The winter-timed holidays are nothing if not a collection of traditions. Some are religious-themed festivals, each with its own distinct practices, while others celebrate the alignment of the earth with the sun. Everyone has their own beliefs and traditions, but no holiday has as many traditions as Christmas. Some countries honor St. Nicholas (the inspiration for Santa Claus), while others teach their children to fear the youngin-stealing Krampus. The English like wearing paper crowns and eating gross desserts, while Americans like getting drunk on eggnog, gifting fruit cake to people we hate, and going overboard on presents and decorations.
However you celebrate it, I think we can all agree that few things fill one with the Christmas spirit quite like a movie set around the holidays. Of course, not every Christmas movie is destined to become a classic, bringing families to gather around the TV screen every year with their hot cocoa. These are the movies that, for better or for worse, have stood the test of time and have taken their place alongside the Rankin/Bass specials and A Charlie Brown Christmas to become part of families’ annual holiday festivities.
Here are the 50 Greatest Christmas Movies of All Time.
10. Gremlins (1984)
I will admit that Gremlins seems like an odd candidate for a Christmas classic. Its mixture of horror, comedy, and satire may turn some holiday lovers off this time of year, but Gremlins challenges the idea that Christmas films need to be wholesome and sentimental. What I love about this movie is that it captures the anxiety lurking beneath festive cheer. The gremlins themselves create chaos and carnage set against the backdrop of holiday lights, decorations, and Christmas carols, which can easily be described as the embodiment of excess and consumerism that often accompanies this time of year. Yes, I can admit I’m probably reading too deeply into the meaning of a silly holiday horror film, but the themes are there if you want to see them! Gremlins is one of the best Christmas movies simply because it lets Christmas be strange, dangerous, and a little unhinged. Plus, how can you not adore little Gizmo in a Santa hat? Come on.
–Romona Comet
9. Meet Me in St. Louis (1944)
There are Christmas movies, and then there are Christmas feelings — and Meet Me in St. Louis sits somewhat suspiciously in that latter category. It’s often labeled a Christmas film, even though Christmas only really arrives at the very end. Until then, we follow the Smith family through the changing seasons of a year in turn-of-the-century St. Louis, watching them fret over dances, crushes, social etiquette, and whether or not a phone call might come. Low stakes? Absolutely. And that’s part of the charm.
In many ways, this is a wonderfully silly little film. A girl fakes her own death, and it causes less scandal than a man appearing without a tuxedo — a small detail that says a lot about how different the world once was. The problems here are neat and manageable, and there’s something deeply comforting about escaping to a place where the biggest concerns are whether he’ll dance with you or if you should take your younger brother along.
Beneath the sweetness, though, lies something more recognisably human. The looming possibility of the family moving away turns this into a film about home, change, and the fear of losing the familiar — themes that feel particularly apt at Christmas, even if the tinsel only appears at the end. And when it does, Judy Garland’s “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” lands with devastating softness, capturing the ache that often hides beneath the season’s cheer.
Meet Me in St. Louis is the kind of film you watch wrapped in a blanket with a mug of hot cocoa, letting the snow fall outside — or pretending it is, if you happen to be in the southern hemisphere like me. Gentle, nostalgic, and quietly restorative, it’s a reminder that sometimes, simple stories are exactly what we need.
–Thomas Riest
8. White Christmas (1954)
For me, White Christmas is one of the quintessential holiday musicals. Built around Irving Berlin’s iconic song, White Christmas combines warmth and nostalgia in a story about loyalty and chosen family. There’s so much to love about White Christmas, but I think the best thing about this movie is the effortless chemistry between Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye. As Bob and Phil, they exude an authentic friendship that anchors the film, while Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen bring elegance and charm to the romantic arcs.
What secures White Christmas’s enduring legacy is how completely it embodies the spirit of the season without feeling overly sentimental. At its core, it’s about honoring the past while creating new traditions, which is something I think everyone can relate to around this time of year. The songs have become inseparable from the holiday season itself, and the film’s optimism continues to feel comforting in times of uncertainty, which is one of the key reasons it remains an everlasting favorite and one of the best holiday films of all time.
–Romona Comet
7. Home Alone (1990)
As kids, we’ve all dreamed of having the house all to ourselves, able to eat all the junk we want, play with our toys and games, watch movies we aren’t allowed to watch—and set up elaborate death traps for home invaders. That last bit is probably thanks to Home Alone.
While the antics at play could have technically taken place at any time of year, setting the film at Christmas enhances the movie’s themes of family and the importance of connection. And it’s fun aesthetics for the absolute mayhem Kevin McAllister wreaks on the unsuspecting Wet Bandits. The inventive traps and ruses dreamed up by Kevin have inspired generations of kids’ imaginations, and the slapstick home defense is endlessly rewatchable thanks in large part to Macaulay Culkin’s breakout performance.
–Jacob Holmes
6. National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989)
Becoming an annual tradition is a rare distinction few films have achieved. All a film has to do to become part of an audience’s yearly routine is be set on a beloved holiday (usually Christmas or Halloween) and be good. That’s it. But as hundreds of Hallmark Channel originals can attest, the second part isn’t as easy as it looks. Christmas Vacation is one of the few that make it look easy. The third entry in the Vacation series, this time, the word “vacation” is a misnomer. The Griswold family doesn’t go anywhere, but chaos still manages to find them. Insane squirrels, a hectic menagerie of in-laws, Christmas lights that won’t light, turkeys that won’t cook, and Cousin Eddie (hilariously played by Randy Quaid, who steals every scene he’s in), the problems keep piling up and so do the laughs. John Hughes might be famous for his coming-of-age comedies, but his funniest creation is easily the Griswolds, with this being their finest hour.
–Sailor Monsoon
5. It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)
It’s a Wonderful Life has endured for decades as one of the most inspirational holiday classics, and it’s certainly one of my favorites. Growing up, the family movie on Christmas Eve was always It’s a Wonderful Life, and it never got old. Jimmy Stewart has never been better as George Bailey, a self-sacrificing man who is finally driven to his knees, contemplates suicide, and is then shown what life would be like had he never been born. George’s journey of discovery and despair is, in my opinion, flawless. Wonderfully written and beautifully acted, the movie’s themes of redemption and faith remain ever relevant. I challenge you to watch It’s a Wonderful Life and not be moved. If you ever need to restore your faith in humanity, this is definitely the movie to watch.
–Romona Comet
4. The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)
I’ve been a big fan of A Christmas Carol since first watching a stage production of the story as a young child. That experience set certain expectations for me in a film rendition, and for years, nothing quite felt like it could capture what I craved (I haven’t seen the older films).
I’m not necessarily a huge muppets fan, nothing against them, so it took me a while to come around to watching this version of the Christmas classic. But I found what so many people believe: this is the best filmed version of the story. Michael Caine is a fantastic Scrooge, and his weird humanity in an all-muppet world imbues the story with a sense of whimsy that propels it all the way to the end.
–Jacob Holmes
3. Miracle on 34th Street (1947)
I’ll try not to be biased here, but this is an absolute favorite of mine, and a must-watch every year. It’s a perfect film in so many ways, charming throughout without feeling disconnected from reality. What makes this movie though is Edmund Gwenn’s performance as Santa Claus. He’s just so gosh darn sweet. He brings a human element to the character that makes him even more lovable, especially in his moments of empathy. I think this film’s longevity through time is a sign of the way it connects with its audience, showing so much more hope than any Santa Claus story really should be able to. It will make you laugh and cry, and maybe restore some of your hope in humanity.
–Valerie Morreale
2. Elf (2003)
As someone who loves the holidays, I had dozens of classics I watched growing up – It’s a Wonderful Life, A Christmas Story, Home Alone, A Christmas Carol, just to name a few – and it simply didn’t feel like Christmas until I sat down and watched them all. I often wondered if my own children would have their own classics they would beg to watch every December, or if the era of Christmas films with longevity was over. And then came Elf. Jon Favreau’s film about a man in search of his real father after being raised in the North Pole as an elf is everything a holiday classic should be. Hilarious and spirited, but also good-natured and poignant, it’s a wonderful reminder of how joyful the holiday can truly be if you’re surrounded by people you love. Released 22 years ago, Elf is a movie that continues to resonate with audiences and will no doubt be a holiday staple for decades to come. And if you don’t get a little bit choked up during the “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” singalong, then you deserve a lump of coal in your stocking this year.
–Romona Comet
1. A Christmas Story (1983)
I’m a bona fide expert on this film; not because I’ve always loved it, but because my Mom has. We were one of those who kept the TV firmly on TBS all day long on Christmas Day. We didn’t just tune in to catch the movie when it fit our Christmas schedule; A Christmas Story is a 24-hour event.
As a child, I sometimes found the film grating, with scenes like the Santa slide and the dad cursing up a storm. But as an adult, you really start to get the pure Christmas magic of this film. It’s full of iconic lines and moments. Everyone knows the leg lamp, Ralphie’s pink bunny suit, “you’ll shoot your eye out!” But what you really appreciate watching it as an adult is how warm this family ultimately is, from the way Ralphie’s mom covers for him after he whales on Scut Farkus to the excitement of the seemingly detached old man to give Ralphie his Red Ryder on Christmas morning.
Jean Shepherd’s inner monologue for the 9-year-old Ralphie is the perfect choice to imbue this with a feeling of nostalgia and makes Ralphie almost a Calvin-like character with mismatched adult internal monologues for his boyish looks. And his little brother Randy is a scene-stealer to boot.
As Christmas movies go, this one gets an A+++++.
–Jacob Holmes
20-11 | Best Christmas TV Episodes
What are some of your favorite Christmas movies that didn’t make the Top 50? Share them with us down in the comments!