In honor of me turning 30, I’m compiling 30 different top-30 lists on a wide variety of topics ranging from trivial interests of mine to meaningful life moments. Read the introductory post for more background information on my 30 at 30 project. Reminder: there is no scientific rationale for these lists. They were composed by a panel of one—me.

The day after Thanksgiving has been overtaken by Black Friday consumer culture. And while I crazily did find myself among those early morning shoppers a few times in my younger years, I now prefer to spend the day after Thanksgiving kicking off the Christmas season.

Although I hate winter, Christmas is my favorite season of the year. I even make an exception and appreciate snowfall on December 24th and 25th (and then pray for a heatwave on the 26th). Growing up, my family had a lot of special Christmas traditions, and many of them still go on in some form today.

Every Christmas Eve features a visit to my Aunt Nancy and Uncle Rich’s house, which is highlighted by the legendary “Grab Bag.” The first step is finding the letter. The letter from Santa is addressed to the family, and Santa always gives a shoutout to each family member to prove that he’s been watching closely all year long. At the end of the letter, Santa makes reference to the Grab Bag that he hides somewhere inside or outside of the house. The kids search for the bag, and once they find it, the real fun begins.

The Grab Bag is filled with small, unique, often silly gag gifts. Uncle, plays the role of Santa’s helper, doing his jolly best to read off names in entertaining fashion as each wrapped present is handed/tossed/thrown to its recipient. By the time all is said and done, the family is laughing hysterically and usually wearing something goofy such as fake glasses, bandanas, oversized sunglasses, or matching boxers over their dress pants. After the Grab Bag portion of the evening ends, the music gets turned up, more Christmas cookies get eaten, and the gang typically heads to the basement for a pool tournament that goes on for hours. It’s zany Christmas fun, and it’s my favorite day of the year.

Another Christmas tradition that is really special to me is the yearly ornament I get from my dad. Every year since I was born my dad has made a ceramic ornament for me. (Truthfully, I think I got spoiled with more than one ornament for the first few years when I was the only child.) Once I could think for myself, my dad gave me the option to request an ornament of my choosing. From Big Bird to Hulk Hogan to Bo Jackson to Adam Duritz, I have some of the most unique Christmas ornaments you will find on any tree. Over the years, my dad has made hundreds of ornaments for my siblings and I as well as ornaments for cousins, significant others, etc.  I’m still thinking about what I want for 2014, but whatever I decide, I know it’ll be something I treasure for the rest of my life.

Clearly I have a soft spot in my heart for these and other traditions that I have grown up with. They are a huge part of what has made Christmas special for me. I know that, in time, as me and my siblings start to have to children of our own, old Christmas traditions will change or stop and new ones will be formed. I can only hope that I will be able to create such love-laden memories as my parents have for me.

Another thing that I love about Christmas are the movies. There are so many great Christmas movies, and my family seemingly has seen all of them. I typically don’t have time for the Christmas season movie marathons, but there are a few that I make a point to watch at least once every Christmas season. With that in mind, I thought, what better way to kick off the 2014 Christmas season than by putting out the list of my 30 favorite Christmas movies. I’ll admit, 30 is a big number. As many good Christmas movies as there are, I had to reach a bit for a few of the selections I included. I promise the top-10 are well worth it though. If you watch nothing else this Christmas season, check out those classics, and you’ll undoubtably be feeling the Christmas spirit.

30. Batman Returns (1992)
I told you I was reaching with a few of these selections. There’s no real reason why they chose to set this episode of the Batman series at Christmastime. But Michelle Pfeiffer as Catwoman delivers that line about a kiss under the mistletoe being deadly, so I guess there’s that.

29. Rocky IV (1985)
Most people don’t think of the USA vs. the Soviet Union as a Christmas thing (although Ivan Drago as The Grinch is something I would be on board with). However, when does the fight between Rocky and Drago take place? Christmas Day. And how does Rocky close out his famous speech of “If I can change, and you can change, everybody can change!” He wishes his kid Merry Christmas.

28. Santa With Muscles (1996)
Unlike the previous three entries, you likely have never heard of this movie. Neither had I until I began compiling this list, and there’s a good reason why. The movie stars Hulk Hogan as millionaire Blake Thorn (think the worst possible iteration of Ebeneezer Scrooge) who hits his head, gets amnesia, thinks he’s Santa Claus and gets mixed up with trying to save an orphanage. The movie features a 13-year-old Mila Kunis in a supporting role as well as a cameo from Hogan’s wrestling buddy Brutus “The Barber” Beefcake as “Sumo Lab Assistant.” It’s a movie that’s so bad it’s almost good. It’s the kind of movie I just HAD to see once and now feel no need to ever see again. You should follow suit.

27. Jingle All the Way (1996)
In the battle of muscled-leading-men Christmas comedies in 1996, Arnold Schwarzenegger edges out Hulk Hogan. The basic plot line is that Schwarzenegger’s character Howard Langston is a dad struggling to live up to his dadly duties. He forgets to get his son the Turbo Man action figure he wanted for Christmas, and it’s Christmas Eve. Let the somewhat comical quest begin.

26. The Santa Clause 2: The Mrs Clause (2002)
You’ll have to scroll down a bit to find the original, but the sequel isn’t half bad. Tim Allen’s character Scott Calvin has been Santa Claus for 10 years when he finds that his son Charlie has ended up on the “naughty” list. He heads home to remedy the situation, leaving a substitute Santa in charge at the North Pole. That turns out to be a mistake, though not as much of a mistake (in my mind anyway) as deciding to green-light a THIRD movie in the Santa Clause franchise in 2006.

25. White Christmas (1954)
According to the Guiness Book of World Records, Bing Crosby’s version of the song “White Christmas” is the best-selling single of all-time, with estimated sales of more than 50 million copies. So yes, the song is greater than the movie, but the movie is still a favorite among the old-timers.

24. The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
Director Tim Burton’s critically acclaimed stop motion animated film is perhaps the best “Christmas” movie to watch before the Christmas season begins because it has a distinct Halloween essence—not only in terms of its plot—but in its look on screen.

23. Bad Santa (2003)
This feels like the role that Billy Bob Thorton was born to play. His character, Willie T. Stokes, is a convicted con man who’s led a miserable life. A drunk and a public embarrassment, Stokes works just one day a year—dressed as a department store Santa Claus. This version of Santa brings anything but holiday cheer as Santa Stokes and his elf Marcus (Tony Cox) use their holiday getup as cover to commit robberies. Will they get away with the crime again this year?

22. A Christmas Carol (Scrooge) (1951)
Charles Dickens’ classic tale has been made into a movie on many different occasions, but traditionalists tend to agree that this one is the best. My own favorite interpretation is a quite a bit further on down the list.

21. Scrooged (1988)
Not to be confused with the previous entry, Scrooged features funnyman Bill Murray as Frank Cross, a TV executive with a very Scrooge-like appreciation of Christmas. 

20. Miracle On 34th Street (1947)
Again, the traditionalists are going to disagree with the placement. I think the truth is that I’m biased against black and white movies. If this movie was in color, I’d probably rank it much better on the list.

19. Mixed Nuts (1994)
Steve Martin stars in this offbeat comedy about the events surrounding a crisis hotline business on one wacky night during the Christmas season. The characters and the plot are equally bizarre, but this movie produced some legitimate laugh out loud moments for me. Adam Sandler plays a supporting role, too.

18. Love, Actually (2003)
Remember what I wrote about The Holiday? This movie basically set out with the same intention but did it better. And it came out three years earlier.

17. How The Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)
Bonus list within a list: How the Grinch Stole Christmas also ranks 16th on my list of favorite Jim Carrey movies, a list led by Dumb & Dumber and followed by Liar Liar, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, The Truman Show, Bruce Almighty, Man on the Moon, Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, The Cable Guy, The Number 23, The Mask, Batman Forever, Mr. Popper’s Penguins, Me, Myself & Irene, Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls, and Yes Man. It’s not so much that Carrey’s grinch is bad. It’s just not as good as the original nor as good as so many of his other characters over the years.

*16. Ten Thousand Points of Light (1990)
Ten Thousand Points of Light is a documentary that profiles the Townsends, a suburban family in Georgia who, every holiday season for eight years, transformed their house into a mesmerizing celebration of Christmas and Elvis. Watching it has become a much anticipated yearly tradition for a group of friends, and each year the movie strikes a different chord. Yes, there’s definitely humor there. But there’s a Christmas spirit of good old fashioned southern hospitality as well.

15. It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)
If your alarm didn’t sound for previous discretions against movies from the all-time Christmas canon, surely the placement of this classic at #15 will send you up in arms. Calm down already. I know it’s a classic, but I didn’t grow up with it and never really appreciated it at all until watching it a couple of years ago. Jimmy Stewart’s George Bailey is one of the most well-known characters in history, but this is a friendly reminder that this MY list of favorites and not a definitive ranking of historical significance.

14. Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town (1970)
Burgermeister Meisterburger is one of the best names in all of Christmas movie history. This animated film comes in at 48 minutes, making it an easily digestible watch during the season.

13. The Polar Express (2004)
When I was a child, I remember checking the book out of the Our Lady’s Christian School library.  I never could have imagined that a 32-page picture book would someday be made into a 100-minute movie. The film, which used 3D motion capture technology to digitally record physical actors before overlaying animation, is one of the most visually stunning Christmas movies that exists.

12. Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992)
Of all the Christmas movie franchises, this is my favorite sequel. Also, can we all agree to strike from the record all subsequent iterations of Home Alone movies. If Macaulay Culkin is not starring, it doesn’t count.

11. A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965)
Vince Guaraldi’s soundtrack is inarguably the best instrumental Christmas music. The Peanuts gang’s animated special has been running for nearly 50 years now, but the message rings true now as much as ever. Charlie Brown is disgusted by the commercialization of Christmas. He goes on to find the true meaning of Christmas. Oh, and who can forget his simple Christmas tree?

10. National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989)
This is one of the most quotable Christmas movies. My dad has been compared to Clark Griswold (Chevy Chase) for the amount of Christmas lights he puts up each year. There are so many great lines that it’s hard to choose a favorite. In fact, the quotes section on the movie’s IMDB page has 89 different entries. Of all the memorable lines, Clark’s response to, “Hey Griswold, where do you think you’re gonna put a tree that big?” might get my vote.

9. Home Alone (1990)
It’s hard for me to believe that this came out in 1990 when I was just 6 years old. Lead character Kevin McCallister (Macaulay Culkin) is 8 years old in the movie. So obviously he was the coolest kid. Additionally, long before the iPod, the Talkboy was the coolest piece of technology. When my brother Mike finally got one, I was quite jealous, but he shared well. Long before we hosted a podcast together, childhood Matt and Mike did a self-produced “radio show” as characters Bob and Yo. Also, I can’t mention Home Alone without crediting Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern for their performances as Harry and Marv, respectively.

8. The Santa Clause (1994)
I always liked the storyline here. Scott Calvin (Tim Allen) is annoyed and frustrated that his ex and her husband have tried to convince 6-year-old Charlie that Santa Claus is not real. I tend to side with anyone who is pro-Santa. While reading Charlie “The Night Before Christmas,” Calvin’s voice startles Santa on the roof, causing him to fall and leaving behind his sleigh, reindeer and a note. When Calvin dawns the suit, his night takes a dramatic turn and his life changes forever.

7. Miracle on 34^th Street (1994)
As I mentioned earlier, I prefer this modern remake of the 1947 classic. This is the one I grew up with, so it has more nostalgic value to me. Mara Wilson is adorable as Susan, the wise beyond her years 6-year-old. Richard Attenborough nails the role of Kris Kringle, and Dylan McDermott as Mr. Bedford is a heartfelt character who has heart. His character is an adult that hasn’t lost the childlike wonder of Christmas. I want to be like that guy.

6. How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1966)
These next three entries are all lumped together in my mind because they were all on the same VHS tape that my dad had recorded off of television one night when I was young. We watched the tape every year around Christmas. How the Grinch Stole Christmas was the first one on the tape, and although I preferred the other two animated features, I don’t think we ever skipped past Dr. Seuss’ Christmas tale either.

5. Frosty the Snowman (1969)
The second animated feature on that old VHS was Frosty the Snowman, which featured some great sing-a-longs. I still get a kick out of Frosty exclaiming “Happy birthday!” when he comes to life. If only the snow in Erie could come to life and be as happy and jolly as Frosty, I would be a much more pleasant person during the winter months.

4. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964)

This claymation special was the last of the triple feature on that childhood VHS, and clearly they saved the best for last. In addition to the title character, Rudolph is filled with a host of amazing characters that live on in infamy. From Hermey the elf to Yukon Cornelius to the Abominable Snow Monster of the North (a.k.a. The Bumble), it’s hard to pick a favorite. I also love Burl Ives as Sam the Snowman, who serves as the narrator of the story.

3. A Christmas Story (1983)
This is my dad’s favorite Christmas movie. It seems like everyone who watches this movie has a different favorite scene. For some it’s Ralphie wailing on the bully Scut Farkus. For others it’s the leg lamp that The Old Man Parker receives as “a major award.”  Or perhaps it’s when Ralphie utters “THE word, the big one, the queen-mother of dirty words, the F-dash-dash-dash” word and gets soap in his mouth as punishment. Or maybe it’s when Ralphie tries on the pink bunny outfit or the tongue stuck on the pole. It’s one of the most rewatchable movies ever, evidenced by the annual marathon of it being played on a loop for an entire day.

2. Elf (2003)
The Christmas movie canon is so extensive at this point that it’s really tough to break in, but Elf became an instant classic when it debuted in 2003. Will Ferrell is one of my favorite comedic actors ever dating back to his time on SNL, and his role as Buddy the Elf is one for the ages. This was also a coming out party for current New Girl star Zooey Deschanel as Jovie, a department store elf who is less than enthralled with her job prior to meeting Buddy. With legends like Ed Asner (Santa), Bob Newhart  (Papa Elf), and James Caan (Walter), Elf is loaded with laugh out loud moments. Ferrell knocks his role out of the park, playing Buddy with a sincerity and childishness that makes us all love smiling. Smiling’s my favorite.

1. The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)
If I could only watch one Christmas movie each year, The Muppet Christmas Carol would be my choice. Despite the inclusion of Jim Henson’s famous Muppet characters, this movie is fairly faithful to the telling of Dickens’ tale. Gonzo plays the role of narrator Charles Dickens, and his witty banter with Rizzo the Rat adds a lot of humor to the telling of the story. The movie also features an awesome soundtrack, which I have committed to memory. Be careful of watching the movie with me, as it turns into a singalong pretty quickly. The movie is funny and smart, and it has a big heart. The Muppets are obviously a huge part of what makes this movie great. From Kermit the Frog as Bob Cratchit to Statler and Waldorf as Marley and Marley, the Muppet characters really bring color and life to Dickens’ old story. The big, jolly “Ghost of Christmas Present” is a hoot as well. Yet among all of the Muppets, it’s the primary non-Muppet actor Michael Caine, who plays Scrooge, that brings everything together. His interactions with the various Muppets is makes it easy to belief that all of these characters coexist in the same world. If there’s only one more sleep until Christmas, and you’re not sure which Christmas movie to watch. This is it. Here’s to a very merry Christmas season!

*Editor’s Note: #16 Ten Thousand Points of Light was an oversight when I published the original list. I had to amend the rankings when I was reminded of it via receipt of the invite to the annual watching of it, which will take place in a few weeks. The former #30, The Holiday was therefore bumped from the list.