It’s approaching the Christmas season, the most wonderful time of the year, and if we’re being honest with ourselves, we all love a good Christmas movie.
Unfortunately, there are so many Christmas movies out there, it’s hard to pick just one to watch. To help you choose, we’ve created a list of 25 of the most iconic, family-friendly Christmas movies for you to watch while sipping on some hot cocoa.
Whether you’re interested more in a comedy or a romance, a feature-length film or a short, a classic or a more modern story, this list is sure to provide you with all the necessary information on some of the best Christmas movies around.
Note: This roundup was compiled using information from Esquire, Good Housekeeping and Rotten Tomatoes, among several other sources.
“A Charlie Brown Christmas” — N/A
It’s Christmastime and Charlie Brown knows he should be happy, but alas, he is downtrodden by the commercialization of the holiday. In an effort to help Charlie Brown get in the Christmas spirit, Lucy suggests he take on the role of director of the school’s Christmas show. Try as he might, Charlie Brown is still struggling to feel happy about the holiday, and it seems as though nothing will work. When he is tasked to find the perfect Christmas tree, though, Charlie Brown happens upon a wilted fern that may just teach him the real meaning of Christmas.
“A Christmas Carol” — G
An adaptation of Charles Dickens’ 1843 story, “A Christmas Carol” focuses on Ebenezer Scrooge (Jim Carrey), a bitter old man who hates Christmas. On the eve of Christmas, Scrooge is visited by the ghost of his dead business partner, Jacob Marley (Gary Oldman). Marley relays to Scrooge that how they behave on earth determines what happens to them after death, before warning him that he should expect to be visited by three ghosts: the Ghost of Christmas Past (Jim Carrey), the Ghost of Christmas Present (Jim Carrey) and the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come (Jim Carrey). Through their visits, Scrooge will see the impending doom that is awaiting him if he continues on without changing his behavior towards those around him. Will Scrooge be able to change his fate?
“A Christmas Story” — PG
Ralph Parker (Peter Billingsley) reminisces on a Christmas season when he was 9 years old, living in a rural Indiana town with his parents and younger brother. This particular year is especially particular for him for multiple reasons, but mainly for his all-out desire of a Red Ryder Range 200-shot BB gun. As Ralph, then known as Ralphie, slowly realizes his diminishing chances of receiving this prized gift, he does all in his power to get it. This includes the persuasion and slight manipulation of those in power around him, even including a department store Santa Claus.
“Christmas with the Kranks” — PG
After years of celebrating the Christmas holiday, Luther and Nora Krank (Tim Allen and Jamie Lee Curtis) are somewhat burned out and, after learning their daughter (Julie Gonzalo) won’t be returning home for the holiday, they decide there’s no point in celebrating it. While the two prepare for the cruise they’ve planned instead, they receive abundant backlash from friends, colleagues and neighbors critical of their boycott on Christmas. After successfully avoiding any action that would denote any sort of Christmas spirit, the pair seem to have made it. That is, until their daughter calls to inform them that she is engaged and coming home that night to celebrate the holiday. Will the Kranks hide their scrooge-like behaviors and throw their Christmas party without a hitch?
“How the Grinch Stole Christmas” — PG
Whoville is a town existing within a snowflake whose residents, the Whos, are all waiting in anticipation for the most important day of the year: Christmas. But not everyone is excited, as the Grinch (Jim Carrey), who lives just outside the town, hates nothing more than the Christmas season. It seems as though his heart is just three sizes too small. After going to town and seeing all the Whos preparing for the holiday, with all their homes covered in lights and all their presents bought, the Grinch starts his plan to eliminate Christmas altogether. The Grinch enlists his dog, Max, to be his trusty reindeer and plans to steal any sign of Christmas from the small town. Along the way, though, the Grinch will meet Cindy Lou Who (Taylor Momsen), who will help him realize that maybe he’s been wrong all along.
“Elf” — PG
Buddy the Elf (Will Ferrell) has grown up blissfully unaware of the fact that, in actuality, he’s not an elf at all. There have been signs here and there, like his size in comparison with his peers and his inability to make toys the way an elf should be able to. When Buddy finally finds out he’s a human that stowed away in Santa’s bag as a baby, he decides to leave the North Pole in search of his father (James Caan). Unbeknownst to him, though, his father is not only unaware of his existence, but has been on the naughty list for years. As he journeys through New York City, Buddy will get to know his father, become accustomed to adult life and fall in love with a beautiful girl (Zooey Deschanel), but will he be able to save Christmas?
“Four Christmases” — PG-13
Brad (Vince Vaughn) and Kate (Reese Witherspoon) have enjoyed three happy years together, successfully avoiding each family Christmas with the perfect alibi of charity work. In reality, they’ve been enjoying lavish vacations in exotic places. This year though, while in the process of departing on their Christmas vacation, their flight gets canceled. The couple is then interviewed by local news, revealing to their families that they’ve been lying all along. As both sets of their parents are divorced, Brad and Kate are left to struggle through four Christmas celebrations. Along the way, the couple will learn things about each other and select secrets will be revealed. Will the couple survive not one, but four Christmases?
“Gremlins” — PG
Randall Peltzer (Hoyt Axton) happens upon a small, furry creature, called a Mogwai, in a shop in New York’s Chinatown and decides to bring it home to his young son, Billy (Zach Galligan). Before he leaves the shop, though, the owner warns him of three rules essential in the maintenance of the small creature, telling him that the creature should be kept away from water and light and not fed after midnight. When Billy is given his gift, he immediately falls in love with the creature and names him Gizmo (Howie Mandel). As time progresses, though, Billy and his friends become somewhat loose with the rules and eventually Gizmo ends up getting wet. This causes him to multiply and, when he and the other Mogwai eventually obtain some food after midnight, they turn into scaly, green monsters and terrorize the town.
“The Holiday” — PG-13
Iris Simpkins (Kate Winslet) is a successful, Surrey-based journalist with an ever-failing love life. After she finds out the love of her life, Jasper Bloom (Rufus Sewell), is marrying another woman, she decides she’s swearing off men and escaping for Christmas vacation. She puts her home up on a vacation home-trading website and eventually gets a response from Amanda Woods (Cameron Diaz), a successful, California-based producer with an ever-failing love life. Soon after arriving in California, Iris meets Amanda’s good friend, Miles (Jack Black), and the two begin to get to know each other. Meanwhile, as Amanda contemplates giving up and returning to California, she meets Iris’ brother, Graham (Jude Law). The two couples seem to be working out well, but will their pasts come back to ruin their chances at love.
“Home Alone” — PG
After young Kevin McCallister (Macaulay Culkin) goes to bed angry and wishing away his family, he wakes up to find they have all disappeared. Kevin thinks this has happened in response to his wishes; in reality, the McCallister family simply forgot him in the chaos that was their trip to Paris. Kevin spends his time living it up until he eventually begins to miss his family. On the way back from a trip to the grocery store, Kevin also realizes he is being followed and realizes criminals Harry (Joe Pesci) and Marv (Daniel Stern) are planning on robbing his house. Kevin must rely on his wit to set up traps throughout his home and on his haunting neighbor, Marley (Roberts Blossom), to save him.
“Home Alone 2: Lost in New York” — PG
It is Christmas once again and the McCallister family is embarking on yet another Christmas vacation — this time taking special care to leave no one behind. The morning of their flight, the McCallister family is running late and has to rush through the airport to make it to their flight on time. On their way through the airport, though, Kevin (Macaulay Culkin) unknowingly gets separated from his family and accidentally boards a flight to New York City. Upon his arrival in the Big Apple, Kevin books a room in the Plaza Hotel and begins his journey through the city. Little does he know, though, Harry (Joe Pesci) and Marv (Daniel Stern) have escaped from prison and have come to the city to rob Duncan’s Toy Chest.
“It’s a Wonderful Life” — PG
Young George Bailey (James Stewart) has longed his whole life to be free and travel the world, but has been constantly been bogged down by family and community obligations. It doesn’t make matters any better that his small, family business is the only thing keeping the foul Mr. Potter (Lionel Barrymore) from controlling the entire town. On Christmas Eve, however, while George’s uncle, Billy, is on his way to the bank, he loses the business’ $8,000. Upon finding it, Mr. Potter hides it, knowing it will put George and his business in trouble, while finally giving him full power. George knows he will be held accountable for the lost money and that he will end up going to jail. Right when George thinks all is lost, though, an angel (Henry Travers) descends upon him, hoping to help George and finally earn his wings.
“Joyeux Noel” — PG-13
It’s all quiet on the Western front as World War I comes to a pause for Christmas Eve. During the short, unauthorized hiatus, Scottish, German and French soldiers come together to celebrate the holiday.
“Just Friends” — PG-13
After finally harnessing the courage to tell his best friend (Amy Smart) he’s in love with her, Chris Brander (Ryan Reynolds) heads to her house, expecting everything to go as planned. When he arrives, though, he finds that a full-fledged party is being thrown at her house and struggles to tell her how he feels, constantly being interrupted by her other admirers. When everything goes south, Chris declares that he’ll prove everyone wrong and storms out. Ten years later, Chris is successful in the music business and is asked by his boss to get an album deal with the popular Samantha James (Anna Farris), who also happens to be Chris’ ex (of sorts). After a short meeting, Samantha drags Chris with her on a trip to Paris. Once their plane crashes, though, Chris finds out they are just a few miles from his hometown and is forced to spend his Christmas vacation facing people he hasn’t seen in 10 years and winning back the love of his life.
“Last Holiday” — PG-13
Georgia Byrd (Queen Latifah) has spent most of her adult life as a store clerk at a New Orleans department store, saving all her money, admiring her coworker (LL Cool J) in secret and pushing off her dreams. When a CT Scan comes back saying she has only three weeks left to live, though, Georgia decides to use all of her savings to travel to somewhere she’s always wanted to go: the Grandhotel Pupp, home of the famed Chef Didier (Gérard Depardieu). As Georgia thinks she only has three weeks to live, she does everything she can to make her time perfect, buying an assortment of new clothing, ordering everything on the menu and trying things she never thought she’d do. Along the way, Georgia befriends a group of acclaimed American guests, one of whom, Matthew Kragen (Timothy Hutton), owns the company in charge of running the department store she worked at. As the group spends more time with Georgia, Kragen begins to suspect she isn’t completely truthful about her identity. Meanwhile, Georgia’s former coworker and love interest learns that the results of the CT Scan were flawed and that Georgia is not actually dying. Will he tell her before her truth is revealed?
“Miracle on 34th St.” — N/A
It’s Thanksgiving Day and Doris Walker (Maureen O’Hara) is in a bind, as the actor who was purported to play Santa Claus in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is found drunk. Lucky for Doris, the man (Edmund Gwenn) who found him would make the perfect Santa Claus. As this mysterious man performs so well during the parade, Doris decides she’ll hire him as the full-time Santa Claus in the Macy’s department store. Over time, the man becomes a key figure in the store, even being noticed by Mr. Macy himself. It is around this time that Doris learns the man’s name — Kris Kringle — and that he believes he is the real Santa Claus. Doris’ young daughter, Susan (Natalie Wood), also begins believing in the man, even though she has been taught to never believe in any fantasy, Santa Claus included. To protect herself and the store, Doris brings Kris to see the company’s psychologist, Granville Sawyer (Porter Hall). Because of Kris’ claims, Sawyer tries to have him committed. With the help of Doris’ neighbor and admirer, Frank (John Payne), Kris must prove he really is Santa Claus and rekindle Doris and Susan’s faith in him and in the magic of Christmas.
“The Muppet Christmas Carol” — G
Yet another adaptation of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol,” the Muppets, including Kermit the Frog (Steve Whitmire) and Miss Piggy (Frank Oz), join forces to tell the iconic story of Ebenezer Scrooge (Michael Caine). The movie marks the first time the Muppets were seen on screen following the death of Jim Henson, the Muppets’ creator, in 1990.
“National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” — PG-13
After several failed vacations, Clark Willhelm Griswold Jr. (Chevy Chase) decides he is going to host the Christmas of all Christmases. Clark has pulled out all the stops, including decorating his house with 25,000 lights and buying a tree that doesn’t even fit in his living room. Clark also invites his parents, in-laws and uncle and aunt. Everything is prepared to go perfectly, but once guests start arriving, everything starts to go awry. Matters are made worse when Clark’s cousin, Catherine (Miriam Flynn), her husband, Eddie (Randy Quaid), and their rambunctious children turn up unexpectedly. Through the chaos, Clark also learns his boss will not be granting him with his expected Christmas bonus, as he is using it for himself. While everything seems to have failed, it’s up to Eddie and Clark to keep their Christmas celebration together and please their family.
“The Polar Express” — G
“The Polar Express” tells the story if a doubtful little boy (Tom Hanks) with a dwindling faith in Santa Claus. In the middle of the night on Christmas Eve, the boy embarks on a train ride to the North Pole in which he will discover himself and find the true spirit of Christmas.
“The Preacher’s Wife” — PG
Reverend Harry Briggs (Courtney B. Vance) spends all his time caring for his neighborhood, but finds his marriage to his church’s choral director (Whitney Houston) disintegrating because of it. Furthermore, Briggs finds his church in danger and is desperate for help. After praying to God, an angel (Denzel Washington) descends upon him to aid him in the buoying of his church, his family and his relationship.
“Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” — G
Based on the song of the same name, Sam the Snowman (Burl Ives) narrates the story of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (Billie Mae Richards), a reindeer ostracized by his peers for his bright, red nose. When the young reindeer, his elf friend, Hermey (Paul Soles), and prospector Yukon Cornelius (Larry D. Mann) happen upon an island of misfit toys, Rudolph promises that he will try to have Santa (Stan Francis) help them. When Rudolph goes to Santa, though, he finds his sleigh stuck in the fog, with only his glowing nose to help.
“The Santa Clause” — PG
It’s Christmas Eve and Scott Calvin (Tim Allen) has just finished reading “The Night Before Christmas” to his young son, Charlie (Eric Lloyd), when he hears some commotion on his roof. When he goes outside to check what’s going, he sees a man dressed as Santa Claus about to enter his home. After Scott calls out to him, the man falls to the ground and disappears, leaving behind his reindeer and his suit, clad with instructions to put it on. When Scott follows the instructions, he becomes the new Santa Claus and must find a way to keep his new job a secret from his skeptical family.
“Scrooged” — PG-13
Frank Cross (Bill Murray) is a bitter, money-hungry man who runs a U.S. TV station planning on running their own adaptation of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol.” What Cross doesn’t know, is that he will be experiencing his own version of the story as he is visited by the Ghost of Christmas Past (David Johansen), the Ghost of Christmas Present (Carol Kane) and the Ghost of Christmas Future (Robert Hammond). Through these visits, Cross will realize the significant changes that need to be made in his life.
“While You Were Sleeping” — PG
Lucy (Sandra Bullock) spends her days selling train tickets and admiring commuter Peter (Peter Gallagher) from afar. On Christmas day, Peter falls onto the train’s tracks and is then saved by Lucy, who mentions under her breath that she was going to marry him. While she isn’t being serious, that’s not known by those around her who fall into thinking she is his fiancée. Luckily for Lucy, upon arriving at the hospital, Peter goes into a coma. As Peter’s family also thinks Lucy is his fiancée, they welcome her with open arms. Unfortunately, though, as Lucy gets to know Peter’s family, she starts to fall in love with his brother, Jack (Bill Pullman). Further trouble ensues when Peter wakes up and doesn’t remember her.
“White Christmas” — N/A
After leaving military service following the end of World War II, Bob Wallace (Bing Crosby) and Phil Davis (Danny Kaye) begin their journey to becoming a famed Broadway duo. Along the way, the pair meet sisters Betty (Rosemary Clooney) and Judy (Vera-Ellen), also a Broadway duo. Bob and Phil follow the sisters as they travel to perform a show at a lodge in Vermont. Upon their arrival, however, the two find that the lodge’s owner is their former commander, Major General Thomas F. Waverly (Dean Jagger). In a gesture of gratitude, Bob and Phil choose to relocate their act from New York to the lodge, in an effort to bring in more guests. The pair choose to include the sisters in their act and eventually begin to fall in love with them. The only question is, will everyone get their happily ever after?