A Comprehensive, Biased Guide to Holiday Movies

When it comes to new Christmas content, I am an equal opportunity viewer. While I don’t love everything I watch, I still feel it is my personal duty to give everything a fair shot. I sat through all three Princess Switch movies and hated them happily. I roll my eyes at every Hallmark Christmas movie, but I still keep them on in the background. As long as there are twinkling lights, Christmas trees, coats, beanies, and 90’s television stars then I’m there.

However, there are definitely some I would recommend more than others. I’ve got something for just about everyone on this list. However, I don’t have A Christmas Story or National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation on here because I don’t like them very much. I’M SORRY.

Movies That Aren’t About Christmas But Feel Christmas-sy

Meet Me In St. Louis. This Judy Garland classic is about a family in St. Louis during the year of the 1904 World Fair. There’s one scene that takes place during Christmas. I mean, it’s a famous one (where she’s singing “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”) but still. It’s actually pretty funny, too. Just know that in movies that old you’re going to get some racism.   

Little Women (1994). Duh. This movie STARTS on Christmas day! It takes place over many years but somehow gives off a Christmas vibe the whole time. Maybe it’s the number of candles. They needed them to see! The Winona Ryder version is the best version. The new one is fine, but Winona is Jo. 

Movies That Aren’t About Christmas But Feel Christmas-sy And Star Bill Pullman

While You Were Sleeping. The most underrated romantic comedy of all time. Sandy Bullock saves Sandy Cohen (Peter Gallagher) from getting hit by a train and he ends up in a coma. She has a crush on him and pretends to be his fiance so she can see him in the hospital where she meets his entire family. The movie follows Sandy B pretending to be his fiance and spending the holidays with them while he’s in a coma. She struggles tremendously with guilt and falls in love with his brother, Bill Pullman, but also falls in love with the family. I love Speed and Keanu Reeves, but Sandra Bullock and Bill Pullman have THE BEST CHEMISTRY.

Sleepless in Seattle. Has this movie aged well? No. Does Meg Ryan literally stalk a sad man she listened to on a radio show? Yes. Is she engaged to Bill Pullman while doing all of this? Yes!!! Does Tom Hanks’ real wife play his sister in this movie? YUP! Is it fucking wonderful when they meet at the top of the Empire State building? You bet. 

Christmas True Crime 

Fruitcake Fraud. A quiet, unassuming accountant is caught embezzling millions of dollars from a Texas bakery famous for its fruitcakes. Come for the Christmas true crime, stay for the guy who makes the SAVAGE comment: “Johnny Carson is gone, but we’re still here.” (I guess Johnny Carson had a bit about how gross fruitcake is. He was right.) 

Casting Jon Benet. Rough, I know. However, it did happen on Christmas… so now’s the time to revisit the case and agree that it was definitely the brother, right?

Really, Truly Terrible Christmas Movies Starring Saved By The Bell alum

12 Dates of Christmas. You want this to be good because Amy Smart is in it and she’s a decent actress, and Zack Morris is in it which brings nice nostalgia. But it is NOT good. It’s basically Groundhog’s Day but follows the 12 days of Christmas where she goes on the same blind date with Zack Morris and has to save shit and get the day right in order to break the cycle. NONE OF IT MAKES ANY SENSE.

Holiday in Handcuffs. Sabrina the Teenage Witch kidnaps A.C. Slater and makes him pretend to be her boyfriend for Christmas. Her family literally hates her and shits on her the whole time. They obviously fall in love, which is messed up.  

Musical Holiday Specials 

The Kacey Musgraves Christmas Special. It has comedy and music and special guests. I really like her Christmas album, and the song “Glittery” is the best. Also, I want to really decorate a house the way the set designers did. Also, it’s hosted by Dan Levy.

Mariah Carey’s Magical Christmas Special. WOW her acting is atrocious, but the costumes are great. At one point Jadakiss and Snoop Dogg come out and it makes me literally LOL. I am oddly obsessed with the song “Oh Santa!” featuring Jennifer Hudson and Ariana Grande. Also, it’s hosted by Billy Eichner. 

Versions of A Christmas Carol 

A Muppet Christmas Carol. This is the best version, and there’s no debate here. Gonzo and Rizzo are a classic duo.

Mr. Magoo’s Christmas Carol. This 1962 made-for-tv Christmas special is a classic in my family and we have no clue why. My mom says she watched it a lot as a kid, but our aunts have no memory of it. We have no clue how it has become so important to us that we have it on VHS, DVD, both my sister and I own digital copies AND we have tattoos featuring this movie’s imagery. 

Classics To Revisit And Realize They’re Not Great

It’s A Wonderful Life. This movie is 95% exposition and the other 5% is a man trying to kill himself. 

A Charlie Brown Christmas. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy watching this! However, it’s due to the music and the art. The plot is kind of boring and sad. 

Love, Actually. It did not age well and is full of issues. The best storyline is definitely the Liam Neeson one with his stepson. Also, that stepson was in The Queen’s Gambit.  

Classics To Revisit Starring Subtle Comedic Geniuses 

Home Alone. I will never get over that this entire movie is carried by a child. However, the scenes with Catherine O’Hara and John Candy are so subtle and funny. 

Elf. Have you ever listened to what Amy Sedaris says when she’s on the phone when Buddy comes in for the first time? “I don’t know Connie, I’ve never declawed kittens before… How many? EIGHT? Alright just bring them by the camp and I’ll see what I can do.” 

How The Grinch Stole Christmas. Maybe not subtle, but this is Jim Carrey’s best performance. “6:30, dinner with me. I can’t cancel that again!” 

New, Feel-Good Christmas Classics

Noelle. Anna Kendrick plays the sister of Santa Claus (Bill Hader) who assumed the position from their recently deceased father. However, he doesn’t want to be Santa and he runs away to Phoenix, Arizona, and Noelle has to try and bring him back to save Christmas. Naturally, she wants to be Santa and is the better Santa. It’s super cute! 

Godmothered. Jillian Bell plays a fairy godmother who goes rogue and visits Boston to save the person she’s supposed to be watching over. It’s an interesting concept and I like the message. Isla Fischer plays a run-down, overprotective mother and she learns to let go of control and lean into life.

Muppet Movies That Aren’t A Christmas Carol

Muppet Family Christmas. This is a television special from 1987 starring ALL of the Muppets! Including Sesame Street characters! All the Muppets gather together for Christmas at Fozzie’s mother’s house. Except, she had no idea and was planning on going to Florida. She ends up hosting all of the Muppets during a huge snowstorm. There are songs, jokes, and love.

Movies on Netflix That Are Surprisingly Good!

Holidate. I fully expected this to be terrible, but I found it oddly charming. Julia Roberts’ niece (Emma Roberts) finds a hot Australian guy to be her “holiday date” to bring to holiday gatherings with her family. It’s a weird concept, but the weirdest part to me is that her family gathers for EVERY holiday - including Easter, and St. Patrick’s Day, and Valentine’s Day. 

Love Hard. Girl meets a guy on dating app. His favorite movie is Love Actually and hers is Die Hard and she decides to surprise him in his hometown of Lake Placid, NY, and surprise! He’s catfishing her. He’s not the hot Asian guy he was pretending to be! He’s just an average one. Spoiler alert: They fall in love. It’s pretty cute though, and there are layers of catfishing. We love a good catfish.

Single All The Way. OMG this one is really cute. The gay best friend from Ugly Betty goes home for the holidays and brings his roommate, wanting to pretend they’re together. However, the roommate quickly debunks that and the family already knows him. His mother, the vacuum witch from Hocus Pocus, sets him up with a hometown hottie. Naturally, the family wants him to get with his roommate, and they kind of force it on them and it happens. I like that it was LGBTQA+ friendly but wasn’t awkward about it. I found Happiest Season to be sort of homophobic? 

I just realized all three of those movies have plots with fake relationships turned real. Why is that such a classic trope? Does it actually happen that often? 

Dash and Lily. This is a series made for teenagers, but it’s so cute! Two teenagers in New York City communicate through a series of letters left in a book. It’s pretty adorable.

Old Christmas Movies That Don’t Have A Black Face Scene

The Bishop’s Wife. A bishop’s life is in shambles, he prays for help and gets it from an angel in the form of Cary Grant. The wife clearly wants to get with Cary Grant, but it’s the 40’s so she focuses on rebuilding her family unit with the bishop.

Miracle on 34th Street. I actually like both versions of this movie, but I suppose if you’re going to watch one it should be the original. There’s something special about black and white movies at Christmas time… especially with scenes where Santa angrily attacks someone.

Non-Christmas Movies To Watch with Family (aka no awkward sex scenes) 

Knives Out. Nothing like a fun murder mystery to brighten up the dreary winter days! 

Emma. It’s funny, it’s gorgeous, and it’s one of the better Jane Austen adaptations. It somehow feels inspired by Clueless, which is a satire inspired by Emma. What a world. 

Ted Lasso. Not a movie, but this is the light-hearted content we all need at Christmas time. There’s something for everybody to love. Plus, there’s a Christmas episode.