Christmas movies are not all created equal, and not everyone will like the same ones we do. But in general, I do think there are a handful of Christmas movies that most people can agree are some of the greatest of all time.
This list is in no particular order, but we felt these titles are certainly at the top in being the greatest Christmas movies of all time. There are probably several that deserve to be alongside the films mentioned below, but we wanted to slim the list down to a short and sweet offering. So here are some of our picks for the greatest Christmas movies of all time.
The Twelve Greatest Christmas Movies of All Time
Table of contents
- The Twelve Greatest Christmas Movies of All Time
- Die Hard (1988)
- Planes, Trains, and Automobiles (1987)
- National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989)
- Home Alone (1990)
- Trading Places (1983)
- Elf (2003)
- Scrooged (1988)
- The Santa Clause (1994)
- The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
- Miracle on 34th Street (1947)
- It’s A Wonderful Life (1946)
- A Christmas Story (1983)
Die Hard (1988)
A New York City police officer tries to save his estranged wife and several others taken hostage by terrorists during a Christmas party at the Nakatomi Plaza in Los Angeles.
Planes, Trains, and Automobiles (1987)
A Chicago advertising man must struggle to travel home from New York for Thanksgiving, with a lovable oaf of a shower-curtain-ring salesman as his only companion.
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989)
The Griswold family’s plans for a big family Christmas predictably turn into a big disaster.
Home Alone (1990)
An eight-year-old troublemaker, mistakenly left home alone, must defend his home against a pair of burglars on Christmas eve.
Trading Places (1983)
A snobbish investor and a wily street con artist find their positions reversed as part of a bet by two callous millionaires.
Elf (2003)
Raised as an oversized elf, Buddy travels from the North Pole to New York City to meet his biological father, Walter Hobbs, who doesn’t know he exists and is in desperate need of some Christmas spirit.
Scrooged (1988)
A selfish, cynical television executive is haunted by three spirits bearing lessons on Christmas Eve.
The Santa Clause (1994)
When a man inadvertently makes Santa fall off his roof on Christmas Eve, he finds himself magically recruited to take his place.
The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
Jack Skellington, king of Halloween Town, discovers Christmas Town, but his attempts to bring Christmas to his home causes confusion.
Miracle on 34th Street (1947)
After a divorced New York mother hires a nice old man to play Santa Claus at Macy’s, she is startled by his claim to be the genuine article. When his sanity is questioned, a lawyer defends him in court by arguing that he’s not mistaken.
It’s A Wonderful Life (1946)
An angel is sent from Heaven to help a desperately frustrated businessman by showing him what life would have been like if he had never existed.
A Christmas Story (1983)
In the 1940s, a young boy named Ralphie Parker attempts to convince his parents, teacher, and Santa Claus that a Red Ryder Range 200 Shot BB gun really is the perfect Christmas gift.
What do you think of this Christmas movies list? What would you add or subtract from it? Please share your thoughts on any of the social media pages listed below. You can also comment on our MeWe page by joining the MeWe social network. Be sure to subscribe to our RUMBLE channel as well!
