Merry Christmas! It's my top 10 favorite holiday movies of all time.

National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation

Merry Christmas -- and bah humbug. I like holiday movies just fine. I only tend to lean more towards the edgier, more cynical fare (with some exceptions of course).

I don't like Love, Actually and while I can appreciate A Christmas Story for what it is, it was never a family favorite of mine, and so it hasn't been a tradition for me to watch it every year.

For the record, we always binge-watched Muppet Christmas Carol and National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation in my house. And we also indulged in whatever TV marathons struck our fancy -- James Bond on TBS (or was it TNT?) was always a particular favorite.

My list also includes movies that aren't specifically holiday-themed, they just happen to take place during that season so I tend to associate them with this time of year.

For instance, there has been considerable debate over whether Die Hard counts as a holiday film. To me, there's no question. It's definitely appropriate for the whole family -- as long as they're badass. But I digress, here are my top 10:

10) Scrooged (1988) - A very 1980s, sort of corporate take on the Ebenzer Scrooge story, with a particularly nasty Bill Murray pulling out all the stops in the lead role. I've written recently about how my position on this movie has evolved over time. It's definitely not subtle. But I like its mean streak because it keeps the movie from tipping over into maudlin sentimentality.

Will Ferrell in Elf

9) Planes, Trains & Automobiles (1987) - Technically this is a Thanksgiving movie since Steve Martin and John Candy's odd couple of stranded travelers are trying to get home for that family friendly holiday, but it works for Christmas time too. Martin and especially Candy are brilliant as two beleaguered guys forced together through bad luck and poor public transportation. There is genuine pathos in their evolving relationship.

8) It's a Wonderful Life (1946) - Sure, this movie is often held up as an example of classic Hollywood at its cheesiest. But forget the beautifully timed happy ending for a moment, and you'll see that this film is actually quite dark. And I'm not just talking about the fact that the entire plot hinges around the potential suicide of the lead character. This Frank Capra masterpiece has some profound things to say about class.

7) The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992) - One of the most sophisticated and technically impressive Muppet productions does another charming spin on the Scrooge story. While the movie sticks close to the Charles Dickens original -- it also injects the movie with just the right amount of madcap Muppet magic. Michael Caine is a considerable aide to the production, acting without irony alongside Kermit, Miss Piggy and the standouts in this movie -- Gonzo and Rizzo the Rat.

6) Batman Returns (1992) - This second Tim Burton Batman film boasts a dream cast -- Michael Keaton as the Caped Crusader, Michele Pfeiffer as the best Catwoman in screen history and Danny DeVito as the distinctly deplorable Penquin. The movie sets a gorgeously macabre Christmas mood with some very dark plot elements for a comic book film. Not expressly about the holidays but aesthetically full of nods to the season, this ambitious blockbuster has only grown in stature.

Batman Returns

5) Bad Santa (2003) - Billy Bob Thornton has never had (and maybe never will have) a better role than his raunchy, acerbic title character in this uproariously funny comedy. I love a movie that delights in being crude and politically incorrect -- as long as it's hilarious. The movie has a field day with destroying the conventions of the traditional holiday film.

4) Die Hard (1988) - Some consider this Bruce Willis vehicle the greatest action movie of all time -- it certainly has a case to make. Willis's NYC cop was just going to make a quick stop at his wife's work holiday party before they try to reconcile over the holidays. Little did he know he'd get drawn into an elaborate hostage-heist situation! Ho-ho-ho, now I have a machine gun.

3) Elf (2003) - This film remains Will Ferrell's biggest hit and for good reason. He gives such an infectious, gloriously silly performance in this comedy about a human raised in the North Pole as an elf, that people of all ages can appreciate it. Always a gifted physical comedian, Ferrell uses his giant frame to great effect but he also manages to be quite believable as the most naive and loving individual on the planet. Only Ferrell could sell a line like "smiling's my favorite" for the peak comedic payoff.

2) National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989) - There are so many pleasures to experience in this perfect, now 25-year-old, comedy classic. All hail Chevy Chase's inspired slapstick, his manic meltdowns ("We needed a coffin -- I'm sorry, tree!") and his genuinely moving moments -- such as when he assures Cousin Eddie's hillbilly daughter that Santa Claus really is on his way. But the whole ensemble cast works wonders too. Especially Randy Quaid's sublimely moronic Cousin Eddie, who's explanation of the plastic plate in his head (and pretty much every scene he has opposite Chase's Clark Griswold) leaves me in stitches.

1) A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965) - I know, I know -- it's not really a film. It's just a half hour Christmas special, but I happen to believe this sensitive and smart tale about "the true meaning of Christmas" did a lot to shape my character as a child. I have been moved to tears by Charlie Brown's depression and plea for acceptance; and his decision to embrace a wilting Christmas tree is awe inspiring. I can't skip my boy Linus, with his sage wisdom, or Lucy, with her distinct brand of diva-dom. There is a reason this little miracle of a movie has endured all these years -- because it's perfect and it actually, for a brief moment, makes me buy into all the sappy stuff that people love about the holiday season.