21 Iconic Holiday Movies To Watch Before The New Year

Michele Bird
·4-min read

'Tis the season for a festive movie marathon. With SO many good ones to choose from, it can be hard to narrow down which ones are the best. Here are the most iconic holiday movies of all time:

1.To start, the holiday season isn't complete without watching Elf at least once (or a million times).

Will Ferrell as Buddy the Elf with children and families standing behind him in "Elf."
© New Line Cinema / Courtesy Everett Collection

2.A Christmas Story is always on repeat on December 25th, automatically making it a holiday must-watch.

Ian Petrella, Peter Billingsley, Scott Schwartz, and R.D. Robb in winter clothing in "A Christmas Story."
© MGM / Courtesy Everett Collection

3.I was late to the game watching Love Actually, but it has since become one of my favorite rom-coms because the multiple plotlines weave together so seamlessly.

Andrew Lincoln holding a sign that says, "To me, you are perfect" in "Love Actually."
© Universal / Courtesy Everett Collection

4.One of my absolute favorites as a kid was Jingle All the Way. It's equal parts funny and chaotic when Sinbad and Arnold Schwarzenegger battle it out over Turbo-Man, the most sought-after Christmas gift of the season.

Sinbad and Arnold Schwarzenegger in a crowd of people in "Jingle All the Way."
© 20th Century Fox / Courtesy Everett Collection

5.Is it a Christmas movie or a Halloween movie? No matter what you think, The Nightmare Before Christmas is always a top pick on the two holidays.

Jack Skellington dressed as Santa with Sally standing in the background in "The Nightmare Before Christmas."
© Buena Vista Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection

6.The ways Macaulay Culkin hilariously pranks the burglars in Home Alone never gets old season after season.

Macaulay Culkin in a beanie, scarf, and winter jacket, holding a food catalog in "Home Alone."
© 20th Century Fox / Courtesy Everett Collection

7.The Muppet Christmas Carol is a Brian Henson twist on the beloved holiday tale with Kermit the Frog as Bob Cratchit and Michael Caine as the grumpy Ebenezer Scrooge. It's one of my favorite Muppet tales, only after Muppet Treasure Island.

Kermit the Frog surrounded by other Muppets in "The Muppet Christmas Carol."
© Buena Vista Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection

8.Nothing brings back childhood nostalgia like A Charlie Brown Christmas and the sparse tree that won us all over.

Charlie Brown and Linus in front of a small, sparse tree in "A Charlie Brown Christmas."
ABC Television Network / Courtesy Everett Collection

9.Having to take on Santa's role after he accidentally falls off your roof? Yeah, that wasn't on anyone's bingo card either until The Santa Clause.

Tim Allen and David Krumholtz in "The Santa Clause."
© Buena Vista Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection

10.Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer has been a stop-motion childhood favorite since 1964.

Animated scene of a baby reindeer with a glowing red nose and an adult reindeer
NBC Universal / Via youtube.com

11.National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation is a comedic ride proving the holidays can go awry for us all sometimes.

Chevy Chase as Santa by a decorated tree in "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation."
© Warner Bros. / Courtesy Everett Collection

12.Since people always argue Die Hard is a Christmas movie, it obviously had to make an appearance on this list.

Bruce Willis holding a gun in "Die Hard."
© 20th Century Fox / Courtesy Everett Collection

13.The 1966 How the Grinch Stole Christmas! TV special made our hearts grow three sizes and taught us it isn't always just about the presents.

The Grinch sneaks through a house with a stolen Christmas tree and decorations, wearing a Santa hat.
CBS / Courtesy Everett Collection

14.The Holiday is why everyone says it's Jude Law flirting season.

Jude Law staring at Cameron Diaz in "The Holiday."
© Columbia Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection

15.Bad Santa is the reason why there's a naughty and nice list.

Billy Bob Thornton as Santa, walking in a parking lot in "Bad Santa."
© Dimension Films / Courtesy Everett Collection

16.If you've ever had to pull something together at the last minute, Christmas with the Kranks is 100% your movie.

Jamie Lee Curtis in the supermarket in "Christmas with the Kranks."
© Columbia Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection

17.If you've ever found yourself running to multiple holiday celebrations in one day, Four Christmases will be hilariously relatable in a way you didn't know your soul needed.

Reese Witherspoon and Vince Vaughn looking at each other in front of a decorated Christmas tree in "Four Christmases."
© New Line Cinema / Courtesy Everett Collection

18.Every story has an origin, and Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town brings us the wholesome stop-motion tale of Kris Kringle.

Baby with a "CLAUS" necklace in "Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town."
ABC / Via youtube.com

19.If you're a Love Actually fan, Let It Snow will be up your rom-com alley as friendships and love collide on Christmas Eve.

Isabela Moner, Shameik Moore walking together in "Let It Snow."
Steve Wilkie / © Netflix / Courtesy Everett Collection

20.What happens when you mix an episode of Catfish and a rom-com? You get Love Hard.

Nina Dobrev, Jimmy O. Yang decorating a tree in "Love Hard."
Bettina Strauss / © Netflix / Courtesy Everett Collection

21.And finally, if you need a dose of laughter from wrapping gifts and hosting the perfect party, A Bad Moms Christmas gives a comedic break from the seemingly endless holiday pressures.

Kristen Bell, Mila Kunis, and Kathryn Hahn in a festive kitchen in a scene from "A Bad Moms Christmas."
Hilary Bronwyn Gayle / © STX Entertainment / Courtesy Everett Collection

What's your favorite holiday movie of all time? Drop yours in the comments!

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