Here's where you can see 'It's a Wonderful Life' and other classic films on the big screen

No one under the age of 30 will believe this, but there was a time — long before streaming services — when the holiday season was also the season to see family movies. The TV networks knew they had a captive audience and would feature single airings of classic movies.

If you missed it, you had to wait till next year. Holy FOMO!

That's how "The Sound of Music" and "The Wizard of Oz," neither of which make a single reference to Christmas, have come to be considered holiday movies. And how "It's a Wonderful Life" took its place in the holiday canon.

This year, local theaters are bringing those films — and other holiday classics — back to their big screen birthplaces, with special holiday screenings. There's also the 20th anniversary of "Elf," which brings Santa's tallest helper back to theaters. And that no-doubt-it's-a-Christmas-movie will be on a big screen again: "Die Hard."

Here's where to catch them, in all their not-on-your-TV glory.

Nov. 11 and 19 | 'The Wizard of Oz'

The kid from Kansas is back, with Toto, too, in the musical setting of L. Frank Baum's story of a twister, a wizard and four friends who take Oz by storm. Note to Broadway fans: This is the sequel to "Wicked." Suffern's Lafayette Theater will screen it twice, at noon on Nov. 11 and 18. On the 11th, a pre-show performance with the Ben Hall Mighty Wurlitzer Organ will make it feel like it might have when "The Wizard of Oz" premiered in 1939.

"The Wizard of Oz," at noon, Nov. 11 and 19, at Lafayette Theater Suffern. $6. At 97 Lafayette Ave., Suffern. www.lafayettetheatersuffern.com

Nov. 18: Sing-Along 'Sound of Music'

Sure, you've seen Rodgers & Hammerstein's musical, but have you seen it while dressed in play clothes made from drapes? Or dressed as a nun holding a distributor cap? Or as a doe, a deer, a female deer? All those options (and countless others) are open as "Sing-Along Sound of Music" comes to Tarrytown Music Hall at 7 p.m., Nov. 18.

Music Hall impresario Bjorn Olsson, a professional singer who was born in Sweden but has sung in Switzerland, can still yodel (just ask him), which could certainly come in handy during the costume contest, when ticketholders will be invited onto the stage for judging.

The closest "The Sound of Music" gets to Christmas are a few lines from “My Favorite Things,” when Maria says she's fond of "brown paper packages tied up with strings” and “silver white winters that melt into springs.” Come to think of it, those could be costumes, too.

And don't sweat not knowing every lyric: Olsson says the movie's songs will have subtitles.

"Sing-Along Sound of Music," at Tarrytown Music Hall, 7 p.m., Nov. 18. $31. General admission. www.tarrytownmusichall.org

Nov. 26 and Dec. 9 | 'Elf' 20th anniversary

Will Ferrell's Buddy the Elf is always cheerful, except when he's worrying he's a cotton-headed ninny muggins or when he's confronted by a Santa imposter who smells like beef and cheese. Jon Favreau's 2003 film stars Ferrell, Zoe Deschanel, Bob Newhart and James Caan and will be back on the big screen to mark its 20th anniversary. Locally, you can catch it at Regal Cinemas in Nanuet and New Rochelle on Nov. 26 and Dec. 9.

"Elf," 1 p.m., Nov. 26 and Dec. 9, at Regal Nanuet and Regal New Roc. $5. Regal Nanuet, 6201 Fashion Drive; Regal New Roc, 33 Le Count Place, New Rochelle. Tickets at fandango.com.

Dec. 2 | 'The Polar Express'

The one where Tom Hanks goes animated, in several roles, in the story of a boy who learns plenty on a magical Christmas Eve train ride to the North Pole with newfound friends.

"Polar Express," 11:30 a.m., Dec. 2, at Lafayette Theater Suffern. $6. At 97 Lafayette Ave., Suffern. www.lafayettetheatersuffern.com

Dec. 16, 17, 20: 'It's a Wonderful Life'

The one with selfless George Bailey and Clarence Odbody, AS2, the angel who wants to earn his wings. The 1946 Frank Capra classic stars James Stewart, Donna Reed, Lionel Barrymore and Henry Travers. It went from never being seen to being seen everywhere. This year, you can see it on the big screen — three times — on Dec. 16, and at two other screenings in the days to follow.

On Dec. 16, it'll screen at Suffern's Lafayette Theater at 11:30 a.m., at the Jacob Burns Film Center at 5 p.m., and at Tarrytown Music Hall at 6 p.m. The Jacob Burns will screen it again at noon, Dec. 17, and at 1:30 p.m., on Dec. 20.

The Lafayette, the 1,000-seat single-screen movie palace, will feature the film much as it might have been screened in 1946. Admission is free with a suggested donation of $15 to Good Samaritan Hospital. Doors open at 10 a.m., with the Mighty Wurlitzer Organ playing a sing-along of carols first, then accompanying the Laurel & Hardy silent film, "Big Business."

At 11:30 a.m., it's time for "It's a Wonderful Life," when George Bailey learns the spirit of Christmas and that he did, indeed, have a ... well, you know the title.

The Music Hall will screen it at 6 p.m., making it possible to get a double dose of Bedford Falls, one in Suffern, the other in Tarrytown.

"It's just a beautiful movie," said Olsson at the Music Hall. "It's beautifully shot and there's something about the experience of seeing it together on the big screen, with everyone's reactions."

"It's a Wonderful Life," 11:30 a.m., Dec. 16, at Suffern's Lafayette Theater. Doors open at 10 a.m. Admission is free, with a suggested $15 donation to Good Samaritan Hospital. Holiday sing-along to the Mighty Wurlitzer Organ, Laurel & Hardy's "Big Business," then the feature film. At 97 Lafayette Ave., Suffern. www.lafayettetheatersuffern.com

"It's a Wonderful Life," 6 p.m., Dec. 16, at Tarrytown Music Hall. $10. At 13 Main St., Tarrytown. www.tarrytownmusichall.org

"It's a Wonderful Life," 5 p.m., Dec. 16, noon, Dec. 17, 1:30 p.m., Dec. 20, at Jacob Burns Film Center. $11 JBFC members, $16 non-members, $9 children. At 364 Manville Road, Pleasantville. https://burnsfilmcenter.org

Dec. 16 and 23 | 'Meet Me in St. Louis'

OK, this one covers a year in the life of a St. Louis family as they look forward to the 1904 World's Fair, but it has a rock-solid connection to Christmas: It introduced Judy Garland's performance of "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" to the world. The challenge here, whether you watch it at home or on the screen at Pleasantville's Jacob Burns Film Center on Dec. 16, is to endure the onslaught of little Margaret O'Brien's tears as Garland sings "next year all our troubles will be miles away."

"Meet Me in St. Louis," 11 a.m., Dec. 16 and 23, at Jacob Burns Film Center. $11 JBFC members, $16 non-members, $9 children. At 364 Manville Road, Pleasantville. https://burnsfilmcenter.org

Dec. 19 | 'Die Hard'

Of course it's a Christmas movie. John McClane versus Hans Gruber is right up there with Heat Miser vs. Snow Miser. Sure, Bruce Willis is no Jimmy Stewart, but let's face it: George Bailey would have been toast if he'd been invited to Nakatomi Corporation's Christmas party instead of Shoeless John McClane. Yippee-ki-yay.

"Die Hard," 7 p.m., Dec. 19, at Jacob Burns Film Center. $15 JBFC members. $20 non-members. At 364 Manville Road, Pleasantville. https://burnsfilmcenter.org

This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Holiday films headed back to movie theaters in Lower Hudson Valley NY