Ladies and Gentlemen, boys and girls, in no particular order, I present to you, my top 5 Christmas movie recommendations, so sit back, relax, and enjoy!

Below I have marked "(Minor spoilers)" beside entries which vaguely go through the plot of each movie. Read at your own risk.

1. 'The Santa Clause' (Minor Spoilers)

Tim Allen stars as corporate boss turned Santa Claus, Scott Calvin, in this festive tale.

The movie is set for adventure when Scott Calvin and his son Charlie, (Eric Lloyd) spend Christmas Eve together in Scott's house.

Upon being woken by thuds on the roof above, little Charlie sprints from his bed to a sleeping, now woken and disgruntled Scott.

Scott begins to hear the noises too and ventures outside alone to find Mr. Clause upon his roof, and proceeds to shout him down, Santa Claus falls, and his body fades into nothingness.

Scott takes and wears the suit, and tries to complete the jolly fellow's mission in a bid to mend a damaged relationship with his son, Charlie. However, by wearing the suit, Scott unknowingly agrees to "The Santa Clause" rendering him the new Santa Claus, thus setting this movie on course for a classic and festive tale.

2. 'The Polar Express'

Daryl Sabara (voice) and Tom Hanks (motion capture) play a young boy questioning the existence of Santa Claus. The boy without a name finds his belief reignited on late Christmas Eve. Upon hearing a series of noises, he is drawn to a magical Christmas train stationed outside his home window.

Entering the train, the boy discovers a number of other children inside, all bound in the same direction - the North Pole. What follows is an extraordinary tale, both inside and out of the Christmas train as new friends are made and self-discovery is achieved in this adventurous Christmas tale.

3. 'Elf' (Minor Spoilers)

It's hard to be more classic than "Elf". Will Ferrell is Buddy, the human elf from the North Pole.

Having arrived in New York City upon discovering he is not, in fact, an elf and Papa Elf (Bob Newhart) is not, in fact, his real father, Buddy sets out to find his real and long-lost father, Walter, played by James Caan.

Buddy cluelessly explores New York City causing minor chaos along the way, eventually locating his father in the Empire State Building.

Upon meeting, Walter initially believes Buddy to be a hired festive singer. When he when realizes he is not, Walter has security remove Buddy from the building after hearing Buddy's forceful claims that they are father and son.

Later on, Buddy receives a job, makes friends, and finds himself eventually reunited with Walter, after Buddy's claims are scientifically proven by a doctor.

From there the bonding process begins for Buddy with Walter, and his current family, for a happy and comic Christmas tale.

4. 'The Grinch' (Minor spoilers)

Jim Carrey stars as "The Grinch" the what, the who, - the creature in the mountains that despises the happy villagers of Whoville below, and thus devises a sneaky plan to steal Christmas, and proceeds to do so.

However, his plans don't go smoothly as he is struck by affection and begins to feel, upon encountering Cindy Lou Who (Taylor Momsen). From there, a tale of loneliness and hatred shared by "The Grinch" and his canine companion, Max, turns to one of happiness and Christmas spirit.

5. 'Fred Claus'

Santa Claus' (Paul Giamatti) older, troublesome, brother "Fred Claus" (Vince Vaughn) is forced to live in the North Pole with his younger brother after causing too much trouble back home.

Upon being bailed out of jail by Saint Nick, Fred is forced to work to pay off his debt, but old habits die hard as Fred's brother soon realizes. To make matters worse for Santa, an efficiency expert comes to evaluate Santas operations.

The balance of trouble and formality from both visitors perfectly leads to absolute festive comedy.

Festive Alternatives

If you find yourself enjoying the spooky side of this festive season, there are a few gems out there. I hope this festive list makes your festive binge that more easy for you.

And no matter your preference of movie, be it festive or horror, may all of the movies you watch be festive and enjoyable. They are best viewed while you snuggle up on the couch and under your blanket, with a cup of hot chocolate in hand, and toasty fire at your feet.

Merry Christmas!