We’re making a list and checking it twice! This is the ultimate mix of the best Christmas films to prove that festive viewing can be stretched far beyond the standard seasonal comfort of Home Alone and Elf. We are celebrating the weird and wonderful, while embracing unforgettable classics as well as newer releases—all ready to be obsessively rewatched come December. Whether you love warm and fuzzy rom-coms, tear-jerking dramas, or childhood classics, there’s a Christmas film fit for every audience. The cheesiness is just part of the holiday magic.
The shameless enjoyers of nostalgia are in luck, since it wouldn’t be a Christmas watchlist without the likes of The Polar Express or The Muppet Christmas Carol. And while the most iconic and beloved Christmas movies predate the Internet era, there’s plenty of new favourites to discover and log on your Letterboxd. So in the words of Mariah Carey, it’s time—cosy up, grab a blanket and press play on your to-be-stacked holiday queue.
The Best Christmas Films of All Time
How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)
Available to stream on Netflix.
With a script that we can only describe as absurd, complete with elaborate prosthetics and an Oscar-worthy performance from Jim Carrey, this holiday classic is 104 minutes of pure madness. A grumpy and reclusive green creature takes you on a chaotic, destructive journey to ruin Christmas for Whoville, but when he encounters the endearing Cindy Lou, there’s a hitch in his plans. Hilariously relatable at times, the Dr. Seuss adaptation is a Christmas joyride.
Love Actually
Available to stream on Astro GO.
A cemented guilty pleasure of the season—Love Actually is full of charming moments, holiday debacles, romance and heartbreak. In the midst of festivities leading up to Christmas, eight couples deal with the chaos of love. Set against the backdrop of London, the 2003 movie stars Liam Neeson, Alan Rickman, Keira Knightley, Martin Freeman, among many others, making it a very (very) British affair. And a young Hugh Grant is as good a reason as any to add this rom-com to December’s queue.
Home Alone
Available to stream on Disney+ Hotstar.
Home Alone deserves the yearly rewatch as a tried-and-true holiday classic. Kevin McAllister, played by a very young Macaulay Culkin, is unwittingly left behind when his family departs on their Christmas vacation, but he’s determined to make the best of it. That’s until a pair of buffoonish thieves attempt a burglary on the house. Putting up a brave fight, hilarity ensues. While Kevin probably takes the cake for having the worst parents ever, it makes for a ridiculously fun holiday watch.
The Holdovers
Available to stream on Netflix.
This critically acclaimed coming-of-age drama is one to watch over and over. Having premiered in 2023, The Holdovers is a newer release that’s just as warm and emotional as the classics. It’s the 1970s, and a resented teacher at a New England boarding school is forced to care for the students unable to go home for the holidays, but he ends up forming a deep bond with one of them, as well as the school’s head cook. For getting in your Christmastime feels, it’s the perfect “found family” tearjerker.
Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas
Available to stream on Disney+ Hotstar.
Visually stunning and wonderfully spooky, the holiday musical brought us the iconic Jack Skellington alongside bops like, “What’s This?” and “This is Halloween”. Tired of scaring humans every Hallows’ Eve, Jack, the king of Halloween Town, turns to Christmas to fright children and play his tricks. However, the rag-doll Sally works to bring a halt to her misguided skeleton boyfriend’s plans. It’s a festive classic for the whole family, and as a fact to share on the couch: it was actually directed by Henry Selick, and not Tim Burton.
Eyes Wide Shut
Available to rent or purchase with Apple TV+.
While Kubrick considered Eyes Wide Shut to be his magnum opus, it may not be the first thing to come to mind when someone says, “Christmas movie”. In spite of this, the erotic thriller is undoubtedly a holiday favourite for many, bursting with Christmas lights and background merriment throughout. It follows Dr. Bill Harford on a dreamlike odyssey through the twisted underworld of New York’s elite during the festive season after his wife confesses to fantasising about another man. It’s disturbingly hypnotic, bringing a compelling, darker flavour to your holiday queue.
The Holiday
Available to stream on Netflix.
Earning its spot in the annual festive rotation as a cosy, feel-good escape, The Holiday is a charming rom-com starring Jude Law, Cameron Diaz, Jack Black and Kate Winslet. After suffering through brutal breakups, two women—one from Los Angeles and the other from the English countryside—decide to swap homes for Christmas in a desperate attempt to reset their lives, both unexpectedly falling in love with a local man. Exactly what you’d want during the holidays, the journey is funny, romantic and the cinematic equivalent of a warm cup of hot chocolate.
Klaus
Available to stream on Netflix.
With a BAFTA Award for Best Animated Film in 2020, Klaus is a refreshing and clever holiday tale about Jesper, a lazy postman shipped off to the icy, miserable town of Smeerensburg. Once he crosses paths with the reclusive toymaker Klaus, their unlikely partnership sets off a chain reaction that slowly cracks the town’s long-standing bitterness. Starring Jason Schwartzmann and J.K. Simmons, it’s a heartwarming, funny and Emperor’s-New-Groove-esque adventure to enjoy with your loved ones every December.
The Muppet Christmas Carol
Available to stream on Disney+ Hotstar.
Bringing the classic Dickens story to life with the charm of the Muppets crew, The Muppet Christmas Carol is a funny, heartwarming film that’s perfect for the season spent with family and friends. Kermit plays the endlessly patient Bob Cratchit, while Michael Caine plays a grumpy Ebenezer Scrooge. Keeping the story lively, Miss Piggy, Gonzo, Fozzie and Sam also make appearances, popping in with plenty of jokes and Christmas cheer. To awaken your inner child this December, this is the movie to put on—a true Christmas masterpiece.
The Polar Express
Available to stream on HBO Max.
By now, we’re used to hearing Tom Hanks’ voice as six different characters in this festive favourite. The Polar Express is a beloved holiday staple for many, charting the Christmas Eve adventure of a boy, sceptical of Santa Claus, headed for the North Pole on a magical train. Alongside three other children and the train’s friendly conductor, he’s pulled into a whirlwind journey that rekindles his sense of Wintertime wonder. With its earnest message about belief, it’s a nostalgic ride that somehow gets more charming with every rewatch.
It’s a Wonderful Life
Thanks to decades of TV reruns, the 1946 classic It’s a Wonderful Life became one of the most cherished holiday films ever made. It follows George Bailey, an everyday man worn down by setbacks and sacrifices, who’s shown by his guardian angel how the town would look if he had never been born, opening his eyes to the significance of his humanity. The film’s mix of love, community and Christmas spirit has kept it a December tradition for generations. It’s well worth the watch (and many annual rewatches to come).
Die Hard
Available to stream on Disney+ Hotstar.
Ever since Die Hard premiered in 1988, it’s been debated whether the film can truly be called a “Christmas movie”. Regardless, the action flick has become an indisputable holiday classic, securing a spot on streaming charts every December. Visiting his wife and daughters, NYC policeman John McClane attends a Christmas Eve party in Los Angeles where the festivities are interrupted by a group of desperate German terrorists. Starring Bruce Willis and the late Alan Rickman, it’s exciting, fun and intense. And if you’re no stranger to the violence-heavy franchise, you’ll know to save it for when kids aren’t around.
Elf
Available to rent or purchase with Apple TV+.
If you’ve ever switched on TV in December, you’re likely well acquainted with the Jon Favreau comedy already. A festive classic in many households—Elf follows Buddy, a human elf who accidentally found himself in the North Pole as a toddler, who was raised to be one of Santa’s elves. Feeling that he doesn’t fit in at Santa’s Workshop, he heads to New York in search of his biological father Walter Hobbs, a cynical businessman, where their reunion is wild, chaotic yet warm. It’s a delightful and goofy story that gets deservedly played, year after year.
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