35 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.) In honor of the upcoming holiday season, we rounded up a list of 35 classic Christmas movies that everyone should add to their streaming queue. From Home Alone to The Christmas Chronicles, keep reading for all the details.
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1. 'A Christmas Story' (1983)
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.
2. 'A Charlie Brown Christmas' (1965)
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.
3. 'Home Alone' (1990)
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 accidently left home alone by his family the next day. Can Kevin protect the house from a pair of evil (and clumsy) burglars?
4. 'The Polar Express' (2004)
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.
5. 'Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town' (1970)
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.
6. 'Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer' (1964)
Narrated by Sam the Snowman, it introduces viewers to a young red-nosed reindeer who’s looking a place that will accept him for who he is. When he stumbles upon a whole island of misfit toys, he asks Santa for help.
7. 'Elf' (2003)
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.
8. 'Christmas with the Kranks' (2004)
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.
9. 'Jack Frost' (1998)
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*
10. 'The Nightmare Before Christmas' (1993)
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.
11. 'Miracle on 34th Street' (1947)
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.
12. 'It's a Wonderful Life' (1946)
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.
13. 'A Christmas Carol' (2009)
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.
14. 'Jingle All the Way' (1996)
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.
15. 'The Preacher's Wife' (1996)
A neglected preacher’s wife gets spiritual guidance from a charming guardian angel.
16. 'White Christmas' (1954)
Bing Crosby. Rosemary Clooney (aka George Clooney’s aunt). A Christmas show in Vermont. Need we say more?
17. 'The Muppet Christmas Carol' (1992)
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.
18. 'The Santa Clause' (1994)
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.
19. 'Ernest Saves Christmas' (1988)
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.
20. 'I'll be Home for Christmas' (1998)
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.
21. 'The Snowman' (1982)
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.
22. 'Frosty the Snowman' (1969)
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.
23. 'Scrooged' (1988)
A TV exec feels no qualms firing a staffer right before the holidays—until he’s visited by a series of ghosts.
24. 'Frozen' (2013)
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.
25. 'A Christmas Prince' (2017)
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.
26. 'Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer' (2000)
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.
27. 'Last Christmas' (2019)
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.
28. 'How the Grinch Stole Christmas' (2000)
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.
29. 'Eloise at Christmastime' (2003)
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.
30. 'The Christmas Chronicles' (2018)
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.
31. 'National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation' (1989)
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.)
32. 'Tree Man' (2011)
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.
33. 'Love Actually' (2003)
It examines nine intertwining stories, all of which pay tribute to one overarching theme: love.
34. 'The Holiday' (2006)
Amanda is overworked and needs to get away. So, she agrees to switch homes for the holidays with a similarly unlucky British woman. (Two words: Jude Law.)
35. 'Trolls Holiday' (2017)
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.
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