I didn’t just watch as many Christmas movies and TV specials this year as I used to, but here’s a quick rundown of what holiday stories I did see in recent weeks.

“The Bishop’s Wife” (1947) — A debonair angel (played by Cary Grant) comes to Earth to help an Episcopalian bishop (David Niven) and his wife (Loretta Young) in their quest to raise money for the new church. Grant is funny and charming as always, Niven is surprisingly serious and the heartwarming story is easy to watch.

“Miracle on 34th Street” (1994) — A remake of the classic ’40s film, a lawyer and a little girl must prove that a man claiming to be Santa Claus is the real thing. Richard Attenborough doesn’t quite nail Kris Kringle like Edmund Gwenn did in the original, but this is a John Hughes movie so it’s still sweet if not derivative.

“A Christmas Story Christmas” (2022) — Ralphie is all grown up now and must deal with Christmas and all that comes with it in his hometown, now as a dad. This was such a pleasant surprise as a great tribute to the original ’80s film and a solid sequel set in the ’70s with just as much nostalgia.