30 best Christmas movies of all time you should watch
'Tis the season for Christmas movies, and these are the best.
Christmas movies warm our hearts and that's why we can't get enough of them as soon as December emerges over the horizon.
To make sure you haven't missed the most important ones out there, here are the best Christmas movies of all time, from ultimate classics like It's a Wonderful Life to more recent and unmissable movies like Klaus.
New Christmas movies have already landed this year, including Eddie Murphy's Candy Cane Lane on Prime Video and Richard Curtis's Genie on Sky Cinema, while Netflix has given us Best. Christmas. Ever! Family Switch, Catering Christmas and more. A sequel to the lovely Your Christmas or Mine named simply Your Christmas or Mine 2 is also available on Prime Video in time for the holidays.
Alas, in this list we will only ever allow great movies. During this season we always have a lot of love to give, and that includes those Hallmark-type Christmas movies which are delightfully and unashamedly mediocre, but they didn't make the cut.
Here we bring Digital Spy's selection of the very best movies to watch at Christmas time, which are particularly well-suited for family gatherings and viewers who unironically believe in the magic of Christmas.
It's the time of year to sit around watching films and eating your weight in chocolate!
This is Christmas (2022)
One of the best Christmas movies of the last five years, This is Christmas is meant to become a festive classic.
Starring Skins star Kaya Scodelario and Harry Potter star Alfred Enoch, the story follows an idealistic head of an advertising agency who always gets the same train every day from Langton to London. Among the usual travellers there's Emma, a chef on the precipice of moving to Chicago with her boyfriend.
With British greats Joanna Scanlan, Timothy Spall, Sarah Niles, Ben Miller and Rebecca Root as the supporting cast, This is Christmas has all of the ingredients to make it a perfect Christmas movie.
Watch now: NOW TV
Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey (2020)
One of the best Christmas movies on Netflix, Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey is not only a great family watch but also an important step forward for diversity and representation in festive movies.
Narrated by Phylicia Rashad, the story stars Forrest Whitaker as a former toymaker named Jeronicus Jangle, who is visited by his granddaughter Journey (Madalen Mills) for the holidays. While his former apprentice (Keegan-Michael Key) is desperate to cling on to his fame, a magical invention could change the Jangle's lives.
It's a lively and fast-paced Christmas musical that you'll return to year after year.
Watch now: Netflix
Carol (2015)
That meet-cute between Rooney Mara (wearing a Santa Claus' hat behind the shop's counter) and Cate Blanchett (forgetting her gloves very intentionally) at the start of Carol is absolutely iconic.
Before May December, Todd Haynes directed this beautiful love story, based on the 1952 novel by Patricia Highsmith.
The story follows the forbidden romance between an aspiring photographer and a married woman. However, in the early 1950s, two women in love was not something many people were willing to accept.
Watch now: Channel 4 | Prime Video | Microsoft Store
Tokyo Godfathers (2003)
If you want to broaden your horizons when talking about Christmas movies, this is the one to watch — Satoshi Kon's Tokyo Godfathers is the unexpected Christmas movie you shouldn't miss.
Inspired by John Ford's 3 Godfathers, the story follows three homeless people (middle-aged alcoholic Gin, teenage runaway Miyuki and former drag queen Hana) who on Christmas Eve find a baby in a trash bin. They decide to return it home.
Completely unique and unconventional, it's a heartwarming and surprisingly touching watch, and one of the best anime movies of all time.
Watch now: Microsoft Store | Apple TV+
Little Women (2019)
There have been many adaptations of Louisa May Alcott's beloved novel over the years, but Greta Gerwig's found new meanings and deeper emotions with an astonishing cast.
Saoirse Ronan, Emma Watson, Florence Pugh and Eliza Scanlen play the March sisters as they navigate their hopes, dreams and desires during a turbulent 19th-century North-America.
With incredible supporting actors like Laura Dern, Timothée Chalamet and Meryl Streep, the movie brings the heart-warming (and sometimes heart-breaking) story to life in a beautiful way.
Watch now: Netflix | Prime Video | Microsoft Store
Violent Night (2022)
Stranger Things and MCU star David Harbour becomes a very violent Santa Claus in this wild Christmas comedy, highly recommended for those who prefer action over soppy dramas.
Violent Night begins when a team of mercenaries breaks into the house of a wealthy family on Christmas Eve, taking everyone hostage. What they did not expect was Santa Claus to become their biggest enemy.
Harbour is amazing as this bloodthirsty Santa Claus, and the movie is a hilarious, gory ride with one of the highest audience scores in Rotten Tomatoes for a Christmas movie.
Watch now: Sky Cinema | Prime Video | Microsoft Store
The Holiday (2006)
This is one of those festive rom-coms everybody loves and keeps rewatching over the years, and it's easy to see why.
Jude Law, Cameron Diaz, Kate Winslet and Jack Black are absolutely charming in this double love story between London and Los Angeles, which happens to be set during Christmas time.
Written and directed by rom-com expert Nancy Meyers, The Holiday follows movie trailer producer Amanda and society columnist Iris as they swap their homes for the Christmas season after bad break-ups.
Watch now: Netflix | Prime Video | Microsoft Store
A Christmas Story (1983)
This '80s Christmas classic, based on Jean Shepherd's hilarious writings, is still as charming as when it was first released.
A Christmas Story follows the adventures of young Ralphie Parker (played by Peter Billingsley), who during the festive season dreams of getting a Red Ryder air rifle. In the meantime, he has to dodge a bully and deal with his cranky dad without losing his Christmas spirit.
Following the movie's success, three sequels were released over the years — It Runs in the Family in 1994, A Christmas Story 2 in 2012, and the more recent A Christmas Story Christmas in 2022, which brought most of the original cast back.
Watch now: Prime Video | Microsoft Store | iTunes
How The Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)
Jim Carrey as The Grinch is one of the most perfect Christmas movie casting decisions ever.
Adapted from Dr Seuss's famous 1957 book, How The Grinch Stole Christmas is a funny festive watch for all the family, with Carrey being his hilarious self and the rest of the cast dealing with some crazy hair choices.
Directed by Ron Howard, the movie follows The Grinch as he becomes increasingly angry at the loud Christmas celebrations in Whoville, which he can hear from his solitary home. He decides to ruin the festivities, but a little girl named Cindy Lou might have the power to change his perspective.
Watch now: Netflix | Prime Video | iTunes
Nativity! (2009)
Is this one of the best British Christmas movies ever? Probably, since it became a festive franchise followed by three sequels and a successful stage musical adaptation.
Starring Martin Freeman and Ashley Jensen, Nativity! follows a teacher who lies to his rival, saying that Hollywood producers are coming to watch his school's Christmas nativity. As it happens, that little lie becomes a big problem as it spreads around Coventry. They better deliver now.
It's a charming musical set in England for those looking for a heart-warming, family-friendly British Christmas movie.
Watch now: BBC iPlayer | Prime Video | iTunes
The Santa Clause (1994)
Tim Allen's is one of the most remembered versions of Santa Claus in movie history, with two sequels and a 2022 Disney+ series confirming its long-lasting success.
The Santa Clause follows Scott Calvin, a marketing director for a toy company who accidentally causes Santa Claus to fall from his roof. And on Christmas Eve of all nights! Who is going to deliver the gifts now?
Burdened with a sense of responsibility, he travels with his young son, Charlie, to the North Pole, where he finds out that he must become the new Santa in order to save Christmas.
Watch now: Disney+ | Prime Video
Your Christmas or Mine? (2022)
It's quite difficult to find recent Christmas movies that we can rank among the 'best' Christmas movies or that we can call a 'classic'. Your Christmas or Mine? definitely goes in the right direction to achieve that.
Starring Sex Education star Asa Butterfield and theatre actor Cora Kirk, the movie follows a young couple that decide to surprise each other by going to their respective opposite homes during Christmas break — meaning they end up spending Christmas separated.
Prime Video has released a sequel this year, Your Christmas or Mine 2, so it looks like this Christmas new classic is growing.
Watch now: Prime Video
Tangerine (2015)
There's no need for wrapped gifts, family gatherings, Santa Claus or snow falling to tell a Christmas story, and Tangerine is proof of that.
Sean Baker's indie movie, filmed with iPhones, follows two transgender sex workers on Christmas Eve. Sin-Dee Rella (played by Kitana Kiki Rodriguez) just got released after a month in prison, and helped by aspiring singer Alexandra (Mya Taylor) she is determined to find out if her boyfriend is cheating on her.
It's not only a movie set during the festive season, but it's also a much-needed story about the importance of chosen families.
Watch now: Prime Video | Microsoft Store | iTunes
Arthur Christmas (2011)
With an all-star voice cast (James McAvoy, Hugh Laurie, Bill Nighy, Jim Broadbent, Imelda Staunton and more), Arthur Christmas is a sweet festive treat for the whole family.
The story follows Santa's awkward son Arthur, who tries very hard to follow his father's footsteps. When he learns that a little girl is not getting her Christmas gift because of a technical malfunction, Arthur embarks on a mission to fix it.
Co-produced by Sony Pictures Animation and Aardman Animations (in their second mostly computer-animated film away from their signature stop-motion work), this film is a heart-warming family adventure.
Watch now: Sky Cinema | Prime Video | Microsoft Store
Krampus (2015)
Christmas movies are not always family-friendly adventures and uplifting stories — sometimes they are scary.
Starring Adam Scott and Toni Collette, Krampus is a different kind of Christmas movie. As the title teases, the protagonists will be facing a Krampus, a terrifying monster known in ancient European folklore as a sort of Christmas-themed boogeyman.
When a young boy loses his festive spirit after a nasty family argument, the creature awakens and mayhem ensues in the neighbourhood.
Krampus is a great horror movie for those viewers looking for a more challenging Christmas watch.
Watch now: Sky Cinema | Prime Video | Microsoft Store
Happiest Season (2020)
We waited far too long for a gay Christmas rom-com, but Happiest Season proved worth the wait when it arrived in 2020.
Its setup is the classic festive worry: meeting your partner's family for the first time. For Harper (Mackenzie Davis) though, it's a bit trickier as her family doesn't even know she's gay. Add in the fact that Abby (Kristen Stewart) was going to propose at Christmas, and things just get even more awkward.
With winning performances not just from Davis and Stewart, but also from Dan Levy and Aubrey Plaza in hilarious supporting roles, Happiest Season gives the best of everything you expect from a Christmas movie – and a bit extra too.
Watch now: Prime Video | iTunes | Microsoft Store
Anna and the Apocalypse (2017)
If you fancy something a bit darker this festive season, there's a really good crop of Christmas horror movies waiting for you too.
The pick of the bunch from recent years is the zombie musical horror Anna and the Apocalypse which might have buckets of blood, but also loads of heart to make it a proper Christmas movie.
It sees a zombie apocalypse hit the small town of Little Haven in Scotland just as Anna (Ella Hunt) is about to finish school and head on a gap year travelling. Any idea of graduation is put on hold though when she must team up with her friends to fight the zombie hordes to rescue her dad.
Anna and the Apocalypse has excellent showtunes, inventive kills and terrific performances to give you all you could want from a Christmas movie.
Watch now: Prime Video | iTunes | Microsoft Store
Bad Santa (2003)
Not all Christmas movies are full of love and sugar.
In Bad Santa, we get a different kind of festive classic thanks to a wickedly good Billy Bob Thornton. This dark comedy follows Willie, a man who every year dresses up as Santa Claus in order to steal from shops in the mall on Christmas Eve, helped by his partner (played by Tony Cox).
Depressed, grumpy and alcoholic, Willie is on the brink of collapse when a little kid makes him realise there is hope.
Well, maybe it is a Christmas movie full of love and sugar. Combining these warm feelings with some cracking dark humour, Bad Santa makes for a perfect festive watch.
Watch now: Sky Cinema | Prime Video | iTunes | Microsoft Store
The Polar Express (2004)
If you feel like you need to borrow a bit of Christmas spirit, The Polar Express will do the trick.
Based on the 1985 book by Chris Van Allsburg, this beautiful animated movie directed by Robert Zemeckis and starring Tom Hanks has quickly become a Christmas classic.
The story follows a young boy who is not too sold on the idea of Christmas, so he is taken on a fantastic journey by train to the North Pole. You know, where Santa Claus is doing his thing. This adventure turns out to be a journey of self-discovery for the protagonist, who is reminded of the wonders of the season.
The visual look of the movie was made by turning live-action images to animation, and the end results are striking.
Watch now: Sky Cinema | Prime Video | iTunes | Microsoft Store
Elf (2003)
Whether you are a cotton-headed ninny-muggins or not, Elf is most probably one of your favourite Christmas movies.
Will Ferrell stars as Buddy, a human who is accidentally transported to the North Pole as a baby, therefore raised as an elf. Well, not any elf, but one of Santa Claus' hard-working elves.
Now an adult, Buddy wants to know more about his origins so he travels to New York to find his real father. Because this is a Christmas carol, his father is actually a very serious, cynical businessman (played by James Caan) who at first refuses to believe that this full-grown man in an elf suit is his long-lost child.
An absolute Christmas classic, we hold Elf dear to our hearts.
Watch now: Sky Cinema | Prime Video | iTunes | Microsoft Store
Movies Editor, Digital Spy Ian has more than 10 years of movies journalism experience as a writer and editor. Starting out as an intern at trade bible Screen International, he was promoted to report and analyse UK box-office results, as well as carving his own niche with horror movies, attending genre festivals around the world. After moving to Digital Spy, initially as a TV writer, he was nominated for New Digital Talent of the Year at the PPA Digital Awards. He became Movies Editor in 2019, in which role he has interviewed 100s of stars, including Chris Hemsworth, Florence Pugh, Keanu Reeves, Idris Elba and Olivia Colman, become a human encyclopedia for Marvel and appeared as an expert guest on BBC News and on-stage at MCM Comic-Con. Where he can, he continues to push his horror agenda – whether his editor likes it or not.
Mireia (she/her) has been working as a movie and TV journalist for over eight years. Based in the UK, she is a former deputy movies editor at Digital Spy, and previously worked for the Spanish magazine Fotogramas. Mireia's work has been published in other outlets such as Esquire and Elle in Spain, and WeLoveCinema and GamesRadar+ in the UK. She is also a published author, having written the essay Biblioteca Studio Ghibli: Nicky, la aprendiz de bruja about Hayao Miyazaki's Kiki's Delivery Service.
During her years as a freelance journalist and film critic, Mireia has covered festivals around the world and has interviewed high-profile talents such as Kristen Stewart, Ryan Gosling, Jake Gyllenhaal and many more. She's also taken part in juries such as the FIPRESCI jury at Venice Film Festival and the short film jury at Kingston International Film Festival in London. LinkedIn
Gabriella Geisinger is a freelance film critic and journalist, with a focus on J-drama & film, and the Japanese production industry. She was previously Locations Editor at Screen International and Deputy Movies Editor at Digital Spy. Her writing can also befound in Curzon, 1883, and more. A born and raised New Yorker, she loves coffee and the colour black, obviously.
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