Christmas Movie Heroines We Love

As the department store worker who falls in love with Buddy in Elf, Zooey Deschanel charmed us with her in-shower singing abilities and her way of seriously pulling off an elf getup.

Donna Reed's character in It's a Wonderful Life reminds us how important love, marriage and family really are — a valuable holiday lesson.

When her son Ralphie proclaims he'd like a Red Ryder, carbine action, two-hundred shot range model air rifle for Christmas, this no-nonsense mom from A Christmas Story, played by Melinda Dillon, gives a reply that we imagine wins the approval of mothers everywhere: No, you'll shoot your eye out.

This little girl almost melted the Grinch's heart in How the Grinch Stole Christmas, but it was the town of Whoville as a whole that brought him to realize this valuable lesson about how the holidays are not really about material things: Maybe Christmas ... doesn't come from a store. Maybe Christmas ... perhaps... means a little bit more!

While Scrooged centers more on Bill Murray's surly character, actress Carol Kane steals the show as his life-size pixie visitor.

In a role that's been played by many an actress, Miss Piggy shines as Bob's wife in A Muppet Christmas Carol. She also adds some of her real-life charm, such as when her daughters catch her munching on chestnuts while cooking, and she replies, I was not eating them; I was merely checking them. (An excuse we've been known to adopt ourselves.)

Annette Funicello is absolutely charming in the nursery rhyme character-studded film Babes in Toyland.

Natalie Wood was one adorable little girl, and her role in Miracle on 34th Street, as a child who's been taught not to accept in silly notions (like a man who delivers toys to everyone in the world in just one night), is one of her most iconic. How can you not believe in Santa Claus after watching her in this movie?

Yes, that's actress Thora Birch as a quite precocious little girl who launches a campaign with her brother to get the presents they desire in the movie All I Want for Christmas. We love how businesslike she is in her dealings with Santa, saying, quite seriously, This time we really need to talk. Can I use the lap?

While The Nightmare Before Christmas is a bit more creepy-crawly than warm-and-fuzzy, as far as holiday movies go, we love its rag doll heroine (voiced by actress Catherine O'Hara) for her handiness with a needle and thread (instruments she keeps on her at all times).