Cover The best Christmas movies to watch this festive season (Photo: Getty Images)
The best Christmas movies to watch this festive season (Photo: Getty Images)
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These Christmas favourites are sure to get you in the joyous mood this holiday season
It’s officially the holiday season and if you’re not yet in the mood, Christmas movies are sure to get you in one. After all, the festive season isn’t complete without getting in a cheesy, feel-good flick, right?
When it comes to Christmas films, there are plenty to choose from; in recent years, these festive films have become a genre in itself with various streaming services churning out these movies to hit a wide range of audiences. Case in point: it’s only the beginning of December, yet Hallmark has already released over 30 holiday movies. But it doesn’t mean that newer releases don’t deserve the same attention as the classics.
To save you from endlessly scrolling on your favourite streaming platform, we have rounded up the best Christmas movies to watch this season.
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1. The Holdovers
A recent addition that has swiftly earned classic status, this film offers a far more sophisticated take on the Christmas narrative. Set in 1970s New England, it follows a curmudgeonly prep school teacher, a grieving cook, and a brilliant, troubled student forced to spend the holidays together. It is sharply written, impeccably acted, and emotionally resonant. This is the film you choose when you desire thoughtful melancholy served alongside dry wit.
2. While You Were Sleeping
A beautifully understated festive rom-com, this film features Sandra Bullock at her most engaging as a lonely transit worker who becomes romantically entangled with a kind man's family after he falls into a coma. It manages to feel genuine, heartening, and effortlessly comfortable without ever stooping to cliché. It proves that a great Christmas story is ultimately about finding where you truly belong.
3. Carol
For a sophisticated take on holiday viewing, Todd Haynes’ exquisitely shot adaptation of Patricia Highsmith’s novel is peerless. Set against the crisp, beautifully styled backdrop of 1950s New York at Christmas, this is a masterful film that explores forbidden love and yearning. The attention to period detail and costume design is immaculate, making it a compelling choice for the discerning viewer who appreciates cinematic elegance.
4. The Holiday
The Holiday is a charming romantic comedy that follows Amanda Woods (Cameron Diaz) and Iris Simpkins (Kate Winslet) who both seek an escape from their troubled love lives. Woods is a successful business woman from Los Angeles while Simpkins is a society columnist for a newspaper in London. The duo agree to swap homes for the holiday season and embark on journeys of self-discovery and romance.
5. Miracle on 34th Street
This enchanting remake of the classic 1947 film tells the story of Kris Kringle (played by Richard Attenborough), an elderly man who claims to be the real Santa Claus. His identity is put to the test in a courtroom battle to prove his authenticity. A must-watch this Christmas season, this iconic film explores themes of faith and hope in the magic of Christmas.
6. Love Actually
Set against the backdrop of London during the Christmas season, this romcom intertwines various storylines, exploring various facets of love through the interconnected lives of its characters including a newlywed couple, a heartbroken writer and a prime minister. The film’s iconic scenes encapsulate the spirit of life and connection during the holiday season. The movie features a star-studded cast including Notting Hill’s Hugh Grant, Pirates of the Caribbean’s Keira Knightley and Cruella’s Emma Thompson.
7. How the Grinch Stole Christmas
Jim Carrey plays Grinch in this live-action adaptation of Dr Seuss’s beloved tale of a green creature who despises Christmas. As he devises a plan to ruin the holiday, he encounters unexpected warmth and kindness from the villagers and learns about the true spirit of Christmas. The whimsical film combines humour with a heartfelt message about embracing the joy of giving.
8. The Santa Clause
The first instalment of The Santa Clause franchise, this film follows Scott Calvin, who inadvertently becomes Santa Claus after causing the original Santa to fall off his roof. He faces challenges balancing his new role with his life as a father. The movie cleverly mixes comedy with heartfelt moments as Calvin learns about the importance of family.
9. A Christmas Story
Set in the 1940s, this nostalgic film follows young Ralphie Parker as he dreams of receiving a Red Ryder BB gun for Christmas. Through Parker’s eyes, we experience the joys and trials of childhood during the holiday season. The film’s humorous anecdotes and memorable moments are sure to resonate across generations and its portrayal of family life has solidified it as a timeless classic to be enjoyed each year.
10. Elf
Will Ferrell stars as oversized elf Buddy in this Christmas comedy. Raised amongst elves in the North Pole, Buddy travels to New York searching for his biological father. Starring alongside Ferrel is The Godfather’s James Caan, New Girl’s Zooey Deschanel and Game of Thrones’s Peter Dinklage. Since the movie was first released in 2003, the Christmas classic has been praised for Ferrell’s hilarious antics as Buddy and its iconic quotes.
11. The Polar Express
Adapted from the Calcott Medal award-winning children’s book of the same name, this classic follows a young boy who boards a train bound for the North Pole. On board, he makes friends with other children while learning the true spirit of Christmas. Starring Forrest Gump’s Tom Hanks, the movie offers a similar tone to classics like It’s A Wonderful Life and A Christmas Carol, which spotlights a character who finds hope and joy again.
12. Home Alone
This cosy 1990 classic follows eight-year-old Kevin McCallister played by Richie Rich’s Macaulay Culkin who gets left at home while his family travels to Paris. While he initially enjoys his freedom, he finds thieves trying to break into his home. We see McCallister booby-trapping the house in order to scare away the burglars. Since its release, the movie has been praised for its comedic scenes and heartwarming story about family and love.
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13. Love Hard
The Vampire Diaries’s Nina Dobrev and Silicon Valley’s Jimmy O Yang star as Natalie Bauer and Josh Lin in this festive rom-com. After meeting on a dating app, Bauer realises that she has been catfished by Lin, who used his childhood friend’s images on his dating profile. Released in 2021, this lighthearted film has been praised for its interesting set-up, festive cliches and charming cast.
14. Noelle
A unique twist on the famous Santa Claus folklore, this fantasy comedy sees the role of Santa Claus being passed down to the generations of men in the Kringle family. When Noelle Kringle’s brother gets cold feet from taking over his father’s position, she steps up to be the next Santa Claus. Starring Pitch Perfect’s Anna Kendrick and It Chapter Two’s Bill Hader, this heartwarming film offers themes of kindness, hope and family.
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