Christmas movies have been popping up like Christmas gifts in the last couple of years. While some streamers have released holiday menus that cater to almost every demographic, there’s something compulsively watchable about the real classics of the genre.

Best Christmas Movies

It’s a Wonderful Life

When it comes to Christmas movies, there’s only one that captures the spirit of the season. It’s a 1946 Frank Capra movie with Jimmy Stewart in the lead role of George Bailey. When he’s on the brink of killing himself, he gets a visit from an angel who reminds him of the meaning of life.

National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation

It’s not often that the third season of a show is as good as the two before it, but that’s the case for this threequel about Clark, Ellen, Audrey, and Johnny’s (Galecki) family’s life after an accident.

A Christmas Story

It was nine years after Black Christmas that director Bob Clark released another holiday classic, but this time it was a different kind of Christmas movie. This still-famous tale follows nine-year-old Ralphie Parker (played by Peter Billingsley) who all he wants for Christmas is an air rifle.

Klaus

Klaus is a great animated movie that’s full of love and light. It follows a toy maker, Jesper, as he’s sent to an arctic island called Smeerensbourg, which is said to be the saddest place in the world. He’s a bearded guy who doesn’t like kids but he’s really good at making stuff.

White Christmas

Bing Crosby & Danny Kaye in a 1954 musical based on the song that gave the movie its name. It’s about two sisters who work together to save their ex-military commander’s Vermont lodge.

Also, Read: Top 10 Christmas Destinations Around The World

Trolls Holiday

If you’re looking for a fun Christmas movie for kids, you should check out “Trolls Holiday”. It’s an animated musical that’s sure to be a hit. This “Trolls” short movie is perfect for the whole family to enjoy this holiday season! It’s got all the classic characters from the movie franchise, so you know you’re in for a treat!

Home Alone

Around Christmas time, Kevin McCallister gets away from his family and has to fight against a bunch of scoundrels in this long-running kids’ movie written and directed by Chris Columbus and written by John Hughes.

Miracle on 34th St.

You won’t want to miss this classic tale of a man trying to prove he’s the real Santa Claus.

Bad Santa

This hilarious black comedy stars Billy Bob Thornton as Santa, who brings a bit of naughty magic to the holiday season.

The Muppet Christmas Carol

Jim Henson passed away while he was in the middle of making this 1992 movie, but his legacy lives on in its smooth blend of comedy and heart—both of which make this musical version of Charles Dickens’s classic an underappreciated success.

A Charlie Brown Christmas

If you’re looking for a classic Christmas movie to watch over the holidays, A Charlie Brown Christmas might be the one for you. It’s based on the 1965 animated TV series based on the Peanuts comic strip.

This is a classic Christmas movie that’s perfect for toddlers. Your little ones will love to sing all the classic Christmas songs and watch the whole Peanut gang do all sorts of fun stuff.

A Christmas Carol 

This classic 1951 movie is still the best way to tell Charles Dickens’ classic story. It follows the life of poor old Scrooge on Christmas Eve and how he’s visited by ghosts from his past, present, and future.

The Nightmare Before Christmas

What is the difference between a Halloween movie and a Christmas movie, and which one is better? It’s a debate that’s been going on for ages. It’s a specialty of Tim Burton’s, and it’s full of cool tricks and treats that only the director can pull off.

The Apartment

Let’s say you’re a single guy and your co-workers are using your place for their stuff—but then you fall in love with your boss’ girlfriend. Billy Wilder’s ‘Lonely and in Love’ is a 1960 comedy that won the Oscar for Best Picture. It’s one of the best American movies ever made, and of course, it’s set around December 25th.

A Boy Called Christmas

This is a Christmas movie on Netflix for kids. It’s about a kid named Nikolas who goes on an adventure in the snow to find his dad. He ends up finding a magical village full of Elves. 

He’s got a tough-as-nails horse called Blitzen and he’s got a mouse for a pet. There are a lot of heartwarming moments in the movie as they make their way through this epic journey.

Robin Robin

If you’re looking for something to watch right after Christmas dinner, check out Robin Robin! It’s a short animated musical series on Netflix about a little birdie named Robin. The bird is brought up by mice, so he wants to be a mouse so he can join the family.

Elf

Will Ferrell plays a mischievous kid who gets taken in by Santa and his reindeer in the North Pole and brought to New York City where he meets his dad (James Caan) who is a shady book publisher.

A Charlie Brown Christmas

If you haven’t seen the Peanuts theme at a Starbucks near you, can you say it’s the holiday season? Charlie Brown goes through a bit of seasonal depression, but thanks to his best friend Linus, he learns the true meaning of the holiday.

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

Rudolf has a lot of legends attached to him, and as a grown-up in these difficult times, I’m feeling a bit like we could all use a little bit of an underdog story. This story has some social justice aspects to it, but at its core, it’s about Rudolph and his dental hygienist friend and how we’re all different.

Meet Me in St. Louis

This musical is set at different times of the year, but it’s best known for its star-studded cast, which includes singer-songwriter Judy Garland.

The Best Man Holiday

Malcolm D. Lee brings together the cast of his 1999 movie about a group of friends who get back together for Christmas after 15 years, and it’s all set against the backdrop of some tough family dynamics.

The Polar Express

Do your kids ever ask you what the North Pole looks like? If the answer is yes, play The Polar Express on Amazon Prime and send your little ones to the North Pole. This Christmas movie follows a little boy on a journey by train to see Santa Claus at the North Pole. Along the way, his life changes drastically as he meets new people.

Little Women

The 1994 and 2019 versions of the same book were written by the same author (Louise May Alcott) and have been adapted into their own unique interpretations, just like the sisters. And like the March girls, most Little Women fans have already chosen their favorite version.

Still, they both have great casts and a touching story about sisterhood. And when it comes to Christmas movies, they both have cozy scenes of a white Christmas in New England full of feasting, fire, merriment, and family.