Christmas is a time for family, blazing fireplaces, and decorating fir trees, and most importantly, it’s a time for watching Christmas movies. But Christmas movies are a very hot-button issue; everyone has a die-hard fanbase that says that their movie is the best and that everyone else is wrong. So, what is the best Christmas movie? To clear up this confusion, we asked you to rank 10 of the most popular Christmas movies to answer the question everyone is asking: what is the best Christmas movie?
Honorable Mentions
Rise of the Guardians (2012) is an animated movie about Jack Frost, Santa Claus, and other holiday mascots teaming up to protect children worldwide from an evil spirit. It is an underrated gem of a movie. It was pretty much forgotten about upon release, but it has since developed a cult following, though it deserves so much more attention.
Klaus (2019) is another animated movie, the number 1 Christmas movie. It didn’t make the top 10 list because it’s not as popular as the other movies. I won’t say anything more about it to avoid ruining the experience of watching it. If you only watch one Christmas movie this year, make it Klaus.
The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special (2022) is a surprisingly good movie that contributes to the story of The Guardians of the Galaxy movies. It’s difficult to explain without spoiling the surprise, but essentially, Drax, Mantis, and the rest of Knowhere decide to give Star-Lord a gift for Christmas, Kevin Bacon. It’s just as fun as the rest of The Guardians of the Galaxy franchise.
While none of these movies made the top 10, that doesn’t mean they aren’t as good as the rest of the film or aren’t worth your time; it just means they aren’t quite as popular.
Before we get to the rankings, remember that the quotes are chosen to represent the general opinion of the movie, and do not necessarily represent the rank that the individuals quoted gave the movie. Now here’s the list.
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989)
“The cat dies in this movie and the first time I watched it I cried because of the cat dying, so I cannot watch this movie at all, making it my least favorite,” stated 9th grade student Mikayla Thornal.
It’s likely a surprise to many, but National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation has been ranked the worst Christmas movie of the bunch. The comedy is largely derived from the chaos of the large family gatherings at Christmas, but the relatability has diminished over the years.
Die Hard (1988)
“Die Hard is not a Christmas movie. It just takes place during Christmas,” asserted 10th-grade student Wes Edwards.
People have been endlessly debating whether Die Hard is a Christmas movie or not. Some say that it’s Christmas theme and message about the importance of family qualify it as a Christmas movie, and others say that simply taking place during Christmas is not enough to count and that it’s more about Bruce Willis looking cool than anything else. Either way, it doesn’t rank highly on the list.
A Christmas Story (1983)
“I hate this movie so much. Nothing about it is Christmas. It’s violent and has kids hurting each other. So awful,” voiced 9th-grade student Jonathan Bailey.
A Christmas Story is another controversial Christmas movie, people can’t seem to figure out if it’s a good movie that deserves the praise it gets, or if it’s overhyped and not worthy of its popularity. A Christmas Story has always been a popular movie, choosing to portray a more realistic Christmas experience than the idyllic family celebration of other movies at the time, but modern Christmas celebrations are very different from what we see in the movie. The more realistic approach to Christmas at the time was refreshing, but now A Christmas Story is kind of stuck in the past, struggling to reach a new audience.
The Santa Clause (1994)
The Santa Claus made it this far simply because it’s an inoffensive movie, but it doesn’t leave an impact. In fact, I was unable to find any quotes explicitly talking about the movie in the Google form responses. It’s a fine enough movie, but nobody gave it enough thought to have an opinion about it.
It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)
“It’s Just Too Long and Slow In terms of pacing, It’s a Wonderful Life might seem slow and overly sentimental, especially for younger viewers or those accustomed to faster-paced films. The first half of the movie, with George’s childhood and early adulthood, meanders through a series of events that feel repetitive and overly long. There’s a lot of screen time spent on George’s mundane day-to-day struggles, which, although important for his character arc, might feel tedious to someone just in it for a quick holiday fix. It’s a far cry from the action-packed Christmas blockbusters of today (like Die Hard), which some may find more entertaining,” expressed a student who wished to remain anonymous.
What more is there to say?
Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)
“I probably would’ve made Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000) my number 1 option but Santa doesn’t appear in it which really just doesn’t slide with me considering it is a Christmas movie,” stated Senior August Avila.
The Grinch is an iconic Christmas character with many interpretations to choose from, but Jim Carrey’s energetic and absurd take on the character sticks out among the others. Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas has stood the test of time, and thanks to Jim Carrey’s continued popularity, it will likely continue to do so.
Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
“I’m a sucker for animated films, and Tim Burton’s writing is just phenomenally spooky. As far as stop motion goes, this film really stands out to me with its ability to make movement pop and flow incredibly seamlessly,” voiced Junior Leah Phillips.
Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas is another movie with endless debate, whether it’s a Christmas movie or a Halloween movie, with some philosophers who argue that it is instead a Thanksgiving movie, but that’s neither here nor there. Despite this controversy, the film has managed to make its way near the top of the list thanks to its stop-motion animation and musical soundtrack, something that all sides of the debate agree deserves to be recognized, no matter what list it’s on.
The Polar Express (2004)
“The Polar Express is a 400,000-pound sack of nostalgia for me. With its groundbreaking motion-capture, fantastical action sequences, wonderful soundtrack, and mysterious portrayal of Santa Claus, which is what he truly is, a mysterious, magical figure, the Polar Express will be in my heart forever,” expressed 9th grade student Andrew Cunningham.
The Polar Express has become a Christmas cult classic, despite the mo-cap animation that can be off-putting to some viewers. It’s a surprisingly action-packed and suspenseful movie, with plenty of intrigue and comedy to keep viewers engaged. It took a risk using mo-cap, and it paid off.
Home Alone (1990)
“The plot was wonderful and the whole scene where the burglars get beat up is a masterpiece. It has good messages too like family is important, be resourceful, never underestimate people, be on time to the airport, etc,” stated 9th-grade student Luna Roberts.
On paper, Home Alone seems like the exact opposite of a great Christmas movie. A child is abandoned by his family and is forced to take up responsibility and defend his house from home invaders who want him dead. But this unique premise is exactly what makes the film so beloved. It’s able to tell you the same message as any other Christmas movie does through a more engaging story.
Elf (2003)
“I chose Elf as number one because it’s the kind of film that feels like a cozy holiday pardoned turkey hug. The cinematography, with its warm, golden lighting and festive New York backdrop, is like stepping into a nostalgic dream. Buddy is so funny and his enthusiasm makes you believe in the magic of Christmas all over again. It’s not just a Christmas movie, it’s the Christmas movie,” voiced 9th-grade student Elodie Amaya.
Unsurprisingly to many, Elf is the definitive Christmas movie. It’s a comedic, heartwarming adventure that never fails to entertain. It has entertained countless people year after year. You can’t have Christmas without Elf.