42 Classic Christmas Movies That Never Get Old

We’re total suckers for classic Christmas movies. (You know, the ones that can be watched year after year and never get old.) And as the weather gets colder, there's nothing we want more than to curl up inside with a holiday cocktail and maybe a few Christmas cookies, and click play on our comfort flicks.

In honor of the holiday season, we rounded up a list of 42 classic Christmas movies that everyone should add to their streaming queue. From Home Alone to The Christmas Chronicles, keep reading for all the details.

1. The Family Stone (2005)

• Cast: Dermot Mulroney, Sarah Jessica Parker
• Rating: PG-13

Everett Stone brings his uptight, career-focused girlfriend home for Christmas and little do they know what chaos will ensue in this star-studded flick that also features Luke Wilson, Rachel McAdams, Diane Keaton and more.

2. Klaus (2019)

• Cast: Jason Schwartzman, J.K. Simmons, Rashida Jones
• Rating: PG

Earning its place among a pantheon of animated Christmas classics, Klaus depicts the unlikely friendship between a disgruntled postman and a reclusive toymaker and their efforts to bring joy to a gloomy town.

3. Bad Santa (2003)

• Cast: Billy Bob Thornton, Tony Cox
• Rating: R

In this crass Christmas comedy, Willie T. Stokes and his pal Marcus dress up as Santa Claus and an elf every year to steal money from shopping malls on Christmas Eve. But when Willie befriends a young boy, he begins to wonder if he's such a grinch after all. 

4. A Christmas Story (1983)

• Cast: Peter Billingsley, Melinda Dillon, Darren McGavin
• Rating: PG

A young boy named Ralphie attempts (and fails numerous times) to convince his parents, his teacher and Santa to get him the “perfect” Christmas gift: a Red Ryder BB gun. This is his story. 

5. A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965)

• Cast: Ann Altieri, Chris Doran, Sally Dryer
• Rating: G

Charlie Brown is practically the guru of calming end-of-year anxiety. Join the Peanuts gang as they take on the holidays in this classic film about the commercialization of Christmas.

6. Home Alone (1990)

• Cast: Macaulay Culkin, Joe Pesci, Daniel Stern, John Heard
• Rating: PG

When Kevin acts out the night before a family vacation to Paris, his mother makes him sleep in the attic. One thing leads to another, and he’s accidentally left home alone by his family the next day. Can Kevin protect the house from a pair of evil (and clumsy) burglars?

7. The Polar Express (2004)

• Cast: Tom Hanks, Daryl Sabara, Nona Gaye
• Rating: G

Based on Chris Van Allsburg’s children’s book, it follows a young boy who doesn’t believe in Santa Claus. That is, until he takes an extraordinary train ride to the North Pole. 

8. Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town (1970)

• Cast: Mickey Rooney, Keenan Wynn, Robie Lester, Joan Gardner
• Rating: G

The movie is told from the perspective of a mailman, who narrates the tale of a small baby named Kris who was left on the doorstep of the Kringle family (yes, those Kringles). Now that he’s grown up, he must handle obstacles that make the holidays (nearly) impossible. 

10. Elf (2003)

• Cast: Leon Redbone, Will Ferrell, James Caan
• Rating: PG

When Buddy was a baby, he was mysteriously transported to the North Pole and raised by Santa’s elves. As a grown up, he knows he’s very different from his peers. So, he embarks on a mission to New York City to find his real dad, Walter Hobbs, who just so happens to be on the naughty list. 

11. Christmas with the Kranks (2004)

• Cast: Tim Allen, Jamie Lee Curtis, Dan Aykroyd
• Rating: PG

The Kranks are facing their first Christmas without their daughter, so they decide to opt out of the holiday altogether. When she decides to come home at the last minute, they’re forced to change their plans. 

12. Jack Frost (1998)

Cast: Michael Keaton, Kelly Preston, Mark Addy
Rating: PG

A family is grief-stricken when their father dies in a car accident. So, they undergo a series of “lasts” before the dad disappears…forever. *Wipes tear* 

13. The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)

• Cast: Chris Sarandon, Catherine O'Hara, William Hickey, Ken Page
• Rating: PG

Jack Skellington is the pumpkin king of Halloween Town. After stumbling upon Christmas Town, he tries to shake things up by creating his own version. Cue the confusion.

14. Miracle On 34th Street (1947)

• Cast: Maureen O'Hara, John Payne, Edmund Gwenn
• Rating: PG

When Kris Kringle replaces a drunken Santa Claus in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade, he becomes the talk of the town. That is, until he starts going around claiming to be the real deal. After being institutionalized as insane, a young lawyer is forced to defend him in court. 

15. It's a Wonderful Life (1946)

• Cast: James Stewart, Donna Reed, Lionel Barrymore
• Rating: PG

George Bailey wishes aloud that he had never been born…and instantly regrets it. When an angel appears, she shows him exactly how life would be without him. 

16. A Christmas Carol (2009)

• Cast: Jim Carrey, Gary Oldman, Colin Firth, Bob Hoskins
• Rating: PG

Ebenezer Scrooge is a grumpy fellow, who’s awakened on Christmas Eve by spirits. When they take him through his past memories, he soon realizes that his miserable way of living is no way to live at all. 

17. Jingle All the Way (1996)

• Cast: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sinbad, Phil Hartman
• Rating: PG

It’s a classic movie that’s bound to motivate early holiday shopping, since it follows a father who promises to get his son a Turbo Man action figure for Christmas. The problem? The toy is sold out everywhere. Panic (and comedy) ensues. 

18. The Preacher's Wife (1996)

• Cast: Denzel Washington, Whitney Houston, Courtney B. Vance
• Rating: PG

A neglected preacher’s wife gets spiritual guidance from a charming guardian angel. 

20. The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)

• Cast: Michael Caine, Dave Goelz, Steve Whitmire
• Rating: G

Think of it as a reimagined version of A Christmas Carol, featuring the Muppets performing original songs that will be stuck in your (and your family’s) head all day long. 

21. The Santa Clause (1994)

• Cast: Tim Allen, Judge Reinhold, Wendy Crewson
• Rating: PG

On Christmas Eve, Scott Calvin accidentally scares Santa, who falls off the roof and disappears. Scott and his son, Charlie, are transported to the North Pole, where he must assume the role before next Christmas. 

22. Ernest Saves Christmas (1988)

• Cast: Jim Varney, Douglas Seale, Oliver Clark
• Rating: PG

Due to a Christmas emergency, Santa Claus needs to appoint a successor. Unfortunately, the only man who’s up for the job is the accident-prone Ernest. 

23. I'll Be Home For Christmas (1998)

• Cast: Jonathan Taylor Thomas, Jessica Biel, Adam LaVorgna, Sean O'Bryan
• Rating: PG

A teenager finds himself in a pickle when he’s kidnapped by a group of high school bullies while on his way home for Christmas. Cheesy storylines FTW. 

24. The Snowman (1982)

• Cast: Raymond Briggs, David Bowie, Mel Smith
• Rating: G

Based on the book by Raymond Briggs, it follows a boy who builds a snowman—that comes to life—after the family pet passes away. With a running time of just 26 minutes, it’s ideal to watch with the younger kiddies. 

25. Frosty the Snowman (1969)

• Cast: Jimmy Durante, Billy De Wolfe, Jackie Vernon
• Rating: G

A little girl is faced with an impossible task: Get a snowman (which magically came to life) to a safe climate before the spring weather melts him away.

26. Scrooged (1988)

• Cast: Bill Murray, Karen Allen, John Forsythe, Bobcat Goldthwait
• Rating: PG-13

A TV exec feels no qualms firing a staffer right before the holidays—until he’s visited by a series of ghosts. 

27. Frozen (2013)

• Cast: Kristen Bell, Idina Menzel, Josh Gad, Jonathan Groff
• Rating: PG

Elsa is a newly crowned queen who’s struggling to control her powers, which accidentally caused an infinite winter. Cue her sister, Anna, who teams up with a man, his playful reindeer and a snowman to save their home. Sure, it’s not an official Christmas movie, but it’s close enough. 

28. A Christmas Prince (2017)

• Cast: Rose McIver, Ben Lamb, Tom Knight, Sarah Douglas
• Rating: PG

In an attempt to get the inside scoop for a story on a prince who’s poised to be king, an aspiring journalist sneaks her way into a castle. When she’s caught, she pretends to be the young princess’s new tutor, which fuels a spiderweb of lies. 

29. Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer (2000)

• Cast: Elmo Shropshire, Michele Lee, Sue Blu
• Rating: G

Jake’s Christmas Eve takes a turn for the worst when his grandmother gets lost in the cold. When he’s sent out to find her, he discovers that she’s become the victim of an atypical hit-and-run. 

30. Last Christmas (2019)

• Cast: Emilia Clarke, Henry Golding, Michelle Yeoh
• Rating: PG-13

Kate is less-than-thrilled about her job working as an elf year-round. When she meets Tom, she soon learns the true meaning of Christmas. 

31. How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)

• Cast: Jim Carrey, Jeffrey Tambor, Christine Baranski, Bill Irwin
• Rating: PG

In an attempt to ruin Christmas, the bitter and antisocial Grinch embarks on a mission to stop the festivities. This includes stealing holiday gifts and décor alongside his four-legged sidekick, Max. 

32. Eloise At Christmastime (2003)

• Cast: Julie Andrews Sofia Vassilieva Kenneth Welsh
• Rating: G

Eloise is a spunky 6-year-old, who’s determined to reunite young adults in love. As a result, she makes her nanny chase her around the busy streets of NYC.

33. The Christmas Chronicles (2018)

• Cast: Kurt Russell, Judah Lewis, Darby Camp, Lamorne Morris, Kimberly Williams-Paisley
• Rating: PG

Two siblings are trying to catch Santa Claus in action. However, their mission soon turns into a wild adventure that includes the threat of a canceled Christmas. 

34. National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989)

• Cast: Chevy Chase, Beverly D'Angelo, Randy Quaid
• Rating: PG-13

The third edition of the National Lampoon series documents the Griswold’s holiday vacation gone awry. Not only does it provide a barrel of laughs, but it also offers ample Christmas decoration inspiration. (Sorry, neighbors.) 

35. Tree Man (2015)

• Cast: Francois
• Rating: PG-13

New Yorkers are greeted with Christmas tree-lined streets every holiday season. This documentary follows Francois (aka the Tree Man) and the fascinating journey he takes every season to spread holiday cheer.

36. Love Actually (2003)

• Cast: Hugh Grant, Liam Neeson, Colin Firth, Laura Linney
• Rating: R

It examines nine intertwining stories, all of which pay tribute to one overarching theme: love. 

38. Gremlins (1984)

• Cast: Zach Galligan, Phoebe Cates, Hoyt Axton
• Rating: PG-13

Let's face it: Seeing hordes of evil little creatures wreak havoc on a small town on Christmas Eve will never get old. Follow Billy and his pals as they set out to stop the monsters from ruining the holidays for everyone.

39. It Happened on 5th Avenue (1947)

• Cast: Victor Moore, Ann Harding, Don DeFore, Charles Ruggles
• Rating: NR

If you need a good laugh, then you'll appreciate this timeless comedy. The movie follows the adventures of Aloysius and his pals as they take up residence in a rich couple's Fifth Avenue mansion during the holidays.

40. Trolls Holiday (2017)

• Cast: Anna Kendrick, Justin Timberlake, Zooey Deschanel
• Rating: NR

To help her best friend appreciate the holidays, Poppy (AKA the queen of the Trolls) teams up with Branch and the Snack Pack to prove it’s worth celebrating. 

• Cast: Burl Ives, Larry Mann, Billie Mae Richards
• Rating: NR

If you don’t already know the story, let Burl Ives tell you in this classic stop-motion TV special. Misfits Rudolph, Hermey and Yukon Cornelius set out to find their place on the North Pole, and end up saving Christmas in the process.

• Cast: Boris Karloff, June Foray
• Rating: NR

Based on the 1957 children’s book of the same name, this perennial favorite follows the Grinch as he tries to ruin Christmas for the townfolk of Whoville from his mountainous abode.