Welcome to Rotten Tomatoes' 2007 edition of the 12 Days of Christmas Movies, where we will be donning our Santa caps, drinking hot cocoa, and slipping into our velour leisure suits to get in the holiday spirit as we count down the top rated Christmas movies of all time.

With the trusty Tomatometer as our guide, we've sifted through the most memorable Christmas classics to give you the very best that the season of giving has to offer.

Now that the Christmas season is upon us like a herd of mid-1990's polyester pants-wearing parents wrestling over Tickle Me Elmo's, there is no better time to pop in a classic to set the mood in between the Christmas ham you made (or perhaps, bought) and Aunt Becky's famous eggnog.

Did your family favorite make the list? Will something finally dethrone the indie flick documenting when you tore open what you thought to be your SEGA Master System only to find a My Little Pony grooming kit? Looking for a new classic to replace that worn down VHS family heirloom that takes hours to find every year?

The Tomatometer provides something for everyone on this year's list and you are guaranteed to find something that not only roasted our critics' chestnuts, but something to warm your heart as well (yeah, we said it).

On Dancer, on Prancer, on Donner, and Vixen, the Tomatometer is here to repair Christmas movie lists that need fixing! Read on to discover a gaggle of the top Christmas movies of all time!



Widely considered the definitive film version of Charles Dickens' timeless novel, the Brian Desmond Hurst-directed interpretation tells the familiar story of the legendary Ebeneezer Scrooge (Alastair Sim) being visited by three ghosts on Christmas Eve. The ghosts take Scrooge on a journey through his past, present, and potentially morbid future to try to take some of that "Bah humbug!" out of his everyday and potentially change his ways.

James Berardinelli notes, "Sim is not just one of many actors to play the part - for everyone who has seen the crisply-made black-and-white production, he is the definitive Scrooge. Everyone else, from George C. Scott to Bill Murray, is an impostor," fittingly matching the Carol with the Scrooge.

A (welcomed?) change of pace from the more recent lighthearted tellings of the classic novel, The New York Times' Bosley Crowther gives a disclaimer that "'A Christmas Carol' is mainly a story of ghosts-of nightmare conceits and shuddering horrors-and that's what it is in this film... This one is spooky and somber, for the most part, except toward the end."

For our cave-dwelling readers, we won't spoil the end of this one.

In need a quick fix of holiday goodness and short on time? At under 90 minutes, A Christmas Carol provides near-instant Christmas gratification in a neat and tidy DVD package, what more could you ask for?



Ever wondered what life would be like growing up in the North Pole after being adopted by a family of elves?

No? Good. Read on, even if you did.

In "Elf," Will Ferrell stars as Buddy, an orphan baby who crawled into Santa's bag of toys only to be raised, appropriately, as an elf. As Buddy continues to grow beyond what the elf world (and doorways) will allow, he comes to the revelation that the North Pole may not be where he belongs, so it's off to find his family in New York City! (in full elf attire, no less)

In a city that is a far cry from his former Christmas paradise, Buddy discovers that his Scrooge-like father (James Caan) holds a place on Santa's "Naughty" list, while his half-brother (Daniel Tay) does not believe in Christmas, Santa, or inconveniently for Buddy, elves. Apart from internal family drama, Buddy takes on the epic responsibility of saving the holiday for the world by trying to restore peoples' faith in Santa Claus, whose sleigh is powered by people believing in him.

Logical? Maybe not. But charming? Most critics seem to think so.

Roger Ebert praises, "This is one of those rare Christmas comedies that has a heart, a brain and a wicked sense of humor, and it charms the socks right off the mantelpiece."

What could be the greatest compliment of all, John Anderson of Newsday says, "'Elf' possesses all the potential longevity of 'A Christmas Carol ,' 'A Christmas Story ' or (dare we say it?) 'It's a Wonderful Life.'"

Really.



"You'll shoot your eye out."

Aside from its pervasive presence on cable television around the holidays, A Christmas Story has touched critics' hearts around the holidays for years. For RT, it makes its mark on our countdown at #10.

Based on the book In God We Trust: All Others Pay Cash by Jean Shepard, the film follows Ralphie (Peter Billingsley), a 9 year old boy growing up in Gary, Indiana during the 1940's. A Christmas Story is filled with endearing memories of Ralphie's caricature-like parents, classic "double dog dares," and quite possibly the greatest lamp in the history of cinema. However, Ralphie's ultimate mission is to find a Red Ryder BB gun under the tree on Christmas day.

TV Guide said of the film upon its release, "The laughs are nonstop if rarely subtle and the whole thing deserves to become a Christmastime classic."

And over twenty years after its release, it is.