I love a good movie, and especially around the holidays. When it’s a little colder outside, and all warm and cozy inside, I love nothing better than a great holiday movie with my family. My girls are 8 and 11, and these are some of our top Christmas movies. Some love one more than others, but overall there are some really good choices here, sure to get you in the holiday spirit. We tend to be a Friday night in, homemade pizza and a movie kind of family, especially through the winter months, so just picture me curled up with my littles after a long week, enjoying one of these.
10. The Santa Clause
It’s a good one, classic Christmas theme of overworked man who doesn’t spend enough time with his family discovering the true meaning of Christmas -well practically becoming Christmas. And, I’m a sucker for a happy ending. The Santa Clause 2 and 3 are fun too.
What child doesn’t like to see a kid outsmart an adult? It’s funny, cute, and again has that true meaning of Christmas message, in this case being with family. I also really liked Home Alone 2 -the change of setting helped make it not just feel like a repeat of the first one. I think most kids will really like both.
8. Dr. Seuss’ How The Grinch Stole Christmas
We love the Grinch around here…in fact my darling husband may or may not get teased often about being the Grinch/Scrooge/Oscar the grouch at times, so this one is a real favourite around here, lol. The animated one is great too, a real classic, but this is one of those cases where the newer one with real people is just as good
If your kids are into the new Peanuts movie, here’s a chance to show them the version you watched when you were a kid. Love the old Charlie Brown tree, and his search for the true meaning of Christmas, which leads to the manger scene. It’s so sweet, and profound at the same time, love it.
6. Curious George A Very Monkey Christmas
You might not know this one. I have one little who loves Curious George, and lets face it he is one smart monkey. Your going to find yourself singing “Christmas Monkey, Christmas Monkey, everyone loves a Christmas Monkey”…you’ve been warned…I can’t believe that hasn’t become a classic carol…yet. 😉
This is such a sweet little Christmas movie, set in my home city of Toronto. If you were an Anne of Green Gables fan you might love this too, since it has Megan Follows in it, but this one is set during the Depression. Lovely story about a financially struggling family and how they get through the holidays.
They don’t come more classic than this one. This might be my personal fav. on the list, but it is in black and white and an old, old movie for the littles. It might not top their list…yet, but they’ll hopefully still enjoy it.
3. Little Women
Who doesn’t love a story set in “the olden days”, especially at Christmas. You might not think of this one as a Christmas movie, but there are several lovely Christmas scenes in the movie.
2. The Muppet’s Christmas Carol
Okay again a holiday must see. Love the Muppets, love the humour, and love the classic story of A Christmas Carol. This movie has it all.
1. Elf
This probably won’t be number one on my own personal list, but my kids LOVE this movie, and I do like it too. It’s funny, and sweet, and quotable….”Smiling is my favourite.” We watch this movie every year while we trim the family tree, and we all look forward to it.
A couple honourable mentions to add to the list, One Magic Christmas. I haven’t actually watched this one with my girls yet, but it’s on my list for this year. I can remember watching it as a kid with my Dad, and I remember really enjoying it, and him too. And one I also really like, and my kids liked it too, Christmas with the Kranks. It’s funny and sweet, and again has that classic true meaning of Christmas message, in this case family.
Am I missing any great ones?
With a great list of family Christmas movies, life really is a party!
You might also like this post, 20 Non-Cartoon Family Movies That Parents Will Actually Enjoy Too:
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A couple of really good movies you didn’t mention are:
The Waltons: The Homecoming It was the pilot movie for this long-running show. Patricia Neal played the mother, otherwise the cast was the same.
Emmit Otter’s Jug Band is a Muppet story- a different spin on O’Henry’s classic Christmas tale.
Thanks Camellia, I’ll have to check those out.
Merry Christmas,
Dannyelle