In this list, we’ll show you some of the best Christmas movies of all time and where you can watch them. This should make finding a movie on your own easier, so you can quickly settle in and watch a great one to enjoy the holiday season.
1. Klaus
This animated Christmas film was released in 2019 and is perfect for the family. The story follows the spoiled son of a postmaster who sends him off to town, where he is tasked to mail 6,000 letters in a year. During his stay, he meets a toymaker named Klaus. Eventually, the two partner to bring toys to those who send Klaus a letter.
Coupled with a beautiful animation art style, Klaus is a great Christmas movie with a new take on the story of Santa. It sits at 95% on Rotten Tomatoes and has won an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. So if you’re looking for something charming and fun for the whole family, Klaus is a great option. You can find Klaus streaming on Netflix.
2. A Christmas Carol
There are many iterations of Charles Dickens’s Christmas classic, but the original 1938 film is a great choice. In black-and-white, it plays out the story of Ebenezer Scrooge as he endures a night traveling with three spirits of the past, present, and future to help him change his ways. This classic film was created in weeks, but it’s still one of the best Christmas movies. You can find this movie on HBO Max. If you’d like a more updated rendition of the story, the animated adaptation of A Christmas Carol from 2009, starring Jim Carrey, is a great take. You can find this version on Disney+.
3. The Polar Express
Another great animated Christmas movie is The Polar Express, which excels at establishing that magical and heartwarming feeling the holidays are known for. The movie follows a young boy who is beginning to question his belief in Santa Claus. Then, the night before Christmas, the Polar Express arrives outside his home, and he travels to the North Pole with other children.
Tom Hanks stars as multiple characters in the film, and the animation was far ahead of its time when the movie was released. It has since become a classic that you should consider adding to your Christmas watch list. You can find The Polar Express on HBO Max.
4. The Man Who Invented Christmas
A Christmas Carol is undoubtedly an influential holiday tale, but what about the story of the man behind it, Charles Dickens? The Man Who Invented Christmas details how Charles Dickens penned A Christmas Carol and its cultural impact on Victorian England, changing how Christmas was celebrated forever.
The Man Who Invented Christmas can be streamed via Hulu.
5. Mickey’s Christmas Carol
This Disney Christmas special starring some of Disney’s most famous characters as classic Christmas Carol characters was released in 1983. Scrooge McDuck plays the role of Ebenezer, and Mickey plays his employee, Bob Cratchit. This movie is a classic children’s Christmas animation for the whole family. It currently holds a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and was nominated for an Academy Award in 1983.
You can find Mickey’s Christmas Carol on Disney+.
6. National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation
Another Christmas film now known as a holiday classic, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, is based on a story from the National Lampoon magazine and is the third movie in their Vacation series. It follows the Griswold family as they celebrate Christmas with relatives, enduring many misfortunes and difficulties along the way. This is one of the best if you want a comedic Christmas movie. National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation can be streamed on HBO Max.
7. Home Alone 2: Lost in New York
While the first Home Alone movie is just as much a Christmas film as the second, Lost in New York is arguably the best. When the McCallister family wakes up late for a Christmas trip, they rush to get ready and head to the airport to make their flight. However, as they make their way through the airport, the youngest son Kevin, played by Macaulay Culkin, gets lost and accidentally boards a flight to New York with his father’s bag.
Chaos ensues as Kevin uses his father’s credit card in New York to stay in a hotel, and again the robbers, Harry and Marv, make an appearance. With a combination of comedy and Christmas spirit, this is a great movie to watch this time of year. You can find it on Disney+.
8. How the Grinch Stole Christmas
How the Grinch Stole Christmas is a live-action version of Dr. Seuss’s popular Christmas tale. It stars Jim Carrey as the Grinch and follows him through his plot to end Christmas. It’s a very stylistic take on the Grinch story that gives it a uniquely Dr. Suess feel. You can also expect lots of comedy that makes this movie a staple for Christmas-time laughs.
How the Grinch Stole Christmas can be found to watch on Hulu and HBO Max.
9. Elf
Elf is another classic Christmas comedy starring Will Ferrell as Buddy, a human who was raised as an elf at the North Pole. He travels to New York City to find his father, who initially doesn’t believe his relation to Buddy. But, when a DNA test proves it, he attempts to form a relationship. Since its release in 2003, Elf has cemented itself as a must-watch movie during the holiday season. It’s hilariously funny and a great way for the whole family to get into the holiday spirit. You can find Elf to stream on HBO Max.
10. It’s a Wonderful Life
It’s a Wonderful Life is one of the best Christmas films of all time. It follows George Bailey as he begins to give up on life until a guardian angel rescues him and shows him what would have happened if he had never existed. Although this movie was originally released in 1947, it has endured throughout the years as one of the most popular Christmas movies and continues to tug at the heartstrings of many.
11. A Christmas Story
A Christmas Story, released in 1983, is another Christmas classic that many can’t get through the season without watching at least once. Like many on this list, it became a classic and is still one of the more popular holiday films. It follows Ralphie Parker as he attempts to convince others that he should get the Red Ryder BB gun for Christmas. This movie also has a couple of sequels, including the recently released A Christmas Story Christmas. You can find all of these on HBO Max.
Watch These Movies This Holiday Season
No matter what streaming services you may be using, it’s easy to find plenty of great Christmas movies during this time of the year. The ones listed above are some of the best, so you don’t need to spend time searching through the many offerings available now.
Are there any Christmas movies you’d add to this list? Let us know in the comments!
