December 16, 2025

What’s your favorite Christmas movie?

In our family, the list includes Elf, Home Alone, A Christmas Carol, Polar Express, Rudolph, A Charlie Brown Christmas, and just about any Hallmark movie (my wife loves a predictably happy ending sentimental love story!).

Most intriguing to me is our granddaughter’s fascination with the Grinch. Brenna was here for an overnight this weekend and we watched two versions of the Grinch. I asked her why she liked him and her response was short and to the point, “he’s funny looking.”

Of all the characters in Christmas movies, my least favorite are those who steal the joy. The Grinch is atop that list. Buddy the Elf’s father, the crooks in Home Alone, Mr. Potter in It’s a Wonderful Life, and Ebenezer Scrooge in Dickens’ Christmas Carol round off the group of curmudgeons.

Granted, the antagonist has an important role to play. Their portrayals all seem to fit the stingy, shrewd, and selfish contrast that invites us into the story of contrast. We root for the characters who humbly and responsively receive the true meaning of Christmas.

In the biblical Christmas story, King Herod is the striking example of grinch-like pride. His earthly rule is threatened by the declared prophecies of a new king. 

In this world, there are far too many who are stealing the joy of Christmas, replacing the Jesus story with substitutes that simply don’t point us back to the Christ child. 

Who is your favorite Christmas character?

Thankfully, there are several to choose from, this year and every year, that we accompany to the manger with wonder and joy. The Messiah Jesus is surrounded by characters in worshipful support of his coming: Mary, Joseph, the angels, shepherds, and wise men.  

Indeed, the promised coming of Jesus is worthy of our humble adoration. Miraculous. Monumental. Messianic. 

Let’s acknowledge the reality of those who will seek to steal our joy, and instead, let’s be protagonists for Jesus as Advent comes to conclusion and we’re ushered into Christmastide once more. 

Merry Christmas to you and yours, from all of us at Leadership Transformations!