In 1898, a British short called Santa Claus was the first movie about the holidays. Since then, a lot of Christmas movies have been made, ...
Table of Content
- It's a Great Life (1946)
- The Miracle on 34th Street (1947)
- A White Christmas (1954)
- A Tale of Christmas (1983)
- Christmas Vacation by National Lampoon (1989)
- Scrooged (1988) (1988)
- A Christmas Carol with the Muppets (1992)
- The story of the Polar Express (2004)
- The Grinch and How He Stole Christmas (2000)
- Elf (2003) (2003)
- Home Alone (1990)
In 1898, a British short called
Santa Claus was the first movie about the holidays. Since then, a lot of
Christmas movies have been made, which is why there are so many to choose from
now and why you can stream them on your favourite TV streaming service. The
good news is that this means that seasonal movie marathons can take many
different forms. The only bad thing is that you have to choose what to watch,
since the holiday season doesn't last forever.
We're here to help you out by
telling you which classic Christmas movies we think are the best of all time.
Major streaming services let you watch it.
It's a Great Life (1946)
Even though it didn't do well at the
box office when it first came out, this Frank Capra classic has become a
Christmas classic legend, mostly because it has been shown so many times on TV.
Even if you already know what happens to George Bailey, you should still watch
this movie at least once or twice every Christmas.
The Miracle on 34th Street (1947)
In this Christmas classic, Mr. Kringle
temporarily loses his magic, but he finds a little girl who needs help getting
back to being less jaded by the real world. This movie has been shown in
theatres twice, in 1947 and 1994. The 1947 version is the better of the two,
but the 1994 version has its own charm.
A White Christmas (1954)
The holiday song that this 1954
Christmas classic shares its name with was first heard in the 1942 movie
Holiday Inn. This great movie is led by Bing Crosby and features an all-star
cast. It has an interesting plot and memorable musical numbers.
The Santa Clause (1994): When the
big guy dies in the first of the three Santa Clause movies, Home Improvement
star Tim Allen gets the job of all jobs. The first one from the '90s is still
the best because it has the right amount of humour and heart.
A Tale of Christmas (1983)
Based on semi-fictionalized memories
of Jean Shepherd's childhood, A Christmas Story is still a beloved classic
nearly 40 years after it came out. Ralphie's quest to get a Red Ryder air rifle
is at the heart of the story. This movie is a true classic because of all the
"extra stuff" that goes on in it.
Christmas Vacation by National Lampoon (1989)
When this movie came out in 1989,
Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert did not like it very much. Even so, people have
liked it for a long time. This time, Clark Griswold has to deal with unexpected
guests and a string of funny accidents.
Scrooged (1988) (1988)
This now-classic Christmas movie
gave Charles Dickens's classic cautionary tale about living a miserable life a makeover
in the style of the 1980s. The main character, who learns his lesson with the
help of three persistent ghosts, is played by Bill Murray in a great way.
A Christmas Carol with the Muppets (1992)
Most movies with the Muppets are hit
or miss, but this version of Dickens' classic from 1992 is one of the better
ones. This movie has a lot of well-known Muppet characters, including Ebenezer
Scrooge, who is played by Michael Caine.
The story of the Polar Express (2004)
Based on a best-selling book from
1985, this film from 2004 blew people away with its new way of doing animation
at the time. Tom Hanks plays many roles in this heartwarming story about a boy
who has stopped believing in Santa Claus and goes on a magical train ride with
a group of new friends to the North Pole.
The Grinch and How He Stole Christmas (2000)
The 2000 movie version of Dr.
Seuss's charming holiday story about a mischievous Grinch whose heart melts and
makes him change his ways still holds up well. We learn more about the Grinch's
past, and Jim Carrey and Christine Baranski, who plays the Grinch's love
interest, give great performances that make them hard to recognize.
Elf (2003) (2003)
It's not easy to make a new
Christmas classic, but this charming and funny movie has done just that. Will
Ferrell is the main character, an elf who was given up for adoption and is
looking for his real parents. Even a Broadway musical and a stop-motion special
that aired on NBC in 2014 were based on the movie.
Home Alone (1990)
This John Hughes classic, which was
recently remade as Home Sweet Home Alone, doesn't focus too much on Christmas.
The original from 1990 is still the best, though, thanks to a great performance
by a young Macaulay Culkin and a great group of supporting actors.