Frankly, when the nights are very long, the air is quite cold, and hot chocolate is almost the only thing you eat or drink, then a Christmas movie marathon is the best way to stick to the holidays. Echoing laugh-out-loud comedies, sniveling you for effortful classics, rom-coms cheesier than the cheeseboard… What would we do without these Christmas films? It would be just magic. Grab a blanket, some cookies to keep close, and maybe a box of tissues. Here are the 15 most Christmas-y movies to watch this time of year.
15. The Holiday Calendar
This is a Flix original with a twist of alchemy following a shutterbug (Kat Graham) whose existence is turned upside down by a puzzling Advent calendar. Throw in the best-friend-who-might-be-the-one and a lovely new suitor, and the romance will be turned a mile away, but that is precisely the charm. Tender, corny, completely festive.
14. Holidate
At the start of the new year, a couple of lonely hearts grumble about spending another Christmas alone. Consequently, Holidate, a smart rom-com about two strangers who decide to be each other’s companions during the holidays, emerges. The plot gradually unfolds from a no-strings-attached situation to something more, as expected. Witty, modern, and surprisingly emotional, it is the perfect pick for those who dislike holiday small talk.
13. The Polar Express
Buckle up for a CGI romp to the North Pole. Adapted from the classic children’s picture book, this animated retelling captures the magic of childhood faith, with Tom Hanks serving double (and triple) duty as several characters. It’s enchanting, it’s whimsical, and it’ll have you believing all over again.
12. How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1967)
Before Jim Carrey’s over-the-top remake, the original animated Grinch showed us that Christmas spirit isn’t located under a tree. Narrated by Boris Karloff, this half-hour classic is unadulterated nostalgia and one of the greatest holiday specials ever produced.
11. White Christmas (1954)
Not many pictures can evoke the notion of holiday comfort as much as Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye going on to Vermont snow, singing, and dancing. Built around Irving Berlin’s timeless melodies and charming Technicolor, it is a ritual of the season, something very much like the warmth of a wool blanket and the crackling of the hearth.
10. The Nightmare Before Christmas
Tim Burton’s stop-motion marvel is simply unstoppable—half Halloween, half Christmas, its weirdness and magic make it impossible not to watch over and over again. The very funny happenings of Jack Skellington get support from gorgeous animation and great tunes to sing along with. Neither frightening nor cozy, however, things are different here.
9. A Charlie Brown Christmas
Its soft jazz score and modest storyline, first of all, convey a very sincere and poignant message of the holiday season from this Christmas special. Charlie Brown’s unbalanced tree and journey to find meaning never become obsolete—they are comfortable, timeless, and still manage to hit the right spot in the heart.
8. A Christmas Story
From the leg lamp to the Red Ryder BB gun fixation, Ralphie’s Christmas disaster serials have made this offbeat movie a holiday perennial. Humorous, sentimental, and precisely the right measure of absurd, it’s the sort of film you can’t help but quote year-round.
7. The Holiday
New Hollywood Christmas classic, Nancy Meyers’ holiday rom-com is out of the world: house exchanges, sleepy English cottages, snow-covered love, and a kitchen worthy of a film star. Alongside Kate Winslet, Cameron Diaz, Jude Law, and Jack Black, the magic is beyond measure.
6. Love Actually
One of the most wonderfully tangled Christmas love stories, this has become an annual Christmas staple. From the Hugh Grant silliness when he dances through No. 10 Downing Street to Emma Thompson’s heartbreaking, brief sobbing scene, the story moves effortlessly between belly laugh funny and gut-busting sad. It is a mess of chaos, love, and unforgettable moments.
5. It’s a Wonderful Life
Frank Capra’s 1946 film masterpiece is not merely a Christmas film—it’s a reminder that life is better with one. James Stewart’s George Bailey and his journey to himself will always make you cry happy tears.
4. Home Alone
Macaulay Culkin playing Kevin McCallister is every kid’s dream—he’s left all alone for Christmas and manages to outsmart two burglars who don’t even think he’s using crazy traps. The movie is dumb, it’s sentimental, and it’s one of the most watchable Christmas films ever made.
3. Elf
Will Ferrell’s Buddy isn’t only a laugh—he’s absolute Christmas mirth wrapped in yellow tights. With syrup-covered spaghetti, contagious optimism, and endlessly quotable lines, Elf is today’s holiday at its best. After one viewing, you’ll want to watch it annually.
2. White Christmas (yes, again)
This picture is so good that it deserves to appear on the list twice. It might be the lovely songs, the dazzling dance sequences, or the positive vibes it offers. White Christmas is the most uplifting holiday comfort film.
1. Elf (yes, again too)
On top of that, there is no other recent Christmas film that comes close to capturing the festive spirit as well as Elf does. Will Ferrell’s sincere and boyish performance is absolutely iconic, and the film has long been at the top of almost all Christmas lists. The day will never come when Buddy the Elf is no longer here.
At the end of the day, Christmas movies are melodramatic to a fault and are more memorable due to the warmth they evoke from us: nostalgia, comfort, and holiday cheer. You might be crying alongside George Bailey, laughing with Buddy the Elf, or comfortably watching a rom-com—the point is, these films are a reminder that the most joyous times often come from the most basic traditions.