With the upcoming holiday break, a dilemma students often face is looking for activities to do with their spare time. A great way to spend the vacation and get in the holiday spirit is by watching some popular holiday movies. However, if students are unsure about which movies to view, a poll done by Wolfpack Times helped rank the top four holiday movies.

Number Four, Elf. The movie follows the story of Buddy (Will Ferrell), an elf, that was found by Santa as an orphan, who then goes on a journey to New York in order to find his real father. Jenna Ibanez, a freshman, loves the movie’s topic of family and togetherness, especially during the holidays. “It symbolizes family in a sense that Buddy never met his dad at a young age, and in the movie, he seeks out for him,” Jenna Ibanez said. Elf brings out Jenna Ibanez’s childhood memories of watching it with her whole family, making the film even more special to her.

Number Three, The Grinch (live-action).This motion picture follows the story of the fictional character, the Grinch, who has a deep hatred for Christmas. However, as the movie progresses, his feelings for Christmas change for the better. Matthew Sanabria, a sophomore, was fascinated by the Grinch because of the nice messages it reveals about the true meaning of Christmas. “The movie is very heartwarming and reveals the true purpose of Christmas,” Sanabria said. He also loves the lesson it reveals to children regarding Christmas and how the holiday extends beyond gifts and materialistic items.

Number Two, The Nightmare Before Christmas. The film follows the life of Jack Skellington, king of Halloween Town; he becomes bored with his life and decides to seek an adventure in Christmas Town. Emily Ibanez, a junior, loves the movie because it heightens her Christmas spirit, similar to what Jack Skellington experiences towards the end of the story. “The movie really gets me into the Christmas spirit and is a good example about change being good,” Emily Ibanez said. She embraces the childhood memories of watching it with her family or at elementary school.

Number One, Home Alone. Wolfpack Times #1 rated movie follows the Christmas journey of eight-year-old boy Kevin McCallister. His family leaves on a trip to France, accidentally leaving him home alone to protect himself from robbers. Henry Marroquin, a senior, enjoys watching Home Alone since he loves the comedic approach regarding family conflict. “The movie brings me memories of the day after Christmas, watching it as a small child. It made me laugh and enjoy the moment,” Marroquin expressed.  Marroquin, during his childhood days, remembers enjoying watching Kevin successfully perform tricks on the robbers trying to ruin his holidays.