The final piece of meat is off the turkey’s carcass.
The last marshmallow has been scooped from the sweet potato casserole.
All that’s left of the pie is crumbs.
Thanksgiving has passed and as you spend the weekend overcoming your food coma, you realize it’s time for the blitz of holiday movies and television specials. Some already have started, thank you not so much TBS and TNT.
In the spirit of the holidays, Delaware Online/The News Journal has put together the Tournament of Christmas Classics. We’ve selected a 32-show field filled with some of the greatest Christmas movies and television specials. You can check out the field on our Instagram account and vote for your favorites.
If you need a little help making selections, here’s a preview of the tournament.
Top overall seeds
- 1. A Charlie Brown Christmas
- 2. A Christmas Story
- 3. National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation
- 4. It’s a Wonderful Life
The field
TV Specials Bracket
- No. 1. A Charlie Brown Christmas vs. No. 8 The Little Drummer Boy
- No. 4 The Year Without Santa Claus vs. No. 5 Frosty The Snowman
- No. 3 Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer vs. No. 6 Santa Claus is Coming to Town
- No. 2. How the Grinch Stole Christmas vs. No. 7 Emmet Otter’s Jugband Christmas
Christmas Story Bracket
- No. 1. A Christmas Story vs. No. 8 Ernest Save Christmas
- No. 4 The Nightmare Before Christmas vs. No. 5 The Polar Express
- No. 3 The Muppets Christmas Carol vs. No. 6 Love Actually
- No. 2 Die Hard vs. No. 7 Lethal Weapon
Wonderful Life Bracket
- No. 1 It’s a Wonderful Life vs. No. 8 Babes in Toyland
- No. 4 The Santa Clause vs. No. 5 Mickey’s Christmas Carol
- No. 3 Miracle on 34th Street vs. No. 6 How the Grinch Stole Christmas
- No. 2 A Christmas Carol vs. No. 7 Bad Santa
Christmas Vacation Bracket
- No. 1 National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation vs. No. 8. Prancer
- No. 4. Scrooged vs. No. 5 Holiday Inn
- No. 3 Home Alone vs. No. 6 Gremlins
- No. 2 Elf vs. No. 7 Jingle All the Way
Most explosive first-round matchup
No. 2 Die Hard vs. No. 7 Lethal Weapon The battle of the two “Those aren’t Christmas movies.” “Die Hard’’ brings peace on Earth by battling terrorism, which becomes an annual occurrence for main character John McClain (see “Die Hard 2”). “Lethal Weapon” can be considered a classic retelling of “It’s a Wonderful Life” where the main character (Martin Riggs) gets a new lease on life after meeting a new friend, discovering a family and defeating a bad guy that isn’t a sleazy banker, but rather a sleazy leader of a paramilitary drug cartel.
Toughest bracket
TV Specials. Sure, everyone loves Charlie Brown, but they also love Frosty and Rudolph. Even the No. 8 seed – “The Little Drummer Boy” – is a beloved story. Just getting out of the first round will be difficult, and it won’t get any easier. Whoever gets through this bracket should have an inside track at the title.
Weakest bracket
It’s A Wonderful Life. These are all great movies, but “Babes in Toyland,” “Miracle on 34th Street” and “Mickey’s Christmas Carol” – the weakest of the Christmas Carol movies making the field – don’t make a great bracket. You must believe “Frosty the Snowman,” “Scrooged” or “Love Actually” wishes they could have been placed here.
Predictions
TV Specials Bracket
Top-seeded “A Charlie Brown Christmas” should start strong, dispatching “The Little Drummer Boy” before facing a huge challenge from “Frosty the Snowman.” On the other side, “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” and how the “Grinch Stole Christmas” should cruise into the second round setting up a tremendous battle.
Bracket final: Charlie Brown vs. Rudolph
Winner: Charlie Brown wins by a nose.
Christmas Story Bracket Top-seeded “A Christmas Story” should blow out “Ernest Saves Christmas,” setting up a semifinal against “The Polar Express,” which should easily beat “The Nightmare Before Christmas” (Is that really a Christmas movie?). The seeds will hold true as the Muppets and “Die Hard” advance.
Bracket final: “A Christmas Story” vs. ‘’A Muppet Christmas Carol”
Winner: “A Christmas Story” shoots their eyes out.
Wonderful Life Bracket
Wouldn’t it be great if two Christmas Carols met in the bracket final? Sure, but neither will make it out of the first round. Top-seeded “It’s a Wonderful Life,” after defeating “Babes in Toyland,” will face “The Santa Clause” after it eliminates “Mickey’s Christmas Carol.” Jim Carrey’s “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” will make sure there are no miracles in this bracket and will face “Bad Santa.”
Bracket final: “The Santa Clause” vs. The Grinch
Winner: “The Santa Clause” beats the Grinch, despite the Grinch’s heart growing three sizes bigger.
Christmas Vacation Bracket
This bracket, while not the strongest, has two juggernauts in it. No. 1 “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” should roll past “Prancer” and face “Scrooged.” “Home Alone” should have few issues with “Gremlins” – the filthy animals, but then there’s the holiday powerhouse “Elf,” which easily could have received the top seed.
Bracket final: “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” vs. “Elf”
Final: In the battle of heavyweights, “Elf” sends “Christmas Vacation” packing.
The Christmas Quad
“A Charlie Brown Christmas” vs. “A Christmas Story”: Sure, Linus is a little annoying. And how did the Charlie Brown tree grow all those branches at the end? But this was a true once-a-year spectacle before Apple bought the rights. “A Christmas Story” is special and very relatable. But the warm-and-fuzzy Christmas message of the Peanuts gang wins a tight one. The pick: “A Charlie Brown Christmas”
“The Santa Clause” vs. “Elf”: You would think Santa would reign supreme over an “Elf,” but this isn’t an ordinary Elf. With the heartwarming touches of Buddy and an amazing group of characters, “Elf” brings out the kid in all of us. “The Santa Clause” is also a touching story about believing in Christmas and Santa, but Tim Allen falls painfully short against Will Ferrall. The pick: “Elf”
The Christmas Championship
This is almost impossible to pick – thankfully those on Instagram will do the work for us. “A Charlie Brown Christmas” is the standard bearer for all holiday specials. My heart tells me the Peanuts gang will win. However, my brain says voters will gravitate toward “Elf” and the movie’s energy and sweetness. Projected champion: “Elf”
