It doesn’t seem possible, but with Thanksgiving officially behind us, it’s already time to start thinking about Christmas! And around here, of course, we are dreaming of a TecVision Christmas!

One of the most fun parts of the holiday season is watching the movies—both classics and new ones. Back in 2013, the American Film Institute ranked the top 100 holiday films. Here’s the top 10:

It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)

Holiday Inn (1942)

White Christmas (1954)

The Bishop’s Wife (1947)

A Christmas Carol (1951)

Miracle on 34th Street (1947)

Christmas in Connecticut (1945)

Meet Me in St. Louis (1944)

Going My Way (1944)

The Shop Around the Corner (1940)

With ISF-certified TecVision, Ralphie’s pink pajamas will look just right!

Three or four of my own favorites are on this top 10 list, while others—such as Scrooged, Christmas Vacation, A Christmas Story, Desk Set, Home Alone, and more–didn’t—quite make it that high. But whatever your favorite holiday movies may be, one thing is certain: having the wrong projection screen in your home entertainment setup can leave you feeling like a pre-heart expansion Grinch.

Never fear, however—we’re here to help!

The first step is always to consider the space where you’ll be enjoying your holiday favorites. Will you watch your holiday movies in a dedicated home theatre, or in a more open space where other activities also take place and where ambient light is less easy to control?

If you plan to watch in a dedicated home theatre, where all the lights can be turned off, then a white screen like TecVision XT1100X White is perfect. If your projector is a bit on the weak side, you can also consider a small bump in gain, and use TecVision XT1300X White or TecVision XT1600X White. All of these surface have extra wide viewing cones so the whole family can watch James Stewart and Donna Reed getting closer and closer to the edge of the dance floor in “It’s a Wonderful Life.”

1982’s The Snowman.

If you want more contrast then a grey screen like TecVision XH700X Grey can be used. If you’re planning on watching something like “The Snowman” or “Christmas in Connecticut,” where you’ll be seeing a lot of white snow, though, you might want to get a slightly brighter projector, as all that white might lose its luster on a grey screen.

If you prefer to have the lights on, or want your screen in a multiple use area, then you will want to avoid a white screen. Go with a surface that is designed to reject ambient light away from the viewing area, such as TecVision XH900X ALR or TecVision MS1000X ALR. Remember, ALR materials require 15%-18% more projector light, so you will need a brighter projector than with a white screen. As mentioned with a grey screen above, this will bring those snowy white levels up to an appropriate level, while the material helps produce better black levels. That improved contrast should also help when watching classic black and white films.

All of the TecVision surfaces mentioned in this post are ISF certified for color accuracy, so you’ll know you’re seeing the exact pink of poor Ralphie’s bunny pajamas in “A Christmas Story.”

Don’t dance too close to the edge; use TecVision!

TecVision is also 4K and 8K ready, so as new classics are made, you will be able to enjoy them safe in the knowledge that you’re getting the best possible image out of your screen.

One final note: Whether you’re enjoying “Miracle on 34^th Street,” “Meet Me in St. Louis,” or “Love, Actually,” sound is important. The best place for the speakers in any home theatre environment is behind the screen. So consider using either the NanoPerf versions of the above-mentioned surfaces, or one of Draper’s other acoustically transparent screens, for the optimum audio and visual holiday movie experience.

For details on Draper’s various TecVision surfaces, click here.