Top 7 movies to watch when snowed in this holiday season

DENVER -- If you’re one of the thousands that took one sniff of the Colorado air on Thursday morning and recoiled at the negative temperatures, then you might appreciate an alternative to jumping in your car to head to work.

Consider instead working your way through a list of the top movies to watch at least once during the holiday season, and definitely while there’s snow on the ground.

Between Christmas movies and movies just set during Christmas time, there are a ton of classics that deserve to be mentioned. We’ve pared it down to Denver7’s favorites.

Let us know if you think we missed a movie by sending us an email.

1.)     “Elf” (2003)

An instant classic the moment it debuted in 2003 – yes, it’s been that long -- “Elf” follows the story of Buddy, played by Will Ferrell, who believes he’s an elf. Eventually, he learns he’s a human raised by elves, and departs on a journey to make a life for himself in New York City.

2.)     “Frozen” (2013) 

You might still hear every little girl singing “Let it Go!” but they’re doing it for a reason. The movie is worthy of a watch every holiday season. Disney introduces new princesses as they embark upon a journey to break a snow Queen’s icy spells.

3.)     “Home Alone” (1990)

Good enough for more than one spinoff, the Home Alone movies encapsulate the holiday season when family travel is involved. Many can relate to forgetfulness, but when 8-year-old Kevin McCallister is forgotten by his family, he feels abandoned and assumes the responsibilities of an adult. He’ll buy groceries and more as he attempts to survive without his family, but things take a turn for the worst when he is confronted by two burglars.

4.)     “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” (1989)

Watch this with family and let the laughs ensue. A classic for how well it represents the holidays spent with family, “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” is actually the third movie released about the Griswold family. The plot of the movie is simply surviving the holidays with the in-laws. Enough said!

5.)     “Avalanche” (1978)

This list wouldn’t be complete without a few movies that don’t circle around the holidays! Avalanche is an action flick that will take you through a pleasant weekend trip that turns into a struggle for survival when an avalanche crashes into a ski resort.

6.)     “Groundhog Day” (1993)

An official American classic, a day of binge watching movies wouldn’t be complete without Bill Murray’s face. This movie takes watchers through the life of a weatherman who is trapped in a loop, forced to live the same February day over and over and over and over again.

7.)     “Die Hard” (1988)

Bruce Willis also makes an appearance on this Christmas movie list, with his hit movie of Die Hard, a thriller that circles around a hostage situation on Christmas Eve. Terrorists take over a high-rise, and he’s forced to save the hostages.