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.
30. A Christmas Carol (1984)
With so many adaptations of Charles Dickens’ classic out there, one would think it would be difficult to choose a favorite, but… it’s not. Sure, plenty of the versions out there are delightful to watch, while others remain borderline painful. But if you’re looking for an authentic adaptation that stays faithful to Dickens’ story of an elderly miser given a second chance at life, then you need to look no further than the 1984 made-for-television movie directed by Clive Donner. Bleak and atmospheric, A Christmas Carol also boasts a phenomenal cast led by George C. Scott, who delivers a remarkable performance as Scrooge – gloriously nasty until each ghostly visit begins to peel away his unhappiness, revealing a vulnerable, lonely man weighed down by greed and regret. Despite airing in 1984, this made-for-TV movie does not feel dated in the least and could arguably be considered the adaptation of A Christmas Carol by which all future adaptations are measured.
–Romona Comet
29. Anna and the Apocalypse (2017)
This is a great Christmas movie for people who hate Christmas movies. While still dripping with holiday vibes and décor, Anna and the Apocalypse is surprisingly bleak. And why wouldn’t it be? A zombie apocalypse right before the holidays isn’t exactly a cause for celebration for Anna and the rest of the main cast, but it makes for a fun movie. Be forewarned though: there’s a lot of singing. It’s a lot more High School Musical than Shaun of the Dead, but if you’re someone who really enjoyed both, this is the movie for you. It’s goofy, gory, over-the-top, and the songs rock. It also might just make you cry.
–Valerie Morreale
28. Carol (2015)
Based on the 1952 romance novel The Price of Salt by Patricia Highsmith (later republished as Carol in 1990), the movie tells the story of a forbidden affair between an aspiring female photographer (Rooney Mara) and an older woman (Cate Blanchett) navigating a difficult divorce. It’s a film told in parting glances and quick embraces. Where the simple touch of the hand, even for a moment, is as steamy as anything you’d find on Cinemax late at night. It’s forbidden, which makes it captivating, but it’s never salacious because this isn’t a tale about lust; it’s a tale about love. The only reason it’s forbidden is the fact that it’s beyond taboo. Their love and their overwhelming desire to be together are hindered by societal barriers, and watching the two try to deal with it is as emotionally rewarding as it is emotionally draining. You’ll be cheering as many times as you will be reaching for the Kleenex, but just like the best roller coasters, it’ll put you through the wringer, and there’s also nothing else as invigorating. This movie will make you feel something, which is what all art should strive for.
–Sailor Monsoon
27. Tokyo Godfathers (2003)
I hadn’t heard of this movie till recently, but now that I have, I will be recommending it to everyone. Tokyo Godfathers (directed by Japanese film legend Satoshi Kon) follows a trans woman, a drunk, and a runaway as they try to reunite a baby with her parents. This movie is heartwarming in the way that the premise suggests, but it’s also very grounded in reality. Life is hard for our main cast, and just about every choice they make includes the struggles of being unhoused during the holidays. The animation is beautiful and contains some surprisingly nuanced representations of marginalized folks despite being quite dated. It’s on Tubi, and only an hour and a half long, so there’s no reason not to check it out. It might make your yearly Christmas rotation. I know it’s made mine.
–Valerie Morreale
26. Christmas Evil (1980)
I didn’t remember much about Christmas Evil except that I didn’t like it much when I was a teen. Looking at it now, I can see why – it’s not your typical slasher film, despite featuring the classic ‘traumatic childhood drama’ that informed so many of the early 80’s slasher movies. There isn’t much in the way of the standard slasher thrills and kills. Instead, Christmas Evil is a character study/thriller about a guy who grows up wishing that Santa Claus was real, wishes the good were rewarde,d and the bad were punished, and who thinks that maybe he’s just the person to step into Saint Nick’s shoes and do the job. Do it PROPERLY.
Watching it now, I find it to be superior to those other slasher flicks I had expected the film to more closely emulate. Other reviewers have noted that Christmas Evil is a kind of holiday-themed Taxi Driver, following an outsider as he reaches his breaking point and beyond. There ARE murders – including some on some church steps with a toy soldier and an ax – but we mostly follow poor Harry as his life, his job, and the people around him continually disappoint until he feels like he has no choice but to take things into his own hands. He’s mostly a good guy, if a little odd, until he takes things too far. Brandon Maggart is great in the role, making us like and care for Harry, even as he heads down a path we know can only end in tragedy.
If you’ve dismissed Christmas Evil (also known as You Better Watch Out) because it looks like another holiday-slasher flick in the vein of Silent Night, Bloody Night, then you might want to look again. It’s dressed up in those slasher clothes, but it’s got more depth and heart (and a crazy last 15 minutes or so) than any of those.
–Bob Cram
25. Arthur Christmas (2011)
Arthur Christmas was such a pleasant surprise for me when it was released in 2011. Aardman Animation’s charming holiday offering finds Santa Claus’s son, Arthur, embarking on an adventure in a race against time to deliver a forgotten present to a little girl by Christmas morning. A simple premise that Aardman Animations enhances with beautiful, crisp animation, an impressive cast (James McAvoy, Jim Broadbent, Bill Nighy, Hugh Laurie, Imelda Staunton… should I go on?) and a gentle reminder that all the innovation and technology Santa Claus may use to deliver millions of presents around the world in one night doesn’t really mean much at all. With a script that offers plenty of humor and gags for both adults and children alike, Arthur Christmas is one of those underrated holiday movies that should be destined to become a Christmas classic. It’s definitely a must-watch in my house every year.
–Romona Comet
24. The Ref (1994)
A Christmas movie for people who would rather be waterboarded with eggnog than attend another family dinner. The film is a jet-black holiday comedy that looks at the concept of “Christmas cheer” with utter contempt. It’s also a 90-minute vehicle for Dennis Leary to do his angry monologues about everything he hates, which sounds insufferable beyond endurance, but in this film, his schtick actually works. Why? Because the gripes are all Christmas-related, which makes them far more relatable than having an issue with how mustard is smeared on your kaiser roll.
Added: In the film, Leary plays Gus, a career criminal on the run after a botched jewel heist who takes a suburban couple hostage on Christmas Eve. That couple (played to perfection by Judy Davis and Kevin Spacey) are not victims so much as passive-aggressive monsters whose marriage is a war zone, which Gus just found himself in the middle of. Their bickering annoys him so much that he takes on the role of a de facto marriage counselor simply to get them to shut up. The premise is great, the cast is on fire, and it never drags, but what makes The Ref endure is its honesty. Beneath the profanity and cruelty, there’s a strange tenderness in its acknowledgment that families are messy, marriages are work, and love (or holiday magic) doesn’t magically fix anything just because there’s tinsel involved. It doesn’t offer easy redemption; it offers a truce. And honestly? That feels more realistic.
–Sailor Monsoon
23. Joyeux Noël (2005)
Joyeux Noel is a film about strangers connecting. More importantly, it’s a film about enemies putting aside their differences in order to celebrate Christmas because, at the end of the day, they’re still people. People who are connected not by ideologies or similar backgrounds but by simply being alive. This is an exceptionally well-told story that is uplifting without ever being schmaltzy or preachy. It’s very light in tone compared to a Schindler’s List or other war films, but in the film’s defense, it’s less a war film and more of a Christmas story. And a damn good one at that. This film proves that we’re all in this togethe,r and that’s a message that this generation desperately needs to listen to.
–Sailor Monsoon
22. Miracle on 34th Street (1994)
Sadly, I have still not crossed the ’47 version off my watchlist, but boy have I fallen in love with the ’94 remake. Richard Attenborough is Santa Claus. He’s perfectly cast and just oozes Christmas charm. Mara Wilson, as the child who has been taught that Santa doesn’t exist, excels in her role as well. Wilson has a knack for playing characters that seem years older than they actually are (which the movie even calls attention to). And I’d be remiss not to note how Elizabeth Perkins is yet again playing a character who needs to be constantly reminded that it is okay to be a kid sometimes.
However, the real hook for this Miracle on 34th Street is how it handles the issue of whether Santa Claus is real or not. The Americans have ‘In God We Trust’ written on their bills, but there’s no concrete evidence that God actually exists; we just believe that he does. Using this method, the Judge is able to determine that we can put our faith into Santa Claus the same way the US Department of the Treasury can put its faith in God on its money. It’s a heartwarming ending.
Also, when Wilson’s character’s Mom asks her what her third wish was, and she replies, “A baby brother, byeeeee” and peaces out, leaving Perkins and her character’s new husband to look down at her belly and smirk, I nearly lost it. Whether it be in Mrs. Doubtfire or Miracle on 34th Street, Wilson sure knows how to steal the spotlight.
–Marmaduke Karlston
21. The Shop Around the Corner (1940)
A genuine holiday gem, The Shop Around the Corner is a masterclass in romantic storytelling. Set during the Christmas season, the film follows two coworkers who clash in daily life yet fall in love anonymously through heartfelt letters. James Stewart and Margaret Sullavan share remarkable chemistry, giving depth to characters who must confront their pride and vulnerability in order to recognize and accept love. What secures its place among the greatest Christmas films of all time is its faith in emotional honesty, human connection, and the quiet courage it takes to truly be seen. It’s truly a feel-good movie that is a must-watch around this time of year.
–Romona Comet
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What are some of your favorite Christmas movies? Maybe they will show up later in this list!