Christmas Movies With Spiritual Lessons

It's a Wonderful Life

Thank you, George Bailey, for reminding us that our we do matter to those who love us. It's a Wonderful Life is a Christmas movie with a strong Christian lesson: God put us on this earth for a reason. While George struggles with his life and where he thinks he went wrong, we watch and think about what the lives of our friends and family would be like without us. It's a Wonderful Life reminds us that we are all important in God's eyes.

Miracle on 34th Street

Miracle on 34th Street tells the story of a little girl whose mother refuses to play into the Santa Claus myth and only tells her daughter "the facts." The lesson in this movie is that miracles happen every day if we open our hearts to the possibilities. God allows us to have hopes, dreams, and vivid imaginations so that he can take us to places we could never go if we limited ourselves to what is "real." Sometimes not keeping our feet firmly planted on the ground allows God to work much more in our lives.

Elf

Many people may consider Elf to be the story of a man finding his family, but it is also a story about faith. Belief in Jesus Christ is not the center of the movie, but instead a belief in Santa and the Christmas spirit. It's up to Buddy to get people to believe in what they cannot necessarily see--faith in the unseen. The lesson in this Christmas movie is that all things are possible if we truly believe.

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

Rudolph is a misfit who never seemed to blend in. This movie provides a lesson in how God plans to use us all. Rudolph never feels like he has a purpose. He doubts he'll ever be a part of Santa's reindeer team, let alone lead the crew. We all have what we think are imperfections, but instead are traits that make us unique. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer inspires us not to doubt that God has a purpose for our lives.

The Nativity Story

It's easy to forget that the real reason we celebrate Christmas is the birth of Jesus Christ. By watching The Nativity Story, we remember the biblical story. And while the movie at times elaborates beyond the Bible's boundaries, it does not stray far. It helps us visualize the true miracle of Jesus' birth, a miracle from which all believers have benefited.

A Christmas Carol

At a first glance, Scrooge seems wholly implausible. He's just too curmudgeonly. However, a life of bitter regret can break a person down. Anger can seep in and destroy our spirit, not just our Christmas spirit. Scrooge is a great example of what happens when we forget the lesson of forgiveness. The movie, A Christmas Carol, based on Charles Dickens' classic tale, has been told in multiple iterations, but its underlying theme is never forgotten. The movie reminds us that we only have a short amount of time to live, so we should live righteously. It also reminds us that no one's life is hopeless. God has a way of transforming people in ways we once thought impossible.

The Family Man

One of the best lessons in the movie, The Family Man, is that Jack realizes things are just things, but love is far greater. Our possessions are only temporal; we can't take them with us. By pulling Jack out of his self-driven life to where he has to think about others, be faithful, and be honest, he learns a lesson in priorities and what matters most in the bigger picture of his life.

How the Grinch Stole Christmas

Just as Scrooge teaches us about redemption, so does the Grinch. In How the Grinch Stole Christmas, we learn that a heart "two sizes too small" can change. We all know a grinch-type or two--people who are selfish and only love themselves. But sometimes God breaks through someone's cold, hard exterior to show them that the inner spirit is greater than anything. When the people of Whoville sing happily despite losing their presents and roast beasts, the Grinch learns an important lesson. Like the people of Whoville, we need to be people who are a light to the world and who demonstrate love.

A Charlie Brown Christmas

Oh, Charlie Brown. It always seems like whatever he touches never seems to blossom. Yet in Charlie we see a person who has the ability to see the downtrodden, the hurt, the broken. We are taught that it is easy to break someone's spirit with judgement, and we also learn that sometimes we forget what the Christmas season is all about. The lessons in this Christmas movie abound, but we also learn the power of friendship and faith that brings us all together in Christ.

Edited by Mary Fairchild