50 Best Christmas Movies of All Time

It’s beginning to look a lot like…Christmas movie night.

Looking for a festive film to get you in the holiday spirit? This list includes (in no particular order) some of the best Christmas films of all time. From festive flicks to watch as a family to Netflix films yule go crackers for, this is the ultimate guide to Christmas movies.

Family Christmas Films | Classic Christmas Films | 15+ Christmas Films | Netflix Christmas Films

1. ELF

2003 | 1h 37m | PG | Cast: Will Ferrell, Zoey Deschanel, Bob Newhart

Follow Will Ferrell in this comedy-filled Christmas film as he travels from the North Pole to New York City in search of his real dad. With heart-warming undertones and themes that the whole family will appreciate, this is a Christmas film to add to your annual watch list.

2. Home Alone

1990 | 1h 43m | PG | Cast: Macaulay Culkin, Catherine O’Hara, John Candy

In this classic family Christmas film, Kevin, played by Macaulay Culkin, gets into all sorts of fun and trouble when he’s accidentally left home alone over the Christmas holidays. Left to defend the family home from burglars, expect booby traps, plenty of laughs and feel-good moments.

3. The Santa Clause

1994 | 1h 37m | U | Cast: Tim Allen, Judge Reinhold

An unfortunate event involves Santa falling off a roof, leading to the need for someone to take his place. Watch as Scott Calvin, played by Tim Allen, and his 6-year-old son Charlie are transported to the North Pole to embark on an unbelievable transformation.

4. The Polar Express

2004 | 1h 40m | PG | Cast: Tom Hanks, Michael Jeter, Nona Gaye

A young boy musters up the courage to board a train that seemingly comes from nowhere but stops outside his house on Christmas Eve. A heart-warming reminder of the true Christmas spirit that the whole family will enjoy watching.

5. How the Grinch Stole Christmas

2000 | 1h 44m | PG | Cast: Jim Carey, Taylor Momsen, Jeffrey Tambor

Head to the magical land of Whoville, where everyone loves Christmas…apart from the Grinch. The spiteful green villain decides to steal Christmas and the joy it brings from the Whos. Will he succeed?

6. The Muppet Christmas Carol

1992 | 1h 25m | U | Cast:  Michael Caine, Dave Goelz, Steve Whitmire

Watch the classic Charles Dickens tale of Ebenezer Scrooge featuring The Muppets. Miss Piggy, Kermit the Frog and Gonzo, among other popular characters, play key roles in this family-friendly tale.

7. Wonka

2023 | 1h 56m | PG | Cast: Timothée Chalamet, Hugh Grant, Olivia Colman

Enjoy seeing Willy Wonka, played by Timothée Chalamet, trying to make a name for himself in a chocolate industry that needs a shake-up. See a star-studded cast including Hugh Grant as a particularly orange Oompa Loompa and Olivia Coleman as an antagonist in the prequel to Roald Dahls Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.  

8. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe

2005 | 2h 23m | PG | Cast: Tilda Swinton, James McAvoy, Jim Broadbent

Travel with four siblings, evacuated from their home during WWII, into the back of a wardrobe where they discover the magical world of Narnia. Saving Narnia from the evil White Witch requires a little help from their friends along the way. 

9. Christmas with the Kranks

2004 | 1h 39m | PG | Cast: Tim Allen, Jamie Lee Curtis

The Kranks love Christmas, so when they decide to go on holiday for Christmas and skip their usual house decorations, the neighbours are less than pleased. A last-minute change to plans sees the Krank family needing to pull out all the stops to save Christmas.   

10. The Holiday

2006 | 2h 16m | 12A | Cast: Kate Winslet, Cameron Diaz, Jude Law

Two women, played by Cameron Diaz and Kate Winslet, who live across the globe from one another, find themselves with man issues. Finding each other via a home exchange website, they switch homes for Christmas and discover how different each other’s lives are. From new romances to unexpected friendships, this Christmas movie is sure to bring you joy and even have you shed a few tears along the way.

11. Arthur Christmas

2011 | 1h 37m | U | Cast: James McAvoy, Jim Broadbent, Bill Nighy

Santa always delivers all his presents in one night, right? Follow the comic adventure of Arthur (James McAvoy) as he helps Santa make sure no child is left without a gift for Christmas.

12. National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation

1989 | 1h 37m | 12 | Cast: Chevy Chase, Beverly D’Angelo, Juliette Lewis

Plans for a perfect family Christmas at the Griswold residence get turned upside down as surprise family visits create a domino effect of catastrophes. 

13. Noelle

2019 | 1h 40m | PG | Cast: Anna Kendrick, Shirley McLaine, Bill Hader

Follow Noelle on her heartfelt journey to find her brother Nick, who is set to take up the position of Santa.

14. The Family Stone

2005 | 1h 43m | PG | Cast: Dermot Mulroney, Sarah Jessica Parker, Claire Danes

Sarah Jessica Parker plays the new girlfriend, meeting her partner’s kooky family for Christmas. A family-friendly rom-com with a star-studded cast.

15. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone

2001 | 2h 32m | PG | Cast: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson

The tale of Harry Potter discovering the magical world of Hogwarts is a festive fantasy film the whole family can watch together.   

16. The Nativity

2009 | 1h 45m | U | Cast: Martin Freeman, Jason Watkins, Ashley Jensen

In charge of producing the primary school’s nativity play, school teacher Paul Maddens (Martin Freeman) has a huge task at hand. This is a heartwarming tale of hard work paying off.

17. Deck The Halls

2006 | 1h 33m | PG | Cast: Danny DeVito, Matthew Broderick, Kristin Chenoweth

Two neighbours have very different outlooks on Christmas and battle it out with Christmas lights.

18. Jack Frost (1998)

1998 | 1h 41m | PG | Cast: Michael Keaton, Kelly Preston, Joseph Cross

When Charlie’s dad dies in a car accident, he has a hard time navigating life. That is until his dad returns…as a snowman!

19. Dr. Seuss’s The Grinch

2018 | 1h 25m | U | Cast: Benedict Cumberbatch, Cameron Seely, Rashida Jones

The classic tale of the miserable Grinch whose heart grows three sizes.

20. The Nightmare Before Christmas

1993 | 1h 16m | PG | Cast: Danny Elfman, Chris Sarandon, Catherine O'Hara

This is perfect to watch between Halloween and Christmas. Tim Burton was one of the writers on this animated musical telling the story of Jack Skellington trying and failing to swap the town’s Halloween festivities for Christmas.

21. It’s a Wonderful Life

1946 | 2h 10m | U | Cast: James Stewart, Donna Reed, Lionel Barrymore

This festive classic cements the fact that Christmas is a time for gift-giving.

22. Miracle on 34th Street

1947 | 1h 36m | U | Cast: Edmund Gwenn, Maureen O’Hara, John Payne

When Kris Kringle (Edmund Gwenn), who plays the part of Santa in Macy’s midtown Manhattan store, claims to be the real Santa Claus, he must go to court to prove it.

23. The Snowman

1982 | 26m | PG

This short, animated Raymond Briggs adaptation is a beautiful story involving a boy and his snowman venturing to see Santa in the North Pole.

24. Holiday Inn

1942 | 1h 40m | U | Cast: Bing Crosby, Fred Astaire, Marjorie Reynolds

This seasonal classic features the Irving Berlin song “White Christmas” with Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire.

25. White Christmas

1954 | 2h | U | Cast: Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney

Watch as the cast of this classic Christmas flick plans to put on a fun-filled musical extravaganza that's will save a country inn from financial struggles.

26. Frosty the Snowman

1969 | 25m | U | Cast: Jackie Vernon, Billy De Wolfe

Based on the popular Christmas song, this animated story is a favourite with all ages.

27. A Christmas Carol

1938 | 1h 9m | U | Cast: Reginald Owen, Gene Lockhart, Kathleen Lockhart

The classic story of Ebenezer Scrooge being visited by three spirits as he’s given an opportunity to right his wrongs.  

28. Meet Me in St. Louis

1944 | 1h 53m | PG | Cast: Judy Garland, Margaret O’Brien

A year in the life of the Smith family in St. Louis. A love conquers all classic.

29. Santa Claus: The Movie

1985 | 1h 47m | PG | Cast: Dudley Moore, John Lithgow, David Huddleston

In this classic Christmas movie, a common woodcutter becomes Father Christmas and vows to ensure all good children are rewarded at Christmas.

30. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

1964 | 47m | U | Cast: Billie Mae Richards, Burl Ives, Larry D. Mann

Whichever Rudolph film you watch at Christmas, one thing’s for sure: that bright red nose always saves the day.

31. Die Hard

1998 | 2h 12m | 18 | Cast: Bruce Willis, Alan Rickman, Bonnie Bedelia

A New York City police officer (Bruce Willis) must try to save his estranged wife when a Christmas Party goes wrong.

32. Gremlins

1984 | 1h 46m | 15 | Cast: Zach Galligan, Pheobe Cates, Keye Luke

After disregarding three simple rules about his new pet, Billy (Zach Galligan) releases mischievous monsters into his town on Christmas Eve.

33. Krampus

2015 | 1h 38m | 15 | Cast: Adam Scott, Toni Collette, David Koechner

Krampus is unleashed when a young Max turns his back on Christmas. His family have to band together to save one another from the demonic force.

34. Bad Santa

2003 | 1h 32m | 15 | Cast: Billy Bob Thornton, Bernie Mac, Lauren Graham

This dark comedy centres around two main characters who join as a duo each Christmas, dressed as Santa and his elf, to rob department stores. This bad Santa has a particularly ropey year, with a series of comical incidents making this a good watch. 

35. Bridget Jones’s Diary

2001 | 1h 37m | 15 | Cast: Renée Zellweger, Colin Firth, Hugh Grant

Bridget Jones is an average woman looking to take control of her life so decides to keep a diary in which she always tells the truth. This comical tale of friendship, self-discovery and the pursuit of love is a perfect for a cosy winter night on the sofa.

36.    Love Actually

2003 | 2h 15m | 15 | Cast: Hugh Grant, Martine McCutcheon, Liam Neeson

Follow nine intertwined stories, all connected by the theme of love. This romantic comedy features couples meeting in awkward situations, heartbreak and public declarations of love.

37. The Night Before

2015 | 1h 41m | 15 | Cast: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Seth Rogen, Jillian Bell

Three friends set out to make their annual Christmas Eve get-together the best ever as they face adulthood and the end of their usual antics.

38. Office Christmas Party

2016 | 1h 45m | 15 | Cast: Jason Bateman, Jennifer Aniston, Olivia Munn

Imagine the most insane office Christmas party. This film is exactly that. Co-workers host an epic Christmas party to try and impress a potential client that could save their business. Full of debauchery with a star-studded cast.

39. Violent Night

2022 | 1h 52m | 15 | Cast: David Harbour, John Leguizamo, Beverly D'Angelo

This is another hostage film with a twist. It’s Santa’s turn to save a wealthy family from a group of mercenaries.  

40. A Bad Moms Christmas

2017 | 1h 44m | 15 | Cast: Mila Kunis, Kristen Bell, Kathryn Hahn

Three moms rebel against the expectations of hosting an amazing Christmas for their families.

41. Black Christmas

1974 | 1h 38m | 18 | Cast: Olivia Hussey, Keir Dullea, Margot Kidder

Strange anonymous phone calls to a sorority house put the group on edge just as they start planning for their Christmas break.

42. Klaus     

2019 | 1h 36m | PG | Cast: Jason Schwartzman, J.K. Simmons, Rashida Jones

This is a beautifully animated Christmas story for the whole family. Follow the story of a postal worker on a remote island above the Arctic Circle. As he’s losing hope, he finds an ally and discovers Klaus, a mysterious carpenter who lives alone with lots of handmade toys.

43. A Christmas Prince

2017 | 1h 32m | PG | Cast: Rose McIver, Ben Lamb, Alice Krige

A classic romance with comical twists involving a journalist called Amber (Rose McIver) trying to get a scoop on Prince Richard (Ben Lamb).

44. The Princess Switch

2018 | 1h 41m | PG | Cast: Vanessa Hudgens, Sam Palladio, Nick Sagar

When two women, one a keen baker and the other a Duchess, realise they look identical, they decide to switch places to experience life in each other’s shoes. It gets complicated when love comes into play, and they must reveal their true identities.

45. The Christmas Chronicles

2018 | 1h 44m | PG | Cast: Kurt Russell, Darby Camp, Judah Lewis

Two siblings plot to catch Santa on camera and succeed, but not only that, they sneak onto and hide in the sleigh. When Santa crash lands in Chicago, its touch and go as to whether all the presents will get delivered on time.

46. A Boy Called Christmas

2021 | 1h 46m | PG | Cast: Maggie Smith, Isabella O’Sullivan, Joel Fry

This is an endearing Father Christmas origin story where a boy travels to the land of elves and helps to save the day.

47. Christmas Inheritance

2017 | 1h 44m | PG | Cast: Eliza Taylor, Jake Lacy, Andie MacDowell

Ambitious heiress Ellen Langford ends up stuck in the small hometown she never knew over Christmas. She’s forced to work for her keep while there and ends up discovering the true meaning of Christmas.

48. Robin Robin

2021 | 32m | U | Cast: Bronte Carmichael, Richard E. Grant, Gillian Anderson

This is a wonderful stop-motion Christmas film for the whole family. Robin, the main character, was raised by a family of mice when her egg rolled into their rubbish dump. On her journey to prove what a good mouse she can be, she ends up discovering who she really is.

49. Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey

2020 | 1h 2m | PG | Cast: Forest Whitaker, Keegan-Michael Key, Hugh Bonneville

A magical Christmas tale of an eccentric toymaker and his granddaughter and inventions that have the power to change their lives forever.

50. Best. Christmas. Ever!

2023 | 1h 22m | PG | Cast: Heather Graham, Brandy Norwood, Jason Biggs

Every year, Jackie sends a boastful holiday newsletter to her friends. Charlotte sets out to prove that her friends’ holiday can’t be as perfect as she says but ends up having to join forces with Jackie to save Christmas.