These holiday classics have stood the test of time.

A Christmas Carol. There are as many versions and spin-offs based on Charles Dickens' classic than there are hyper children at the mall three days before Christmas. You can go old-school black and white with Alistair Sim or new-school computerized animation with Jim Carrey. You could also opt for the Muppets, Mr. Magoo, Micky Mouse, or just about any cartoon version.

Scrooged. Anyone who's ever thought about stapling fake antlers on a mouse's head in order to anachronistically enhance a Nativity scene will enjoy Bill Murray as a modern day Ebenezer Scrooge. You might want to put the kids to bed before you pop in this Christmas classic. Of course, you'll be laughing so loud you might wake them up.

Miracle on 34th Street. Nothing angers or scares children more than the thought of Santa Claus being thrown in jail. That's what could happen to Kris Kringle who goes on trial in this 1947 classic. Don't worry, the US Postal Service saves the day. Now that's Christmas!

Home Alone. Ah, the true meaning of Christmas: accidentally ditching your eight-year old and forcing him to fend off holiday burglars as you vacation in Paris. Home Alone grossed over $500 million worldwide and made a young Macaulay Calkin more popular than Santa.

A Christmas Story. Anyone who's ever had their tongue frozen to a pole or been warned about shooting an eye out with a BB-gun must see A Christmas Story. It shouldn't be very hard to find if you have cable. It seems to be on a constant loop from the second you finish the last turkey drumstick on Thanksgiving until the last present's opened Christmas night.

The Polar Express. Your kids will love the idea of traveling to the North Pole on the Polar Express. Brew some hot chocolate for your family and then pop in this classic.

Stalking Santa. This 2006 faux-documentary on scientifically proving the existence of Santa Claus may not be a classic in the classic sense of the word, but it should be. If you're worried about your kids not believing in Santa Claus, you may want to watch this without them.

National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. No family celebrates Christmas quite like the Griswolds.

Elf. When all is said and done in Will Ferrell's successful career, this may be his most popular role. Congratulations, Mr. Ferrell! You are an entrenched part of Christmas from now until giant elves stop being funny - and they'll never stop being funny.