Christmas is the season of nostalgia for all of us — it’s comfortable to curl up on the couch with a mug of hot chocolate and watch classics like “Elf,” “The Polar Express,” or “Love Actually.” But that comfort can cause us to miss out on some wonderful (if slightly trashy) movies that are just as great! If you’re looking to spice it up this holiday season, these underrated gems will do the trick.
- ‘Arthur Christmas’
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Each year I’m so surprised that no one has seen this heartwarming Christmas movie. So, each year, I force my friends to watch it.
SUMMARY: The sons of Santa Claus are as different as the North and South Poles — Steve is the tech-savvy leader running the show and Arthur is the enthusiastic klutz who works in the mailroom. When one child’s present goes undelivered, Arthur goes on a manic mission around the world to get it to her before Christmas morning.
- ‘The Family Stone’
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For all of its almost-too-painful-to-bear moments, this is a really sweet film about embracing who you are and not wasting the time we have with the ones we love.
SUMMARY: When Everett brings his uptight, no-nonsense girlfriend home for the holidays with the intention of proposing, his family first tries to like her — then tries to convince him to call it off.
- ‘Klaus’
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Okay, this one is brand new, so it isn’t technically underrated yet, but I just had to plug it. Please grab some tissues and pull this up on Netflix ASAP — it’s for your own good.
SUMMARY: A spoiled postman-in-training is sent to a miserable island in the Arctic Circle to establish a post office, but the feuding families’ lack of communication with one another makes it seemingly impossible. It is only when the postman strikes up an unlikely friendship with a reclusive toymaker that he can begin delivering mail and changing things for the better.
- ‘The Holiday’
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It may not be as iconic as “Love Actually,” but this cute crossover love story is still worth the watch.
SUMMARY: Two women from very different worlds — one in LA, and one in a quaint English town — do have one thing in common this Christmas: they are very, very unlucky in love. But swapping houses and trying on another life for the holidays just might fix that.
- ‘Krampus’
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While this does take on a VERY different tune from the other films listed, its entertainment value and genuine Christmassy vibes cannot be understated.
SUMMARY: What starts off as a typical family Christmas — full of bickering and spite — takes a turn for the worse when their house becomes ho-ho-ho-haunted.
You don’t have to entirely cut out the classics this year, but try incorporating some new ones! They may become part of your watching traditions in the years to come.