Classic Christmas movies that we know & love
Over the past few years, the holiday season has seen a snowstorm of Christmas movies proliferating various streaming platforms. And while this treasury of modern merry movies adds to the yuletide cheer and holiday spirit of the season, there’s something about the enduring charm and warmth of the classics that we simply cannot get enough of come the month of December.
Perhaps it’s a prime favourite such as The Nightmare Before Christmas and Home Alone, or it may be a debatable holiday nostalgia such as Die Hard and Bridget Jones’ Diary, this list of classic Christmas movies includes movies that many of us can’t help but to return to.
Table of Contents
- Classic Christmas movies that we know & love
- 1. Home Alone (1990)
- 2. The Polar Express (2004)
- 3. Love Actually (2003)
- 4. Die Hard (1988)
- 5. How The Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)
- 6. Elf (2003)
- 7. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005)
- 8. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (2001)
- 9. You’ve Got Mail (1998)
- 10. The Holiday (2006)
- 11. The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
- 12. Little Women
- 13. Edward Scissorhands (1990)
- 14. While You Were Sleeping (1995)
- 15. Barbie in the Nutcracker (2001)
- 16. A Christmas Carol (2009)
- 17. A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965)
- 18. Bridget Jones’s Diary (2001)
- 19. Frozen (2013)
- 20. The Santa Clause (1994)
- Classic Christmas movies that Malaysians know & love
1. Home Alone (1990)
Image credit: 20th Century Fox
Home Alone is the Christmas movie that most households will have playing on the screen during the festive season.
Set in the snow-clad suburbs of Chicago, the story starts with the McCallisters leaving for a family vacation to Paris, and realising belatedly that they had left their 8-year-old son Kevin all alone back at home. Ecstatic with his freedom, Kevin happily indulged in all sorts of activities around the house without the restrictions of his parents.
But when he realises that a pair of burglars were attempting to rob the McCallister residence, Kevin steps in to save his home by outwitting them with various booby traps.
With a blend of holiday cheer, goofiness, and heartfelt messages, this movie has etched its place as a beloved Christmas film and continues to evoke warm memories every single year.
2. The Polar Express (2004)
Image credit: NBC26
The Polar Express is a classic Christmas tale based on a fantasy children’s book by American author Chris Van Allsburg, and the perfect movie for a snug Christmas night in with the family.
The animation is marvellous and breathtakingly vivid – it’s as if you’re in a lucid dream. On the night of Christmas Eve, a young boy finds a train named “Polar Express” waiting for him right outside his doorstep. Intrigued, he boards the train and finds many other pyjama-clad children heading towards the North Pole to meet Santa Claus.
Haunting and enchanting, the film is a train ride in itself with a lushly magical score, as well as a poignant narrative about self-discovery and the beauty of believing in something magical, like Christmas.
3. Love Actually (2003)
Image credit: Spotify
Love it or hate it, Richard Curtis’ star-studded British ensemble piece Love Actually is all saccharines and schmaltz. It has become the ultimate Christmas romcom.
The movie follows a group of characters in the weeks leading up to Christmas, whose stories intersect in unexpected ways. From Hugh Grant as the UK’s bachelor Prime Minister infatuated with his secretary to Liam Neeson playing wingman for his son, the film is a patchwork of laughter and heartache that celebrates the complexities and nuances of love in all its forms.
4. Die Hard (1988)
Image credit: Entertainment Weekly
First off, not all Christmas movies have to spotlight St. Nick as the main character. And yes, Die Hard is a Christmas movie – the film is chock-full with Christmas songs, there are Santa jokes and hats, and it takes place during Christmas Eve. Sorry, Bruce Willis.
The action-packed film follows an NYPD detective, John McClane, who is hoping to reconcile with his wife Holly – c’mon – at her holiday party. But the festivities get interrupted by a group of terrorists who take everyone in the building hostage, and McClane realises that he is the only one with a shot at saving the day.
Image credit: Getty Images
Sure, Die Hard may not fit the conventional jubilant Christmas films that are as syrupy as a Christmas pudding. But this movie is a classic Christmas bonafide that’ll take you through a whirlwind of a time.
5. How The Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)
Image credit: Geek Vibes Nation
The 1966 animated version may be a perennial favourite, but the live action adaptation of How The Grinch Stole Christmas released in 2000 has earned its place as a cherished holiday film till this day.
Bringing to life Dr. Seuss’ timeless children’s tale, the movie has Jim Carrey parading about as the titular green meanie who is determined to sabotage the festive season for the townsfolk of Whoville. Yet as the narrative unfolds, Grinch’s disdain for Christmas gradually fizzles when he encounters an endearing 6-year-old Cindy Lou, who shows him the true meaning of Christmas.
6. Elf (2003)
Image credit: Insider
Elf is a beloved holiday film that has Will Ferrell playing a guileless human elf named Buddy Hobbs, who is on a journey to locate his biological father in New York City.
While the premise of the film sounds like it focuses on the goofy, there’s actually an abundance of heart and soul in the way it captures the essence of the Christmas spirit – especially with Buddy’s childlike exuberance and naivety in the unfamiliar Big Apple.
Balancing humour with genuine warmth, this movie has carved out a special place in the hearts of many.
7. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005)
Image credit: Deadline
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Witch, The Lion & The Wardrobe may not scream Christmas all that blatantly, but it ticks all the boxes of a quintessential Christmas movie – there is magic, mythical creatures, and a whole lot of snow.
Translating C.S. Lewis’s classic novel onto the big screen, this epic film tells the fantastical story of four siblings who stumble upon a mystical wardrobe that serves as a portal to the enchanting land of Narnia.
Once there, they realise that the White Witch has plunged the realm into an eternal winter. A prophecy foretells that the return of Aslan, Narnia’s noble lion ruler, will bring hope and liberation to the land, and so the children unite with Aslan to defeat the evil queen.
8. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (2001)
Image credit: Britannica
During the most magical time of the year, there’s no better way to experience the notion than to immerse yourself in the Wizarding World – and by this, we mean rewatching Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone for the umpteenth time.
Most of the Harry Potter films in the series have the traditional holiday imagery set in the holiday season, but it is most prominent in the first film. Harry’s first exposure to the magical world also meant his first of many things, including celebrating a proper Christamas with loved ones which made the celebration feel all the more special.
The Great Hall of Hogwarts during Christmas
Image credit: Glamour UK
The film’s Christmas moments – such as the Great Hall festooned with floating candles and sparkling snowflakes, the large banquet tables full of roast turkeys and pies, the wintry landscape of Hogwarts, and the trio’s delight in receiving magical gifts – come together to create such loving warmth that is often felt during Christmas.
9. You’ve Got Mail (1998)
Image credit: Cinemablend
The golden romcom couple, Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan, reunites in the charming You’ve Got Mail, which is a New York’s Upper West Side remake of Lubitsch’s 1940 The Shop Around The Corner.
The comfort movie of all comfort movies and a staple on every mother’s movie list, it is a quintessential 90s romcom in every sense – the leads hate each other at first sight then eventually fall in love. Joe Fox and Kathleen Kelly are battling bookstore owners who eventually, unknowingly fall for each other via email – Tinder who?
Image credit: The New York Times
While not a textbook Christmas movie, it has enough carol-singing, twinkly lights, and warm cocoas to lighten up even the Scrooge-iest of Scrooges. Besides, some of the movie’s most emotional passages and most romantically pivotal scenes are peppered with Christmas lights, snowy streets and awkward holiday parties.
After all, how do we resist a romcom that can get us all warm and fuzzy inside, especially one that can make quotes like “a bouquet of newly sharpened pencils” sound remarkably romantic.
10. The Holiday (2006)
Image adapted from: IMDb
The Holiday is that film you’ll want to put on as you’re all swaddled in blankets, sipping on eggnog and dreaming of Christmas gifts, for many reasons. First, it stars Jude Law as single-father Graham Simpkins and Cameron Diaz as Amanda, a successful movie producer, romancing it up in a cutesy country cottage. Secondly, it also features the budding relationship between Kate Winslet as Graham’s sister Iris Simpkins and Jack Black playing Miles Dumont.
This festive romantic comedy follows two heartbroken women who decide to swap homes for Christmas – Amanda going full cottagecore in Iris’ quaint English cottage, and Iris in Amanda’s luxurious mansion in Los Angeles. Inevitably, as any holiday romcom, they find love on opposite sides of the pond.
Humorous, heartwarming and captivating with lots of pretty people in pretty sweaters, it’s no wonder this snug film is such a telly favourite during Christmastime.
11. The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
Image adapted from: Parade
Yet another Tim Burton masterpiece, The Night Before Christmas is a gorgeous stop-motion animation about Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin King of HalloweenTown, who discovers Christmas Town and becomes captivated by the holiday’s joy and wonder.
Frightfully jolly and cheerily spooky, the film’s juxtaposition of dark and festive elements puts an unconventional twist on the spirit of Christmas, making it an instant classic during the holiday season.
12. Little Women
Image adapted from: Medium & IMDb
Little Women has been adapted to the screen more times than we can count on our fingers, and no matter how we may disagree on which adaptation is the best, we can all agree that they all make for great Christmas movies.
Based on Louisa May Alcott’s classic novel, the films convey the heartwarming tale of sisterhood at its core, following the lives of the March sisters – Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy – as they navigate through life together.
Nothing warms the cockles of your heart more than watching the March sisters frolicking around the picturesque wintry landscapes in New England, making a ruckus around Christmas feasts and fires, and shrieking during snow fights with family.
13. Edward Scissorhands (1990)
Image credit: USA Today Christmas movies
One might think that Edward Scissorhands is more of a Halloween movie, but any Christmas film enthusiast will tell you that this dark fairytale will warm your core like a cup of hot chocolate.
Johnny Depp plays the pale-faced humanoid Edward Scissorhands, who – as the name describes – has scissor blades for hands. His lonely life gets tinged with colour when a kind-hearted Peg takes him into her family’s home.
The story captures the spirit of the season perfectly with its context of Christmas, the empathy and compassion shown by a community willing to accept his differences, and even his gothic romance with Winona Ryder playing Kim Boggs, as they dance about in a plume of snow.
14. While You Were Sleeping (1995)
Image adapted from: Pinterest
Apart from an irresistibly adorable Sandra Bullock as a head-over-heels-in-love Lucy, the 90s romcom While You Were Sleeping has everything else good for a jovial heart.
After rescuing a man whom she has had a long-time crush on, Lucy accidentally leads the family to believe that they are engaged during the time he was in a coma. As she befriends his sweet family, she eventually finds herself falling in love with his brother instead.
Warm, witty and festive, there are plenty of cute ice-slipping and kisses-under-the-mistletoe moments to get you feeling all fuzzy – if you just conveniently let slip how stalker-y the whole fake fiancee fiasco is.
15. Barbie in the Nutcracker (2001)
Image adapted from: Letterboxd
Loosely based on the classic Tchaikovsky ballet The Nutcracker, Barbie in the Nutcracker is a Barbie animated film that’ll fill your Christmas with sugary sweetness.
The story follows Barbie as Clara, who receives a wooden nutcracker as a gift during Christmas. As she falls asleep, she is transported to a magical realm where she discovers that the nutcracker has come to life.
Amongst enchanting backdrops such as sparkling white landscapes with dancing snowflakes and fairies, Clara’s wondrous journey into a magical world to defeat the Mouse King and help the Sugarplum Princess break a curse is definitely one that brings the magic of Christmas to life.
16. A Christmas Carol (2009)
Image adapted from: Letterboxd
Numerous adaptations of A Christmas Carol have been brought to the screen, each with their own spin and unique interpretation. Whether it’s the 1951 classic, the Muppet version, or the more recent animated one, each film captures the heart of Dickens’ tale and the nostalgic charm of the holiday season.
In the 2009 adaptation, Jim Carrey portrays the cantankerous and grouchy Scrooge who is visited by three ghosts on Christmas Eve. Confronted with his past mistakes, the old man is warned about his grim future if he doesn’t change his ways.
17. A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965)
Image credit: Parade Christmas movies
An oldie but forever a goodie, A Charlie Brown Christmas first aired as a 25-minute television special in 1965 and continued to charm audiences every holiday season since then.
This endearing film starts with Charlie Brown in a bout of seasonal depression, feeling disenchanted by the holiday’s materialistic nature. But with the love and support of his friends, Charlie eventually learns the true meaning of Christmas.
As iconic as the film itself is the breezy jazz-infused soundtrack Christmas Time Is Here composed by Vince Guaraldi that sings of the meaning of Christmas and still rings true to this day.
18. Bridget Jones’s Diary (2001)
Image credit: Universal Pictures
Bridget Jones’s Diary is a Christmas film you’ll want to be watching with your girl friends, slumped on a couch in your pyjamas with an open bottle of wine and boxes of chocolates – basically exuding Bridget Jones energy.
Loosely inspired and quirkily spun from Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, this romcom follows a single British woman in her thirties. Lonely and scream-singing to All By Myself at first, she soon finds herself caught between two men: the dashing Daniel Cleaver played by Hugh Grant, and the cynical Mark Darcy excellently portrayed by Colin Firth.
Image credit: Universal Pictures
What’s more, Colin Firth looking bored in a festive reindeer sweater is all the holiday cheer we need.
19. Frozen (2013)
Image credit: Disney Movies
Disney’s Frozen may be a relatively recent release, but the movie is every bit a Christmas movie as any Hallmark movies.
With the animated movie’s wintry settings, little Anna scampering around asking if Elsa wants to build a snowman, non-stop talking snowman, and an ice prowess creating a whole winter wonderland, it’s completely reasonable how it is a regular fixture at Christmastime.
20. The Santa Clause (1994)
Image credit: E Online Christmas movies
The Santa Clause could have very easily ended up as a horror movie – Santa falling off the roof and plummeting to his death is a very specific Christmas nightmare – but Tim Allen swoops in to save the day by hilariously embodying jolly old St. Nick.
A perfect balance of comedy and warmth, the show embraces the traditions and essence of Christmas wholeheartedly, making it the perfect holiday film to cosy up to.
Classic Christmas movies that Malaysians know & love
If you find yourself becoming a Scrooge over the ultra-cheesy new Christmas movies, go back to the old favourites with this list that has a full range of all things holly and jolly. So mull some wine or warm some cocoa, and get all cocooned up in the magic of the season with a timeless sappy love story or a raging but classic festive movie.
For more Christmas listicles, here’s 8 festive activities for Malaysians spending the holidays alone and 7 places to buy cheap Christmas trees in Malaysia.
Cover image adapted from: IMDb, ELLE, Disney Plus & NBC26