The Best Movies Are Christmas Movies
Dec 14th 2009
Suzanne EnochMy Life As A Plebe & Suzanne Enoch
As most of you probably know by now, I am a movie buff. A big one. Not just Star Wars and such, but 300, and Arsenic and Old Lace, and Aliens, and Witness. And that’s not even scratching the surface.
I keep my Christmas movies in a separate section on the shelf, for easy identification. Yes, I have It’s a Wonderful Life and The Santa Clause. I couldn’t put A Nightmare Before Christmas anywhere else, either. But there are more Christmas movies than that in my collection. Die Hard, for instance. It takes place during a Christmas party, and is therefore a Christmas movie. And Lethal Weapon, also set during Christmas.
Oh, and then there’s Gremlins, and The Thin Man, and Enemy of the State with Will Smith. Yes, I also make a point of watching While You Were Sleeping, A Christmas Story (I’m wearing my “You’ll Shoot Your Eye Out” T-shirt as I’m typing this), and Home Alone. But there’s something especially 
fun about watching those not-quite-so-sweet holiday movies. The ones that shouldn’t be classics for the whole family.
Do you watch atypical Christmas movies? What’s your favorite Christmas movie, traditional or not?
48 Comments »
48 Responses to “The Best Movies Are Christmas Movies”
LauraR on 14 Dec 2009 at 1:35 am #
A Christmas Story is my #1 Christmas movie. Then there’s While You Were Sleeping.
B on 14 Dec 2009 at 1:51 am #
I’m not a traditional movies kind of girl. My favorite Christmas movie is “ELF”. It’s sooooooooo cute and funny and innocent. I absolutely love Buddy.
Another favorite is Santa Clause 2. I just like it so much better than the first. It’s adorable! I’ve watched it literally hundreds of times. It was a movie I liked, so, when I was living in the US, I gave it as a gift to the children I lived with. It became their favorite movie and we watched it several times a day. Every day. And, yes, I still love it after everything.
Suzanne, I LOVED Gremlins when I was a child. I must’ve been 5 or 6. I have no memories of it whatsoever except that if they got wet they’d become evil, but I remember thinking it was so cool. I’m curious to watch it again.
Trini on 14 Dec 2009 at 2:09 am #
I’m not original, there’s no doubt for me…. my favourite Xmas movie is “It’s a wonderful life”. Then I like “Love Actually”, “The Holiday” and “When you were sleeping”…
moon_princess111 on 14 Dec 2009 at 2:35 am #
I posted my reply on FB. I saw a good one I’d never seen before Fri night, FITZWILLY starring Dick Van Dyke and the girl who play Agent 99 on GET SMART. It was different, but it was cute. A few others are, BELLS OF ST MARY”S, GOIN MY WAY; like I said most b7w movies are my favs and I can’t think of all their titles.
Bronte on 14 Dec 2009 at 2:39 am #
Ah, another who thinks that the Die hard movies are christmassy! Love Actually, Home alone, and a black adder christmas carol and my routine christmas watchings usually along with its a wonderful life and a Muppet Christmas Carol. Nothing beats the wonders of the Muppets channeling Dickens.
evlqn on 14 Dec 2009 at 3:13 am #
Love Die Hard, we were just discussing it a couple of days ago along with other Alan Rickman movies. Jingle All the Way, Arnold is a blast in that! Nightmare Before Christmas is another family favorite. My son had his Auntie make him NBC ornaments for his tree, she has sold several sets of them now.
Lethal Weapon is another favorite. All the versions of a Christmas Carol, George C Scott and Patrick Stewart ones at the top of the list. Santa Clause 1 & 2.
Laurie G on 14 Dec 2009 at 5:10 am #
My favorite X-mas movie is Prancer. I love the little girl and her strong belief in everything Christmas…especially, Santa and his reindeer.
Kathy on 14 Dec 2009 at 6:04 am #
my fav slightly off center Christmas movies are
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.
Scrooged
Gremlins
Mixed Nuts
Muppets Christmas Carol.
The Ref
I’m sure there are more, but it’s early
I do enjoy watching absolutely non Christmas movies while decorating and wrapping presents. This year I broke it by watching a televised It’s a Wonderful Life.
I’ll be busy this week making a video Christmas gift for each family member and will play the fourth season of Bones while doing it.
Cail on 14 Dec 2009 at 6:53 am #
my top 3 xmas movies are Elf, While You Were Sleeping and Love Actually. I’ve actually never seen It’s A Wonderful Life or A Christmas Story.
Gannon on 14 Dec 2009 at 7:13 am #
Suzanne, we love Nightmare Before Christmas! And A Christmas Story, too! So many traditional movies to list, but for atypical ones I’ll go with:
The Family Stone
Love Actually
I know there are more I could add, but the caffeine hasn’t kicked in yet.
LoriHandeland on 14 Dec 2009 at 7:23 am #
Strangely I don’t watch atypical Christmas movies. I’d think I would.
Love Die Hard but never considered watching it at Christmas, or Lethal Weapon either.
We watch It’s a Wonderful Life or Holiday Inn. Did watch Elf the other day, which was cute. Every year I mean to watch A Christmas Story and always forget. Have never seen it.
Pesky on 14 Dec 2009 at 7:34 am #
I love the traditional ones with a few non traditional ones thrown in:
Home Alone – The first one…by the second one the kids mother would have gotten a visit from child services
Holiday Inn – Bing Crosby and Fred Astair – the singing and dancing men
White Christmas – Danny Kaye and Bing Crosby…what’s not to love?
Blue Hawaii – It’s Elvis…nuff said
Love Actually – All I need for Christmas is you!
Harry Potter (They always have a christmas scene) – It’s Harry Potter, it’s magical, Christmas is magical…there ya go.
shannon on 14 Dec 2009 at 7:37 am #
We watch a lot of Christmas movies, any kind of Christmas movie is OK with me. My kids love the Santa Clause and anything animated. I discovered The Holiday last year, I am not a huge Jack Black fan but I love that movie. My husband is a traditionalist with It’s a Wonderful Life. He was horrified to find out I have never seen Miracle on 34th Street so we will be watching that Christmas Eve.
Amy Scott on 14 Dec 2009 at 8:08 am #
A Christmas Story is my all time favourite Christmas movie. This movie, more then any other, reminds me of being a kid at Christmas. My mom and I had a tradition of watching it right after we put up the tree. We would turn on the Christmas lights, and snuggle up on the couch with a mug of hot chocolate.
My favourite atypical movies,
-Bad Santa
-Love Actually
-National Lampoons Christmas Vacation
-Elf
-The Holiday
ladydawgfan on 14 Dec 2009 at 8:14 am #
I love “The Holiday,” for atypical holiday movies. For traditional movies, I saw A Christmas Story just last night, as well as George C Scott as Scrooge. We also love National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, The Bishop’s Wife, The Gathering (Edward Asner, Maureen Stapleton), The House Without A Christmas Tree, The Christmas Box, Miracle on 34th Street, and several of the Hallmark movies which we have actually ordered on DVD.
I love a good Christmas movie!!
Freedom Writer on 14 Dec 2009 at 8:45 am #
I like the usual Christmas movies like A Wonderful Life, White Christmas, Holiday Inn and Miracle on 34th Street, but I also love Love Actually and While You were Sleeping.
How about Holiday in Handcuffs starring Melissa Joan Hart and Mario Lopez. It’s a cute movie.
kay on 14 Dec 2009 at 8:46 am #
No particular order: Holiday Inn, A Christmas Carol with Alastair Sims, The Lion in Winter, The Man who Came to Dinner, Christmas in Connecticut, Elf, Harry Potter, A Christmas Story, A Wonderful Life, Meet me in St. Louis, In the Good Old Summertime and Lord of the Rings trilogy (because I saw them at Christmas)
kay on 14 Dec 2009 at 8:48 am #
I forgot Trading Places
Chloe Harris (Noelle) on 14 Dec 2009 at 8:51 am #
I think I have one no one else will mention. Ever year we watch a movie called Desk Set with Katherine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy from 1957.
I so want to be the main character Bunny Watson!
She’s the manager of the reference library at the Federal Broadcasting Network. She’s in charge of a huge library (Two Stories!) staffed by her some great ladies. People come in or call and Bunny and the girls answer their questions about literature, movies, history, politics and more. And during the holidays they drink and party in the office with the men from the legal department.
She’s a smart as a whip independent working woman with a dream job, great friends and the cutest clothes. She lives in the most darling NYC apartment where she cooks full dinners from scratch on weeknights with mysterious deserts like floating island. I just love her!
The movie not really holiday themed but is set during the holidays so if you have not seen Desk Set, now is the perfect time and it is available on DVD!
Alicia on 14 Dec 2009 at 9:16 am #
I love “It’s a Wonderful Life” and “Prancer” and “A Christmas Story”, but a movie I seem to associate with Christmas is “Bell’s of St. Mary’s”. I love that movie and I always want to watch it at Christmas time!
And, if you’ve never noticed the ‘old movie hall’ in “It’s A Wonderful Life” has the “Bell’s Of St. Mary’s” on it’s billboard!
Great topic Susan!! Big Daddy and I were just having this discussion Saturday night while watching “It’s A Wonderful Life”!!
Alicia on 14 Dec 2009 at 9:17 am #
Oops! Sooooo sorry that I mispelled your name! Suzanne!! *embarrassed*
Claudia Dain on 14 Dec 2009 at 9:42 am #
Suzie, you and I can rule our Movie Universe together, twin Goddesses of Film. I love movies! I love all the ones you mentioned, plus about 100 more.
Have you ever seen We’re No Angels? LOL funny, and a pseudo Christmas movie, set on Devil’s Island, starring Bogart, Aldo Ray, and oh, shoot, that really great British actor who ended up playing Poirot in Murder on the Nile? Anyway, these three guys are escaped prisoners who help a hapless family by doing what they do best: criminal acts. Truly hysterical.
It’s A Wonderful Life is a true favorite–love watching Stewart always make the right choice, especially love watching him succumb to Reed in that phone scene. The Bishop’s Wife– love watching the battles b/t Grant and Niven—did you know their roles were reversed when they started filming? Christmas in Connecticut–love Stanwyck’s twinkle and her frustration in trying to get a man who thinks she married (she’s not) to make a pass at her.
Chloe Harris (Noelle) on 14 Dec 2009 at 10:06 am #
I forgot to mention another great classic Christmas movie I love – The Man Who Came to Dinner with Bette Davis. I love that one too!
Rachel Gibson on 14 Dec 2009 at 10:13 am #
I just watched Trading Places with Eddy Murphy and Dan Akroyd. But my go to Christmas movie is A Christmas Story.
Suzanne Enoch on 14 Dec 2009 at 10:14 am #
Much as I love the “odd” Christmas movies, I think I have to rank “A Christmas Story” as my #1, too.
Kay, how could I forget “The Lion in Winter”? OMG, the Peter O’Toole, Katharine Hepburn version is one of my favorite movies of all time. The characters’ tongues are so sharp they nearly draw blood.
Suzanne Enoch on 14 Dec 2009 at 10:15 am #
Claudia, I will happily share the Goddess of the Film pedestal with you. *g* It has a center console for drinks and popcorn, anyway.
Sabrina Jeffries on 14 Dec 2009 at 10:31 am #
This is weird, but although I’m a big fan of movies and a huge fan of Christmas (7 trees, remember?), I’m not a big Christmas movie fan. I only have a couple that I love enough to watch over and over, usually at Christmas (While You Were Sleeping and Love Actually). I saw A Christmas Story for the first time last year and thought it was cute, but that’s it. I was always underwhelmed by It’s a Wonderful Life. I’ve never seen some of the other biggies, although maybe if I did, I’d love them.
I think there might be something wrong with me.
With that said, I saw The Twelve Men of Christmas, recently recommended by Claudia as being similar to Pride and Prejudice (it was, and I enjoyed it!). And I saw the new A Christmas Carol movie with Jim Carrey, which I also thought was very good. It’s not that I haven’t seen countless Christmas movies that I enjoyed–I have. It’s just that I haven’t wanted to watch too many of them over and over.
Now Christmas music is another matter entirely ….
Emmiebee on 14 Dec 2009 at 10:41 am #
I can’t get through a holiday season without watching Jim Henson’s “Emmet Otter’s Jug Band Christmas”. I just won’t do it! As a Terry Pratchett fan, I also love the recent “Hogfather” movie. Quite unusual, but the ending has some of the most heart touching reasons explaining why it is so important that we “believe”! Not on the Movie screen, but- I love the Holiday Cooking shows on theFood Network- Rachel Ray, Paula Deen, Bobby Flay, Alton Brown- bring on the flour and the chocolate and the butter! Happy Holidays, all!
Suzanne Enoch on 14 Dec 2009 at 10:46 am #
I think I’m going to have to find “We’re No Angels”. Thanks for the rec!
I’d forgotten that “Love Actually” is also a Christmas movie. I have to move it into the Christmas section, now.
I have no problem with the Lord of the Rings movies being classified as Christmas movies, because yes, they did all come out at Christmastime. Now I’m trying to find a way to make the Pirates of the Caribbean movies in the holiday fare. *g*
Julia London on 14 Dec 2009 at 10:55 am #
Love, Actually, is great. I love all of those chick flick Christmas movies. By my favorite of all time is that rotten banana with the greasy black heel, The Grinch
LauraR on 14 Dec 2009 at 11:26 am #
Oh Chloe, thanks for the reminder of Desk Set. I love Katherine Hepburn and Spenser Tracy movies.
And We’re No Angels is another great movie that just happens to be set around Christmas. The actor you are thinking of Claudia, is Peter Ustinov.
cheryl c. on 14 Dec 2009 at 12:23 pm #
I just saw my favorite on TV last night…WHITE CHRISTMAS!
Stephanie J on 14 Dec 2009 at 12:29 pm #
I’m all about the holiday romances and I can’t ever get enough of White Christmas at this time of year. There’s also a Lifetime movie called His & Hers Christmas that I love. I’m glad to see I’m not the only one mentioning these network holiay movies! My next fav is def. A Christmas Story. So funny!
Janae on 14 Dec 2009 at 12:50 pm #
I love the old Christmas movies. Last night, I watched both White Christmas and Holiday Inn. I’m hoping to see Christmas in Connecticut (love Barbara Stanwyck), Going My Way, The Bells of St. Mary’s, and It’s a Wonderful Life. For some reason I don’t really care for Miracle on 34th Street, though.
Lori – I had never seen A Christmas Story until a couple of years ago when it was on all day.
Freshechelle on 14 Dec 2009 at 1:21 pm #
Love Actually, Christmas in Connecticut are good ones. I’ve never seen A Christmas Story straight through. I feel like there is a film I’m forgetting.
I don’t get too into Christmas movies but I get a laugh from the cliche “snow on Christmas Day” scene, like a “movie parking in NYC” right in front of your destination instead of a more realistic 2 subway stops away from your destination. Growing up in the Northeast, it rarely snowed on Christmas or even in December. However, the past few years, we’ve had snow in November so I’ll just shut up.
Don’t forget Christmas Erve, the day before the excitement of Christmas Eve. It’s not a movie, sure, but an important reminder to enjoy this made up day. (I’ll remind in May about Cop A Feel Month too!)
elsiehogarth on 14 Dec 2009 at 1:27 pm #
I love holiday movies. Here are some of the ones that I have watched since Thanksgiving.
Lethal Weapon
Trading Places
A Christmas Story
Jingle All the Way
A Christmas Carol w/Alastair Sims
Scrooged
Harry Potter
Home Alone
The Thin Man
Christmas w/the Kranks
Black Adder’s Christmas Carol
Mr. Magoos’ Christmas Carol
While You Were Sleeping
A Charlie Brown Christmas
Christmas in Connecticut w/Barbara Stanwyck, Sidney Greenstreet & Dennis Morgan
Holiday Inn
Ernest Saves Christmas
White Christmas
Miracle on 34th Street w/Natalie Wood
Last Holiday
The Nutcracker w/Mikhail Baryshnikov
Penny Serenade w/Cary Grant & Irene Dunne. A tearjerker but it’s wonderful.
Laurel & Hardy March of the Wooden Soldiers
Suzanne Enoch on 14 Dec 2009 at 2:54 pm #
Elsie, I think you win the award for “the most Christmas movies watched in the shortest amount of time”. Wow! *g*
On a slightly side note, I think my favorite movie for a holiday that isn’t Christmas is a tie between “Groundhog Day” and “Independence Day”.
Jen on 14 Dec 2009 at 3:02 pm #
I love almost all christmas movies- both traditional and non-traditional, but our family has two that we watch religiously every christmas.
1.Miracle Down Under: It’s an Australian Disney movie and almost impossible to find a copy of. It’s very cute, and just a bit sappy. We found it when I was a kid (actually I don’t think it was made until 1991), and every chirstmas eve we all head to my mother’s house to trim her tree and watch that movie.
2.Sesame Street Christmas: We used to listen to this on a record, and I had no idea until a few years ago that it had actually been a TV movie. Somehow it became our other holiday tradition, though with our family’s sense of humor it sometimes becomes an excuse to make fun of eachother as well as the holiday sap on screen.
When my brother was a kid we used to watch A Christmas Story, but when he was in grade 8, on the day before Thanksgiving, he had his eye shot out with a bb gun. (No, I’m not joking, his friend was the one shooting the gun.) Anyway, though luckily he only lost his eye, we don’t watch that movie anymore.
Judy F on 14 Dec 2009 at 3:14 pm #
I love Christmas movies. The ones I have are:
It’s A wonder Life
How The Grinch Stole Christmas (Original)
The Christmas Toy (muppets)
A Christmas Story
Scrooged
Rudolph The Red-Nose Reindeer
White Christmas
Santa Clause 1 & 2
MIracle on 34Th Street
Muppet Family Christmas
Jingle All the way
Charlie Brown Christmas
The muppets christmas Carol
Judy F on 14 Dec 2009 at 3:18 pm #
Trying this again. The movies I have are:
Scrooged
RUdolph THe Red-Nose Reindeer
White Christmas
Charlie Brown Christmas
Jingle All The way
Santa clause 1 & 2
Miracle on 34th Street
Muppet Family Christmas
A Muppet Christmas Carol
Judy F on 14 Dec 2009 at 3:19 pm #
and:
It’s A Wonderful Life
How the Grinch Stole Christmas (orig)
The Christmas Toy (muppets)
A Chritmas Story
Kat on 14 Dec 2009 at 3:48 pm #
Kay– I have to agree, MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS with Judy Garland’s version of Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas and the fun Trolley Song.
Of course, that tells you something about my soul and not my age, since I’m only 25.
Suzanne Enoch on 14 Dec 2009 at 5:42 pm #
You guys are making me want to watch “A Muppet Christmas Carol” again. I haven’t seen it yet this year. Hmmm…
elsiehogarth on 14 Dec 2009 at 5:52 pm #
Suzanne, for the last 5 days I have been under the weather, with a bad cold, so the only thing I can do is watch movies or take naps. Now, I’m in the mood for Pride & Prejudice w/Colin Firth.
victoria on 14 Dec 2009 at 7:32 pm #
I’ve seen most of the “classic” and atypical Christmas movies. I’ve enjoyed most such as While you Were Sleeping, Scrooge, and White Christmas.
But I’ve really enjoyed This Christmas and no one has mentioned it. It’s about six siblings going home to their mother’s house–it’a an adult Christmas tale. A lot of family drama, secrets, but very warm all the same.
evlqn on 14 Dec 2009 at 8:18 pm #
Another favorite that is rarely shown is Three Kings with Lou Diamond Phillips and Jack Warden. It’s a made for TV movie about three patients who wander away from their hospital’s Christmas pageant. They filmed part of it outside my bookstore so every time I looked out the window I had a camel looking back me. The film crew spent a lot of money in my store during filming and after also. Brought us pizza too.
Lisa G on 14 Dec 2009 at 8:47 pm #
I like The Holiday, The Note, White Christmas, The Bells of St. Mary’s and The Christmas Shoes.
Karen W. on 14 Dec 2009 at 9:27 pm #
“How The Grinch Stole Christmas” has always been & will always be my favorite Christmas story!
I also love the Alastair Sim version of “A Christmas Carol” and “Love Actually.”