Not all Christmas movies are created equal! With an endless number of options to choose from, no one has enough time to watch them all. That’s why we compiled a list of the 10 most heartwarming Christmas movies that remind us how wonderful the holidays truly are. Some of these were made a long time ago, but their timeless tales of traditional family values will never stop warming our hearts. If you haven’t watched all of them, it’s not too late to have a Christmas movie marathon with your loved ones this year. All you need is your remote control and lots and lots of popcorn!
It’s a Wonderful Life
Let’s start with the best. This is voted the country’s No. 1 favorite Christmas movie according to Rotten Tomatoes. The film is over 70 years old, but the values of “It’s A Wonderful Life” still hold true today. It is an uplifting story of family, love, and hope that will warm your heart year after year.
Public Domain
Home Alone and Home Alone 2
Apart from being the highest grossing Christmas movie ever ($285.8 million, or the equivalent of $619.1 million after adjusting for inflation), Home Alone is a hilarious film that will leave your whole family laughing with tears of joy. Its sequel is just as much of a classic, sitting comfortably in fifth place for box office revenue.
The Santa Clause, The Santa Clause 2 and The Santa Clause 3
The original and the sequels are among the best-known and most-beloved family Christmas movies ever. Tim Allen plays his part to perfection and all three films have the old-fashioned holiday spirit that’s becoming harder and harder to capture in modern yuletide films.
Miracle on 34th Street
Although the original film is the second oldest film on this list, its holiday cheer hasn’t aged a day. Whether you like the original classic (1947) or the newer reboot (1994), this sweet family Christmas movie is one you simply cannot miss.
Christmas with the Kranks
An enjoyable and funny Christmas comedy that will leave you with plain-old feel-good moments that will make your day.
Elf
In Elf, Will Ferrell plays his most loveable and charming on-screen character ever, journeying from the North Pole to New York City to find his birth father. The film’s tagline is “Discover your inner elf,” which perfectly captures why Buddy is so endearing: he represents the kid in all of us!
Polar Express
A simple and heartwarming story that brings the magic of the holidays to life. There are many reasons to love this 2004 movie and Tom Hanks is one of them.
A Christmas Story
This is one of those movies that you never get sick of because it makes us laugh about the silliest moments in our life during the Christmas season.
A Christmas Carol
There are many adaptations of the Dickens classic, but the 1951 adaptation (above) is commonly considered to be the most faithful film version – and Alastair Sim’s performance as Scrooge is not to be missed.
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
It’s a must-see children’s Christmas classic! The adorable animation and spirited soundtrack will warm the hearts of the whole family.
Public Domain
