Saturday, November 27, 2010

Animal Movies for the Holiday Season

By Suzanne Alicie

The holidays are a time when even the most diehard Scrooges are often overcome with a warm fuzzy feeling. There are classic holiday movies that have been favorites for generations, then there are newer holiday movies that are well on their way to joining the established ranks. But when it comes to animal lovers, there are some holiday movies featuring various fuzzy creatures that will always top the list. After all, there’s nothing that will warm your heart like a great family movie featuring your favorite animal. Keep in mind that this list is based upon my personal opinion and includes holiday animal movies that we love to watch at my house.

The #1 Holiday Movie with Animals

Okay, so maybe there aren’t real reindeer with shiny red noses, or even any real reindeer at all in this movie; but Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer is a wonderful classic that will tug at your heartstrings as you gather to watch poor Rudolph save Christmas.

The #2 Holiday Movie with Animals

This is a new one we are looking forward to. The Dog Who Saved Christmas Vacation is a sequel to last year’s favorite, The Dog Who Saved Christmas. The new installment debuts on ABC on Sunday, November 28th and features Paris Hilton as the voice of Bella the French poodle, and Mario Lopez as Zeus. We enjoyed the first movie in this series tremendously and are excited to see how the new one stacks up. If you miss the TV showing, the DVD will be released on Amazon in early December.

The #3 Holiday Movie with Animals

Alvin and the Chipmunks may be about a lot of different things – singing chipmunks, the music biz, and a hapless human who hears talking animals – but it also has Christmas. With songs like The 12 Days of Christmas and Christmas Don’t Be Late, you and your kids can sing along as you enjoy the adventures of Alvin, Simon and Theodore.

The #4 Holiday Movie with Animals

101 Dalmatians has always been a favorite – who could resist that many adorable puppies? Apparently Cruella DeVille can. Whether you watch the Disney animated version or the newer version featuring real doggies and Glenn Close, you can be sure the family will enjoy the antics of the Dalmatians and their humans.

The # 5 Holiday Movie with Animals

This one is my personal favorite. A Dog Named Christmas tells the story of a child who convinces his parents to foster a dog over the Christmas holiday. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry and you’ll find yourself hoping that Todd gets to keep Christmas, even though the agreement with his Dad is that the dog goes back to the shelter on the day after Christmas.

There are several movies I enjoy watching around the holidays featuring animals, that aren’t exactly considered holiday movies. When you watch The Grinch Who Stole Christmas (which does have a dog, and I suppose the Grinch is some sort of animal) and get in a Dr. Seuss mood you can always watch The Cat in the Hat. Home Alone is a holiday favorite for many, and I’m pretty sure there is a pet tarantula, a bird and possibly a dog in that movie as well.

Heck, it’s your holiday season, you can pick whatever movies make you feel warm and cozy inside. If you feel that the Garfield movies put you in a holiday mood, go for it. Add the fat orange cat and his pal Odie to your holiday must-view list. If you aren’t in a holiday mood, be sure to check out our great lists of movies for dog lovers and cat lovers.

Read more articles by Suzanne Alicie

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