Christmas is nearing ever closer, which means it’s about time to crack open the mince pies, pop a bottle of Baileys and kick back with some festive films. Many of us choose from a handful of Christmas comfort films every year, but with so many to choose from it can be tricky to pick a film the whole family agree on.
The kids want to watch Elf, Mum wants Love Actually and Dad wants Bond! These days, there’s tons of Christmassy content available on streaming services, with many there to enjoy without paying a penny thanks to the streamers’ free trials.
That’s why we’ve put together our guide to the 10 best Christmas films and where you can watch them. Whether you fancy a modern classic or a golden oldie, there’s something for everyone this Christmas thanks Disney+, Sky, Netflix and Amazon’s Prime Video.
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1. Elf
The film that spreads Christmas cheer for all to hear, Elf has truly cemented itself as a festive great. From Iron Man director Jon Favreau, the 2003 comedy sees Anchorman star Will Ferrell in the role that suits him like no other.
The film opens on Christmas Eve, as an orphan baby crawls into Santa’s bag of gifts and gets mistakenly taken to the North Pole. As a human raised by elves, Buddy (Will Ferrell) comes to realise he doesn’t fit in, so sets out to New York City determined to find his biological dad and a place where he belongs.
Elf is available on Sky and Now, and can be enjoyed with an amazing deal that packages Sky Stream, Sky TV and Netflix – plus six months of free Apple TV+ – into one entertainment bundle. It can also be rented on Prime Video and Apple TV+ for £3.49.
2. It’s A Wonderful Life
The classics are classic for a reason. It may be pushing 80 years old, but It’s A Wonderful Life remains timeless and is one of Classical Hollywood’s most iconic films.
Led by James Stewart in perhaps his best role, the 1946 film sees a guardian angel show compassionate but despairingly frustrated businessman George Bailey (Stewart) an alternate version of history. In seeing what life would have been like if he never existed, George sees how he has in fact touched the lives of those around him.
It’s A Wonderful Life is available to stream on Amazon’s Prime Video, and can be watched for free thanks to a 30-day free trial that also includes next-day delivery and Amazon Music Prime.
3. Die Hard
‘Now I have a machine gun. Ho-ho-ho.’ The film that kicked off one of the most hotly debated topics in cinema: Is Die Hard a Christmas film?
The evidence is certainly strong – it takes place on Christmas Eve, at a Christmas party. There’s tons of festive jokes and references, and it was voted the best ever Christmas film by Empire readers in 2016.
Decide for yourself by streaming the action flick and its sequels this festive season. In the 1988 action flick, no-nonsense New York City cop John McClane (Bruce Willis) faces overwhelming odds when his visit to California is interrupted by a terrorist invasion of his estranged wife’s office building.
Die Hard is available to stream on Disney+ alongside tons of Marvel and Star wars content. A subscription to Disney+ now costs as little as £4.99 a month and can be cancelled any time.
4. The Nightmare Before Christmas
Tim Burton’s stop-motion classic toes the line between Halloween and Christmas, making it perfect for either occasion. The undeniably catchy songs from regular Burton collaborator Danny Elfman can fill a room with festive cheer despite its occasionally macabre tone.
In the beloved 1993 film, Pumpkin King Jack Skellington is bored with the same old spooky routine and accidentally finds himself in the bizarre, cheer-filled land of Christmas Town. He becomes enamoured with the festive world and embarks on a merry mission to spread the joy of Christmas, which puts Santa in jeopardy and creates a nightmare for good little boys and girls everywhere.
The Nightmare Before Christmas is available to stream on Disney+. A subscription to Disney+ now costs as little as £4.99 a month and can be cancelled any time.
5. Home Alone
Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without Chris Columbus’ festive favourite which made an icon out of young Macaulay Culkin. In the 1990 comedy, the oft-neglected Kevin McCallister (Culkin) is inadvertently left behind while his family goes on a Christmas trip to Paris.
When a pair of bungling burglars known as the Wet Bandits attempt to rob Kevin’s suburban home, the youngster attempts to fight them off with a series of DIY booby traps.
Home Alone is available to stream on Disney+. A subscription to Disney+ now costs as little as £4.99 a month and can be cancelled any time.
6. The Muppets Christmas Carol
Nothing says Christmas like a talking frog. The Muppets get in on the Christmas action with their own comical yet heart-warming rendition of Charles Dickens’ classic tale that espouses the true meaning of Christmas.
On Christmas Eve, grouchy old Ebenezer Scrooge (Michael Caine) is visited by the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future. Alongside kind and humble Bob Cratchit (Kermit the Frog) and his family, the spirits open Scrooge’s eyes – and his heart – to the true meaning of Christmas.
The Muppets Christmas Carol is available to stream on Disney+. A subscription to Disney+ now costs as little as £4.99 a month and can be cancelled any time.
7. National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation
Plenty of hilariously tongue-in-cheek humour abounds in this delightfully zany comedy. Written by teen-movie John Hughes, Christmas Vacation is driven by former SNL funnyman Chevy Chase as the impulsive and ambitious patriarch of the Griswold family.
Clark Griswold plans for a big family Christmas, which predictably turns into a big disaster when both sets of parents – and more – turn up to visit.
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation is available on Sky and Now, and can be enjoyed with an amazing deal that packages Sky Stream, Sky TV and Netflix – plus six months of free Apple TV+ – into one entertainment bundle. It can also be rented on Prime Video and Apple TV+ for £3.49.
8. Scrooged
Comedy icon Bill Murray fronts this darkly comedic and surreal modernisation of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. The Ghostbusters star assumes the role of selfish and cynical TV executive Frank Cross, who finds himself haunted by three spirits bearing lessons on Christmas Eve.
Scrooged is available to stream on Amazon’s Prime Video, and can be watched for free thanks to a 30-day free trial that also includes next-day delivery and Amazon Music Prime.
9. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone
Ok, so it may not be a traditional Christmas film, but there’s something undeniably festive about Harry Potter – the earlier instalments at least. A good portion of the Philosopher’s Stone takes place around Christmas, with Hogwarts covered in a picture-perfect layer of snow and The Great Hall decked out in festive décor.
Christmas is used as a defining plot-driver in many of the films: in the Philosopher’s Stone, one of Harry’s gifts – the invisibility cloak – becomes an integral part of his wizarding journey. The later films also feature plenty of Christmas parties and festive merriment.
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone is available on Netflix, Sky and Now, and can be enjoyed with an amazing deal that packages Sky Stream, Sky TV and Netflix – plus six months of free Apple TV+ – into one entertainment bundle. It can also be rented on Prime Video and Apple TV+ for £3.49.
10. How the Grinch Stole Christmas
Jim Carrey drives this live-action adaptation of Dr Seuss’ Christmas classic. The actor gives a quintessentially Carrey-esque, over-the-top performance as The Grinch, a grumpy green monster who lives high up on a mountain overlooking the town of Whoville.
He hates happiness, merriment, and most of all, Christmas. So one year, as the festive season approaches, decides that enough is enough and draws up plans to steal all the decorations and all the presents from the poor, unsuspecting citizens below.
How the Grinch Stole Christmas is available to stream on Amazon’s Prime Video, and can be watched for free thanks to a 30-day free trial that also includes next-day delivery and Amazon Music Prime.
