34 Classic Christmas Movies to Watch This Holiday Season

A Christmas Story

Based on author Jean Shepherd’s personal essays, A Christmas Story follows the Parker family as they prepare for Christmas in Indiana in the 1940s. From wishing for the ultimate Christmas present — all Ralphie (Peter Billingsley) wants is a Red Ryder Carbine-action 200-shot Ranger Model Air Rifle! — to bundling up for school in the dead of winter, the scenes still feel relatable decades later.

The 1983 film is so beloved that the Library of Congress selected it for preservation into the National Film Registry in 2012, per Deadline. Good luck finding anyone alive in the ’80s who doesn’t know what the leg lamp is.

“There’s not only a fan base for [A Christmas Story], but it’s borderline sacred for a lot of people,” Billingsley told PEOPLE in 2022 ahead of its sequel, A Christmas Story Christmas.

Watch A Christmas Story on HBO Max

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

In this 1964 stop-motion animated stunner, a young reindeer named Rudolph searches for a better life after being bullied for his glowing red nose. Along his journey, he meets other now-iconic characters, like prospector Yukon Cornelius, the Abominable Snowmonster (a.k.a. Bumble) and Burl Ives’ Sam the Snowman. The holiday special continues to air on TV every year, and its soundtrack includes many Ives hits, including “Holly Jolly Christmas” and “Silver and Gold.”

Buy Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer on Prime Video

How the Grinch Stole Christmas!

One of the most famous holiday characters ever is a grumpy, green creature known as The Grinch, and audiences have come to love the furry character at the heart of Dr. Seuss’ compelling, heartfelt story.

In the 1966 animated tale, the Grinch tries to sabotage Christmas for all of Whoville, only to learn that love and kindness are the true meanings of the season. The Grinch’s legacy is also bolstered by his catchy theme song, “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch,” sung by Thurl Ravenscroft.

Watch How the Grinch Stole Christmas! on Peacock

Elf

Elf tells the sweet story of Buddy the Elf (Will Ferrell), a human raised by Papa Elf (Bob Newhart) at the North Pole. After Buddy learns that he wasn’t born an elf (as if his height and lack of toy-making abilities weren’t dead giveaways), he travels to New York City to find his biological father, Walter Hobbs (the late James Caan), who had no idea Buddy existed.

After a DNA test confirms they’re related, Buddy moves in with Hobbs, his wife Emily (Mary Steenburgen), and their son Michael (Daniel Tay). The family attempts to integrate Buddy into their lives, but he has jollier plans. Buddy becomes smitten with both the real world and a toy store employee named Jovie (Zooey Deschanel).

“I’m so lucky to have a movie like that in my catalog. [It] really means so much to so many people,” Ferrell told PEOPLE in 2024. “You never really have an idea of what’s going to land, and I love that this movie continues to resonate in a way that’s pretty incredible.”

Watch Elf on HBO Max

A Charlie Brown Christmas

In this Peanuts fan favorite, Charlie Brown tries to answer a big question: What is Christmas all about? Discouraged by the holiday’s commercialism, like decorating contests, presents and expensive aluminum trees, Charlie can’t quite pinpoint why he’s in “sad shape” while all his friends are filled with glee.

To get him out of his slump, Lucy tries to get Charlie more involved by appointing him director of the school Christmas play and tasking him with finding the perfect tree, while Linus shares the nativity story.

In the end, it’s Charlie who teaches his buddies about friendship and gratefulness. The 1965 animated classic comes in at a quick 30 minutes but packs a big punch when it comes to the true reason for the season.

Watch A Charlie Brown Christmas on Apple TV

Home Alone

For ’90s kids everywhere, Home Alone is the holiday movie. A young Kevin McCallister (Macaulay Culkin) is left home alone after his family flies to Paris for Christmas without him. Even worse, two burglars (Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern) try to break into his house.

With some inventive traps and a spunky attitude, Kevin manages to defend his family’s dwelling with hilarious results. Plus, Catherine O’Hara delivers one of the most memorable lines when she screams “Kevin!” at the top of her lungs.

The movie was so popular that it spawned a franchise that now includes six films, though only the 1992 sequel Home Alone 2: Lost in New York comes close to the original. After all, the second installment gave O’Hara another amazing line: “What kind of idiots do you have working here?” Why, “the finest in New York!”

Watch Home Alone on Disney+

It’s a Wonderful Life

Based on Philip Van Doren Stern’s short story “The Greatest Gift: A Christmas Tale,” It’s a Wonderful Life follows down-on-his-luck George Bailey (James Stewart), who contemplates killing himself just before Christmas. Luckily, an angel visits him that night and shows him what the world would look like if he’d never been born, ultimately showing him how important his life is.

The 1946 film was nominated for five Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Actor for Stewart, and has become an all-time holiday favorite.

Watch It’s a Wonderful Life on Prime Video

Disney’s A Christmas Carol

In 2009, Carrey brought another beloved holiday story to life, starring in an animated adaptation of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. Carrey portrays Ebenezer Scrooge, a cantankerous, greedy old man visited by three ghosts on Christmas Eve who show him the error of his ways. Gary Oldman, Colin Firth and Robin Wright are all a part of the film’s voice cast.

Watch Disney’s A Christmas Carol on Disney+

Scrooged

A Christmas Carol got a totally ’80s makeover with Scrooged. In the 1988 film, Scrooge is represented by Frank Cross (Murray), a high-strung, selfish and arrogant TV executive living in Manhattan. The traditional story unfolds, but this time with a good dose of humor and modernization. The late David Johansen and Carol Kane, portraying two of the ghosts, make for one wild holiday ride around New York.

Watch Scrooged on Apple TV

The Muppet Christmas Carol

The Muppets also took their turn at the Dickens classic in 1992 with The Muppet Christmas Carol. Set in the 1800s, like the original story, Michael Caine portrays Scrooge and is visited by the iconic three ghosts of Christmas past, present and future. In this iteration, Scrooge is surrounded by a cast of characters, including Kermit, Miss Piggy, Fozzie, Walter, Statler and the rest of the Muppet crew.

Watch The Muppet Christmas Carol on Disney+

Miracle on 34th Street

Set in the Macy’s flagship store on 34th Street in Manhattan, Miracle on 34th Street follows Kris Kringle, who ends up working as a dress-up Santa for the giant department store. However, some employees are conniving and angry, and before long, Santa finds himself in court, having to prove he’s the real deal.

The 1947 film is the original, but ’90s kids likely remember the 1994 remake, featuring Richard Attenborough as Kringle, Elizabeth Perkins, Dylan McDermott and a young Mara Wilson taking on the part of Susan Walker, originally played by Natalie Wood.

Watch Miracle on 34th Street on Disney+

The Nightmare Before Christmas

The worlds of Halloween and Christmas collide in the stop-motion fantasy The Nightmare Before Christmas. Jack Skellington (voiced by Chris Sarandon), a.k.a. the Pumpkin King, opens a door to another dimension where it’s always Christmas. Fascinated by what he sees, Jack tries to bring the festive holiday back home.

However, the residents of Halloweentown don’t get it, so Jack decides he’s going to improve upon Christmas instead — which, naturally, does not go well for him or the woman he pines for, Sally (O’Hara).

Complete with Tim Burton’s haunting animation style and a fantastic soundtrack written and scored by Danny Elfman, who also serves as the singing voice for Jack, this classic has been a fan favorite since its 1993 release. According to NPR, the acclaimed Nightmare Before Christmas and Home Alone were added to the National Film Registry in 2023.

Watch The Nightmare Before Christmas on Disney+

The Family Stone

Tension mounts when Everett (Dermot Mulroney) brings his high-strung girlfriend, Meredith (Sarah Jessica Parker), home for Christmas to meet his family, who are fantastically played by the late Diane Keaton, Rachel McAdams and Luke Wilson. (Parker received a Golden Globe nomination for her performance.)

The outgoing, eccentric Stone family doesn’t immediately approve of Everett’s new girlfriend, and the drama feels all too real. The 2005 feel-good dramedy gives viewers an honest and hilarious glimpse into what many holiday gatherings are like.

Watch The Family Stone on Prime Video

Last Holiday

Loosely inspired by the 1950 British film of the same name, Last Holiday follows Queen Latifah as a department store employee who learns she has a rare, terminal brain illness and only has a few weeks left to live. She decides to drain her bank account and spend the holidays blowing all of her money in a European resort town. While there, she has the adventure of her life — and gets an even bigger surprise at the end. LL Cool J, Alicia Witt and Giancarlo Esposito also star in the 2006 film.

Watch Last Holiday on Hulu

Meet Me in St. Louis

The MGM musical unfolds over a year as the Smith family gets ready for the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis. Meet Me in St. Louis was a hit at the box office and a critical darling — it was the second-highest-grossing film of 1944 and nominated for four Oscars — and became a quintessential holiday classic thanks to Judy Garland’s outstanding performance and her memorable rendition of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.”

Watch Meet Me in St. Louis on Tubi

The Polar Express

The picture book The Polar Express has mesmerized readers since 1985, telling the tale of children who are unexpectedly taken to the North Pole on a magical train. In 2004, the book was adapted into an Oscar-nominated feature film, with cutting-edge animation styles at the time. Tom Hanks leads the voice cast, and there’s a surprise voice performance from Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler.

Watch The Polar Express on HBO Max

Christmas with the Kranks

Based on John Grisham’s 2001 novel Skipping Christmas, Luther (Allen) and Nora Krank (Jamie Lee Curtis) decide not to celebrate Christmas after their daughter, Blair (Julie Gonzalo), leaves for a Peace Corps assignment right after Thanksgiving. However, the Kranks’ friends and neighbors don’t appreciate the couple’s uncheery decision, and before long, a full-blown holiday battle erupts in their once-sleepy neighborhood. Dan Aykroyd, Cheech Marin and Malcolm in the Middle‘s Erik Per Sullivan round out the cast, with performances that are equal parts cheesy, over-the-top and fun.

Watch Christmas with the Kranks on HBO Max

Just Friends

After a formerly obese student, Chris Brander (Ryan Reynolds), gets humiliated at a high school graduation party, he moves as far away from his New Jersey town as he can. A decade later, Chris is a handsome, egotistical record executive in Los Angeles tasked with signing Samantha James (Anna Faris), a popular but zany pop star, to his label.

Fate — as in Samantha setting a private jet on fire — sends Chris back to his hometown at Christmastime, where he reunites with Jamie Palamino (Amy Smart), his childhood crush and only friend as a teenager. The 2005 flick is a funny, heartfelt and often overlooked rom-com that puts its own spin on being stuck in the “friend zone.”

Watch Just Friends on Peacock

Jingle All the Way

Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sinbad star as two dueling fathers in Minneapolis, desperate to get their hands on Turbo-Man, the hottest holiday toy of the season. Jingle All the Way instantly became a relatable movie, as it coincided with the 1996 Christmas season, when the Tickle Me Elmo craze swept America. Parents across the country found themselves living out the film’s struggles.

Watch Jingle All the Way on Disney+

Frosty the Snowman

In this classic animated special, Frosty the Snowman (voiced by Jackie Vernon), complete with a button nose and two eyes made of coal, comes to life one day. When the kids Frosty befriends realize he’ll melt as temperatures warm, the snowman and his new pals head north.

Like other holiday specials of its era, Frosty the Snowman continues to live on thanks to its soundtrack, performed by the special’s narrator, Jimmy Durante. This 1969 gem was also the first TV production to feature the beloved wintertime character and ran for 55 consecutive years on CBS until NBC, where the cartoon now plays, picked up broadcasting rights.

Watch Frosty the Snowman on Peacock

White Christmas

In this quintessential 1954 Christmas musical, the song-and-dance team of Wallace & Davis — war buddies Bob Wallace (Bing Crosby) and Phil Davis (Danny Kaye) — head to fictional town Pine Tree, Vt., with sisters Betty (Rosemary Clooney) and Judy Haynes (Vera-Ellen).

Much to their surprise, an unseasonably warm year has left Pine Tree without snow and tourists at a local inn. So, the foursome team up to save the cozy New England lodge by staging a musical to attract more guests. Of course, the performance concludes with the tune “White Christmas” — a new version of the song that Crosby introduced in 1942’s Holiday Inn — just as snow begins to fall, blanketing the town.

There aren’t just snowflakes but also love in the air: Betty and Bob find their happily ever after, and Judy and Phil discover they’re smitten with each other.

Watch White Christmas on Prime Video

Jack Frost

Michael Keaton stars as Jack, an absent father focused on his rock music career. Jack is killed in a car crash one night during a snowstorm. However, thanks to some holiday magic in the form of a magical harmonica, he returns the following winter as a snowman and tries to rebuild his relationship with his family. The late Kelly Preston and Henry Rollins help round out the cast.

Watch Jack Frost on Hulu

Four Christmases

Brad and Kate (Vince Vaughn and Reese Witherspoon), who invent wild stories every year to avoid spending Christmas with their families, are headed to Fiji for a holiday vacation. However, when flights out of San Francisco are grounded by fog, they get stuck in the Bay Area. After their families see them on the local news, the couple is forced to visit their divorced parents — meaning they’ll need to attend four Christmases in a single day.

While Witherspoon and Vaughn are fun to watch, it’s their parents, played by Oscar winners Steenburgen, Robert Duvall, Jon Voight and Sissy Spacek, who steal the show, not to mention memorable performances by Jon Favreau and Tim McGraw, who portray Brad’s brothers.

Watch Four Christmases on HBO Max

Deck the Halls

Steve Finch (Matthew Broderick) considers himself the Christmas expert of the fictional town of Cloverdale, Mass., and he’s all set to have the perfect holiday with his family — until new neighbors — Buddy Hall (Danny DeVito), and his wife Tia (Kristin Chenoweth) — move in on Dec. 1.

The two quickly enter into an epic battle over who can have the most heavily decorated home, hoping to have a display so big and bright it can be seen from space. MTV also gets involved, but that requires tuning into the holiday madness to find out why.

Watch Deck the Halls on Hulu

Planes, Trains and Automobiles

One of the most iconic holiday films actually centers around Thanksgiving, not Christmas. In Planes, Trains and Automobiles, marketing executive Neal Page (Steve Martin) is trying to get back to his family in Chicago following a business trip in N.Y.C. His journey is turned upside down when he encounters hapless salesman Del Griffith (John Candy). Together, the duo travels on virtually every mode of transportation possible to try to get Neal home in time for his family’s Thanksgiving dinner.

The 1987 film is a critically acclaimed road-trip comedy with beloved performances from Martin and the late Candy, and was lauded as a departure from writer-director John Hughes’ teen films.

Watch Planes, Trains and Automobiles on Paramount+

Home for the Holidays

Directed by Jodie Foster, Home for the Holidays is based on a short story by Chris Radant and follows Claudia Larson (Holly Hunter), a bitter, recently fired woman. When she learns her daughter (Claire Danes) has other plans for Thanksgiving, Claudia leaves Chicago to spend the holiday with her parents in Baltimore.

Toeing the line between comedy and drama, the 1995 movie centers on the Larson family and their relationships and turmoil over the weekend, with Claudia wondering whether she’ll survive her crazy clan. It’s a more complicated adult take on the standard holiday film, featuring McDermott, Robert Downey Jr., Steve Guttenberg and the late Anne Bancroft.

Watch Home for the Holidays on Paramount+

The Best Man Holiday

This 2013 holiday sequel picks up with the close-knit friend group from the 1999 original, as they reunite for the first time in 15 years. Mia (Monica Calhoun) convinces her college pals to get together for Christmas, both for old times’ sake and her own private reasons. Plenty of squabbles arise from the reunion in hilarious ways, peppered with tender moments and a fight scene between Candace (Regina Hall) and Shelby (Melissa De Sousa).

Taye Diggs, Terrence Howard, Morris Chestnut, Sanaa Lathan and Nia Long all reprise their roles in the second chapter.

Watch The Best Man Holiday on Peacock

The Holiday

The Nancy Meyers-directed film follows a heartbroken British woman, Iris (Kate Winslet), and an ambitious American woman, Amanda (Cameron Diaz), as they switch homes for the holidays after each faces major heartbreak. During their cross-continental adventures, they both find love with new people: Iris with Miles (Jack Black) and Amanda with widower Graham (Jude Law).

During a 2024 appearance on The Tonight Show, Winslet told host Jimmy Fallon that she’s recognized for 2006’s The Holiday more than Titanic, “especially at Christmas.”

“… Actually, what’s so lovely is that mothers and daughters come up to me in the grocery store and they say, ‘Oh Kate, we just love The Holiday, it’s our little ritual at Christmas,’ ” Winslet said. “They have things that they eat every year, they sit down, it’s a tradition, and I just love that.”

In 2025, PEOPLE confirmed that Apple TV will adapt the film’s same concept with new characters and stars, which was “news to” both Meyers and Law.

Buy or Rent The Holiday on Prime Video

A Christmas Carol

Considered among the best Christmas movies ever made, the 1951 black-and-white film starred Alastair Sim as Ebenezer Scrooge. Called Scrooge in the U.K. and based on the classic Dickens novel of the same name, the British classic features a dark but humorous Scrooge navigating his Christmas past, future and present, complete with a dance-filled Fezziwig party scene and a personal transformation that feels fitting for any season.

Watch A Christmas Carol on Tubi

Klaus

Itching for a Santa origin story? Klaus should do the trick. Set in 19th-century Norway, the 2019 animated film is an alternative to the story of St. Nicholas and centers on one very important aspect of Christmas: mail.

After Jesper Johansson, the bratty son of the Royal Postmaster General, deliberately sidelines his training at the Royal Postman Academy, his father sends him off to Smeerensburg, a secluded island above the Arctic Circle. Jesper is told he must deliver 6,000 letters in one year or lose his inheritance.

Once up north, a desperate Jasper inadvertently brings joy to the town after meeting a mysterious, bearded toymaker named Klaus (J.K. Simmons) who lives alone in a cabin filled with homemade toys — thus bringing the genesis of Santa to life.

Watch Klaus on Netflix