Today I’m sharing the 5 best holiday movies out there- I’ve seen pretty much every vaguely Christmas related movie out there (bar horror movies), from the big name block busters to the early morning Hallmark movies that are replayed when no one should be awake. Nothing is more relaxing to me than popping on a Christmas movie and spending a few hours getting lost in holiday cheesiness, and I hope that you can experience the same! Grab some hot chocolate and gingerbread cookies, put on the fire, and get ready to embrace the holidays…
1. Miracle on 34th Street
This is cheating, but I am counting two movies for the price of one- I’m including both the 1947 black and classic and the 1994 update here. They each have their own strengths and charms, but the story of a department store Santa who claims to be the real deal and has to go to court to prove it is the ultimate Christmas triumph! Although department stores seem to slowly be fading from the retail landscape, getting your picture taken with Santa is a crucial part of the holiday season for a lot of us, and I love that this story is created on a person who in spite of being featured of hundreds of pictures is often instantly forgotten. Maureen O’Hara steals the spotlight in the original film, and Richard Attenborough shines in the remake, it’s definitely worth watching both to catch them. Plus, Miracle just gives me that warm, Christmas feeling that is the ultimate goal!
2. Frosty the Snowman
This classic cartoon version of Frosty the Snowman is perfect for any age- it’s short enough at just under twenty one minutes that most kids can sit through it, and it’s got a solid nostalgia factor for most adults! What’s a movie without a good villain? The evil magician isn’t quite as creepy as he could be, as far as Christmas villains go (Krampus, anyone??), and provides a good foil for the lovable Frosty! And if you don’t walk around singing “Thumpity thump thump, thumpity thump thump” for a week afterwards, I will be shocked. The only sad part about Frosty is that it doesn’t seem to get much TV action anymore- surely people can’t be over Frosty?!
3. Christmas with the Kranks
Tim Allen and Jamie Lee Curtis deliver in a surprisingly touching comedy is actually the film version of John Grisham’s novel, Skipping Christmas. Two empty-nesters decide to skip Christmas (and all of the spending and time that goes with it) to go on a cruise leaving on Christmas Day, when their daughter in the Peace Corps announces that she is unexpectedly coming home for Christmas (and bringing her new boyfriend with her). Chaos ensues as they have to re-create the perfect Christmas with only a few days and nothing left in stores! The supporting cast are just as endearing, and provide much needed warmth and support to make this one of my favourite holiday movies. (Sidenote: are there people who have ham instead of turkey for Christmas??)
4. The Santa Clause
I didn’t realise that Tim Allen was so big into Christmas movies until looking at this list; I love The Santa Clause movies! The first is obviously the best, but I love that they are a clever approach to Christmas. For anyone not familiar, Allen is an advertising executive who ends up scaring Santa and replacing him due to a technicality (aka “The Santa Clause”)- suddenly he’s got to figure out how being Santa is going to fit into his life, and allow him to still be a dad to his son Charlie. I’ve got to say, I appreciate how focused and driven the elves at the North Pole are, and I would totally break my “no football” rule to play touch football with elves!
5. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
I think that the 1964 Claymation Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer has got to be the ultimate Christmas movie for me- I’ve watched it every single year of my life that I can remember (so, at least 25 years), usually more than once. It’s got a fantastic soundtrack that is super fun, and there is something for everyone! Some people are like me and want to embrace Christmas and elf around to their heart’s desire, and some people are like Harvey and just want to be a dentist. Burl Ives is pretty much the greatest narrator out there, too- Sam the Snowman weathers any storm and still provides a good musical background. (Also, shout-out to Yukon Cornelius for persevering. Some people can’t turn off Netflix and he literally saved them from the Abominable Snow Monster…)
Bonus: Elf
I do love Elf– I’m going to ballpark it and say that probably half of my favourite Christmas related quotes are from Elf. It’s got heart, it’s funny, and it’s just pure fun! However, it seems that it’s a pretty polarising movie in my circle of family and friends- people either love it or hate. What I say to people who hate it? “YOU SIT ON A THRONE OF LIES.”
So, what are your favourite Christmas and holiday movies? What should we all be watching?
Until tomorrow,
The Historian!
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I love elf! I only watched it for the first time last year and I loved it! I also love Arthur Christmas and the Nativity films 🙂
Arthur Christmas is a hidden classic for me, along with Polar Express!! I love that they have an updated twist on the Santa clause story!!
Love MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET, though I do prefer the original version. I’m a big Maureen O’Hara fan, and I find Natalie Wood is hysterical. I also am a huge fan of THE SANTA CLAUSE (my inner 12 -year old still may have a teeny, tiny crush on Bernard the Elf. ). We absolutely watch those two movies each year, and this year we kicked off our Christmas season with WHITE CHRISTMAS. It has some ridiculous songs in it (“Snowwwwwwww…I want to wash my hair with snow….” …um, wtf Rosemary Clooney?), but I love that opening scene when Bing Crosby sings “White Christmas”; it’s so amazingly poignant, and I actually never liked that song until I saw it in this movie. ALL THE FEELS. The rest of the movie is just plain fun, and quite Christmas-y toward the end. Oh, and the fashion in it. So many outfits I want to steal, particularly Rosemary Clooney’s black dress at the end.
We also watch LOVE ACTUALLY (my favorite movie ever), THE HOLIDAY (second favorite), NATIONAL LAMPOONS CHRISTMAS VACATION (“Is Rusty still in the Navy?”), THE BISHOP’S WIFE (swoon, Cary Grant!), A MUPPET CHRISTMAS CAROL (a surprisingly authentic version of the book, with some of the best Christmas musical songs, in my opinion), and last year we watched REMEMBER THE NIGHT for the first time, which I really enjoyed (love old movies!). Also, although not exceptionally Christmas-y, we watch DIE HARD each year, haha. TRADING SPACES is another good “Christmas” movie too (because it takes place at that time of year).
I am so excited to watch all these movies now that I’ve listed them, LOL. Happy viewing!!
Miracle on 34th Street the 1994 version is one of my favourite festive films!
I remember seeing that when it came out!! I was 5 and definitely pretended to be Susan haha!
Elf is one of our all time favourites, great movie. 🙂
One of my absolute favourites haha- the 4 food groups are pretty accurate around the holidays haha!
Miracle (both versions) is my all time fave! You just can’t beat that uplifting ending! Elf also holds a special place in my heart though. When Dan and I were getting back together he was still really suffering with depression and anxiety and it was really upsetting him that he couldn’t seem to find his Christmas spirit (he usually LOVES xmas!) so I got us tickets to a secret cinema screening of Elf which was in the garden of one of the oldest pubs in Birmingham, we watched in on deck chairs snuggled under blankets with mugs of mulled wine and it was just magical! Definitely helped to get us both in the festive mood!
I just love the courthouse scenes- I firmly believe that Santa would hold up in a court of law, and if I could argue the existence of such people, I definitely would have gone into law! And that screening of Elf sounds like the best date night EVER. That is what I love about holiday movies, they lend themselves so well to getting back into the spirit and staying cozy and happy with the ones that you love- the holidays can be such a difficult and hard time for a number of reasons, so the little things can make such a difference!
Rudolph the red nose reindeer❤️
LOVE Elf! Also the Grinch (Jim Carey), the Holiday and It’s a Wonderful Life ? To be fair I watch the Holiday all year round though. I couldn’t believe it last Christmas when my man had NEVER seen Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer! I made him watch with me :p. I was actually on the set of The Santa Clause when I was little, my brother was an extra… mom says I met Tim Allen when he was in his SC pyjamas, only wish I could remember!
Oh my word, I’m so jealous that you were on the set on the Santa Clause!! I still think it’s such a clever idea for a movie, that would have been AMAZING. I tend to watch Christmas movies throughout the year, too- hahaha, they make me happy no matter what time of year it is!
The only one of these I’ve seen is Elf! :O My favourite Christmas films are the Nativity! ones 🙂
It’s funny, we all seem to gravitate to one kind or another 🙂 Have you started watching already??
Of course I have 😉
I absolutely LOVE Elf! One of my favorite Christmas movies along with Muppet Christmas Carol and Love Actually ?
OOOOOO, I definitely need to track down a Muppets Christmas Carol, I haven’t seen that in years!!
I love this list, but I was going to lose it if Elf wasn’t on it. LOL. Elf is my absolute favorite and half the lines I quote year round is from that movie.
I love The Santa Clause, though I think it is highly underrated.
I haven’t seen Frosty in years! I loved it when I was a child.
Miracle on 34th Street is a movie we watch every single year for as long as I can remember.
I will admit I have never seen Christmas with the Kranks (I know! I’m a monster. I got to find it and sit and watch it. It looks hilarious). But I have seen scenes.
Great post.
I do love Elf and quote it quite a bit, but I have so many friends and family who can’t stand it that I usually just enjoy it on my own. (That way I don’t have to share the four food groups…)
The Santa Clause used to be huge and then it just disappeared! Probably because of newer movies like Elf, but I think it’s still one of the best out there ? And you have to find the Kranks!! Great energy with a bit of heart ☺
I love all these movies! And you’ll find them on my movie advent calendar next month too hehe!
Oooo, I can’t wait for that post!!!
It will be all month long 😉
It’s not Christmas for me until I’ve watched “Rudolph.” Thanks for this article.
Rudolph is going to be Friday night for me, and I CANNOT wait!!
Christmas with the Kranks and the elf are two of my favorite Christmas movies ever. Great post – I’ll be back!
Kranks and Elf are definitely the best Christmas films to come out in the last 10ish years!! ?
aw so cute! i watched Rudolph last night. So many good ones on your list!
I’m such a bad Christmas elf, I haven’t seen any of these films! You’re inspiring me to go out and watch a bunch of Christmas films x
I would recommend doing an afternoon or evening binge and just krank out a few of them (Pun INTENDED)!! It’s one of my favourite ways to de-stress!
Yeeeees, I need to do that! With loads of christmassy snacks ?
This was fun! My dad loves Christmas movies so I’ve seen more than I can count. Miracle on 34th street is definitely in my top 5 too!
If there is a Christmas movie out there, I have to see it at least once!!
I LOVE Elf. Smiling is my favorite!
Haha classic line?
Awwwww…. I loved Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer. I remember watching it every Christmas when growing up. Xx
It’s one of the only DVDs I still own, and I’ll never get rid of it! (I’m so sad we lost the VHS version 🙁 ) Classic Claymation!