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The Best Holiday Movies

Posted on December 13, 2023   |   Updated on September 30, 2025
Adrian González

Adrian González

people lying on a floor with white Christmas lights watching a screen

Warm up your hot cocoa, we’re getting festive. (evgenyatamanenko / Getty Images)

‘Tis the season for cozying up on the couch and binge-watching holiday movies. The only problem is that there are so many to choose from that picking what to watch can be a chore. Here’s a good place to start.

The Classics

Let’s start off with the easy choices — I’m talking “Home Alone,” “Elf,” or “Love Actually.” These are best for when you don’t want to endlessly scroll for options, or when you just want a crowd-pleaser. Here are a few other favorites.

  • “The Holiday” — Who knew Jack Black could be charming?
  • “Little Women” — You have three film adaptations from which to choose!
  • “The Nightmare Before Christmas” — We’re all a little bit of Jack Skellington.
  • “A Christmas Carol” — This one also has three different film adaptations.
  • “Scrooged” — Or you could watch Bill Murray in the modern adaptation of the Charles Dickens novel.
  • “Carol” — One of the most beautiful on-screen affairs.

A Word About ‘Bad’ Holiday Movies

As an equal-opportunity movie lover, I encourage you to watch whatever flicks you enjoy without an ounce of shame. There is simply no denying the hot-soup levels of comfort you can get from watching Hallmark movies and holiday rom-coms. Don’t let film bros tell you otherwise. One that I enjoy to an unreasonable degree is “Felíz NaviDAD,” starring Mario Lopez and his adorable dimples.

Bruce Willis crawling on his belly

Is “Die Hard” a Christmas movie? (Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox)

Something Different

  • “Die Hard” — The debate on whether this is a Christmas movie rages on. Regardless, it’s a great time to watch.
  • “Black Christmas” — A 1974 gory horror classic.
  • “A Serious Man” — Comedy cringe a-la Coen brothers.
  • “The Lodge” — For the horror fans who want to partake in the holiday spirit.
  • “Santa Claus” — No, not the one with Tim Allen. I’m referring to the 1959 Mexican film, chock-full of weirdness.
  • “The Ice Harvest” — John Cusack as a conniving lawyer pulling a Christmas Eve con is quite enjoyable.
  • “Tangerine” — One of my favorites from 2015, this one follows a transgender sex worker in L.A. And it was all shot on an iPhone.

Happy watching!

What Are Your Favorite Holiday Movies?
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