The Top 7 would like to kick off this holiday season with a viewer’s guide to the best Christmas movies of all-time. Some of them may surprise you, some of them you may not have heard of in awhile, but trust me—they are worth watching at least 600 times a piece. Another plus of this list--all of these tie in to sports somehow as well, and I will prove it.


7. Santa With Muscles
Every movie starring Hulk Hogan is worth seeing. Every Christmas movie is worth seeing. There is only one Christmas movie with Hulk Hogan, and it is pure heaven. Unlike some of his other serious roles, the Hulkster doesn’t stray far from his wrestling persona, so that’s a sports tie-in to me.


6. Jingle All the Way
Arnold chases Sinbad around Minnesota malls looking for a toy the day before Christmas. That’s the general idea, but the whole story is much deeper than that in this brilliantly written thriller. This one is worth watching just for the line, “Put that cookie down! Now!” As for sports, poker is on TV non-stop. There is also a channel that shows a professional video game tour. It is not far-fetched to think that eventually some station will show some kids playing with toys and call it a sport. If they used Legos, it actually may be halfway decent.


5. Christmas Vacation
I honestly don’t have a whole lot to say about this one, but I know that if I left it off of the list, I would receive death threats.


4. Predator
I know what you’re saying—there is no way this is a holiday movie! Well you would be wrong. This movie takes place in a Central American jungle, where it is hot year-round, so I’ll betcha it’s probably around Christmas. Guts hung from trees is surely a sport, there are two future governors in the film, and with his second appearance on the list, it is yet another genre of motion pictures that Arnold is the undisputed king of.


3. A Christmas Story
I have always thought this movie was a bit overrated, however:
a.I don’t care what the ratings actually say, 100% of people at least flip over to TBS once on Christmas Eve.
b.I have Jingle All the Way on my list, so I know nothing.
Of course, shooting people in the face is a sport.


2. How the Grinch Stole Christmas
The first line of the song is “You’re a mean one, Mr. Grinch, you really are a heel!” “Heel” is wrestling-speak for a bad guy, of course. The Grinch is a pro wrestler.


1. Home Alone
It’s obvious that this one should be at the top of the list, but where do the sports connections come from? I have three—when Kevin is taking Buzz’s life-savings, you can see a set of Fleer baseball cards on his top shelf. Secondly, Kevin shoots a Larry Bird starting lineup figure down the laundry shoot. Also, Daniel Stern, who plays Marv, directed Rookie of the Year. God I love Home Alone. Happy holidays!