CHRISTMASES past and present collide each year.

They do so in the shape of Christmas films, those much loved classics which are dusted off in December.

We all have our favourites ranging from Elf, Miracle on 34th Street, The Muppet Christmas Carol, Scrooge, It's a Wonderful Life, Gremlins and White Christmas.

I would recommend It's a Wonderful Life (1946) and Scrooge (1951) and Scrooged (1988).

It's a Wonderful Life is life affirming. It shows you the darker side of life filled with despair and couples this with showing you in this case George Bailey and what his life would have been like if as he wishes 'he had never been born'.

He gets his wish and he sees with stark clarity what this future would have been like and the impact his none life has had on the people he loved,. He finds out he had or has a Wonderful Life.

Scrooge (1951) sees Alastair Sim cast as Ebenezer Scrooge in what many believe to be a definitive version of A Christmas Carol on which the film is based.

Scrooge like George Bailey gets a vision or in his case visions of his life as it was, as it is and the future if he does not change his ways.

Scrooged stars Bill Murray as a television executive Frank Cross is a modern version of A Christmas Carol. It is all set in the world of television and like Scrooge, he has a visit from three spirits.

It is effervescent and full of comedy.

Sometimes we like to watch a Christmas film which is a little different, has a different twist and while it puts out a Yule tide message it is done in a way which maybe less touchy feely but does it in its own inimitable way.

The two films I re-visited at the weekend which I would put in this calibre are Bad Santa (2003) and Bad Santa 2 (2016).

Bad Santa is the best of the two as it is the first time we meet the character of Willie T. Stokes (Billy Bob Thornton).

It is a dark comedy but at the end it is uplifting and shows for all his faults, which are many, Willie does have a heart, he will just express it differently.

The main thing is whatever Christmas film you pick and doesn't have to be set at Christmas, is to settle in with a drink, some chocolates and mince pies and enjoy two hours or more of your favourite Christmas treat.