One of the most telling signs that the holiday season is upon us is when classic Christmas movies begin to flood our TV screens and newer ones hit the big screen. Many of the best Christmas movies feature heartwarming tales that families can watch together. And even the weirdest Christmas movies have some redeeming features.
A lot of these movies are dramas or romantic comedies, and feature some of the best known stories in cinematic history. Who can forget James Stewart's portrayal of George Bailey in It's A Wonderful Life? The movie may not have done so well at the box office, but its themes of caring, thoughtfulness, and sacrifice, along with the presence of George's guardian angel, has resonated with many, and it's long been considered the best Christmas movie of all time. This doesn't mean there's not a fair share of funny Christmas movies as well. Home Alone, The Santa Clause, and Elf are three examples of hilarious Christmas movies that people have grown to love over the years. They are also great Christmas movies for kids too – like the Rankin/Bass classics or the animated masterpiece The Nightmare Before Christmas. In between laughs, the constant within all of these top movies is family, which is what attracts people to these holiday comedies. You will also find some of these films on this list of the best Christmas dinner scenes.
Vote here on this Ultimate List for what you think is the best Christmas movie of all time. There are some great movies to choose from so vote for the movies you think are the greatest Christmas movie ever!
1
10,3033,620National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Chevy ChaseReleased: 1989
Directed by: Jeremiah S. Chechik
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation is a 1989 Christmas comedy film directed by Jeremiah S. Chechik. It is the third installment in National Lampoon's Vacation film series, and was written by John... more2
7,7463,743Elf
Zooey Deschanel, Will FerrellReleased: 2003
Directed by: Jon Favreau
Elf is a 2003 American Christmas comedy film directed by Jon Favreau and written by David Berenbaum. It stars Will Ferrell, James Caan, Bob Newhart, Ed Asner, and Zooey Deschanel. It was released in... more- 37,9143,858
Home Alone
Macaulay Culkin, Joe PesciReleased: 1990
Directed by: Chris Columbus
Home Alone is a 1990 American Christmas family comedy film written and produced by John Hughes and directed by Chris Columbus. The film stars Macaulay Culkin as Kevin McCallister, a boy who is... more - 46,5732,249
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
Janis OrensteinReleased: 1964
Directed by: Larry Roemer, Kizo Nagashima
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer is a Christmas television special produced in stop motion animation by Rankin/Bass Productions and currently distributed by DreamWorks Classics. It first aired Sunday,... more - 56,9982,457
Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas!
Boris Karloff, June ForayReleased: 1966
Directed by: Chuck Jones, Ben Washam
This special is a 1966 American animated television film special directed by Chuck Jones. It is based on the eponymous children's book by Dr. Seuss, the story of The Grinch trying to take away... more - 66,5952,886
A Charlie Brown Christmas
Bill Melendez, Peter RobbinsReleased: 1965
Directed by: Bill Melendez
A Charlie Brown Christmas is a musical animated television film based on the comic strip Peanuts, by Charles M. Schulz. Produced by Lee Mendelson and directed by Bill Melendez, the program made its... more - 78,6835,245
A Christmas Story
Darren McGavin, Melinda DillonReleased: 1983
Directed by: Bob Clark
A Christmas Story is a 1983 American Christmas comedy film based on the short stories and semi-fictional anecdotes of author and raconteur Jean Shepherd, based on his book In God We Trust: All Others... more - 87,8834,734
It's a Wonderful Life
James Stewart, Donna ReedReleased: 1946
Directed by: Frank Capra
It's a Wonderful Life is a 1946 American Christmas fantasy comedy-drama film produced and directed by Frank Capra, based on the short story "The Greatest Gift", which Philip Van Doren Stern wrote in... more - 95,2732,808
The Santa Clause
Tim Allen, Frank WelkerReleased: 1994
Directed by: John Pasquin
The Santa Clause is a 1994 American fantasy family comedy film directed by John Pasquin. It is the first installment in The Santa Clause trilogy and it stars Tim Allen as Scott Calvin, an ordinary... more - 105,9353,681
Die Hard
Bruce Willis, Alan RickmanReleased: 1988
Directed by: John McTiernan
Die Hard is a 1988 American action film directed by John McTiernan and written by Steven E. de Souza and Jeb Stuart. It is based on the 1979 novel Nothing Lasts Forever, by Roderick Thorp. Die Hard... more - 114,3832,997
Miracle on 34th Street
Natalie Wood, Maureen O'HaraReleased: 1947
Directed by: George Seaton
Miracle on 34th Street is a 1947 Christmas film written and directed by George Seaton and based on a story by Valentine Davies. It stars Maureen O'Hara, John Payne, Natalie Wood and Edmund Gwenn. The... more - 123,8692,166
Frosty the Snowman
June Foray, Paul FreesReleased: 1969
Directed by: Arthur Rankin, Jr., Jules Bass
Frosty the Snowman is an American animated Christmas family television special based on the song "Frosty the Snowman". The program, which first aired on December 7, 1969 on CBS, was produced for... more - 133,4172,340
The Muppet Christmas Carol
Michael Caine, Frank OzReleased: 1992
Directed by: Brian Henson
The Muppet Christmas Carol is a 1992 American musical fantasy-comedy film and an adaptation of Charles Dickens's 1843 novel A Christmas Carol. It is the fourth in a series of live-action musical... more - 144,3722,948
Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas
Jim Carrey, Anthony HopkinsReleased: 2000
Directed by: Ron Howard
This film is a 2000 American musical fantasy comedy Christmas film from Universal Pictures and Imagine Entertainment, based on the 1957 story of the same name by Dr. Seuss. It was the first Dr. Seuss... more - 154,2652,741
The Polar Express
Tom Hanks, Steven TylerReleased: 2004
Directed by: Robert Zemeckis
The Polar Express is a 2004 American motion capture computer-animated musical Christmas fantasy film based on the children's book of the same title by Chris Van Allsburg. Written, produced, and... more - 164,0323,239
Scrooged
Bill Murray, Robert MitchumReleased: 1988
Directed by: Richard Donner
Scrooged is a 1988 American Christmas comedy film, a modernization of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol. The film was produced and directed by Richard Donner, and the cinematography was by Michael... more - 173,7002,952
White Christmas
Bing Crosby, Danny KayeReleased: 1954
Directed by: Michael Curtiz
White Christmas is a 1954 American musical romantic comedy film directed by Michael Curtiz and starring Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney, and Vera-Ellen, loosely based on the 1942 film... more - 183,2132,155
A Christmas Carol
George C. Scott, Susannah YorkReleased: 1984
Directed by: Clive Donner
A Christmas Carol is a 1984 television film adaptation of Charles Dickens' famous 1843 holiday novella of the same name. The film is directed by Clive Donner who had been an editor of the 1951 film... more - 193,5712,829
Home Alone 2: Lost in New York
Donald Trump, Macaulay CulkinReleased: 1992
Directed by: Chris Columbus
Home Alone 2: Lost in New York is a 1992 American Christmas family comedy film written and produced by John Hughes and directed by Chris Columbus. It is the second film in the Home Alone series and... more - 203,8763,164
The Nightmare Before Christmas
Paul Reubens, Catherine O'HaraReleased: 1993
Directed by: Henry Selick
Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas 3D is a 2006 3D version of the 1993 film of the same title directed by Henry Selick and written by Caroline Thompson.... more - 212,7342,009
Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town
Mickey Rooney, Fred AstaireReleased: 1970
Directed by: Arthur Rankin, Jr., Jules Bass
Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town is a 1970 stop motion television special, made by Rankin-Bass. The film stars actor Fred Astaire as the narrator S.D. Kluger, Mickey Rooney as Kris Kringle/Santa Claus,... more - 222,0591,885
Mickey's Christmas Carol
Gene Kelly, Ethel MermanReleased: 1983
Directed by: Burny Mattinson
Mickey's Christmas Carol is a 1983 American animated fantasy short film produced by Walt Disney Pictures and released by Buena Vista Distribution. It was directed and produced by Burny Mattinson. The... more - 232,2371,960
The Santa Clause 2
Elizabeth Mitchell, Aisha TylerReleased: 2002
Directed by: Michael Lembeck
The Santa Clause 2 is a 2002 American romantic comedy-holiday film directed by Michael Lembeck. It is the second installment in The Santa Clause trilogy following The Santa Clause. It was filmed in... more - 242,0682,223
Miracle on 34th Street
Richard Attenborough, Mara WilsonReleased: 1994
Directed by: Les Mayfield
Miracle on 34th Street is a 1994 American Christmas fantasy film written and produced by John Hughes, and directed by Les Mayfield. It stars Richard Attenborough, Mara Wilson, Elizabeth Perkins, and... more - 251,7161,743
The Year Without a Santa Claus
Mickey Rooney, Shirley BoothReleased: 1974
Directed by: Arthur Rankin, Jr., Jules Bass
The Year Without a Santa Claus is a 1974 Christmas stop motion animated television special produced by Rankin/Bass Productions. The story is based on Phyllis McGinley's 1956 book of the same name. It... more
