With winter break approaching, and holiday movies resurging, deciding what to watch can be difficult. However, these festive films have the magic of snowy wonderlands and are sure to bring joy and warmth into the cold season. There’s nothing better than cozying up by the fire with a cup of hot chocolate and a movie, so whether it’s a classic comedy, a timeless romance, or a nostalgic classic, here’s a list of the top 10 movies to add to your watchlist and enjoy during this holiday season.
#10 The Santa Clause (1994)
Scott Calvin (Tim Allen), a divorced father, spends one-on-one time with his son for Christmas Eve, who is losing his belief in the magic of Christmas. A holiday miracle changes everything after Scott is unwillingly forced to take on the role of Santa. Throughout the movie, he embraces this new role, in both the physical and mental aspects, while learning the importance of family, even when life gets hard. This holiday oldie will surely induce laughs, from Scott’s witty comments, to the elf’s no-nonsense behavior, to the not-so-good CGI. The Santa Clause, and its original soundtrack, will rekindle childhood wonder and bring back memories of nostalgic holiday stories and get anyone into the festive spirit.
#9 Noelle (2019)
This movie begins with the classic plot of chaotic holiday preparations at the North Pole. While gift-wrapping and toy-making are taking place, other Christmas logistics are taking a turn for the worse. Nick Kringle (Bill Hader), Santa’s son, is struggling to keep up with his training to take his father’s spot and become the next Santa. It is then that his sister, Noelle (Anna Kendrick), steps up to maintain the world’s Christmas spirit. After Nick sets out on a mission to find his Christmas spirit, encouraged by Noelle, and he fails to return home along with the realistic CGI render he left on, she sets out to find her brother. However, she finds something else in the process, and a way to save Christmas. This brightly colored Christmas comedy is packed with holiday spirit and plot twists, with an overall theme of family, and finding meaning in the hardships of life.
#8 The Princess Switch (2018)
The Princess Switch is the perfect mix of chick-flick drama and annual holiday spirit, directed by Mike Rohl. Stacy DeNovo (Vanessa Hudgens), a newly single young Chicago baker, gets the opportunity of a lifetime to take part in an over-the-top Christmas baking contest in Belgravia with her best friend, Kevin Richards (Nick Sagar). While roaming Belgravia’s tackily decorated streets, Stacy runs into the Prince of Belgravia’s fiancée, who coincidentally looks identical to Stacy, and they decide to switch lives for two days, resulting in a cheesy romance, classic holiday jingles, and finding holiday magic within each other’s lives.
#7 Love Actually (2003)
This touching rom-com follows nine different characters’ love lives in England, and the struggles that emerge during the holiday season. A platonic bromance buds between a singer trying to make a comeback in the music industry and his angry manager. Meanwhile, the new handsome prime minister and his assistant quietly flirt while the prime minister’s sister is trapped in a failing marriage. A man falls in love with his best friend’s new wife, leading to awkward conversations. A 10-year-old boy is in love with his popular classmate and works with his stepfather to confess his feelings, and many more. These incredibly different and loosely intertwined stories display all forms of love, familial, platonic, and romantic. Love Actually truly captures the magic of love, reminding viewers, “If you look around for it, I’ve got a sneaky feeling that Love Actually is all around.” Holiday spirit comes alive through these heartwarming stories, portraying the beauty and complexity of human connection in the holiday season.
#6 The Christmas Chronicles (2018)
Released in 2018 and directed by Clay Kaytis, The Christmas Chronicles puts a wonderful twist on the magic of Christmas, with heartfelt themes and exploration of sibling bonds, the strength of family connections, and the power of believing in not only magic, but each other. It follows the story of two siblings, Kate (Darby Camp) and Teddy Pierce (Judah Lewis), plotting to capture Santa Claus on film but ending up working together to save the spirit of Christmas with the infamous man in the red suit and his band of elves. Making new friends along the way and learning valuable life lessons, the charming holiday film is a perfect movie to cozy up with your family by the fire, enjoying the quirky personality of Santa Claus and a fun musical scene.
#5 Home Alone 2 (1992)
Similarly to the first Home Alone movie, Kevin McCallister (Macaulay Culkin) gets separated from his large family during the holidays, taking the wrong flight and now having to fend for himself in the Big Apple, New York City. Only his smarts, his father’s credit card, the kindness of others, and holiday spirit can protect him until his family gets ahold of him. Home Alone 2 is the perfect holiday comedy if you couldn’t get enough from the first movie. It follows the iconic plot, keeping viewers entertained as the same burglars fall for traps just as painful and intricate as before.
#4 The Nutcracker (1993)
The Nutcracker movie’s whimsical magic is almost as breathtaking as seeing the live ballet performance. The Nutcracker is a classic known for its complex costumes and colorful decorations that fill the screen, along with the classical music. The plot follows a young girl who drifts asleep on Christmas Eve after receiving a Nutcracker doll, only to wake up in a magical realm where she has shrunken down. Her ballerina doll and nutcracker have come to life, leading her through different sugary sceneries in the land of sweets. This oldie has a light, magical feel to it, diving into the childlike fantasies we still seek comfort in.
#3 Elf (2003)
Elf is a hilarious and classic Christmas movie, directed by Jon Favreau and starring Will Ferrell as Buddy the Elf. Buddy, an overdramatic, child-like, human-sized elf who works at the North Pole, isn’t very good at toy-making but has an easy-going humorous side. After his adoptive father informs him that his birth father (James Caan) is a human, Buddy sets off to the land of New York City to reunite with his father and develop a wholesome relationship with him along the way. Another favorite holiday family movie, the jokes in this one aren’t to be missed, adding an entertaining twist on the importance of family and putting yourself out there.
#2 The Grinch (2018)
Out of all the versions of the famous Dr. Seuss book, this one takes the cake, from the colorful animations to creative additions throughout the storyline. A bitter Grinch (voiced by Benedict Cumberbatch), who’s heart is two sizes too small, learns to embrace kindness and acceptance through the spirit of the holiday season and a wholesome friendship with a young girl, Cindy Lou Who (voiced by Cameron Seely). The Grinch is a story of goodwill, making it a wonderful family Christmas movie along with snarky remarks and jokes sure to give you a laugh. This movie is one of the most iconic holiday movies and is a must-watch this winter.
#1 Home Alone (1990)
Our number one pick, Home Alone, is a core childhood memory and a holiday classic. A young boy forgotten by his family on their Christmas vacation must defend his house from a duo of dull burglars. The boy, Kevin McCallister (Macaulay Culkin), develops clever traps, learns independence, and makes us laugh along the way. Set in the 90s, this film has a wonderful nostalgic feel, with a message of family and kindness when Kevin reunites with his family, which is what the holiday season is all about. Make sure not to skip out on one of the most famous comedy movies of the season.
