Stop us if you’ve heard any of the following this month. “Merry Christmas, ya filthy animal!” “Bah humbug!” “Have yourself a merry little Christmas.” Sounding familiar? Just as Christmas carols are being streamed relentlessly over the radio, so are the slew of Christmas movies and specials being pumped into our TVs and screens.
It goes without saying that there are many wonderful titles to watch this holiday season, and many of them are ridiculously quotable. So we’re here to ask which Christmas quotes get used most year after year? Well, hitch up the reindeer and get ready to step into Christmas with these ten famous Christmas movie quotes.
“Yippee-Ki-Yay…” (Die Hard)
We don’t even have to finish this one for most movie fans to get the picture. Though not exactly the most pleasant greeting one might exchange during this season of giving, it’s definitely one of the most memorable and beloved quotes in action movie history.
Made famous by Bruce Willis’s iconic John McClane, this delightful little intimidation tactic has practically been the catchphrase for the entire Die Hard series. How many times have action movie fans wanted to utter this before knocking out a boss in a video game or just doing some drastic everyday tasks? We tip our hats to you, Cowboy.
“Bah Humbug!/God Bless Us Everyone” (A Christmas Carol)
Now we have two quotes for the price of one, but with polar opposite intentions. Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol is one of the most remade and rewatched films that seems to be on repeat this time of year, so it makes sense that the main character’s famous calling card makes it on our list.
Whether you’re not quite in that Christmassy mood just yet, or you’ve already got the spirits (three if necessary), both of these quotes are as popular around the holidays as candy canes and mistletoe. Whether it’s in a new adaptation, a reimagining, or a classic version of the story, we’re certain both quotes will be uttered.
“Maybe Christmas Perhaps Means a Little Bit More” (How the Grinch Stole Christmas)
How could we possibly forget the timeless wisdom of the great Dr. Seuss? Whether you’ve seen this written in the original children’s book or have heard it uttered by any three of the film versions of How the Grinch Stole Christmas, this is perhaps one of the most cherished quotes on our list.
It’s definitely one of those quotes that make our heart grow three sizes larger, and one with a simple but poignant meaning. It serves as a healthy reminder that Christmas isn’t about things you can buy, but reasons for coming together to share in the season.
“Merry Christmas, Ya Filthy Animal” (Home Alone)
It’s been said, repeated, and printed on T-shirts, and it’s perhaps one of the most memorable quotes from this Christmas Classic of the ’90s. Uttered as a pre-mortem one-liner from the gangster star of the fictional film Angels With Filthy Souls, this quirky little phrase has had tremendous repeated use since the film premiered.
Since we first heard this phrase over Kevin McAllister’s TV set, we’ve whipped it out left and right at Christmas parties, get-togethers, or just wishing the best holiday cheer to our best friends. It’s a fun, lighthearted alternative to the standard greeting and one we don’t see stopping any time soon.
“Just Because I Cannot See It, Doesn’t Mean I Can’t Believe It” (The Nightmare Before Christmas)
Bless Jack Skellington’s ribcage, we can’t help but get tickled pink every time we see him get excited about him going crazy with his Christmas plans. As the Pumpkin King is absolutely going out of his skull trying to understand the true meaning of Christmas, he lets out this little gem.
Though he might be a little askew in his findings and delivery, he does raise an important point regarding not only the Christmas season but all matters where faith is required. Christmas Spirit isn’t something we can just boil down in some mad scientist’s laboratory, but something that is felt and experienced. Can’t fault him for having spirit, can we?
“Sometimes the Most Real Things are the Things We Can’t See” (The Polar Express)
Jumping off our previous statement, we had to include this nugget of wisdom from our favorite mustached conductor from a certain magical train. The Polar Express is more than a whimsical Christmas fantasy about going to visit Santa Claus at the North Pole, but a story about a childlike faith and the power of belief.
If you look close enough, the animated feature has some very adult concepts mixed in with all the magic and musical numbers sprinkled in. The young protagonist wrestles with doubt, belief, and even a crisis of faith during the holiday season. This quote might not be as T-shirt worthy as some of our others, but it’s still brilliantly true.
Clark Griswold’s Christmas Tantrum (Christmas Vacation)
Due to the length and intense language of this tapestry of profanity, we’re not mentioning the entire schpeel. That being said, Clark’s Christmas rage definitely deserves a top-tier spot in our book. From the verbal evisceration of his boss to having the jolliest family this side of the nuthouse, we can’t leave it off our list.
The entire sequence is absolutely hysterical, it even makes us as goofy as the deranged Griswold family patriarch. We might have one or two relatives that drive us batty over our own Christmas vacation, but hopefully, we’ve not been pushed this far to the edge.
“You’ll Shoot Your Eye Out, Kid” (A Christmas Story)
There’s absolutely no getting away from this one. In fact, we’ve counted the infamous phrase a grand total of 13 times during our rewatch of A Christmas Story. It’s said so much over the course of this classic, it’s become permanently engraved in the collected consciousness of fans of the flick everywhere.
It’s the classic mother-BB-gun-block and we’ve heard it probably more than Ralphie Parker, especially when TBS has it on 24 hours all Christmas Day long. This famous line might not be the most holly-jolly line on our list, but we can’t say it’s not unknown.
“Every Time a Bell Rings, An Angel Gets His Wings” (It’s a Wonderful Life)
To be fair, there are better quotes from this Christmas classic, but if we’re looking at sheer notoriety, it’s this cutesy little phrase mentioned by Clarence and Zuzu from It’s a Wonderful Life. In order to prove his worth, Clarence Oddbody must save the soul of a discouraged George Bailey before he takes his life on Christmas eve.
Pulling the depressed George from the depths of doubt is no easy feat, resulting in Clarence showing the poor guy a world where he was never born, resulting in an unforgettable story of redemption and faith. Needless to say, Clarence definitely earns his wings and a spot on our list.
Linus Quotes Scripture (A Charlie Brown Christmas)
“That’s what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown.” Though this animated special featuring Charles Schultz’s classic debuted in the ’60s, quoting directly from the Bible was a gutsy move, but it gave us one of the most beautiful scenes in any Christmas special. Even in 2019, the special remains unedited and uncensored to give us the true meaning of Christmas.
It might not seem like such a big deal, but for many, this is probably the only time they’ve ever heard the story of the nativity outside of a church. Linus’s speech is powerful, poignant, and definitely worthy of our top spot.
