The holiday season consumes our society. There’s no place to hide, no place to run. Reminders exist on every street, every television commercial and with almost every app notification. There’s simply no way to avoid it, so there has to be a way to embrace it—we are here to help.

By following these two steps, you can’t be accused of being a Scrooge, but you also won’t find yourself wanting to stick pins in an Elf on the Shelf doll.

• Step 1: Watch a “holiday” movie that doesn’t make you want to puke peppermint candy.
• Step 2: Drink a fermented beverage.   

And to help you, we at ManScore have provided you with ways to rationalize your viewing choice if anyone dares challenge you.

Die Hard
Beverage: Japanese Whisky - Suntory Hibiki Japanese Harmony
Forget the debate. For many, Die Hard is a Christmas Movie because, if nothing else, it provides a rationalization for why it’s okay to watch Bruce Willis exclaim “Yippee-ki-yay, motherfucker!” in a room filled with holiday decor. And, who can say it’s not a Christmas classic? I mean, what could be more magical than a dad who defeats German terrorists to protect his family on Christmas Eve?

Drinking Japanese Whisky while viewing Die Hard seems fitting, given the entire movie essentially takes place inside the (fictional) Nakatomi Plaza in Los Angeles. Harmony is aged in five different casks, which allows for an ultra-smooth whisky that hits on numerous flavor notes—and it won’t break the bank, either.

National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation
Beverage: Chicago Craft Beer - Spiteful Working for the Weekend Double IPA
Sure, cousin Eddie drank some pretty cheap beer, so if an Old Style is your thing, go for it. But, in a movie full of great quotes, this line by Clark is one for which many of us can relate:

“I'd like Frank Shirley, my boss, right here tonight...I want to look him straight in the eye and I want to tell him what a cheap, lying, no-good, rotten, four-flushing, low-life, snake-licking, dirt-eating, inbred, overstuffed, ignorant, blood-sucking, dog-kissing, brainless, dickless, hopeless, heartless, fat-ass, bug-eyed, stiff-legged, spotty-lipped, worm-headed sack of monkey shit he is!”

That scene begs for one to pick up a robust, nearly 8% ABV, Double IPA brew named “Working for the Weekend” from a brewery named Spiteful. Besides, the brewery is one of Chicago’s best and the beer is superb.

Bad Santa
Beverage: Jim Beam Old Grand-Dad
No one at a family gathering can dare criticize you for watching a movie whose star is Santa Claus, right? Sure, Laura Graham's character yells, “F*** me Santa!,” but who's to say how someone should express their love during the holiday season, right? And yes, there’s a ton of drinking, raunchiness, crime and enough rude behavior that would make getting on the nice list almost impossible. Whatever, focus on the Santa part and you’ll be fine.  

While watching, drink what Santa…um, Willie T. Stokes (Billy Bob Thornton) drinks: Jim Beam Old Grand-Dad. The cult classic bourbon contains more rye than a few loaves of bread, so it’s big on spice and possesses enough booziness to turn you into a fire hazard. This is not a whiskey for the faint-hearted, but then, the holidays are not always easy on the heart either.

Scrooged
Beverage: The Balvenie DoubleWood 12-Year-Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Frank Cross (Bill Murray) plays a hard-hearted, insensitive television executive that gets the Scrooge treatment when he insists on producing a live show on Christmas. The ghosts appear and there’s even a Tiny Tim so no one can possibly challenge your desire to watch this film (and watching Bill Murray heals all forms of holiday-related stresses).

TV Execs are renowned for drinking Scotch, and if that’s an excuse to drink a fine whisky from across the pond, do it! Balvenie (any variety) largely comes without peated malt, so it’s not the type of Scotch most are accustomed. In all honesty, Balvenie is this writer’s favorite scotch, full of flavor and as smooth as Murray’s performance in Scrooged (or anything, for that matter).

Batman Returns
Beverage: Founders KBS
The 1992 version of Batman, directed by Tim Burton, certainly isn’t a regular on most “best of” holiday movie lists. For that matter, Batman aficionados rarely brag about Batman Returns. However, even though it’s a super-weird version of Batman—the Devito Penguin Character is just plain creepy—the overall fun portrayal of the Dark Knight makes it a fun holiday watch. If anyone questions you, keep pointing out the snow and the fact that one of the bad guys, played by Christopher Walken, presents a speech to the Gotham public in front of a large Christmas Tree.

Besides, Batman works at night. Santa roams the globe at night. What’s the difference, really?  

Founders Brewing maintains a cave below its brewery, and its filled to the brim with barrels of beer including its famous KBS (and CBS). What better way to honor Batman than with beer aged in a cave? Not to mention, KBS is a phenomenal beer that enhances any movie (or moment in life).