The best films to watch if you can't go home for the holidays this year

Sophie-Claire HoellerNov 25, 2020, 05:45 IST

"Planes, Trains, and Automobiles" (1987)Paramount

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) strongly urges Americans to stay home this Thanksgiving and celebrate with the people they live with.
From packed airports, snowstorms, canceled trips, never-ending traffic, and family squabbles, let these films remind you that maybe staying home isn't the worst idea.
Neal Page lives through a terrible two-day odyssey to get home in "Planes, Trains, and Automobiles."
The McCallister family experiences every parent's worst nightmare upon landing in Paris in "Home Alone."

The coronavirus pandemic has put a huge damper on 2020, and for many, this has become even more apparent as the holidays approach and people choose to stay home instead of visiting family.

But really, maybe skipping holiday travel is not so bad: Remember endless lines, packed airports, snowstorms, canceled trips, and never-ending traffic?

And what often awaits on the other end? Endless cooking, overeating, and family squabbles.

Keep scrolling for some of the best holiday movies to watch if you can't go home for the holidays this year, and let their stresses remind you that maybe staying home isn't so bad after all.

As depicted in "Four Christmases," canceled flights are unfortunately a holiday travel staple.

"Four Christmases" (2008) New Line Cinema

Thanks to a blizzard that diverts his flight, Neal Page in "Planes, Trains, and Automobiles" lives through a terrible two-day odyssey to get home.

"Planes, Trains, and Automobiles" (1987) Paramount

The McCallister family experiences every parent's worst nightmare upon landing in Paris in "Home Alone."

"Home Alone" (1990) 20th Century Fox

Kevin is having a grand time in New York City, but his family is once again living through a nightmare without him in "Home Alone 2: Lost in New York."

"Home Alone 2: Lost in New York" (1992) 20th Century Fox

In "Last Holiday," Georgia Byrd would rather spend her potential last holiday season alone, far from home, than be with friends and family.

"Last Holiday" (2006) Paramount

In "I'll Be Home For Christmas," Jake's father has to literally bribe him to come home for the holidays, and his ensuing trip is stressful, to say the least.

"I'll Be Home For Christmas" (1998) Disney

Claudia Larson would have preferred to avoid her dysfunctional clan in "Home for the Holidays."

"Home for the Holidays" (1995) Paramount Pictures

"National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation" will remind you just how stressful trying to put together the perfect holiday can actually be.

"National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation" (1989) Warner Bros.

Skipping Christmas and all the stress and spending it entails in lieu of a cruise as in "Christmas with the Kranks" seems like a savvy idea.

"Christmas with the Kranks" (2004) Columbia Pictures

In "The Holiday," Iris and Amanda would rather spend their holidays alone than with family and friends, but it worked out for everyone.

"The Holiday" (2006) Columbia Pictures

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