and his elves. After growing up as a human amongst elves, Buddy finds out he has a father in New York and sets out on a mission to find his birth dad. But there is nothing worse than having to adapt to a different world and its lifestyles by yourself, especially when you find out that your father is a rude, grouchy man with no Christmas spirit. Throughout the movie, Buddy tries to learn how to live in New York and create a bond with his father, but learns a bigger lesson on the importance of family, while also engaging with a love interest. Senior Emma Taylor comments on her love for the movie, “My favorite part of the movie is when Jovie is singing in the bathroom and Buddy comes in and eventually starts singing with her and she freaks out.” Although “Elf” has a lot of fun-filled relationship comedy, “Home Alone” offers more of the prankish comedy that bursts people of all ages into laughter. 

  The Christmas season is meant to be a time spent with family, but when you feel that your entire family hates you, it makes celebrating the season not as fun. In “Home Alone,” after Kevin McCallister acts out at dinner the night before traveling to Paris with his family, he is sent to sleep in the attic. Although he was happy to be by himself and not with his annoying family, he was forgotten and accidentally left behind by his family. Left home alone to defend himself, he realizes that two con men are planning to rob his house, so he begins to plan how he will protect his house and himself. After boarding the plane to Paris, Kevin’s mother realizes that she forgot him at home and spends her entire trip trying to find her way back to Kevin. 

  Even though both these movies are very comedy filled, they are able to teach the audience how important it is to show your family how much you love them, especially during the holiday season. Senior Hannah Frederick shares why watching Christmas movies with family is important: “It’s a great way to celebrate the holidays and spend quality time with each other.” Being around family is always the best way, especially during the Christmas season, to feel loved and joyful with the ones that care about you the most. This Christmas, try to put together some time with your family and watch these movies to get a good laugh and realize how much you will always need your family!