November 28th, 2018 | Updated on February 14th, 2022
Whether you are looking to get in the Christmas spirit or just need a quick escape from family time, gift shopping, or any other humdrum activity, we have got you covered with our favorite Christmas movies to engage you from now until the New Year.
All you have to do is to get ready for the holiday and indulge yourself to binge-watching as we head into the Christmas season. So, below, are the very best Christmas movies of cinematic history.
1. The Muppet Christmas Carol
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A retelling of the classic Dickens tale of Ebenezer Scrooge, miser extraordinaire. He is held accountable for his dastardly ways during night-time visitations by the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and future.
Review: Amanda
I bought the digital version of this film in hopes that it would have “When Love is Gone” in it. Sadly, it does not. This song is crucial to the film and the character arc of Ebeneezer Scrooge. Read Full Review…
2. A Christmas Carol (1984)
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Made for television version of the Charles Dickens classic of the same name. Ebenezer Scrooge is a hard-nosed, single-minded businessman in Victorian London. He has no friends, has disowned his only living relative – his nephew Fred Holywell – and generally treats everyone he meets with extreme contempt.
He hates Christmas, only cares about making money and only gives his clerk, Bob Cratchit, the day off. However, he is taught the true meaning and spirit of Christmas by three ghosts who show him his own past and present.
He is also shown what the future holds for him after his death if he doesn’t change his behaviour for the better.
Review: Brent Butler
Over the years I’ve watched pretty much every film performance of Dickens’ iconic tale of spiritual awakening. They’re all pretty good, even Mr Magoo. LOL Recently for me, it has come down to this and the Patrick Stewart version. Read Full Review…
3. A Christmas Carol (1951)
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Stingy businessman Ebenezer Scrooge is known as the meanest miser in Victorian London. He overworks and underpays his humble clerk, Bob Cratchit, whose little son, Tiny Tim, is crippled and may soon die.
He also has nothing to do with his nephew, Fred, because his birth cost the life of his beloved sister. On Christmas Eve, Scrooge has a haunting nightmare from being visited by the ghost of his business partner, Jacob Marley.
He is visited by three ghosts and is given one last chance to change his ways and save himself from the grim fate that befell Marley.
Review: James Morris
Many people are not aware of it, but Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol is the most-filmed classic story of all time, with over two dozen cinematic renditions.
Of these, many people consider the 1951 British Production starring Alastair Sim to be the very best film of this classic story. Read Full Review…
4. Ernest Saves Christmas
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An obnoxious and bumbling but well-meaning man attempts to help Santa Claus find a successor. Failure wouild mean that there would be no Christmas.
Review: CaptCrunch8182
Great Christmas classics- Miracle on 34th Street, Its a Wonderful Life, A Christmas Carol….all of these are CRAP compared to the absolute brilliance of Ernest. When he says “you know what I mean, Vern?” Read Full Review…
5. Christmas with the Kranks
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As strange as it may sound, the Kranks, the award-winning couple for their cheerful Christmas spirit, have decided for the first time, to skip this year’s annual festivities when their daughter, Blair, departs for Peru, after joining the Peace Corps.
With the intention to save the staggering amount of $6,000-plus spent on previous year’s holiday season, the Kranks are determined to invest the money on a sun-drenched, 10-day Caribbean cruise, much to their friends and neighbours chagrin. Read More…
Review: Raisuli the Magnificent
It’s a little odd, and perhaps jarring, to see the actors noted for edgy work do what amounts to a family oriented Christmas film.
Laurie noted for running from Jason and stripping in trading places, Cheech and his sendup and aggrandizement of a drug culture, and Tim whose professional life is distinctly different from his on-screen performances. Read Full Review…
6. On the Second Day of Christmas
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Con-woman Trish and her niece/ward Patsy are caught trying to steal from a department store right before Christmas. With the holidays so near, Bert, a store employee, agrees to be responsible for the pair so that Patsy need not spend the holidays in social services. Romance ensues.
Review: Country Rebel
If you have children under 13, I would watch it first. There is nothing wrong with this movie, it is very cute and has a good lesson if you can find it. It’s a story about a woman caring for her young Nice. Read Full Review…
7. Snowglobe
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The New York Cuban Moreno family and friends despair if matchmaking will ever get willful adult daughter Angela to date and wed a suitable man.
After the delivery of a magic snowball by new neighbour Eddie, the latest arranged date, it transports her in dreams to an alternate reality, where she dwells with naive country people in permanent Christmas mood.
Her admirer there, Doug, and later his admirer Marie get transferred to our world when the globe is damaged in a fall during Christmastide.
Review: Richard in AZ
There are 2 Snowglobe movies. This is by far the best one. Can’t tell you much without spoiling the plot. My wife considers it a holiday treat and saves it for a special evening.
I guess it’s a chick flick. If you’re tired of all the made for TV movies that are good for watching in the background, stream or get a copy of this version of Snowglobe. Read Full Review…
8. The Ultimate Christmas Present
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A girl steals a weather machine from Santa Claus, to make a snow day. The machine breaks, and causes an out-of-control snowstorm.
Review: megan
I love these Disney Channel Original movies. This is nostalgic for me because I remember watching the premiere for most of these movies.
I can’t thank Amazon enough for putting these movies on Amazon because I couldn’t find these movies anywhere!! This movie, in particular, is a funny and charming family movie that is perfect to watch during Christmas time. Read Full Review…
9. The Santa Claus 2
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Scott Calvin has been Santa Claus for the past eight years, and his loyal elves consider him the best Santa ever. But Santa’s got problems (he’s even mysteriously losing weight) and things quickly go south when he finds out that his son, Charlie, has landed on this year’s “naughty” list.
Desperate to help his son, Scott heads back home, leaving a substitute Claus to watch over things at the Pole. But when the substitute institutes some strange redefinitions of naughty and nice, putting Christmas at risk, it’s up to Scott to return with a new bag of magic to try to save Christmas.
Review: RC
This is a completely different movie than the first one and you can tell. The first one was more geared toward adults as well as young people, almost more realistic despite the fairytale aspects.
This one is more colourful, more childlike but still very enjoyable. It is cute and sweet and very comical, especially the military Santa and Curtis, the elf. Read Full Review…
10. The Santa Claus 3
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Now that Santa/Scott Calvin and Mrs. Claus/Carol Calvin have the North Pole running smoothly, the Counsel of Legendary Figures has called an emergency meeting on Christmas Eve!
The evil Jack Frost has been making trouble, looking to take over the holiday! So he launches a plan to sabotage the toy factory and compel Scott to invoke the little-known Escape Clause and wish he’d never become Santa!
Review: Dawn Kurtz
The Claus 3 is very entertaining; however, it falls short when compared with my favorite – The Santa Claus 2. While being somewhat creative with the appearance of the evil Jack Frost, the long introduction or setting of the plot contains too much dialogue and not enough action. Read Full Review…
11. Moonlight & Mistletoe
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In ‘Saint’ Nick Crosby’s old-fashioned year-round Christmas village Santaville, working as an elf on Christmas preparations all year killed his daughter Holly’s seasonal spirit.
So she moved out, feeling neglected since her mother’s death, to become a Boston toy firm’s hardest-working sales executive.
When Nick has a bad injury she returns to help out and finds Santaville outdated and near bankruptcy despite much generous help, especially from shy Peter. She tries to save it, counting on a plan proposed by charming financial advisor Ben Richards.
Review: Kjones
This movie is about Holly, whose dad (Nick), plays Santa Claus at a theme park open year round. She loved growing up there but as an adult has moved away to the city and lives the life of a single businesswoman. Her dad gets into a mild slay accident so she returns home to care for him. Read Full Review…
12. A Mom for Christmas
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Jessie is a young girl who’s mother died when she was just three. When she wins a free wish in a department store she wishes for a mom to be with and to shop with over the holidays. Her wish brings Amy, a mannequin, to life and into her life as her Mom for Christmas.
Review: Danelle Reetz
I first saw this movie years ago as a wide world of Disney presentation and I fell in love with it-I use to bring it to the homes of children I babysat and the kids all loved it too-a great classic that should be on your holiday watching list up there with It’s a Wonderful Life. Read Full Review…
13. All I Want for Christmas
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“All I Want For Christmas” is a comedy about two New York City children who launch a hilarious scheme to get what they most want this holiday season.
Ethan, a practical older brother, and adorable Hallie, who knows how to charm her way out of a difficult situation, are intent on spending Christmas with their parents, Catherine and Michael, and grandmother Lillian.
Review: Monique Alderman
This movie is adorable, funny and has some beautiful scenes in it. If you like New York City at Christmas time, you’ll enjoy this.
They say that Christmas is the season of perpetual hope. These kids wanted something for Christmas and they got their wish, a happy ending. There is romance in this movie too. Read Full Review…
14. A Diva’s Christmas Carol
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Ebony Scrooge is a one of the world’s most successful pop singers. Yet her cold hearted soul and nasty attitude makes her lack a lot of holiday cheer and makes her band and manager, anything but happy.
While in New York, Ebony is visited by her former singing partner, Marli Jacob, who claims that she will be visited by three spirits: Ghost of Christmas Past, Ghost of Christmas Present, and Ghost of Christmas Future who will hopefully turn Ebony’s life around.
Review: Huntress (I hunt books)
Who guessed Vanessa Williams being ‘snotty’ would make you laugh? She has the Diva role down pat and it was fascinating to watch her switch to a good person towards the end. She is very talented. Read Full Review…
15. Miracle on 34th Street
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A department store Santa tries to convince a little girl who doesn’t believe in Santa Claus that he is Santa Claus, and winds up going on trial to prove who he is.
Review: CelticWomanFanPiano
Oh, my! This is such a very good movie, that even my Mother, who barely tolerates my classic movie habit, sat down and watched this with me, completely engrossed in the story the entire time. Read Full Review…
16. I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus
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After a boy sees a man in Santa Claus suit kissing his mother, he thinks that the real Santa wants to replace his father, so he goes to prank-war with him.
Review: Loveoldtv
I really love this movie its great for the whole family. I watched it as a kid and just had to have it in my collection. Its fun to watch with kids I enjoy watching it with my nephew. if your looking for a great movie and aren’t sure what to go with I recommend giving this one a try who knows you may fall in love with it too! Read Full Review…
17. The Christmas Gift
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A widowed New York City architect and his young daughter take a Christmas vacation and end up in a small mystical town in Colorado where everyone believes in Santa Claus.
Review: KMcK
My Producer was sitting at his desk when the guy walked in and asked if he would listen to his music~songs. The Major asked his name and he said it was, John Deutschendorf. His Dad was stationed at Carswell Air Force Base, in Ft.Worth, Tx. Read Full Review…
18. Richie Rich’s Christmas Wish
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After getting blamed for spoiling Christmas, the richest kid in the world wishes he’d never been born. Unfortunately, the wishing machine, invented by professor Keenbean, picked up the wish and made it come true.
Now Richie finds himself in a parallel world where his only hope is to find professor Keenbean and the wishing machine so he can wish things back to normal.
Review: D. Danielson
Just not as good as the original Richie Rich but still funny. Although it is viewed for Christmas it will just add to the rest. This also completes the 2 movie collection of Richie Rich. Read Full Review…
19. A Smokey Mountain Christmas
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A country and western singer on a trip through the Tennessee mountains runs into a reclusive backwoodsman and a witch.
Review: Eric Sommers
My favorite Dolly movies and my favorite Christmas movie! They used to play it every year on CMT and I faithfully watched every year, but eventually they stopped showing it (probably because of her newer seasonal movies) and I was devastated! Read Full Review…
20. A Town Without Christmas
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In the small town of Seacliff, Wash., a child’s letter to Santa Claus captures the nation’s attention. When the little boy, Chris, writes that he wishes to leave this world so he will no longer be a burden to his divorcing parents, a race begins to find him before he harms himself.
Review: TV and movie fan
I ordered this movie having seen it a few years ago. It is a sweet story of faith and I loved the part played by Patricia Heaton. It is a good movie with good acting and likable characters, especially Peter Falk. I will enjoy watching this every year. Read Full Review…
21. Finding John Christmas
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Divorced nurse Kathleen McAllister becomes depressed as her ER is about to be closed by budget cuts. Delightfully surprised to spot a newspaper picture of her brother Hank, who left town 25 years ago, she approaches the photographer, who can’t help her as it was a mere coincidence, but the editor smells a gimmick and posts a fat reward for whoever finds the man whom the public dubs ‘John Christmas’.
Review: Lisa G.
The movie is great however case arrived broken but DVD was ok this is a series get the other two when angels come to town, a town without Christmas they are the best with Peter Falk. Read Full Review…
22. When Angels Come to Town
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The angel Max seems to have bungled his heavenly mission.
Review: Jean Schweer
Peter Falk has always been one of my favourites and he does a super job here of playing several characters..most of which seem a bit over the edge but always on the mark. It was touching how close this girl was to her brother and how very much she wanted to help him. Read Full Review…
23. The Christmas Tree
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A story about a forming friendship between an elderly nun, Sister Anthony, and New York’s Rockefeller Center’s head gardener Richard Reilly, who wants to fell a tree she’s been growing for decades and move it to New York for Christmas display.
Review: Amazon Customer
Honestly, it’s a terrible movie, but my god is it hilariously bad. I highly recommend it for fans of MST3K or as a gift to people who like so bad its good movies. Trust me its a special where you can laugh at Orphans on Christmas and not go to hell. Read Full Review…
24. It Came Upon the Midnight Clear
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Mickey Rooney plays Mike Halligan, a retired cop from Manhattan living in California with his family who decides to show his grandson, who has never seen snow before, what a real white Christmas in New York is like.
But he dies from a sudden heart attack in which Halligan makes a deal with the Archangel of Heaven to return to Earth for a week until Christmas and show his grandson the seasonal glories of New York City.
Review: Aldah B. Powell
This is a wonderful Christmas story, about a little boy, his family and his granddad. The little boy’s name is Robby, and his granddad wanted him to see a real Christmas in New York City. Read Full Review…
25. Christmas Caper
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After her latest job goes awry, a thief (Doherty) heads to her hometown in Connecticut to lay low over the Christmas holiday. Can the spirit of the holiday, combined with a stint babysitting her niece and nephew, rid her of her wicked ways?
Review: Irish33
I really like this Christmas movie. It is super cute and fun. This criminal goes back home to watch her sisters children and get away from the city where she committed a crime. Read Full Review…
26. A Christmas Wedding
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Emily and Ben met on Christmas day now plan to marry on this Christmas day almost two years later. Then Emily must attend work and leaves the wedding plans up to Ben.
Problems arise when procrastinator Ben tries to deal with bridesmaids dresses and dyed shoes, while perfectionist Emily is out of her mind with worry that her perfect day will be anything but.
However, when a snowstorm threatens to strand Emily at her work, she realizes that the only thing that matters is making it home to be with Ben and their Christmas wedding.
Review: Brooklyn Phantom
This is an entertaining stage play about family. Fox is good in her role as always. It’s a bit silly at times but the positive message of love and the importance of family sticking together makes the film worth seeing. Recommended for fans of Fox and Black themed family comedies. Read Full Review…
27. Christmas in Boston
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Now in young adulthood, Gina and Seth have been pen pals for thirteen years. They have graduated from handwritten letters when they started corresponding to email, but with both being insecure with who they are as people have decided not to exchange telephone numbers.
Even when they have discussed exchanging photographs of the other, they have sent photos of their more outgoing best friends, Ellen and Matt, passing them off as themselves without telling either Ellen or Matt.
Each has been there for the other through every major event that has happened in their lives, and as such, they have both fallen for the other without either admitting it to themselves or having the nerve to tell the other.
Living in different cities – Boston and Denver – they have never even seriously considered meeting in person, until now.
Review: Breezeie
Actually, there seemed to be no point to this movie. After 13yrs of communicating, even though sending fake pictures, one would think they would know the other person very well.
However, these two were clueless and therefore in the wrong movie. But that is the premise and a lame one. Just wish I had only rented it. Read Full Review…
28. Christmas in the City
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With the threat of having to close her father’s candy store, Wendy and her six-year-old daughter Grace travel to the big city in hopes of making extra holiday cash to save their family store. When she’s offered a job in the toy department of Wolman’s, the city’s biggest department store, Wendy can’t wait!
Her excitement doesn’t last long when the store’s new corporate fixer, Teanna, progressively destroys the Christmas spirit throughout the store, replacing Santa with hunky male underwear models surrounded by elfin “babes.” What no one is aware of is that Teanna has in fact sacked the real Santa.
Review: S. J. Cooper
I can’t say enough good things about this movie! Don’t let the cover image fool you! Though there are half-naked models dressed as Santa in this movie, the whole point of the movie is how that is SO un-Christmas-like! Read Full Review…
29. A Wish for Christmas
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Sara Thomas is the type of woman who prefers to sit on the sidelines at work, but when her big idea for a Christmas initiative is stolen, she makes a wish to Santa that she’ll finally have the courage to stand up for herself. Santa grants her wish, but only gives her 48 hours. As the clock ticks, Sara will discover how to channel the Christmas magic and speak her mind all on her own.
Review: Kindle Customer
I love her Christmas spirit! I have watched this movie more than 5 times already just because it makes me feel the Christmas spirit while watching it. Read Full Review…
30. The Christmas Card
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US Army sergeant Cody Cullen’s horror tour in Afghanistan ends when his fellow soldier Jonesy is killed in an attack while they are delivering medical supplies in Nurestan. Cody is put on leave and goes to return private possessions to Jonesy’s bride turned widow.
On his way home he passes Nevada City, California, where he meets Faith Spelman, who writes the parish’s Christmas cards to lonely soldiers, who had coincidentally included him, an orphan. He happens to save her dad Luke from a serious car run-over.
The Spellmans invite Cody home for dinner, then the Christmas tide. He proves a great help in the family logging firm.
Vietenam vet Luke wants Cody as son-in-law, but although charmed, Faith still seems committed to rarely present fiancé Paul, a wine broker.
Review: H. Bala
No fancy bells or whistles on it, The Christmas Card comes simple and straightforward and heartfelt.
I don’t know if the record still stands, but when it first aired in 2006, it took in the highest ratings in the history of the Hallmark channel in terms of the made-for-TV original film. Read Full Review…
31. Snow Bride
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So when word gets out that the late Senator Tannehill’s sons might be proposing marriage at the families Big Bear compound during Christmas, Greta and her chief rival Wes (Tom Lenk) are challenged by their old-school editor to get the scoop.
There’s incentive to be the first, too — the editorship of the magazine’s new online incarnation. Greta’s assistant tells her that Wes has a head start to snowy Big Bear, so she dashes to the mountain resort.
Review: S Chortwortly
I enjoyed this movie, there is a bit more to it than some light movies. I actually liked it enough to have watched it about 3 times so far, over a period of time. The characters were so well portrayed by each of the actors, each one seemed to fit their role so very well. Read Full Review…
32. A Golden Christmas
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Jessica is a federal lawyer who returns to her parent’s home for Christmas. When she discovers that the house where she grew up was sold to a stranger, Jessica look for ways to buy it back again. She tries to get Michael (the new owner) arrested, but she also doesn’t remember who he really is.
Review: Katie Gallen
A Golden Christmas is about two nine-year-old kids named Jessica and Michael who played together all the time one summer. Jessica and Michael buried a time capsule of keepsakes and he whispers something in her ear. They promise to be best friends forever. While they were playing there was always a Golden Retriever by their sides. Read Full Review…
33. A Star for Christmas
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The only thing that is working in Cassie’s world is her small town business. Her Christmas Cupcakery is a huge success, but her love life is a mess. Cassie’s whole universe is turned upside down when she falls in love with a co-worker who is revealed to be the famous and notoriously troubled actor Alex Gray. There’s no denying that Alex and Cassie are in love, but can their relationship survive the pressure of Hollywood and the holidays?
Review: Explorer
It was simply okay, good enough that I’ll keep it on my shelf, but not one of the better films. Maybe when I watch it again, I’ll like it better. It doesn’t feel exactly like a holiday movie. Christmas is present in it and the “star” is playing in a supposedly Christmas film, but Christmas didn’t seem a vital part of the story. Read Full Review…
