In our beautiful, sunny Southern California, the crisp breeze is finally beginning to blow, rain has begun to pour down on rare occasions, and we’ve actually begun to have to wear leggings under our skirts. Friends, the first day of winter is fast approaching, and we can feel it in the air.

With the new season comes the second installment of my seasonal movie recommendations. From classic holiday movies to those that just evoke the spirit of winter, I’m sure you’ll have no trouble finding your next night of Netflix.

Here are the top movies to watch this winter:

West Side Story (2021)

Ok, so I actually haven’t seen this movie yet . . . but that’s because it came out last night. However, I’ve heard nothing but good reviews, and I’m OBSESSED with the trailers and clips I’ve already seen. I’m going to see it on Sunday, so I’ll have more of an update after then, but I’m beyond excited.

Every Rankin-Bass Movie Ever

I could not think of any set of movies that scream “Winter” and “Christmas” to me more than the Rankin-Bass classics. This includes “Santa Claus is Comin’ To Town,” “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” “The Year Without A Santa Claus,” and so many more. If you’ve never seen one or ANY of these movies, you need to watch them immediately.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Prime Video)

Two words: Yule Ball. That’s all you need to know.

Twilight (Netflix)

In honor of Emma Silva ‘23 and the gray color scheme of the movie, I’ll make an exception for the vampires.

Tick, Tick . . . Boom! (Netflix)

Oh. Man. Watching this new movie about Johnathan Larson (directed by Lin Manuel Miranda and starring Andrew Garfield) feels like unwrapping the best Christmas present ever. This is a gem of a movie that was released about a month ago on Netflix and is a must-watch.

When Harry Met Sally (Prime Video)

I am taking Elena Walz ‘22 and Anna DiCrisi ‘22 collective word on this and watching it immediately.

The Santa Clause (Disney +)

Christmas would not be Christmas if I didn’t watch Tim Allen become Santa Claus while Bernard the elf made sure he read the fine print.

Mickey’s Once Upon A Christmas (Disney +)

In this compilation film including THREE different stories about Mickey & pals, Christmas truly comes to life. I could not find a more perfect compilation of Disney nostalgia and Christmas magic in film format.

It’s A Wonderful Life (Tubi)

I mean, you cannot go wrong with THE essential morality-and-Christmas-and-philosophy movie. I love watching this movie wrapped in a warm blanket surrounded by my family and filled with Christmas spirit.

This holiday season, be sure to dedicate some time to cozying up by the fire, waddling around in a blanket, and finding the warmth in our So-Cal winter.