I say it loud and proud: I love a Christmas movie. I forgive major plot holes, I look the other way when special effects are subpar, and I never question the over-the-top unrealistic endings. I just love the entire genre. They are the perfect escape, like a weighted blanket for your soul.
You can get lost in a fantasy world or revel in the chaos and be thankful you’re safe at home. I’ll never get sick of watching people fall in love or duke it out like American Gladiators for the hottest new toy all in the name of Saint Nick.
So get everyone together, pop some popcorn and grab a warm beverage for a Christmas movie marathon. Here are 10 holiday flicks we always find ourselves watching year after year:
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989)
This is one of my top ten favorite movies, Christmas or otherwise. Clark Griswold tries to create the picture-perfect Christmas as his extended family descends on his home for the holidays. Things go awry in the most comical way. There are so many lines I quote from this movie that it’s become my main personality trait.
Elf (2003)
My blood pressure lowers when the theme music for Elf starts to play. We all need a little saccharine-sweet Christmas cheer in our lives. And it doesn’t get much sweeter than Will Ferrell’s maple syrup-guzzling Buddy the Elf, a human raised in the North Pole who decides to find his biological father. It’s such goofy, ridiculous fun you can’t help but root for the guy. I mean elf.
Spirited (2022)
It’s rare a new movie makes my list but this one starring Ryan Reynolds and Will Ferrell is creeping dangerously close to the top spot of my favorites list. You know your girl loves a musical, but add the comedy genius of the cast and cameos and incredible choreography and you have a true Christmas miracle. It’s on Apple TV+ and we’ve already watched it three times. And yes, this means Will Ferrell is in two of my favorite Christmas movies.
A Christmas Story (1983)
Who doesn’t remember obsessing over a toy as a kid? It felt like Christmas morning took years to arrive as you waited to see if Santa would bring you what you wished for. All of the Parker family’s holiday shenanigans make this comedy one everyone always enjoys, no matter how many times we watch it.
The Holiday (2006)
Nancy Myers, the romantic comedy queen strikes again. Cameron Diaz and Kate Winslet play two women fed up with their personal lives who decide to swap homes for the holidays. Throw in the equally charismatic Jack Black and Jude Law and you have Christmas movie magic set in both Los Angeles and the English countryside.
Miracle on 34th Street (1947)
Going to see Santa Claus at the mall is a right of passage (or terror) for all kids. In this Christmas fantasy, the real Santa Claus seems to have taken up residence at the Macy’s on 34th Street in Manhattan.
Home Alone (1990)
In this holiday comedy, Macaulay Culkin plays the wisecracking, mini MacGyver of booby traps Kevin McCallister who goes up against two burglars after his parents leave for Christmas vacation without him. Ever since I first saw it, I’ve been extra cautious whenever I touch a doorknob. Ouch.
A Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)
We all know the Charles Dickens’ story, but let’s face it, it’s a bit of a downer. Now have the Muppets tell it and you’ve got something far more entertaining. Michael Caine stars as Ebenezer Scrooge in this twist on a tale about the importance of family and the dangers of greed with plenty of singalong-friendly tunes.
The Santa Clause (1994)
If you ask me, being Santa kind of sounds like a dream job. You work one day a year and while it’s a long one, you get to eat cookies from start to finish. But for Tim Allen, it’s anything but a dream come true when he’s forced to step into the shoes of Father Christmas after his predecessor meets an untimely end.
Love Actually (2003)
I bet you know at least one person who always makes a screening of this British rom-com part of their holiday celebration. With an ensemble cast that includes Emma Thompson, Andrew Lincoln, and Hugh Grant (as the Prime Minister, no less), it’s full of twists and turns as their love stories begin to intersect around Christmas.
Which Christmas movie is your favorite? Tell us which ones you always end up rewatching in the comments.
