1. Serendipity. Jonathan and Sara meet in a department store during Christmas as they both reach for the same pair of gloves. They hit it off, but Sara leaves their relationship in the hands of fate and they lose track of each other. The yearning they both feel for one another over the years hurts my heart. I always get a little misty eyed when they finally find each other again. 
2. You've Got Mail. Joe and Kathleen are rivals by day (he owns a bookstore chain and she owns The Little Shop Around the Corner she inherited from her mom), but they are unknowingly romantically interested in each other by night. This movie set the stage for internet dating. It's endearing and touching and that's why it's part of my annual rotation, even though it seems a bit dated.
3. The Holiday. Iris lives in England; Amanda lives in L.A. Both need a break for the holidays and after meeting on a home exchange website, they decide to take the plunge and trade places for a while. As a result, they both end up finding love during Christmas. I added this one to my rotation last year. I didn't see it when it came out in theaters and it sort of flew under my radar for a while. Not any more!
4. Elf. Buddy the elf finds out he isn't really an elf, so he heads to New York City to find his real father and to learn who he really is. The genuineness with which Will Ferrell plays Buddy engrosses you in the film even though the plot line is far fetched. And I love the way Buddy pursues Jovey, a department store elf who is down on her luck.What about you? What are your favorite contemporary Christmas movies you watch every year?
