The tradition of Christmas movies is almost as old as making movies itself. I love them because they are wonderful tales you can watch over and over, and every December they bring the whole family together on the couch. Whether you want a timeless classic, a laugh-out-loud comedy, something the kids will love or a cozy romance, here are the 30 best Christmas movies to get you into the holiday spirit.

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Classic Christmas Movies

1. It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)

Frank Capra’s masterpiece stars James Stewart as George Bailey, a generous small-town man who reaches the end of his rope on Christmas Eve. His guardian angel, Clarence, shows him what Bedford Falls would have looked like if he had never been born. It’s the definitive feel-good Christmas classic, and the ending gets everyone every single time.

2. Miracle on 34th Street (1947)

When a kindly old man named Kris Kringle is hired as Macy’s department store Santa, he insists he’s the real thing, and his claim ends up in court. Maureen O’Hara plays a practical single mom and a young Natalie Wood her skeptical daughter. It’s a charming story about believing, and the 1994 remake is lovely too.

3. White Christmas (1954)

Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye play two army buddies turned song-and-dance stars who team up with a sister act (Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen) to save their former general’s struggling Vermont inn. With Irving Berlin’s songs, gorgeous costumes and that snowy finale, it’s pure old-Hollywood holiday magic.

4. A Christmas Story (1983)

A young boy, Ralphie Parker, dreams about only one gift for Christmas: a Red Ryder Carbine-Action 200-Shot Range Model Air Rifle. Now his task is to convince his parents, his teacher and Santa Claus that this is the perfect present. This is definitely one of the best Christmas movies you should watch!

5. A Christmas Carol

Based on the story by Charles Dickens, this tale follows sulky old Scrooge, a miserable man who doesn’t care about people and thinks only about his business’s bottom line. On Christmas Eve he is visited by ghosts who show him his past, present and future, and he decides to change his life. It has been filmed many times, from the 1951 Alastair Sim version to Disney’s animated 2009 film.

6. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964)

Sam the Snowman tells us the story of a young reindeer, Rudolph, whose red nose lights up. Rudolph is teased for being different and sets off to find a place where he belongs.

When he returns to the North Pole on Christmas Eve, Santa’s sleigh is fogged in. But Santa gets a very bright idea when he looks over at Rudolph…

Read also – 10 Christmas Songs You Will Never Get Tired Of

7. How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1966 and 2000)

In this Dr. Seuss story, the Grinch, a kind of non-human Scrooge, wants to ruin Christmas for the Whos in Whoville by stealing their trees, gifts and other holiday treats. But the Grinch has a change of heart when he understands the true meaning of Christmas and finds friendship and love with the Whos. Watch the classic 1966 cartoon or the 2000 live-action version with Jim Carrey.

8. The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)

Michael Caine plays Ebenezer Scrooge completely straight while Kermit plays Bob Cratchit and Gonzo narrates as Charles Dickens himself, with Rizzo the Rat by his side. It’s funny, surprisingly faithful to the book and full of catchy songs, which makes it one of the best Christmas movies for kids and grown-ups alike.

Funny Christmas Movies

9. Home Alone (1990)

Eight-year-old Kevin gets left behind when his family takes off on vacation to France. While Kevin is home alone, he has to deal with two burglars who are planning to rob every house in his neighborhood. Using wit, smarts and some crafty traps, Kevin stops the burglars and is reunited with his family just in time for Christmas.

10. Elf (2003)

Buddy (Will Ferrell) was raised by elves at the North Pole. To find his birth father, he travels to New York City, where he has a hard time adjusting to human life. But soon Buddy wins over his new family, including his emotionally stunted father, and manages to bring the Christmas spirit to almost all of New York.

11. National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989)

Clark Griswold (Chevy Chase) is determined to give his family a perfect old-fashioned Christmas, complete with 25,000 twinkling lights on the house. Of course, everything goes hilariously wrong, especially once Cousin Eddie shows up uninvited in his RV. It’s a must-watch every December.

12. The Santa Clause (1994)

Divorced dad Scott Calvin (Tim Allen) accidentally causes Santa to fall off his roof on Christmas Eve. When he puts on the red suit, he discovers he has to take over the job, along with the beard, the belly and a very skeptical ex-wife. It’s a fun, heartwarming family comedy.

13. Scrooged (1988)

Bill Murray plays a cynical TV executive who is staging a live broadcast of A Christmas Carol, only to be visited by three ghosts of his own. This dark, very funny modern take on Dickens is perfect if you like your holiday movies with a bit of edge.

14. Four Christmases (2008)

Brad and Kate (Vince Vaughn and Reese Witherspoon) usually skip family holidays for a tropical trip. When fog cancels their flight, they are stuck visiting all four of their divorced parents on Christmas Day, and each visit is more chaotic than the last.

15. Jingle All the Way (1996)

Arnold Schwarzenegger plays a workaholic dad who promised his son the year’s hottest toy, a Turbo-Man action figure, and then forgot to buy it. His frantic race across town on Christmas Eve, battling a rival dad played by Sinbad, is a hilarious reminder of holiday shopping madness.

Christmas Movies for the Family and Kids

16. Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992)

This time Kevin boards the wrong plane and ends up alone in New York City, checking into the Plaza Hotel with his dad’s credit card. Unfortunately, the Wet Bandits have just escaped from prison and are in town too. The traps are even bigger, and the toy store scenes are pure Christmas joy.

17. The Polar Express (2004)

Based on Chris Van Allsburg’s beloved picture book, this animated film follows a boy who is starting to doubt Santa. On Christmas Eve, a magical train stops outside his house to take him to the North Pole. With Tom Hanks in several roles, it’s a magical watch for younger kids.

18. Arthur Christmas (2011)

From the studio behind Wallace and Gromit, this animated comedy reveals how Santa really delivers presents in one night: with a high-tech operation run by his eldest son. When one child’s gift is accidentally missed, Santa’s clumsy younger son Arthur and Grandsanta set off in the old sleigh to deliver it before morning.

19. Klaus (2019)

In this Oscar-nominated Netflix film, a spoiled postman named Jesper is sent to a gloomy island town where nobody writes letters. He teams up with Klaus, a reclusive toymaker, and their friendship starts a new tradition. It’s a beautifully animated origin story of Santa Claus that adults love as much as kids.

20. A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965)

Charlie Brown is fed up with how commercial Christmas has become, so he agrees to direct the school Christmas play and picks the saddest little tree on the lot. With Vince Guaraldi’s jazz soundtrack and Linus’s speech about the true meaning of Christmas, this short TV special is a family tradition for millions.

21. The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)

Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin King of Halloween Town, is tired of the same old scares. Wandering in the forest, he accidentally opens a portal to a magical place, Christmas Town. Jack falls in love with the idea of Christmas and convinces the goblins, ghouls and bats of Halloween Town to help him put on Christmas instead of Halloween.

22. The Year Without a Santa Claus (1974)

In this stop-motion special, Santa Claus is feeling too ill and discouraged to make his annual Christmas rounds, because he doesn’t think children believe in him anymore.

His elves set out to find kids who still believe in Santa. The plot is a bit flimsy, but kids won’t mind, and the catchy songs of the Heat Miser and Snow Miser are unforgettable.

Romantic and Cozy Christmas Movies

23. Love Actually (2003)

Richard Curtis’s ensemble rom-com follows a string of linked love stories in London in the weeks before Christmas, from a newly elected prime minister to a grieving widower and his lovesick stepson. Sweet, messy and endlessly quotable, it’s the ultimate girls’-night Christmas movie.

24. The Holiday (2006)

Two women with broken hearts, Amanda in Los Angeles (Cameron Diaz) and Iris in the English countryside (Kate Winslet), swap homes for the holidays. Each finds unexpected romance, with Jude Law and Jack Black. With its cozy cottage and fairy-light charm, it’s the perfect movie to watch under a blanket with hot cocoa.

25. While You Were Sleeping (1995)

Lonely Chicago train-token collector Lucy (Sandra Bullock) saves her secret crush after he falls onto the tracks. While he lies in a coma, his warm, chaotic family mistakes her for his fiancée, and Lucy starts falling for his brother instead. It’s sweet, funny and set over a snowy Christmas.

26. The Family Stone (2005)

Uptight Meredith (Sarah Jessica Parker) spends Christmas with her boyfriend’s loud, free-spirited family, and they don’t make it easy for her. With Diane Keaton, Rachel McAdams and Claire Danes, it’s a funny, emotional family drama that will make you laugh and cry.

27. Last Christmas (2019)

Kate (Emilia Clarke) is drifting through life in London and working as an elf in a year-round Christmas shop when she meets the mysterious Tom (Henry Golding). Co-written by Emma Thompson and set to George Michael’s music, it’s a bittersweet holiday romance with a twist.

28. Happiest Season (2020)

Abby (Kristen Stewart) plans to propose to her girlfriend Harper (Mackenzie Davis) during Christmas with Harper’s family, only to learn that Harper hasn’t come out to her parents yet. It’s a warm, funny and very relatable holiday rom-com.

29. The Princess Switch (2018)

Chicago baker Stacy and the soon-to-be princess Margaret, both played by Vanessa Hudgens, discover they look exactly alike and secretly switch places before Christmas. Expect snowy castles, royal romance and plenty of festive fun in this Netflix favorite.

30. Holidate (2020)

Tired of being single at every family holiday, Sloane (Emma Roberts) and Jackson (Luke Bracey) agree to be each other’s platonic plus-one for every holiday of the year. Of course, things don’t stay platonic for long. It’s a fun, flirty pick for a cozy night in.

All these movies can help you get into the Christmas spirit, whether you’re watching with your family, your friends or your partner. What is your favorite Christmas movie? Share your thoughts in the comments!