This Christmas, there are countless films to watch as a family with a festive theme – but not all of them are good. Below are some Christmas movies (ranked in no particular order) that are sure to bring a smile to anyone’s face.
1. Elf
A festive staple – Will Ferrell brings a hilarious innocence to the role of Buddy, an elf-raised human on a mission to find his real family. It’s funny, sweet, and a little bit sentimental – the perfect formula for a holiday hit.
2. Home Alone
Besides Santa Claus himself, is there a more recognisable face around Christmas than Macaulay Culkin’s as the film’s star, Kevin? Kevin is an eight-year-old troublemaker whose family forgets him when they travel to France for the holidays. Now home alone, he quickly finds out that no parents equals more fun – until a pair of bumbling burglars show up.
3. How the Grinch Stole Christmas
The downright vile Grinch is played to perfection by Jim Carrey as one of his most iconic roles in the deeply comedic retelling of Dr. Seuss’ Christmas classic. The Grinch lives in utter solitude atop a menacing mountain north of the disturbingly cheery town of Whoville. He clashes with the residents of Whoville – especially the mayor – frequently, but especially around Christmas, the Grinch’s most loathed holiday, but young Cindy-Lou Who sets out to change the Grinch’s mind about Christmas. There are several film versions of this story out there, but this one – released in 2000 – is by far the best.
4. The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special
A more recent (but just as worthy) addition to the list, this short film isn’t just for Marvel fans. Of course, watching the other movies in the franchise would help you understand, but anyone can love this surprisingly festive movie. Filled with the wacky sense of humour that can be found in the other Guardians films, the delightful exploits of Drax and Mantis trying to give Peter the best Christmas present ever are both sweet and darkly funny, and Kevin Bacon’s bizarre role playing himself doesn’t disappoint.
5. It’s a Wonderful Life
What Rotten Tomatoes calls ‘the holiday classic to define all holiday classics’, It’s a Wonderful Life reminds us all of what the true spirit of Christmas is – friendship, love, and family. Although it was released in 1946, just about anyone would put this iconic film on the top of their to-watch lists in the festive season. When George Bailey contemplates suicide, an angel is sent down to Earth to show George what the world would be like had he never been born.
6. A Christmas Carol
In any of its film versions – and as of 2016, there were 135 (which means there are most likely between 150-170 today) – the essence of Charles Dickens’ classic story embodies Christmas. In fact, the publication of A Christmas Carol in 1843 is responsible for revitalising Christmas as we know it today (it’s a long story, but there was indeed a dark time when everyone’s favourite holiday was fading from existence). Whatever version you see, the basic elements are the same. A morally corrupt ‘Scrooge’ is visited by three ghosts on Christmas Eve, who reform the film’s Scrooge in time to celebrate Christmas. It doesn’t sound like much, but it most certainly works. From 1901’s Scrooge, or Marley’s Ghost, which was the very first adaptation, to 1954’s A Christmas Carol, widely regarded as one of the best versions, to November 2022’s Spirited, the most recent retelling starring Will Ferrell and Ryan Reynolds – A Christmas Carol is inescapable in today’s world, and that’s not a bad thing. It reminds us to be generous, kind, charitable, and to spend time with family at Christmas. A Christmas Carol is, at its core, the very spirit of Christmas.
What will you be watching this Christmas? Are there any classic family movies we left off the list? Let us know, and have a very merry Christmas!
By Sophie Slavkovski
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