Christmas is almost here, which means it’s time to whip out the fluffy blankets, grab a warm drink, and cozy up on the couch to watch some Christmas movies! However, with so many movies to watch, it can be hard to decide which films to prioritize. Never fear as I have the perfect solution! Below is a list of some of my favourite films to help guide you in the right direction. I have split them into a few categories: Christmas Classics, Christmas Romances, and “Christmas speed recs” which contains a ton of movies I recommend that I can’t explain enough in a 2 page article.
Christmas Classics
- Elf
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Elf has got to be the most iconic Christmas movie out there. This film tells the story of an adopted elf named Buddy who travels to New York to meet his birth father. This film is so funny but also incredibly heartwarming at the same time. It’s overall a perfect film to watch with family.
- The Grinch (2018)
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There have been several movies about the Grinch that have come out over the past few years, but I believe that the most recent one starring Benedict Cumberbatch takes the cake (sorry, but Jim Carrey’s version scares me, leave me be). This film tells the story of the Grinch who hates Christmas and visits the town of Whoville to cancel Christmas. The Grinch is a classic character, so whichever film you choose is perfect!
- Christmas with the Kranks (2004)
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Probably one of the more underrated classics on this list, in Christmas with the Kranks, Luther and Nora decide to cancel all their Christmas festivities and go on a cruise which doesn’t sit right with the other neighbours on the block. The conflict between the Kranks and their neighbours is so funny and it’s overall just a cute film to check out!
- Home Alone (1990)
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Home Alone tells the story of Kevin who gets left home alone during the Christmas holidays. Being initially excited, things soon go south when he learns that two burglars are trying to rob his family’s home. Kevin must do everything in his power to protect it. The ideas that Kevin comes up with to protect his house are hilarious, and not to mention there’s like 7 Home Alone films, including one that was released this year on Disney+ ! So you have plenty of them to choose from if you want a new adaptation of a classic film.
- A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965)
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I absolutely love the Peanuts gang, so I always have to watch this film every year! A Charlie Brown Christmas follows Charlie Brown as he tries to get through his depression during the Christmas season. This film teaches the lesson that Christmas is not all about gifting and other capitalist efforts but rather it’s about spending time with loved ones which is the most important part of the Christmas season.
Christmas Romances
- The Holiday (2006)
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This has got to be my FAVOURITE Christmas romance. This film tells the story of two single women who decide to switch houses for the holidays and end up falling in love with the people they meet. This film is so cute and always makes me so happy watching it. Not to mention, the fact that Jack Black is in this film in a role you would never expect from him makes it so entertaining.
- Love Actually (2003)
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Love Actually is one of those feel-good romances that ironically takes place during Christmas. It tells 6 different love stories of people living in the UK that all overlap together in some way. This film features a lot of famous faces including Hugh Grant, Liam Neeson, Alan Rickman, and Kiera Knightly, and tackles a few different romance plots including bilingual relationships, breakups, and childhood crushes.
- Love Hard (2021)
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Love Hard is a recently released romance movie about a girl who gets catfished upon visiting her online boyfriend for Christmas. I found that this movie gave a fresh perspective on the long list of Christmas romance movies that are currently out and has definitely become a fan favourite in my family’s household.
- Let it Snow (2019)
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Let it Snow is a very similar concept to Love Actually in that it tells a few different stories of love and friendship when a group of teens in a small town get hit by a snowstorm. It gives off very cute teen romance vibes, and while it is a bit underrated, I always look forward to watching it every year.
- WHy Him? (2016)
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This movie veers a lot more to the comedy side of Rom-Coms as it is an hilarious 14A rated flick. This film is about a father who goes to visit his daughter and her new boyfriend during the holidays. When her father learns that her boyfriend wants to propose, conflicts between the family quickly escalate. While it does contain a mature subject matter for a romance movie, I highly recommend it!
Speed Recs
1. Office Christmas Party – with the business having to shut down, the employees have one last Christmas party hurrah . Need I say more?
2. Last Christmas
3. The Princess Switch – the third film of the trilogy came out earlier this month!
4. Dash and Lily – You can check out my review on this tv show here!
5. The Holiday Calendar
6. Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmas
7. The Polar Express
8. Arthur Christmas
9. Good Luck Charlie: It’s Christmas
10. Hawkeye – Marvel AND Christmas? What more could you ask for?
11. Single All the Way – This is a Christmas movie that puts an LGBTQ romance at the forefront
12. The Santa Clause
And there you have it! The ULTIMATE Christmas watchlist! Happy Holidays and I hope you enjoy all the Christmas movies I suggested!