This is a list of some of my favorite Christmas movies. There are so many to choose from, so don’t hate me for the choices I’ve made. Most of the movies on this list are more so Christmas comedies that I enjoy watching year after year, rather than the Christmas classics.
Disclaimer: I don’t like The Polar Express, It’s a Wonderful Life, or Home Alone. Nothing you can say will change my opinion.
Now that that unpopular opinion is out of the way, let’s get started.
The runner up for my list of Christmas movies is Krampus. This horror movie about the anti-Santa who punishes the children who have misbehaved is anything but a horror film. It’s just not that scary. It leads up to a bunch of what you think would be jump scares, but aren’t. The only reason this movie made it onto the list is because of the angry, evil little gingerbread men. They are by far the best thing about this movie, and the one reason why I will continue watching Krampus.
10. Christmas with the Kranks
In this fun Christmas movie, Luther and Nora Krank decide to skip Christmas to take a cruise in the Caribbean because they believe their daughter, Blair, will not be coming home for the holidays. The Kranks live in a neighborhood where everyone goes all out decorating for Christmas, so they soon become social outcasts because of their lack of decoration. However, the couple learn that their daughter will return home hours before she plans to arrive at their house. The Kranks, having not decorated or prepared food, have only a few hours to get their home decorated with the Christmas spirit their daughter expects, and to organize their annual Christmas party. The neighbors at first are reluctant to help, but they decide to help out because they all care so much about Blair. She and her fiance arrive to find that the house is beautifully decorated with the annual Christmas party in full swing. Luther, played by Tim Allen, however, is not in the Christmas spirit because he has to cancel his cruise. In the end, he decides to give it to his rival across the street, and everyone enjoys Christmas. This is a funny movie about the stress of the holidays being jam-packed into only a few hours.
9. Disney’s A Christmas Carol
This adaptation of A Christmas Carol puts a rather dark spin on the classic. The story line is the same: Scrooge is visited by his late business partner, then the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future. However, the overall feel of the movie is darker, and I just love the graphics. I feel like this spruces up the classic story, and makes it more enjoyable.
8. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964)
This is one of the few classics I decided to include on this list because, well, it’s a timeless classic. Something about this TV movie really gets me in the Christmas spirit. Maybe it’s because it is a timeless origin story about beloved Rudolph. Maybe it’s the overall feel of this stop motion animated Christmas special. In the movie, Rudolph finds himself without anyone to play with and decides to team up with an elf that wants to be a dentist. They then meet a prospector and have a run in with the Abominable Snow Monster. Soon they land upon the island of misfit toys. Rudolph returns home to try to get Santa to find homes for the misfits, and finds that he must lead Santa’s sleigh due to the fog. This is one of the few classic Christmas movies that I didn’t get burnt out on as a child that I still enjoy watching as an adult.
7. The Santa Clause
In this film, recently divorced Scott, played by Tim Allen, finds himself responsible for the “death” of Santa, who was trying to deliver presents to Scott’s son Charlie. He then puts on the coat and finds himself faced with the responsibility of continuing Santa’s present route on Christmas Eve. The movie goes on with Scott having to fully take on the role of Santa. This is just another fun Christmas movie that is a must watch, in my opinion. I’m not the biggest fan of the second and third movies in the series, but they’re not terrible. I can only watch the second and third movies once during the holidays, and then I’ve had my fill. However, The Santa Clause is one that I can watch several times before I’ve had enough of Tim Allen.
6. A Charlie Brown Christmas
This Peanuts cartoon is another one of the few classics I can stand to watch year after year. Like many, Charlie Brown becomes discouraged at the amount of commercialism he sees during the holiday season. After attempting to follow advice from Lucy, he goes to find a Christmas tree with Linus. The only real tree they find in the lot is a small sapling, the rest of the bigger trees being completely fake. Charlie Brown is convinced this is the perfect tree and will look much better after it is decorated. However, his friends don’t agree. In the end when everyone realizes what Christmas is all about, they all see the were too hard on Charlie Brown, and attempt to cheer him up. This is a sweet Christmas show that I never get tired of.
5. Elf
My dad would probably be disappointed to see how high up this movie is on my list. What can I say? I love Will Ferrell, and he plays the role of Buddy the Elf amazingly. Buddy, as a baby, was accidentally transported to the North Pole one Christmas Eve. He grows up there, but always feels that he doesn’t quite fit in. He discovers that his birth father lives in New York, and decides to make the trip to see him. Buddy does not fit in well with the people in New York, and he finds out his father does not like Christmas. In the end, Buddy falls in love and his father gains Christmas spirit, saving the world from a missed Christmas. Elf is such a cheesy movie, but is one of the better Christmas comedies in my opinion.
4. A Christmas Story
There is a reason TBS runs this for 24 hours leading up to Christmas. Adult Ralphie narrates the Christmas he was 9 years old and wanted nothing more than a Red Ryder BB gun. Ralphie narrates the events leading up to Christmas, such as his dad winning a major award, which turns out to be a leg lamp. Ralphie also gets in a fight and expects his mother to rat him out to his dad, but she doesn’t. Ralphie also makes the mistake of swearing in front of his father, which results in his mother washing his mouth out with soap. This is a fun Christmas movie that some of us could probably relate back to our childhoods.
3. Four Christmases
After vacation plans fall through, Brad, played by Vince Vaughn, and Kate, played by Reese Witherspoon, have to spend Christmas with their families. Both have divorced parents, so they have a total of four Christmas get togethers they must attend. Each side of the family comes with its own set of issues. The couple discovers more about each other, which begins to strain their relationship. At the end of the movie, the couple decides that they do want marriage and children. Having divorced parents and attending multiple Christmases in the span of just a few days, I can relate a lot to Brad and Kate in the movie. The comedy is much more appealing, and I completely get the stress of it all.
2. How The Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)
This take on the classic Dr. Seuss story is the best, in my opinion. Jim Carrey’s Grinch is honestly so relatable, too, with phrases like “Am I just eating because I’m bored?” and “I guess I could use a little social interaction.” Is there any college student that can’t relate to his to do list, especially at this point in the semester? “4 o’clock, wallow in self-pity. 4:30, stare into the abyss… 7 o’clock, wrestle with my self-loathing… If I bumped the loathing to 9 o’clock, I’d have time to lay in bed, stare at the ceiling and slip slowly into madness.”
And finally 1. National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation
This movie is a tradition in my family. My dad has seen it so many times that he can quote the entire movie. He plays it so many times that I am almost able to quote it as well. Clark Griswold, played by Chevy Chase, wants to have the perfect Christmas, but everything that he tries to do goes wrong in some way. The entire movie consists of everything Clark plans to do going the exact opposite. This movie is a great Christmas comedy that also shows the not so great side of the holidays.
Like I mentioned in the beginning, these are some of my favorite Christmas movies. There are so many to choose from. If you haven’t seen some of them, I recommend watching them. They might bring you some joy during this fun but stressful season.
