Christmas is the time of year that Christmas lights are put up, trees are decorated, and Christmas music is played on the radio.

TV stations have re-runs of Christmas movies from the start of December until Christmas. While you're inside, staying warm and decorating, watch these top 20 Christmas Movies:

1. Elf

It stars Will Ferrell as a dim-witted elf, but the movie's payoff is old-fashioned, familiar and welcoming.

2. Home Alone

A game changer for Christmas movies. It has action, like zip-lining to the neighbor's house. I don't think many kids are going to stay home alone after watching this movie.

3. National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation

At some point you have thought that outer space could find your house because of how lit up it is. Well, the Griswold family tops all of us. Decking the halls and other traditions are failure. It's riotous because it hits so close to home.

4. How the Grinch Stole Christmas

Boris Karloff's dulcet baritone lends sinister charm to everyone's favorite. The Who-hater in this short, sweet Christmas special. Your heart will sure grow while watching this movie.

5. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

This sixties stop-motion-animation movie is impossibly cute, right down to Sam the Snowman.

6. A Charlie Brown Christmas (My favorite)

Charlie Brown sets out to find the true meaning of Christmas in this animated anti-commercial classic.

7. It's A Wonderful Life

Whether or not you have a guardian angel, the lesson is that no amount of money makes you rich. Family and friends make you rich.

8. Miracle on 34th Street

Uplifting without being coy. It's no wonder that this movie is a much beloved holiday chestnut.

9. Frosty the Snowman

This holiday staple features one of the most memorable catchy Christmas theme songs ever.

10. The Santa Clause

Tim Allen deconstructs Saint Nick and reconstructs his waistline. As an unfortunate Santa in training.

11. A Christmas Story

A comedy that satisfies two sets of audiences: kids and parents. Ralphie gets his BB gun and exactly what his parents warned him about happens.

12. A Christmas Carol

George C. Scott plays Scrooge in the classic made for TV version of Charles Dickens' holiday tale.

13. White Christmas

The follow-up to Holiday Inn is once again full of Irving Berlin music, with Bing Crosby providing the vocals. What is there not to love?

14. Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas

It's hard to say who's the real star of this funny live-action version: Jim Carrey or Dr. Seuss?

15. Holiday Inn

Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire celebrate a year's worth of holidays, against a steady flow of Irving Berlin tunes.

16. The Muppets Christmas Carol

The Muppets interpretation of the classic story is fun, sweet, and definitely appropriate for the whole family.

17. Scrooged

Bill Murray begins his turn as the ultimate crank, Frank Cross. A solid gold dancer cameo helps get the lesson across.

18. Christmas in Connecticut

A war hero has Christmas dinner with the Martha Stewart resemblance Barbara Stanwyck (who can't cook), in this holiday farce.

19. The Nightmare Before Christmas

Tim Burton and Henry Selickae's enchanting tale has the familiar bones of a holiday classic. It has bones of love, redemption, and of course Santa.

20. Bad Santa

A movie full of profanity and sexual suggestions. Bad Santa upholds the feel-good tradition of holiday movies.