8 Christmas Movies to Watch on This Holiday Season

Black Nativity

Based on the 1961 play by Langston Hughes, 2013’s Black Nativity tells the story of Langston (Jacob Latimore), a teen from Baltimore whose mother, Naima (Jennifer Hudson), sends him to New York City to spend Christmas with his strict relatives, Reverend Cobbs (Forest Whitaker) and Aretha (Angela Bassett).

The joyous film features Gospel music along with an all-star cast. Black Nativity was directed by Kasi Lemmons, who also helmed 2019’s Harriet and 2022’s Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody.

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A Christmas Carol

Charles Dickens’ classic Christmas tale has been adapted for the screen many times over the years, but this 1984 version is cited as among the best.

The TV movie features George C. Scott as the gruff and cruel Ebenezer Scrooge, a performance that garnered the actor an Emmy nomination.

This version of A Christmas Carol might not have Bill Murray or the Muppets, but it still contains the heartwarming holiday magic of Dickens’ timeless tale.

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Die Hard

The debate of whether Die Hard is a holiday movie continues, but for some, it’s not officially Christmas until Hans Gruber falls from Nakatomi Plaza.

The action classic stars Bruce Willis as John McClane and Alan Rickman as Gruber. While it is set during a festive party on Christmas Eve, the film mostly trades guns for garland and “Yippee Ki Yay” for carols.

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Jingle All the Way

In Jingle All the Way, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sinbad bring the holiday hilarity as two rival dads who are on the hunt to find the most in-demand action figure of the holiday season: Turbo-Man.

It’s been nearly 30 years since Jingle All the Way was released in 1996, but it has become a seasonal favorite, with parents being able to relate to the struggle of trying to get their hands on the latest hot toy.

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Miracle on 34th Street (1947)

One of the most beloved Christmas movies of all time, 1947’s Miracle on 34th Street stars Edmund Gwenn, Maureen O’Hara, John Payne and Natalie Wood.

The film tells the story of Kris Kringle (Gwenn), a man tasked with portraying Santa Claus at Macy’s flagship store on 34th Street in N.Y.C. His commitment to the role makes young Susan (Wood) a believer.

On the other hand, his co-workers and friends begin to question his sanity, which leads to a court appearance where he must prove his identity.

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Miracle on 34th Street (1994)

This remake of the 1947 original features Richard Attenborough in the Kris Kringle role, alongside other cast members, like Elizabeth Perkins, Dylan McDermott and Mara Wilson.

In the 1994 iteration, Wilson plays the skeptical Susan, but in 2024, the actress told PEOPLE that Attenborough was “the only Santa Claus I ever actually believed in.”

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The Night Before

The raunchy R-rated comedy stars Seth Rogen, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Anthony Mackie.

The actors play a trio of friends who turn Christmas Eve into a wild night of debauchery during their quest to crash an exclusive holiday party known as the Nutcracka Ball.

“Christmas just really lends itself to movies,” Rogen told the Los Angeles Times about the making of The Night Before. “The music is great, the lights are pretty, snow looks fantastic on film. To me, it’s almost like the best application of Christmas is in film.”

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Unaccompanied Minors

In the 2006 comedy from director Paul Feig, a group of kids finds themselves snowed in at an airport on Christmas Eve.

Without adult supervision, the mischievous children cause chaos while also spreading holiday cheer to the other stranded passengers who are trying to make it home for Christmas.

The film features appearances by Tyler James Williams, Wilmer Valderrama, Paget Brewster, Mindy Kaling and Al Roker as himself.