The timeless classics and modern favorites that make our watchlist every year.

The 25 best Christmas movies of all time, from Elf to It’s a Wonderful Life

The timeless classics and modern favorites that make our watchlist every year.

By Chris Nashawaty

Chris Nashawaty

Chris Nashawaty is a former senior writer at **. He left EW in 2019.

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and Kevin Jacobsen

December 14, 2025 12:00 p.m. ET

Will Ferrell as Buddy Hobbs in 'Elf'; Chevy Chase as Clark Griswold in 'National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation'; Jimmy Stewart as George Bailey in 'It's a Wonderful Life'. Credit:

New Line/Courtesy Everett Collection; Warner Brothers/Courtesy Everett Collection; RKO Radio Picture/Getty

What is it that makes for a great Christmas movie? Does it need to provide that cozy, magical feeling we all long for from the holiday? Does it need to comment on the true meaning of Christmas with timeless life lessons about the importance of being with the ones you love? Does fresh fallen snow or a cameo from Santa Claus make it all feel complete?

We would argue that the best Christmas movies provide a strong balance of humor and heart. They can evoke a nostalgic feeling of warmth that brings adult viewers back to their childhoods; they could also reflect a certain melancholy that sets in around this time of year. Regardless of tone or overall focus, the essential Christmas movies earn a strong emotional connection to their characters, making us feel less alone.

Ahead, we rank the 25 best Christmas movies of all time, the ones that never get old no matter how many times we watch them.**

25. The Family Stone (2005)

Rachel McAdams as Amy Stone, Diane Keaton as Sybil Stone, and Sarah Jessica Parker as Meredith Morton in 'The Family Stone'.

Zade Rosenthal/Fox

Gathering for the holidays can be highly stressful, but you might feel a little better about your situation after watching the wildly dysfunctional Stone family. After Everett (Dermot Mulroney) brings his anxious girlfriend, Meredith (Sarah Jessica Parker), home for Christmas, she's startled by their frosty treatment of her. Come for the hijinks, stay for Diane Keaton's heartbreaking performance as the family matriarch. —*Kevin Jacobsen*

Where to watch *The Family Stone*: Hulu

24. The Holiday (2006)

Jude Law as Graham Simpkins and Cameron Diaz as Amanda Woods in 'The Holiday'.

Simon Mein/Columbia

Christmas and Nancy Meyers are a match made in cinematic heaven. This dreamy romantic comedy centers on a pair of women — Amanda (Cameron Diaz), an American, and Iris (Kate Winslet), a Brit — who agree to swap houses for a holiday to escape their troubled love lives. Christmas can be a time of reflection, and *The Holiday* is all about taking stock of your life and finding a way forward. —*K.J.*

Where to watch *The Holiday*: Amazon Prime Video (to rent)

23. The Santa Clause (1994)

Tim Allen as Scott Calvin/Santa Claus in 'The Santa Clause'.

Everett Collection

If the thought of seeing Tim Allen in a Santa suit makes you dream of sugarplums, this is the film for you. When Santa Claus accidentally falls off a roof and disappears, Scott Calvin (Allen) has to take his place. It's not *It's a Wonderful Life*, but it has its moments. Plus, there's Judge Reinhold in some wild sweaters! —*Chris Nashawaty*

Where to watch *The Santa Clause*: Disney+

22. Klaus (2019)

Jesper (voice: Jason Schwartzman) and Klaus (voice: J.K. Simmons) in 'Klaus'.

How did Santa Claus really get his start? This gorgeously animated Netflix film offers a compelling origin story about a young postman and a toymaker in 19th-century Norway who pair up for each other's benefit to have kids write letters in exchange for toys. We appreciate the creativity behind the storytelling rather than falling back on easy Christmas movie tropes. —*K.J.*

Where to watch *Klaus*: Netflix

21. Christmas in Connecticut (1945)

Barbara Stanwyck as Elizabeth Lane and Dennis Morgan as Jefferson Jones in 'Christmas in Connecticut'. Everett Collection

We love a goofy Christmas romp, which is exactly what *Christmas in Connecticut* is, centering on a food writer (Barbara Stanwyck) who pens a well-read column using a false country-gal persona. Forced by her publisher to cook a real dinner for a returning war hero, she's up a creek without a paddle as hijinks ensue. —*K.J.*

Where to watch *Christmas in Connecticut*: Amazon Prime Video (to rent)

20. Gremlins (1984)

Phoebe Cates as Kate Beringer surrounded by gremlins in 'Gremlins'. Everett Collection

Not a Christmas movie, per se, but Joe Dante's mischievous monster-mash comedy is set during the holidays in a snowy Norman Rockwell-esque town. Plus, who didn't want a cuddly little pet like Gizmo waiting under their tree on Christmas morning? That is, assuming you didn't feed it after midnight... —*C.N.*

Where to watch *Gremlins*: Hulu

19. The Holdovers (2023)

Dominic Sessa as Angus Tully, Da'Vine Joy Randolph as Mary Lamb, and Paul Giamatti as Paul Hunham in 'The Holdovers'.

Seacia Pavao/Focus Features

Like a dusted-off hidden gem from the '70s, Alexander Payne's bittersweet dramedy is all about finding unexpected connections amid difficult circumstances. Paul Giamatti, Dominic Sessa, and an Oscar-winning Da'Vine Joy Randolph star as a boarding school teacher, student, and cafeteria manager, respectively, who find themselves leaning on each other during Christmas break, and the result is equal parts hilarious and moving. —*K.J.*

Where to watch *The Holdovers*: Amazon Prime Video (to rent)

18. National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989)

Chevy Chase as Clark Griswold in 'National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation'. Everett Collection

Okay, so it's not the best installment in the Griswold saga. Still, *Christmas Vacation* is worth watching alone for Randy Quaid's Cousin Eddie and Chevy Chase's fumbling encounter with a buxom department store salesperson. "I was just blousing...uh, browsing! It's a bit nipply out...I mean, nippy!" —*C.N.*

Where to watch *National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation*: HBO Max

17. Scrooged (1988)

Bill Murray as Frank Cross and Carol Kane as the Ghost of Christmas Present in 'Scrooged'. Everett Collection

No one does "Bah, humbug" better than Bill Murray's Frank Cross, a heartless TV exec in this darkly comedic retelling of Charles Dickens' *A* *Christmas Carol*. Yes, it's pretty much the same film as 1993's *Groundhog Day* — jerk becomes a better man on the eve of a national holiday — however, that doesn't stop it from being the perfect prickly antidote to Yuletide sap. —*C.N.*

Where to watch *Scrooged*: Paramount+

16. Die Hard (1988)

Bruce Willis as John McClane in 'Die Hard'. Everett Collection

New York cop John McClane (Bruce Willis) heads to L.A. to see his estranged wife (Bonnie Bedelia) and winds up attending the Christmas office party from hell, thanks to Alan Rickman's memorable Teutonic baddie Hans Gruber (who finds a one-man killing machine along with a lump of coal in his stocking!). Who needs "Ho, ho, ho!" when you can have "Yippee ki-yay, motherf---er"? —*C.N.*

Where to watch *Die Hard*: Amazon Prime Video

15. Miracle on 34th Street (1947)

Edmund Gwenn as Kris Kringle, Natalie Wood as Susan Walker, and Maureen O'Hara as Doris Walker in 'Miracle on 34th Street'. Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images

An older man working as a Macy's department store Santa (Edmund Gwenn) claims to be Kris Kringle, and he convinces innocent kids — and even the most cynical adults — that he's the real deal. There's something undeniably sweet about this perennial classic, despite that, if it were made today, he'd be handcuffed and thrown in the slammer. —*C.N.*

Where to watch *Miracle on 34th Street*: Disney+

14. White Christmas (1954)

(Center, back row, standing from left to right): Rosemary Clooney as Betty Haynes, Danny Kaye as Phil Davis, Bing Crosby as Bob Wallace, Vera-Ellen as Judy Haynes, and their child costars in 'White Christmas'. Everett Collection

Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney, and Vera-Ellen deck the halls in this Yuletide classic. Who cares if the movie's as syrupy as a Vermont maple? The Irving Berlin songs are timeless — particularly the gorgeous title tune. —*C.N.*

Where to watch *White Christmas*: Amazon Prime Video

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13. The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)

Jack Skellington (voice: Chris Sarandon) in 'The Nightmare Before Christmas'. Disney

Tim Burton and Henry Selick may seem more of a natural fit for Halloween than Christmas, but the maestros of the macabre's stop-motion holiday fable crafted pure eye candy. —*C.N.*

Where to watch *The Nightmare Before Christmas*: Disney+

12. Trading Places (1983)

Dan Aykroyd as Louis Winthorpe III and Eddie Murphy as Billy Ray Valentine in 'Trading Places'. Everett Collection

All right, so maybe *Trading Places* is not technically a Christmas movie, either. But the sight of a down-and-out Dan Aykroyd in a Santa suit eating a slab of salmon through his grungy cotton-candy beard fills us with the holiday spirit. —*C.N.*

Where to watch *Trading Places*: Paramount+

11. Home Alone (1990)

Macaulay Culkin as Kevin McCallister and Joe Pesci as Harry Lyme in 'Home Alone'. Everett Collection

Writer John Hughes added heart to Thanksgiving with *Planes, Trains and Automobiles*. In *Home Alone*, he takes a less sentimental approach to the holidays with the tale of 8-year-old Kevin McCallister (an adorable Macaulay Culkin), who's left alone by his family only to face down — and outwit — a pair of bungling burglars. Let's be honest, you can enjoy this one any time of the year. —*C.N.*

Where to watch *Home Alone*: Disney+

10. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964)

Hermey (voice: Paul Soles) and Rudolph (voice: Billie Mae Richards) in 'Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer'. Classic Media

This made-for-TV Rankin and Bass classic features Burl Ives as Sam the Snowman, telling the eternally sweet story of an outcast with a very shiny nose and an elf who wants to be a dentist. An annual must-see. —*C.N.*

Where to watch *Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer*: Amazon Prime Video (to buy)

9. The Year Without a Santa Claus (1974)

Heat Miser (voice: George S. Irving) in 'The Year Without a Santa Claus'. Everett Collection

Better known as "the movie with Heat Miser." Santa (Mickey Rooney) has a cold and decides to take a year off from his Christmas duties. It's up to a pair of elves (Jingle Bells and Jangle Bells) to save the day. But first, they must get past Heat Miser and Snow Miser — the best Christmas baddies since the Grinch. —*C.N.*

Where to watch *The Year Without a Santa Claus*: Amazon Prime Video (to rent)

8. The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)

(Back, from left): Miss Piggy (voice: Frank Oz) as Emily Cratchit, Michael Caine as Ebenezer Scrooge, and Fozzie Bear (voice: Frank Oz) as Fozziwig; (Front, from left): Penguin (voice: Jerry Nelson), Rizzo the Rat (voice: Steve Whitmire) as himself, Kermit the Frog (voice: Steve Whitmire) as Bob Cratchit, Robin the Frog (voice: Jerry Nelson) as Tiny Tim Cratchit, and Gonzo (voice: Dave Goelz) as Charles Dickens in ‘The Muppet Christmas Carol’. Everett Collection

The Muppets and Jim Henson's workshop take on Dickens in this fur-and-felt adaptation of *A Christmas Carol*, with Kermit as Bob Cratchit, Miss Piggy as Emily. Cratchit, and Michael Caine as Ebenezer Scrooge. Who do we petition to get this one aired on TV more often? —*C.N.*

Where to watch *The Muppet Christmas Carol*: Disney+

7. Bad Santa (2003)

Billy Bob Thornton as Willie T. Soke in 'Bad Santa'. Everett Collection

Billy Bob Thornton spikes the eggnog in this bruise-black comedy about a disgusting, drunk department store Santa/con man who's out to rob stores on Christmas Eve with his elf sidekick, Marcus (Tony Cox). Here's one for parents looking for something to pop on after the kids are asleep. —*C.N.*

Where to watch *Bad Santa*: HBO Max

6. Love Actually (2003)

Hugh Grant as David and Martine McCutcheon as Natalie in 'Love Actually'. Peter Mountain/Universal Studios

A roundelay of lump-in-your-throat London love during the holiday season from the confectioners behind *Four Weddings and a Funeral* (1994) and *Notting Hill* (1999). You could fill a stocking with all of the terrific moments in *Love Actually*. But none is better than when a group of kids brings down the house with their rendition of Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas Is You." —*C.N.*

Where to watch *Love Actually*: Amazon Prime Video

5. How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (1966)

The Grinch (voice: Boris Karloff) in 'How the Grinch Stole Christmas!'. Everett Collection

Forget the over-caffeinated Jim Carrey version or even the 2018 adaptation with Benedict Cumberbatch. Chuck Jones' animated made-for-TV take on the Dr. Seuss classic is the one you want to watch (over and over again). "The Grinch hated Christmas — the whole Christmas season. Now, please don't ask why; no one quite knows the reason. It could be, perhaps, that his shoes were too tight. Or it could be that his head wasn't screwed on just right. But I think that the most likely reason of all may have been that his heart was two sizes too small." —*C.N.*

Where to watch *How the Grinch Stole Christmas!*: Peacock

4. Elf (2003)

Will Ferrell as Buddy Hobbs and Ed Asner as Santa Claus in 'Elf'. Everett Collection

The best Christmas flick of the century. Granted, the century hasn't been that long, but still. Will Ferrell is priceless as the oversized elf who ventures far away from the North Pole to search for his father. I have a niece who was so obsessed with this movie that, one December, she made me watch it three times in a row. I didn't mind a bit. —*C.N.*

Where to watch *Elf*: HBO Max

3. A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965)

Charlie Brown (voice: Peter Robbins) and Linus (voice: Christopher Shea) in 'A Charlie Brown Christmas'. ABC

Some holiday movies just make you feel good when they come on. They wrap you in a comforter of warm, cozy nostalgia. To me, and I'm guessing a lot of you, this is that movie. I could watch those *Peanuts* kids do their herky-jerky dance on an eternal loop and never get tired of it. Plus, if there was ever a movie that made you want to take home the saddest, needleless tree at the nursery, this is the one. —*C.N.*

Where to watch *A Charlie Brown Christmas*: Apple TV

2. A Christmas Story (1983)

Jeff Gillen as Santa Claus and Peter Billingsley as Ralphie Parker in 'A Christmas Story'. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer/Getty Images

Okay, I know a lot of you who've gotten this far are going to be upset that this isn't No. 1. I love it, too, especially when Ralphie's (Peter Billingsley) pal gets triple-dog-dared into touching his tongue to a frozen metal flagpole. So, please, don't shoot my eye out with an official Red Ryder, carbine action, 200-shot range model air rifle! —*C.N.*

Where to watch* A Christmas Story*: HBO Max

1. It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)

(Clockwise, from left): Larry Simms as Pete Bailey, Karolyn Grimes as Zuzu Bailey, James Stewart as George Bailey, Donna Reed as Mary Bailey, Carol Coomes as Janie Bailey, and Jimmy Hawkins as Tommy Bailey in 'It's a Wonderful Life'. Everett Collection

I know; big shocker that this is No. 1, right? Well, sometimes movies are considered masterpieces for a reason, and this is one of those times. If you think Frank Capra's holiday staple is feel-good hooey, watch it again. It's funny, heartwarming, profound, and an annual reminder that the holidays are about more than presents, thanks to Jimmy Stewart's turn as George Bailey. If you don't have a sugarplum in your throat by the end credits, you need to come in from the cold. —*C.N.*

Where to watch *It's a Wonderful Life*: Amazon Prime Video

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Source: “AOL Holiday”