Best Christmas movies: 40 classics, comedies and family favorites

The short answer: the best Christmas movies are the ones your family wants to watch again every December. This list rounds up 40, grouped by mood.

• Cozy and classic: It's a Wonderful Life, White Christmas
• Big laughs: Elf, Christmas Vacation, Home Alone
• Little kids: The Polar Express, Rudolph, Charlie Brown
• Something different: Die Hard, Gremlins, Klaus
• Next step: Plan it with the Holiday Season Bundle ($15.99).

The best Christmas movies are the ones your family wants to watch again every December. Some are black-and-white classics, some are loud comedies, and some are animated stories that kids quote all year. This list rounds up 40 Christmas movies grouped by mood, so you can pick a film for a cozy night in, a party, a date or a family marathon. We also included a quick planning table and a checklist idea so you can track what you have watched before the holidays are over.

Movie night is better with a plan and a snack tray. The Holiday Season Bundle includes a holiday calendar to schedule your picks, and if you are the one feeding everyone, the Hosting Christmas, Send Snacks tee fits the mood.

Classic Christmas movies

Classic Christmas movies set the tone for the holiday, and many of the songs and scenes people know come from them. It's a Wonderful Life (1946) tells the story of George Bailey, who gets to see what his town would look like without him. Britannica notes that it was not a big hit at first and found its huge audience later through television broadcasts, which is part of why it now feels like a tradition. Miracle on 34th Street (1947) asks whether a department store Santa might be the real thing. Holiday Inn (1942) introduced the song "White Christmas," and White Christmas (1954) brought it back with Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye. The 1951 version of A Christmas Carol, often called Scrooge, is many people's favorite take on Dickens. Other classics worth a spot on your list are The Bishop's Wife (1947), Christmas in Connecticut (1945) and The Shop Around the Corner (1940).

Funny Christmas movies

If you want laughs, comedies are the safest pick for a mixed crowd. A Christmas Story (1983) follows Ralphie's quest for a Red Ryder BB gun. National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989) is a chaotic family holiday that feels a little too familiar. Home Alone (1990) and Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992) are still favorites with kids and adults. Elf (2003) has Will Ferrell as a human raised by elves at the North Pole. Scrooged (1988), The Santa Clause (1994), Jingle All the Way (1996), Four Christmases (2008) and The Night Before (2015) round out the comedy list, though check ratings on the last two before watching with younger kids.

Animated and family Christmas movies

Animated Christmas movies are perfect for family nights because they work for nearly every age. The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992) may be the most faithful and funniest version of Dickens. The Polar Express (2004) is built around the magic of a train ride to the North Pole. Arthur Christmas (2011) explains how Santa really delivers all those gifts. Klaus (2019) is a beautifully drawn origin story for Santa. The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) works for both Halloween and Christmas. The Grinch (2018), How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000), Mickey's Christmas Carol (1983) and the classic TV specials A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965), Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964), How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (1966) and Frosty the Snowman (1969) are short enough for even the youngest viewers.

Romantic Christmas movies

For date night or a cozy evening, romantic Christmas movies deliver snow, twinkle lights and happy endings. Love Actually (2003) weaves together several London love stories. The Holiday (2006) features two women who swap homes for the season. Last Christmas (2019) is built around the Wham! song of the same name. While You Were Sleeping (1995) is set at Christmastime in Chicago. Serendipity (2001), Happiest Season (2020) and Little Women (1994), which opens and closes at Christmas, also make good picks.

Action and offbeat Christmas movies

Some viewers want something different. Die Hard (1988) sparks a debate every year about whether it counts as a Christmas movie, but it takes place at an office Christmas party, so many fans say yes. Gremlins (1984) is a holiday horror-comedy that is too intense for little kids. Klaus and Arthur Christmas also work for viewers who are tired of the usual formulas.

Pick a Christmas movie by mood

Christmas movies by release year

If you're building a watch list for a mixed-age group, the release year helps you spread old and new films across the month. These are the years given in the sections above.

A one-movie-a-night countdown

To watch one movie each night from December 1 to December 24, you need 24 titles. Pick the nights that are already busy, like the school concert or a party, and give them a short film or a rewatch. Save the longest film for a weekend, and put a favorite on December 24 so everyone knows what to expect. For more ways to count down, see these advent calendar ideas and our Christmas activities list.

How to plan a Christmas movie marathon

1. Pick three or four movies with different moods so nobody gets bored.
2. Start with the movie the youngest viewers want, and save the longest one for last.
3. Plan a short break between films for snacks, stretching and a quick cleanup.
4. Print a checklist of the movies on this page so everyone can mark off what they have seen.
5. Set out blankets, pajamas and cocoa before the first film starts.

A good snack spread makes any marathon feel special. Our list of Christmas snacks has easy sweet and savory ideas, and the Christmas movie night guide covers setup, seating and themes. For music during the breaks, try a playlist from our Christmas songs list.

Why Christmas movies became a tradition

Watching the same films every year is part of how families mark the season. Britannica's history of Christmas explains how the holiday has picked up customs from many places over the centuries, from trees and carols to Santa Claus, and movies are one of the newest additions. Television made films like It's a Wonderful Life and Rudolph into annual events, and streaming now lets families build their own lineups. Whatever you choose, repeating a few favorites each year gives kids something to look forward to and adults a reason to slow down.

The bottom line

The best Christmas movies mix a few timeless classics with comedies, animated favorites and one or two surprises. Choose by mood, plan a simple snack tray and keep a checklist so you can look back on the season's movie nights.