The Best Christmas Movies To Put You In The Spirit

I know it seems crazy, but it’s almost Christmas. That’s right – 2019 has flown by. Not only are we ending the year, but the decade is also coming to an end. While that may seem stressful to some, it does mean one good thing, and that’s Christmas! Whether it’s hot chocolate or Christmas shopping that puts you in the holiday mood, we understand. So, here are some of our favorite and the best Christmas movies to get you in the spirit of Christmas.

The Best Christmas Movies To Watch This Season

Elf (2003)

Elf is one of the biggest staples in homes across the world during the Christmas season.  The film was directed by Jon Favreau (yeah, the same Jon Favreau that dominates the MCU) and stars Will Ferrell in one of his most iconic roles. The premise is pretty simple. A human thinks he’s an elf and has to go down to New York of all places to learn how to live as a human when he finds out the North Pole’s mistakes. It’s full of cheer, genuine laughter, and some surprisingly heartwarming moments. We think that it should be at the top of everyone’s list this year.

Love Actually (2003)

Was 2003 just a great year for seasonal movies? Love Actually is one of the few good ensemble-led movies where every story is unique but finds strange ways to interact. It features some truly heartbreaking moments, yet still captures the essence of Christmas and the importance of family and friends. The storyline of Harry (Alan Rickman) and Karen (Emma Thompson) is devastating but worth crying over. And then we’re blessed with the beautiful story of Daniel, Sam, Joanna, and Carol. What can we say? It’s got everything.

Image via Universal Pictures.

Gremlins (1984)

Okay, okay. Gremlins isn’t really the most festive movie out there for the Christmas season. It’s scary, a bit gruesome, and more naughty than nice. But it still gets us in our Christmas feels and gives a pretty festive atmosphere, even when all of the gremlins terrorizing town. This black comedy works itself through the Christmas-time setting, making for a unique watch during your Christmas movie list.

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964)

This animated TV special is one of the most must-see classics every year. Yeah, we know you’ve seen it a million times, but that’s okay. It’s going to be great each and every time, no matter what. The film is surprisingly deep for a children’s TV special but hits all of the right holiday themes on the head. Though, we’d be surprised if this one wasn’t already on your list.

A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965)

Like with Rudolph, we know that this one already has to be on your list. Charlie Brown continues to be iconic no matter what, whether you’re watching Halloween movies or any other holiday. Watching Charlie Brown’s uplifting Christmas spirit will put you right in the mood to spread some good cheer. And the best part about this Christmas special? It’s pretty much always on TV somewhere, so you don’t have to worry about missing it this year.

Home Alone (1990)

This might feel like a classic from your childhood growing up, but we can’t let it fall out of our must-watch Christmas lists for the next generation. Macaulay Culkin’s career-defining portrayal of Kevin McCallister, a child who gets left home by mistake when his family goes away on vacation, is both a riot and a pretty bad-ass story of a kid taking matters into his own hands. And no matter how old you were when you first watched it, we all know that you were thinking about the ways that you would fight off burglars like Harry and Marv.

Image via 20th Century Fox.

It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)

Plenty of other films are there to give you some laughs, good lessons, and a feel-good spirit. But It’s a Wonderful Life will forever be the ultimate Christmas movie, because it relies on such a pure and important story. Though it deals with some dark material, this film reminds us how important we all are, and that Santa’s nice list isn’t the most important thing to consider when looking at all of the lives that we’ve touched.

What Are Your Favorite Christmas Movies?

Readers, we’d love to hear what your favorite Christmas movies are. Do you have a movie that you watch every year, whether it’s a traditional Christmas movie or not? Let us know in the comments.

Featured image via New Line Cinema.

Editor’s Note: The Amazon links included in this post are affiliate links and purchasing these movies by using these helps support this website.

Meghan Hale is the kind of movie lover that has a "must watch" that is a mile long... and growing. When she isn't talking about the latest film and television news she is writing one of her many in-process novels, screaming film trivia at anybody who will listen, and working as a mental health care professional. Follow her on Twitter @meghanrhale for some fun theories and live reactions to all things entertainment.