It’s a Wrap : PACKAGE YOUR HOLIDAY TIME WITH VIDEOS

The tree may be trimmed by now, but the gifts aren’t wrapped. If you’ve got the inclination to do two things at once--watch your favorite holiday movie or cartoon and tie ribbons--why not skip the network and cable listings and take a trip to the video mart?

This way, you can enjoy a holiday program with the family (sending the little ones out for appropriate gift-wrapping breaks) and pause when you want to. Here’s a sampling of a few videos for the entire household. (You supply the house, the home-baked cookies and the hot cocoa):

Anne of Green Gables (1987, 199 minutes) : Megan Fellows and Colleen Dewhurst star in the critically acclaimed film adaptation of Lucy Maud Montgomery’s classic about Anne Shirley, the plucky orphan who grows from adolescence to womanhood on beautiful Prince Edward Island and learns valuable life lessons along the way.

The Black Stallion (1979, 118 minutes): Based on Walter Farley’s novel. A gorgeous film about the bond between a little boy and a fabulous horse who heal each other’s hearts after a shipwreck and then make a splash at the racing track. Glorious scenery, Carmine Coppola’s striking, European-flavored score, Mickey Rooney at his best (as a grizzled horse trainer) and Kelly Reno’s expressive, freckled face make this an evergreen.

A Christmas Carol (1951, B&W;, 88 minutes): Dickens’ classic gets a workout, too, but this one, with Alistair Sim as the sourest of Scrooges and the most delightfully giddy penitent, is still tops. The tender outcome is guaranteed to elicit a tear--no matter how familiar the story. The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992, xx minutes) is a winning alternative, especially for Kermit fans: It’s not easy bein’ a green amphibious Bob Cratchitt. Miss Piggy plays his long-suffering wife; Gonzo is Dickens with a rat sidekick, and Michael Caine is a bemused Scrooge surrounded by assorted mice, rabbits, penguins and other wacky furries and fuzzies. The spirits might be a bit scary for young preschoolers.

Jesus of Nazareth (1976, 376 minutes): A superb telling of the life of Christ. Franco Zeffirelli’s graceful TV epic, featuring care in every detail and a sterling cast, including Robert Powell, Laurence Olivier, Anne Bancroft, James Mason and many more. Two others worth watching: King of Kings (1961, 168 minutes) features Orson Welles’ narration in an extravagant but faithful version, starring Jeffrey Hunter, Siobhan McKenna and Robert Ryan; The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965, 199 minutes), is a celebrity showcase, with such stars as Telly Savalas, Van Heflin, Angela Lansbury and Carroll Baker popping up in the oddest places; Max Von Sydow’s Jesus is deeply affecting.

Little Women ( 1933, b&w;, 116 minutes): George Cukor’s adaptation is still the best film version of Louisa May Alcott’s classic set during the Civil War. Share laughter and tears with the March family: Marmee, Beth, Meg, Amy and, especially, Jo, played to spirited perfection by Katharine Hepburn.

Meet Me in St. Louis ( 1944, 119 minutes ): The recently restored Technicolor version of one of the all-time great MGM musicals is a feast for the eyes, ears and spirit. Soft candy box colors, sumptuous costumes, a close-knit family, turn-of-the-century nostalgia, plus Judy Garland at her most luminous singing “The Trolley Song,” “The Boy Next Door” and “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”--who could ask for more?

Miracle on 34th Street (1947, B&W; and colorized, 97 minutes ): Sure, this tale about a department store Santa who ends up in court to prove he’s the real thing, is another perennial, but when was the last time you actually watched it? It’s touching, funny and raises questions about some psychologists that are as pertinent as today’s headlines. Maureen O’Hara, John Payne and Natalie Wood are good, but Edmund Gwenn as mysterious Mr. Kringle is terrific.

Sounder (1972, 105 minutes ): Memorable performances by Cicely Tyson, Paul Winfield and a young Kevin Hooks highlight this moving celebration of family helping each other through hard times: Winfield as a proud Louisiana sharecropper who goes to prison for stealing food for his children, Tyson as his wife struggling to keep farm and family together and Hooks as the education-hungry son. The messages are enriched by keenly observed, subtle moments of human connection and Taj Mahal’s country blues.

And don’t forget these Golden Oldies: Bing Crosby as a progressive-minded priest clashing with authority in Going My Way (with Barry Fitzgerald) and in the sequel The Bells of St. Mary’s (with Ingrid Bergman); Irving Berlin’s Holiday Inn (Crosby and Astaire) and its remake, White Christmas (Crosby, Danny Kaye, Vera-Ellen and Rosemary Clooney); The Bishop’s Wife, with Cary Grant as a remarkably suave, dapper angel who saves a cleric’s parish and marriage (David Niven and Loretta Young are the couple) and Christmas in Connecticut, a wacky romantic comedy with Barbara Stanwyck as a career gal who finds true love by pretending to be a happy homemaker.