Oh, Christmas!
The lovely time of the year when the air smells like pine, everything is wrapped in glittering lights, and cosy evenings are created for hot cocoa, warm blankets, and—of course—Christmas films.
Now, I know everyone has favorites—those nostalgic movies that carry us back to our early years. But concerning the new ones, what? Alternatively, the under-appreciable jewels. Whether your taste is in animated classics, touching stories, or even some laugh-out-loud holiday comedies, this top list of 50 best family Christmas movies will have you covered.
So grab some popcorn, get on your matching family Christmas pajamas, and let’s start the holiday with these amazing film choices!
1. Home Alone (1990)
Celebrated annually, this comedy centers on 8-year-old Kevin McCallister, who is unintentionally left behind as his family travels to Paris for Christmas. Using humor and imagination in this funny classic, he must protect his house from two robbers.
2. Elf (2003)
As Buddy the Elf, a human reared at the North Pole in search of his true father, Will Ferrell excels. Burst with laughter and touching events, this is a modern Christmas must-watch.
3. The Polar Express (2004)
This enchanted animated picture transports viewers on an enigmatic train on a Christmas Eve trip to the North Pole. For all ages, it is a fantastic combination of uplifting events mixed with action.
4. A Christmas Story (1983)
Set in the 1940s, this movie recounts little Ralphie’s search for a Red Ryder BB rifle for Christmas against everyone’s advice, “You’ll shoot your eye out!” a funny and nostalgic Christmas seen from a child’s perspective.
5. How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)
Jim Carrey’s funny interpretation of Dr. Seuss’s famous green Grinch—who plans to spoil Christmas for Whoville’s Whos—only to have his heart grow in the end.
6. It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)
George Bailey discovers what life might be like if he had never lived in this touching classic. A festive treasure, this reminds us of the worth of life, family, and community.
7. Miracle on 34th Street (1947)
Legal conflict to prove Santa’s existence results when a Macy’s Santa Claus claims to be the real deal. Perfect for Christmas aficionados, it is bursting with holiday magic and classic delight.
8. National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989)
Though everything goes wonderfully wrong, Clark Griswold wants his family to have the ideal Christmas. A laugh-out- loud comedy about the turmoil sometimes accompanying family holidays.
9. The Santa Clause (1994)
Tim Allen plays a dad who unintentionally turns into Santa Claus. This delightful movie is the ideal holiday family movie since it strikes a mix of chuckles and poignant scenes.
10. Frosty the Snowman (1969)
This little animated classic centers on Frosty, a snowman that mysteriously comes to life and lives an adventure-packed day alongside the kids who built him.
11. The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
Jack Skellington, Halloween Town’s Pumpkin King, comes across Christmas Town and sets out to bring his joyful attitude back home. Fans of both holidays love Tim Burton’s visually spectacular masterwork.
12. Love Actually (2003)
A delightful ensemble movie tracking several love tales set during Christmas. It brilliantly depicts the charm of the holiday, from heartbreaks to touching events.
13. Arthur Christmas (2011)
Arthur, Santa’s clumsy but well-meaning son, sets out to deliver one lost Christmas present. Remind us of the value of every single child on Christmas by means of an adorable and funny journey.
14. Jingle All the Way (1996)
In a Christmas shopping frenzy, Arnold Schwarzenegger acts as a dad trying to obtain his son the most sought-after gadget while battling other parents. A joyful and disorderly Christmas comedy.
15. How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1966)
Boris Karloff voiced the first animated version of Dr. Seuss’s tale. Every year, one should see this touching story of the Grinch’s transformation of heart.
16. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964)
This iconic stop-motion animated spectacular chronicles Rudolph, a reindeer with a brilliant red nose who saves Christmas when Santa’s crew most needs it.
17. The Holiday (2006)
In order to escape their problematic love lives, two women—one from the UK and one from the US—swap houses for Christmas only to discover unanticipated romance in their new surroundings.
18. White Christmas (1954)
Set to the melody of iconic Christmas tunes, this renowned musical star, Bing Crosby, follows two showmen who fall in love with a sister act and partner up to save a crumbling inn.
19. Christmas with the Kranks (2004)
Their plans are comically thrown off when the Kranks choose to miss Christmas in order to travel to a tropical vacation, and their daughter decides to visit for the holidays.
20. The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)
The Muppets offer a special appeal to this musical rendition of Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol. Kids and adults should definitely check this out with Michael Caine as Scrooge.
21. Klaus (2019)
The genesis story of Santa Claus is based on the friendship of a teenage postman with a recluse toymaker in this exquisitely animated Netflix video. A visually spectacular and touching movie.
22. Four Christmases (2008)
Plans to forgo Christmas are dashed, and a couple must visit all four of their divorced parents’ houses in one hectic day. An amusing examination of holiday family dynamics.
23. A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965)
Charlie Brown looks for the actual meaning of Christmas in this ageless animated masterpiece. It’s still a favorite because of its straightforward animation and sincere message.
24. Deck the Halls (2006)
The rivalry between the two neighbors gets more intense as they try to have the most intricately decked Christmas house. This is a charming holiday comedy starring Danny DeVito and Matthew Broderick.
25. The Family Stone (2005)
Comedy and poignant situations arise when a man brings his uptight girlfriend home to see her bohemian family around Christmas.
26. Scrooged (1988)
Bill Murray plays a self-serving TV executive in this modern-day adaptation of A Christmas Carol who receives a chance at atonement through visits from three Christmas ghosts.
27. The Christmas Chronicles (2018)
In this Netflix adventure where two children unintentionally crash Santa’s sleigh and must help rescue Christmas, Kurt Russell plays a cool, contemporary Santa Claus.
28. Prancer (1989)
Hoping to rescue Christmas, a small child believes a wounded reindeer belongs to Santa and takes care of it.
29. A Very Merry Mix-Up (2013)
Accidentally finding herself at the incorrect residence, a woman visits her fiancé’s family for Christmas and meets another family and maybe the love of her life.
30. Holiday in Handcuffs (2007)
A woman abducts a man and orders him to pass for her boyfriend during her family’s Christmas celebration. A lighthearted rom-com bursting with festive happiness.
31. The Snowman (1982)
This exquisitely animated, wordless short film chronicles the tale of a small child whose snowman comes to life and sets him on an enchanted Christmas trip.
32. Jack Frost (1998)
To be with his son and the right things, a parent who dies in a vehicle accident returns as a snowman. This is a wonderful tale about holidays’ second chances.
33. A Boy Called Christmas (2021)
Along his journey to discover his father, a lad sets off on an adventure in this enchanted origin tale of Father Christmas and comes across mythical beings.
34. Rise of the Guardians (2012)
Holiday legends, including Santa, the Easter Bunny, and the Tooth Fairy, are brought together in this animated tale as they battle to shield the next generation from an evil spirit.
35. The Princess Switch (2018)
In this Netflix rom-com, a European princess and a Chicago baker find they look exactly and decide to trade places for a few days before Christmas, resulting in some fun, romantic anarchy.
36. Christmas in Connecticut (1945)
When her boss and a returning war hero visit her house for Christmas, a food writer who has lied about being the ideal housewife has to quickly hide her dishonesty.
37. The Christmas Shoes (2002)
Based on the hit song, this tearjerker chronicles the life of a small child and a workaholic guy who meet paths in a way that alters both of their life shortly before Christmas.
38. Noelle (2019)
When her brother—who is meant to be the next Santa—goes missing, Santa’s daughter, Noelle, sets out to preserve Christmas. An enjoyable, cheerful Disney Christmas film.
39. A Christmas Prince (2017)
Following an American journalist visiting a small European country in search of the scoop on a royal prince, this Netflix rom-com follows her falling for him instead.
40. The Man Who Invented Christmas (2017)
This delightful film chronicles how Charles Dickens battled writer’s block and personal issues to produce a holiday classic—A Christmas Carol.
41. Fred Claus (2007)
Played by Vince Vaughn, Santa Claus’s unhappy, estranged brother Fred visits the North Pole to assist during the Christmas season with amusing results.
42. The Christmas Card (2006)
After getting a Christmas card from her little town, a soldier stationed abroad develops feelings for a woman. A sweet and lovely holiday movie.
43. Santa Claus: The Movie (1985)
This movie chronicles Santa Claus’s beginnings and his conflicts against a dishonest businessman seeking to ruin Christmas. An enchanted and nostalgic holiday movie.
44. The Star (2017)
With lots of fun and heart for the entire family, this animated movie chronicles the Nativity from the standpoint of the animals who were present.
45. The Family Man (2000)
As a rich businessman waking up one Christmas morning, Nicolas Cage plays the life he might have had if he had chosen otherwise. A contemporary rendition of It’s a Wonderful Life.
46. Last Christmas (2019)
Emilia Clarke and Henry Golding’s romantic comedy chronicles the tale of a woman working as an elf in a Christmas store who discovers she is developing feelings for an enigmatic man.
47. Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005)
Though its snow-covered Narnia realm feels ideal for the season, this fantasy adventure movie is not only for Christmas. With plenty of Christmas cheer to go around, four siblings walk through a wardrobe into a mythical country run under a wicked White Witch.
48. The Bishop’s Wife (1947)
Unexpectedly joyful and magical events result from an angel arriving on Earth to assist a bishop and his wife over the Christmas season.
49. Gremlins (1984)
Gremlins, a darker Christmas film for adults and older children, chronicles the tale of a lovely creature that creates wicked miniature monsters when its new master transgresses regulations.
50. Babes in Toyland (1961)
Rich in vibrant characters, music, and lots of festive happiness, this Disney classic is a musical rendition of the Babes in Toyland narrative.
Conclusion: The Ultimate Christmas Experience
These 50 family Christmas movies can help you to build quite remarkable holiday memories. Spending time with loved ones makes every moment—from revisiting childhood favorites to laughing at contemporary comedies to first-time animated magic—more meaningful.
Not to mention, matching Christmas pajamas or clothes is the definition of a family Christmas. Then grab your clothes, curl up, and get ready for the best Christmas movie marathon!
Happy holidays!
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