What are the best Christmas movies in 2024? 'Tis the season to be jolly, eat way too much chocolate, and indulge in the most sickly sweet Christmas movies the Lifetime channel has to offer. Whether you want to experience a blissful muppet classic, look past the traditional margins for holiday horrors, or rewatch A Wonderful Life for the millionth time, sitting down with hot cocoa to watch holiday films is one of the most wonderful parts of Christmas.
Though we've got plenty of the best action movies and best thriller movies to recommend, it stands to reason that a Christmas marathon should be a little more relaxing. On that note, we've got a diverse collection that extends to multiple genres, but they all share something in common: a cozy throughline.
These picks will be handy for solo nights in on the sofa, or if you're looking for something to share with your family on the big day. Whatever the scenario, these are the 10 best Christmas movies to make the most of the occasion.
10. How the Grinch Stole Christmas
Year: 2000
Director: Ron Howard
The Grinch, a grumpy solitary creature living on the outskirts of the endlessly cheery town of Whoville, hatches a plan to steal Christmas from the gift-obsessed residents. But his plan goes awry when he meets a little girl, Cindy, who wants to return the holiday to its true meaning.
Howard's adaptation of the famous Dr. Seuss book is the most iconic, and for good reason. The movie's quirky Whoville slant, all-in Jim Carrey performance, and endearing songs have made it a staple on most people's Christmas watchlist. It's cheeky, absurdly silly, and warm-hearted despite the Christmas-hating green crank at the center of it. It carries that elusive holiday feeling better than almost any other movie, and that's why it’s so enduring.
9. Arthur Christmas
Year: 2011
Director: Sarah Smith
Santa Claus is retiring soon, and his beefing sons Steve and Arthur are next in line for the red fluffy crown. The problem is that the family members have extremely different ideas about how to execute Christmas, which has become a mission of epic proportions thanks to an expanding population. It turns out even the Claus family bicker at the dinner table.
Succession, but make it Christmas! This animated movie is an earnest gem. Like many other Christmas films, it hones in on the difference between what Christmas is meant to be versus what it often becomes. The animation quality has aged fairly since its 2011 release, but James McAvoy's voice acting, the cheery humor, and the unique take on Santa as an institution keep it afloat. Arthur Christmas is also very rewatchable, due to an emotional core that just works.
Read our Arthur Christmas review for more animated cheer.
8. Home Alone
Year: 1990
Director: Chris Columbus
You know the story: a young boy left behind when his family goes on vacation must defend his home from bumbling bandits. Whipping back and forth between his dream-turned-nightmare scenario and his frantic mother trying to get back home, this is a classic.
Many folks will argue it's not really Christmas if you've not snuck in a Home Alone rewatch. That's fair, but we'll opt for the original over Home Alone 2… or the other ones, which we don't talk about. This hammy home invasion film is the perfect family movie; kids will love watching Kevin fend for himself, and older viewers will find themselves loving Catherine O'Hara's matriarch more with each revisit.
For more classics, check out our list of the best Disney Plus Christmas movies.
7. The Holdovers
Year: 2023
Director: Alexander Payne
A teacher at a 1970s New England boarding school is forced to supervise students over the holiday break after he costs the academy money by flunking a major donor's son. They band together as a misfit group over the breaking, learning to live with each other's differences.
There's a quiet reassurance in seeing strangers evolve into a found family, overcoming their disparities and challenges. The Holdovers is a heartfelt tribute to the resilience of the human spirit, embracing understated melancholy over loud declarations. While imbued with moments of sorrow, it becomes a cherished and feel-good winner.
Read our five-star The Holdovers review for more information!
6. Gremlins
Year: 1984
Director: Joe Dante
When Billy Peltzxer is gifted a fuzzy, mysterious creature by his inventor father, he soon unleashes a hellish raid on his town when they begin multiplying. This is perhaps the only time you don't want to be surprised by extra presents under your Christmas tree.
Had enough of the toothless holiday stories? Don't fret, an army of cuddly but demonic creatures are here to save you. Just don't feed them after midnight, obviously. This horror comedy is a practical effects showcase with mischievous humor and an impressive cast. It zips through several tones effortlessly, with the strong duo of young adults Billy and Kate at the center. The havoc is so much fun to watch, but Gremlins is also sentimental in the right places.
Check out our Gremlins review for more on one of the best Christmas horror movies of all time!
5. Die Hard
Year: 1988
Director: John McTiernan
It's Christmas at Nakatomi Plaza, and an employee holiday party is about to go very wrong. When NYPD officer John McClane visits his estranged wife, Holly, he ends up being the last line of defense against a terrorist group targeting the plaza.
This legendary action flick features Bruce Willis at the height of his powers. But despite the macho qualities, it's the story's everyman angle that sets it apart. John is not a superhero, he's at the wrong place at the wrong time. He has a simple goal of saving the woman he loves and he's going to get it done, shoes or no shoes! There's also the matter of Alan Rickman's infamous villain, Hans Gruber — if you need reminding of the late actor's range, there's always Die Hard.
Is Die Hard a festive classic? See if it's on our list of the best Christmas movies that aren't really Christmas movies.
4. Krampus
Year: 2015
Director: Michael Dougherty
When a young boy loses his Christmas spirit, an eerie snowstorm turns a family reunion upside down. When his grandma shares the story of a malevolent creature, it becomes clear that the bumps in the night and increasing tension aren't just because of bubbling relative rivalries.
Krampus is the perfect introduction to Christmas horror. This unhinged fable about a dark spirit antithetical to Santa Claus is imbued with chaotic practical effects, realistic family drama, and a snowed-in isolated setting. Despite how much straight-to-DVD trash about this mythical creature exists, Dougherty's capable hands transform it into a cynical but exhilarating ride with plenty of tricks up its sleeve. The ending will stick with you, we promise.
3. Little Women
Year: 2019
Director: Greta Gerwig
In 19th-century Massachusetts, the March sisters — Jo, Meg, Amy, and Beth — come of age amongst civil war, the pressures of womanhood, and a loss that changes their lives forever. This adaptation of the 1868 novel is a stirring drama with fantastic performances.
It's impossible to overstate Saoirse Ronan's hold on Little Women. Whether it was her evolving creative partnership with director Gerwig or just the right role at the right time, Ronan's Jo March is the definitive on-screen version of the character. We experience the story through her eyes, as the non-linear editing unfolds the details of her life. The stretched timeline only strengthens the period piece's characters, their endearing dynamics, and the challenges of a budding novelist trying to make sense of a family tragedy.
Read our Little Women review for more on this must-watch!
2. Carol
Year: 2015
Director: Todd Haynes
Aimless department store clerk Therese meets an alluring but troubled older woman in 1950s New York. When sparks fly over Christmas gifts and shared glances, their circumstances and ties to normality threaten to put a stop to dreams of a whirlwind love affair.
Did you order romance? Haynes' period piece is endlessly dreamy. It has the power to stop time in its tracks — the entrancing score, Edward Lachlan's cinematography, and career-best performances feel as if they're suspended in the air. Carol's grainy visuals, hypnotic storytelling, and the blue melancholy of longing put you in a vice. This is mature romance at its most enthralling, heartache and painful growth set against snowflake flurries and winter fur coats.
Check out our five-star Carol review for more on this modern Christmas staple.
1. The Muppet Christmas Carol
Year: 1992
Director: Brian Henson
A muppet interpretation of Charles Dickens' tale of Ebenezer Scrooge, penny-pincher extraordinaire. Held accountable for his dastardly ways during three ghostly visits on Christmas Eve, the cold miser confronts past, present, and future.
You would think a tale as expansive and weighty as this would suffer from high-pitched muppet voices infiltrating every facet of the story, but you’d be wrong. This retelling is warm, funny, chilling, and touching. It's not just the finest muppet adaptation, it's a timeless and toasty musical that hits every single one of its marks. Michael Caine goes all in on his Scrooge, and he lends a gravitas that is as non-sensical as it is moving. You know a movie is powerful when you're teary-eyed over green frog puppets.
For more on our top festive pick, check out our The Muppet Christmas Carol review.
Want more holiday recommendations? Head over to our lists of the best Netflix Christmas movies and the best Christmas TV episodes.
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