Last Christmas, I was perusing a list of “The 100 Best Christmas Movies of All Time” on Rotten Tomatoes, the universal hub for movie reviews, and received quite a shock. The first few offerings were expected Christmas classics. Earning top billing was Meet Me in St Louis followed by The Shop Around the Corner and Miracle on 34^th Street. (The list has since been updated, pushing that adorable little Natalie Wood down to 5^th place.)

Still holding strong in 4^th place, however, is an outrageous entry you probably haven’t heard of called Tangerine. Brace yourself. Here’s the description:

“After hearing that her boyfriend/pimp cheated on her while she was in jail, a transgender sex worker and her best friend set out to find him and teach him and his new lover a lesson.” 

I was not familiar with the transgendered prostitute seeking revenge on her cheating pimp genre of Christmas films. Mind you, according to Rotten Tomatoes this is the 4^th best Christmas film OF ALL TIME, resting comfortably six spots higher than It’s a Wonderful Life.

I probably speak for a lot of concerned Christians as well as ordinary movie buffs when I say, “What in the world? That ain’t right.”

So as a mom and the host of CHRISTIAN PARENT/CRAZY WORLD, a podcast that tackles tough cultural, theological, and relationship topics for parents, I set out to create my own list. I selected five family-centered Christmas films that are a bit off the beaten path in order to provide some offerings that are truly “fresh.”

You can find that episode (#51) of CPCW HERE. In it, I offer a top pick for kids, dads, moms, date night, and the whole family. Several of the offerings are very faith-forward. Here is a brief summary of my not-so-familiar Christmas movie selections for your holiday season.

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