As we rapidly head towards the most festive time of year, it’s time to break out those DVDs, load up your streaming services (or possibly even dust off those VHS tapes) and watch some amazing Christmas movies!
While new Christmas movies are churned out every year, there are some festive films that never go out of style, and we just love to watch them year after year. But with so many Christmas movies to choose from, which are the best Christmas movies of all time? Well, we’ve put together a list of some of our favourites. Here are the best Christmas movies to watch this holiday season.
The Snowman
The Snowman is a true British classic that airs every year at Christmas. This beautiful animation tells the story of a young boy and his adventures with a snowman and features that beautiful but haunting Christmas song “Walking in the Air”. At only 27 minutes long, it’s the perfect length to watch on Christmas Eve while the kids are excitedly getting ready for bed and their visit from Father Christmas.
Based on a 1978 book, this animated short airs every year at Christmas time and has since spawned a sequel: The Snowman and the Snowdog. A true Christmas classic well worth a watch every year.
Elf
Elf is a 2003 favourite Christmas tale about a Christmas elf discovering that he is a human who was adopted after accidentally winding up in Santa’s workshop. In the film, Buddy the elf heads to New York City to find out why his father is on the naughty list, and to help him get back on Santa’s good side and spread a little Christmas cheer along the way. Full of belly-aching laughs, slap-stick comedy and even a little romance, Elf is the perfect Christmas movie for the whole family.
The Muppet Christmas Carol
A Christmas Carol is a Charles Dicken’s story that has been told many times over the decades on the big screen, in both live-action and animation. But the Muppet’s version of the tale is a popular version loved by all. Michael Caine’s performance alongside the beloved muppets gives this Victorian classic a real sense of wonder with a comic twist. It’s undoubtedly a great film to get the kids excited about a Charles Dickens’ story.
Home Alone
Home Alone is a 1990’s eccentric, slap-stick film starring a young Macaulay Culkin as the mischievous and resourceful Kevin, a boy left behind by his family at Christmas who must defend his family home from a pair of prowling burglars. Through a series of tricks and booby-traps, Kevin sets out to give the burglars more than the bargained for when they try to break in, all while his mother desperately tries to race home in time for Christmas Day. This classic Christmas film has since spawned two sequels, and there are plans to reboot the franchise in coming years, but it’s safe to say that the 1990 version will always hold a special place in our hearts.
The Santa Clause
You can’t have a Christmas movie list without mentioning a film about the star himself: Santa Clause. The Santa Clause is a 1994 movie that tells the tale of a divorced ad executive taking on the role of Santa after accidentally killing him – a joyful way to start any Christmas family film. He is reluctant at first, but as his hair turns white and his belly grows, children present him with their wish lists and he begrudgingly takes on the job. This 90’s film soon became a Christmas-time staple with viewers and has gone on to have two successful sequels.
Klaus
A newer addition to this list of great Christmas movies, Klaus was released in 2019 on Netflix and went down an absolute storm with viewers, being nominated for Best Animated Feature at the Oscars that year. This joyful film tells the story of Jesper, a lazy, spoiled son of the Royal Postmaster General who is sent to a distant town on Smeerensburg, where two warring families reside. He meets and befriends a woodsman called Klaus who makes toys, and Jesper begins to deliver them secretly to the children in the town. This beautifully animated film is a retelling of the legend of how Santa Claus came to be and is well worth a watch this holiday season.
The Nightmare Before Christmas
A Christmas film or a Halloween film? Well, why not both? Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas is a truly wonderful Christmas (and Halloween) classic which tells the story of the Pumpkin King deciding to take over the festive holiday for a change, leading to disaster and chaos. With several catchy songs and striking stop-motion animation, this holiday movie is excellent for both Christmas and Halloween viewing.
Miracle on 34th Street
The 1994 remake of Miracle on 34th Street is a heart-warming gem of a young girl’s dream coming true. After discovering the “truth” about Santa Claus, six-year-old Susan realises she won’t get the most important gifts on her Christmas list this year. But she meets a special department store Santa who claims to be the real thing, and she receives the most precious gift of all, something to believe in.
How the Grinch Stole Christmas
In 2000, Dr Seuss’s classic character of the Grinch was brought to life by Jim Carey on the big screen. Carey does a fantastic job encapsulating the grumpy, angry persona of the Christmas-hating Grinch, who sets out to see to it that Christmas is destroyed once and for all for the happy residents of Whoville. While a new, animated version was realised in 2018, this earlier version will always be a true Christmas classic.
We hope you’ve enjoyed a look at some of our favourite Christmas movies, how many are you going to watch this year? Don’t forget to place your orders with Video2DVD today to get your gifts in time for Christmas. When you do a VHS to DVD transfer with us, we can convert those precious memories onto a more reliable format to be enjoyed for years to come. Give your loved ones a gift they won’t forget this year with a VHS to USB or DVD conversion from Video2DVD.