IMDB: 8.6 Rotten Tomatoes: 93% This Christmas movie is one of the many symbols of the holiday season. Many generations grew up watching this 1946 classic every Christmas morning. The story follows George Bailey, a suicidal businessman who tried to end his life. But an angel from Heaven was sent to save him and to show him what the world would look like if George had never existed. This movie will definitely get you in the spirit of Christmas.
2. Home Alone (Disney+)
IMDB: 7.7
Rotten Tomatoes: 67%
Watch it on Disney+.
When Home Alone was first released in 1990, young Macauley Culkin stole our hearts as little Kevin, a boy who had to defend his home from burglars after his parents forgot to bring him along for their vacation. It’s been over 30 years, and this movie still makes us laugh and forget about the stress in our busy lives.
Also, check out the sequel, Home Alone: Lost in New York. The success of these movies led to Home Alone becoming a franchise.
3. The Muppet Christmas Carol (Disney+)
IMDB: 7.7 Rotten Tomatoes: 75% Watch it on Disney+. The Muppet Show takes us back to witnessing Christmas in 19th-century London. The Great Gonzo is Charles Dickens, and he tells the story of Scrooge (played by Michael Cane), a grumpy and cold-hearted older man who hates Christmas. Christmas Carol is a well-known story, but the Muppets give it a new twist as the movie was shot as a musical.
4. A Christmas Story (HBO Max)
IMDB: 7.9 Rotten Tomatoes: 90% Watch it on HBO Max. A Christmas Story is a comedy from 1983 and a seasonal classic. Adult Ralphie is reminiscing about his childhood and tells the story of a Christmas when he was a 9-year-old boy. The movie develops in a series of vignettes, short episodes designed to entertain and make the viewers think about their loved ones, their relationships, and the holiday season.
5. A Christmas Story Christmas (HBO Max)
IMDB: 8 Rotten Tomatoes: 71% Watch it on HBO Max. A Christmas Story Christmas is an iconic holiday tale in North America, and it’s so popular that this year, Warner Bros. is delivering us the sequel. Ralphie is back as an adult who wants to give his children the magical Christmas he experienced as a kid. Although released in 2022, this movie promises to become a classic, just like its predecessor.
6. It’s Christmastime Again Charlie Brown (Apple TV+)
IMDB: 6.9 Rotten Tomatoes: 69% Watch it on Apple TV+. First aired in 1992, this Charlie Brown special is the first Christmas installment of the beloved Peanuts comic strip since 1965. At the same time, this was the final “new” animated Peanuts special, although the franchise still airs the reruns. It’s Christmas Again Charlie Brown is a collection of Christmas adventures of beloved characters such as Peppermint Patty, Snoopy, Woodstock, and Charlie Brown.
7. Disney’s A Christmas Carol (Disney+)
IMDB: 6.8 Rotten Tomatoes: 53% Watch it on Disney+. A Christmas Carol is a well-known story by Charles Dickens. It had countless movie adaptations, of which Disney did three. However, this one is the first CGI-animated adaptation of the beloved novel. Jim Carrey lends his voice to Ebenezer Scrooge, who refuses to celebrate Christmas until the three Ghosts of Christmas visit him.
8. Jingle All the Way (Hulu)
IMDB: 5.7 Rotten Tomatoes: 19% Watch it on Hulu. You can’t have a Christmas without a movie with Arnie. Arnold Schwarzenegger plays a workaholic dad who forgot to buy his son a Christmas present. He spends Christmas Eve in a desperate attempt to find the Turbo-Man action figure for his kid. After jumping through several comedic hoops, he realizes that the family is much more than Christmas gifts, decorations, and carols.
9. Mariah Carey’s Magical Christmas Special (Apple TV)
IMDB: 5.7 Rotten Tomatoes: 86% Watch it on Apple TV+. The pop star Mariah Carey needs to help Santa raise the Christmas Spirit in the world. She answers the call to the North Pole, where she sets up a Christmas concert, and her friends Ariana Grande, Snoop Dogg, and Jennifer Hudson join her. If you ever wondered where the famous song “All I Want for Christmas is You” comes from, you should watch this movie.
10. Elf (HBO Max)
IMDB: 7.0 Rotten Tomatoes: 85% Watch it on Apple TV+. This movie from 2003 quickly became a Christmas classic. Will Farrell stepped into the role of Buddy, a young man who grew up at the North Pole. He was accepted and adopted by Santa’s elves. All his life, he believed he was one of the elves, but when he learns of his human origins, he travels to New York to meet his father. In a series of comedic adventures, Buddy reconciles with his long-lost family and finds true love.
11. White Christmas (Netflix)
IMDB rating: 7.5 Rotten Tomatoes: 77% Watch it on Netflix. A Christmas musical from 1954, White Christmas is a true classic. Many American homes celebrate holidays by singing the title song. Watch two World War II comrades and broadway singers, Bob Wallace and Phil Davis, set the task to make a grand Christmas show. The earnings would be donated to their old commander, whose business is failing.
12. How the Grinch Stole Christmas (Peacock)
IMDB: 6.2 Rotten Tomatoes: 49% Watch it on Peacock. Grinch is a solitary creature who hates Christmas and his townmates from Whoville. A six-year-old girl believes Christmas is more about human relationships and less about gifts and festivities. She is set to find out why Grinch despises the holiday and to change his mind. Jim Carrey brings the famous Dr. Seuss character of the Grinch to life while Anthony Hopkins narrates the story.
13. National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (HBO Max)
IMDB: 7.5/10 Rotten Tomatoes: 69% Watch it on HBO Max. A classic Christmas movie from 1989 featuring Chevy Chase is an all-time favorite of families worldwide. This movie is part of National Lampoon’s Vacation franchise and is easily the most memorable of its five comedy films. Clark Griswold continues his misadventures as he plans a big family Christmas celebration, but he has to endure the obnoxious Christmas guests.
14. The Nightmare Before Christmas (Disney+)
IMDB: 7.9 Rotten Tomatoes: 95% Watch it on Disney+. This Tim Burton stop-motion movie is a classic that celebrates both Halloween and Christmas. Jack Skellington, the King of Halloween Town, finds himself in Christmas Town. Awed by the holiday he never saw before, Jack decided to hijack Christmas. But the Halloween king doesn’t understand this new holiday, so he decides to improve it with a bit of gruesomeness.
15. The Santa Clause (Disney+)
IMDB: 6.5 Rotten Tomatoes: 73% Watch it on Disney+. The Santa Clause is a 1994 Christmas comedy that grew into a holiday franchise. Tim Allen is a toy salesman who accidentally killed Santa. He must not only step into the role of Santa and finish delivering Christmas gifts, but he must convince his loved ones that he is the real Santa Claus now.
16. The Polar Express (HBO Max)
IMDB: 6.6 Rotten Tomatoes: 56% Watch it on HBO Max. When it comes to The Polar Express, the audience is divided. Some can’t stand its animation, yet others swear it is a holiday classic. The plot follows a boy who is questioning the existence of Santa Claus. That changes as he goes on a train, the Polar Express, that takes him to meet Santa and the elves in person.
17. Love Actually (Peacock)
IMDB: 7.6 Rotten Tomatoes: 64% Watch it on Peacock. Nothing is more romantic than the holiday season, and Love Actually is a perfect Christmas rom-com. Through ten separate comedic stories, this movie portrays what love is to a different set of people. As the tale progresses, the viewer realizes that all the characters from seemingly separate stories have something in common.
18. A Christmas Prince (Netflix)
IMDB: 5.8 Rotten Tomatoes: 73% Watch it on Netflix. Although a relatively recent movie from 2017, A Christmas Prince quickly became a holiday classic. It was so popular that Netflix produced two sequels, though less successful. This Christmas romantic comedy is set in the beautiful fantasy land of Aldovia. A young American journalist, Amber Moore, needs to prove that Prince Richard is the rightful heir to the throne. In the process, she falls in love with the prince.
19. Klaus (Netflix)
IMDB: 8.1 Rotten Tomatoes: 95% Watch it on Netflix. Klaus is another animated Christmas movie perfect for a cozy holiday morning with the family. Although the production of this cartoon is Spanish-American, the story is set in 19th-century Norway. A lazy, self-centered young postman is sent to a distant island town where he meets a toymaker, Klaus. Together they deliver toys to the children of the little town, reminding all of its inhabitants of what it means to be good and kind.
20. A Nutcracker Christmas (Hallmark)
IMDB: 6.5 Rotten Tomatoes: 43% Watch it on Hallmark Movies. A Nutcracker Christmas is the story of Lily, an ex-ballerina who gave up dancing and her one true love after her sister’s tragic death. But when her niece was given the role in the Nutcracker ballet production, her passion for dancing was rekindled. She discovers that her old love is the main choreographer in her niece’s show. When the star ballerina gives up the main role due to an accident, Lily has to step in and give her past life another chance.
21. The Christmas Chronicles (Netflix)
IMDB: 7 Rotten Tomatoes: 68% Watch it on Netflix. In this 2018 family Christmas drama, a brother and sister set up a trap for Santa to prove his existence. But their mischievous act leads to a series of events due to which Santa (played by Kurt Russell) is late with delivering presents. The kids help Santa with his Christmas Eve task and, in the process, make peace with the loss of their father.
22. Noelle (Disney+)
IMDB: 6.3 Rotten Tomatoes: 55% Watch it on Disney+. A Christmas fantasy movie follows Noelle, the daughter of recently deceased Santa Claus, as she supports her brother, Nick Kringle, in becoming the next Santa. Noelle is in charge of spreading the Christmas Spirit, but little did she know that she is its incarnation. After a few mishaps, Noelle becomes the first female Santa as she proves she has all the skills needed for the job. IMDB: 6.3 Rotten Tomatoes: 69% The Night Before is a Christmas-themed comedy starring Seth Rogen, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Anthony Mackie. They’ve been friends since childhood, and they spent every Christmas together until now. The tradition is broken when the friendship takes a downturn, but a series of unexpected events will make the trio mend their friendship just in time for Christmas.
24. Die Hard (Hulu)
IMDB: 8.2 Rotten Tomatoes: 94% Watch it on Hulu. Die Hard is not a traditional Christmas movie, although it takes place on Christmas Eve. Although packed with action, this movie features loads of famous Christmas-themed songs and even a Santa (although in the form of a dead terrorist). Bruce Willis is detective John McClane who finds himself trapped in a building seized by German terrorist Hans Gruber. He must save the night and reconcile with his estranged wife, Holly, just in time for Christmas.
Have a Merry Christmas with Your Favorite Classics
Regardless of what your favorite Christmas movie is, we hope you enjoy streaming it this holiday season! From heartwarming tales to hysterical comedies, there’s a film for everyone to enjoy. What’s your all-time favorite classic Christmas movie? Let us know in the comments below!
