It seems like everyone is trying to cash in on the Christmas season. Recording artists pushing their new Christmas albums. Movie studios streaming their latest Christmas movies. Worship artists releasing their latest angel/manger worship songs. There’s a whole genre of Christmas rom-coms that have popped up on my Netflix feed, all featuring blonde-ish professional women from the city who meet down-to-earth men dressed in flannel.

At the same time, there’s something deeply nostalgic about listening to Nat King Cole sing “Chestnuts roasting on an open fire…,” or watching Danny Kaye and Bing Crosby croon “I’m dreaming of a White Christmas…” You know, the Christmas classics. Watching “A Charlie Brown Christmas” with my grandsons (ages 3, 6, and 8) elicits unabashedly deep memories in me, subconscious childhood emotions of family and connection and that elusive thing we call joy. And in the midst of an often cynical and judgmental world, I think it’s a good thing to embrace a little sentimentality and childlike naïveté once in a while, to put aside our “scroogeness” and just be a little silly.

So this is one of my silly blog posts. Instead of waxing eloquent on the theological implications of faith and the arts, I thought I would share some memorable movie quotes from classic movies (at least, classic to me). One caveat. I’ve purposely tried to steer from too many quotes from arguably the most quotable movie ever, Elf, because I did an entire blog post on this several years ago. (Hit the link if you want to read a little elfin wisdom.)

So…here are my Top Ten Favorite quotable Christmas Movie Quotes. Enjoy!

10. “Every time a bell rings, an angel gets his wings.” It’s A Wonderful Life (1946)

9. “I’m cude! I’m cude! She said I’m cude!” Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer (1964)

8. “Maybe he’s only a little crazy—like painters or composers. Or some of those men in Washington.” Miracle on 34th Street (1947)

7a. “What I want for Christmas is a Red Rider BB gun with a compass in the stock and this thing that tells time.” A Christmas Story (1983)

7b. “You’ll shoot your eye out!” A Christmas Story (1983)

6. “He puzzled and puzzled till his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn’t before. Maybe Christmas, he thought… doesn’t come from a store. Maybe Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more!” How The Grinch Stole Christmas (1966)

5. “We elves try to stick to the four main food groups: candy, candy canes, candy corn, and syrup.”  Elf (2003)

4. “Dad, you taught me everything I know about exterior illumination.” Christmas Vacation (1989)

3. “Merry Christmas, ya filthy animal. And a happy new year.” Home Alone 2 (1992)

2. “The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear!” Elf (2003)

And the Number 1 Christmas movie quote (according to me):

“Lights please? And there were, in the same country, shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flocks by night. And lo, an angel of the Lord came upon them and the glory of the Lord shone about them. And they were sore afraid. And the angel said to them, ‘Fear not! For behold, I bring you tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; You shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.’ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and peace and goodwill toward men. And that’s what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown.” A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965)