The holiday season has officially begun and brought the hustle and bustle, shopping and cooking, decorating and planning. How better to unwind than by gathering the family to view a Christmas-themed film? Then comes the hard part -- what to watch? Google "Christmas movie" and you'll come up with more than 79 million search results.

 For some people, it's the comedies that are most appealing. Amy Miller, of Lansing, said her first choice would be "Elf," which she called "the funniest movie ever, other than 'Christmas Vacation.'"

Some choose their childhood favorites. Rita Falcon, of Lansing, said that her picks are "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer" and "The Little Drummer Boy."

"I cry every time," she said.

 And for others, it's the warm and fuzzy feel good movies. While Miller enjoys the comedies, she said her children would choose the animated flick "Polar Express," which was adapted from a popular children's book.

 And then there are the classics.

For Diane Ott, of Michigan City, there's no better holiday movie than "It's a Wonderful Life."

"My reasons are many but I will give you the top four because they are the ones I feel transcend time. One: Prayer is a powerful gift. Two: No one is ever alone as long as he has friends. Three: When you surround yourself with the love of family and friends anything is possible and any problem can find a solution. Four: Our life is not measured in the love we have for others but in the love that others have for us," Ott said. "Everyone should watch this movie at least once in their lifetime. It has great wholesome values."

 Just like those Christmas cookies, the holiday movies are sugary sweet -- the sappier the better. The music is peppy. The themes are hopeful. The endings are blissful. So, grab the Kleenex, pop the popcorn and enjoy.

Here's our list of the 10 must-see holiday movies.

 

 

10: "How the Grinch Stole Christmas"

 The 1966 animated film, adapted from the Dr. Seuss book, has long been a staple of holiday television with the theme of Christmas being about more than just tinsel, twinkling lights and gifts. Also, check out the 2000 film version featuring Jim Carrey.

 

9: Jingle All the Way

 Before his days as the "Governator," Arnold Schwarzenegger played a workaholic father trying to win his son's approval by getting him the hottest new action figure, Turbo Man, for Christmas.

After a series of twists and turns along with funnymen Sinbad, Phil Hartman and Jim Belushi, he learns what is truly important to his son.

 

 8: "A Christmas Carol"

 There have been many movie and television adaptations of the 1843 Charles Dickens book about Ebenezer Scrooge and his change in outlook after he is visited by ghosts on Christmas Eve, but the 1951 version, starring Alastair Sim, is one of the best ones.

While much of the movie follows a grim storyline, it conveys the message of redemption and like nearly all holiday movies ends on a happy note.

 

7: "Polar Express"

Tom Hanks lends his voice to this charming story of a boy and his struggle to decide if Santa Claus and the North Pole are reality or fantasy. The animation is mesmerizing, the music magical and the story heartwarming.

 

6: "Home Alone"

 Another classic of the late John Hughes, it's set in the Chicago-area where he once lived. The movie launched the career of Macaulay Culkin, who played the clever and devious 8-year-old who is accidentally left at home while his family heads to Paris.

 Crafty enough to foil a robbery and ward off the bad guys, but still fragile enough to hide under the covers while watching a violent gangster flick and miss his siblings, Culkin's character also manages to reunite an estranged family and clean the house back up just in the nick of time. Whew! That's one busy kid.

 Also watch "Home Alone 2." It was just as good as the first one.

 

5: "Elf"

 Will Farrell does a tremendous job of playing the human who was raised by elves and never grew up. On a quest to find his father, he leaves his home at the North Pole and sets off for the Big Apple, where life isn't so easy for an elf.

 You'll smile and laugh and maybe even shed a happy tear or two. It will definitely leave you with a few lines you'll repeat and scenes you won't forget. Anyone up for spaghetti topped with marshmallows and maple syrup?

 

4: "Miracle on 34th Street"

 A brilliant piece of work produced a year after "It's a Wonderful Life," it relays how keeping the faith and believing can produce miracles. You'll find yourself rooting for Kris Kringle like you would your favorite team in overtime at the Super Bowl.

 

 3: "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation"

 This hilarious movie has the kind of humor only John Hughes could provide. It brought us such lines as "That there Clark is an RV" and "If I woke up tomorrow with my head sewn to the carpet I wouldn't be more surprised than I am right now."

Hoping for a simple old-fashioned family Christmas, the Griswold holiday endures one crazy disaster after another as Clark hosts the family get-together.

 

2: "A Christmas Story"

 Back when I first watched "A Christmas Story," which was long before I knew who Jean Shepherd was or that the story was inspired by his childhood in Hammond, it was instantly a favorite. Even if you didn't have neighbors like the Bumpasses with their smelly hounds, win a major award or enjoy a decapitated duck at a Chinese restaurant for Christmas dinner, everyone can relate to Ralphie's burning desire for one special toy -- a Red Ryder BB Gun.

 

1: "It's a Wonderful Life"

 The story of George Bailey's life and what the world had been like had he not existed is the quintessential holiday feel-good movie. With a great cast and message, the movie is just as relevant today as it was when it was released in 1946.

Other favorites include:

* "Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas" - This 1977 classic from Jim Henson is based on a children's storybook by Russell Hoban. This Muppet flick offers a twist on "The Gift of the Magi," as son and mom make personal sacrifices to buy the perfect Christmas present for each other. The movie, originally produced as a television special, includes songs like "There Ain't No Hole in the Washtub" and "When the River Meets the Sea." Kermit the Frog stars as narrator.

* "Scrooged" - This 1988 movie starring Bill Murray and Karen Allen offers a different twist on "A Christmas Carol." Murray plays a cynical tv exec who choses his career over true love. And soon he sees three ghosts who show him the error of his ways. This movie gets mixed reviews with some considering it a dud, but we call it a favorite.

* "Love Actually" - The 2003 ensamble film – Emma Thompson, Colin Firth, Liam Neeson and Hugh Grant are just the tip of the cast iceberg – follows multiple love stories in the five weeks leading up to Christmas. Set almost entirely in London, "Love Actually" is multi-layered storytelling at its best by Richard Curtis. Since not every story is blessed with a "happy ending," the film escapes a sickeningly-sweet romantic feel. It simply teaches us that at Christmas – if you take time to look – love is actually all around.