Critter’s Top 5 Christmas Comedies [VIDEO]

It's the most wonderful time of the year! Christmas shopping, gift wrapping, decorating, get togethers with family & friends, stress, bills & holiday madness! Sometimes you just need to take a break from it all. Speaking for myself, I can get so busy preparing for the holidays I never get around to actually celebrating or enjoying it. So exactly how does one slow down, kick back, relax & attempt to remain in the Christmas spirit? Spend a little quality time with my top 5 Christmas comedies guaranteed to bring some much needed holiday relief & laughter! After all it's a holiday & we could all use a break. Merry Christmas!

5.) Elf (2003)

Directed by Jon Favreau & written by David Berenbaum. Elf features an all star line up including: Will Ferrell, Bob Newhart, Ed Asner, James Caan, Zooey Deschanel & Mary Steenburgen. There are parts of this movie that are incredibly funny & I have no ideal how Will Ferrell & James Caan ever got through some of the scenes without cracking up. God knows how many takes it took. Buddy the elf is the man!

4.) Bad Santa (2003)

What can I say 2003 was a great year for Christmas comedies. Bad Santa was directed by Terry Zwigoff written by Glenn Ficarra, John Requa & stars: Billy Bob Thornton, Tony Cox, Brett Kelly, Lauren Graham, Lauren Tom, The late John Ritter & Bernie Mac. This movie has it all! Adult content, crude humor, foul language, strong sexual content & more! All the things that go into making the perfect hilarious holiday film!

3.) The Grinch (2000)

Directed by Ron Howard based on the Dr. Seuss classic "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" & staring: Jim Carrey, Taylor Momsen, Jeffrey Tambor, Christine Baranski, Bill Irwin, Molly Shannon & Clint Howard. The Grinch is a masterful retelling on an old favorite with a new or modern twist. Jim Carey is the only person even capable of pulling this off. I have to admit when I first heard about "The Grinch" before it was released I had my doubts, even with Jim Carey I didn't see how they could bring this to life without the use of animation. It's become one of my all time holiday favorites!

2.) National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989)

Directed By Jeremiah Chechik & written by John Hughes "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation" is a real Christmas comedy classic staring the one & only Chevy Chase with Beverly D'Angelo, Randy Quaid, Juliette Lewis, Johnny Galecki & many more. It's one of those must watch holiday favorites, I look forward to seeing it every year & it never gets old. Like many other popular films with memorable lines that are constantly quoted & leave a lasting mark on your psyche "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation" did this & more! They managed to captured one of the greatest rants ever recorded in human history! Who could possibly forget Clark's total meltdown near the end of the movie: Hey! If any of you are looking for any last-minute gift ideas for me, I have one. I'd like Frank Shirley, my boss, right here tonight. I want him brought from his happy holiday slumber over there on Melody Lane with all the other rich people and I want him brought right here, with a big ribbon on his head, and I want to look him straight in the eye and I want to tell him what a cheap, lying, no-good, rotten, four-flushing, low-life, snake-licking, dirt-eating, inbred, overstuffed, ignorant, blood-sucking, dog-kissing, brainless, dickless, hopeless, heartless, fat-ass, bug-eyed, stiff-legged, spotty-lipped, worm-headed sack of monkey shit he is! Hallelujah! Holy shit! Where's the Tylenol? Now that's memorable!

1.) A Christmas Story (1983)

It's the holy grail of Christmas movies! Directed by Bob Clark & written by Jean Shepherd, Leigh Brown & Bob Clark staring: Peter Billingsley the late Darren McGavin & Melinda Dillon. The film is based on the writings of Mr. Jean Shepherd & his short stories including: "In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash" & "Wanda Hickey's Night of Golden Memories". Jean Shepard was an absolute genius with a real talent in story telling. He was a radio & T.V. personality, a writer & narrator who's work continues to inspire others including me. It's his story & his voice that make this one of the greatest holiday movies of all time. While "A Christmas Story" wasn't a big box office hit, once it was released for home theater it quickly become one of the biggest cult film classics of all time & my absolute favorite Christmas movie.  It's just not the holidays without "A Christmas Story" & yes I do have an official Red Ryder carbine action 200 shot range model air rifle & I never lost an eye...Yet!