Christmas is finally here, so now is the time to stick your feet up and indulge in some beloved festive films. Whether you’re in the mood for a seasonal rom-com or some family friendly animation that everyone can enjoy, there are countless Christmas classics available now on TV and streaming platforms.
All of our top picks come from the likes of Disney+, Netflix, Sky and Amazon’s Prime Video, each of which are available with a raft of money-saving deals. Disney+ now starts at £4.99 a month, while Prime Video is free for 30 days with an Amazon Prime free trial.
Elsewhere, Sky has just unveiled a new £25 TV, Sky Cinema, Netflix and Paramount+ bundle with more than 1,000 films on-demand, including a flurry of festive favourites. There’s still time to get Sky in time for Christmas if you act fast and sign by 9pm on December 23.
So, read on for our pick of the best films to watch over Christmas and where to watch them.
Elf
Will Ferrell’s turn as Buddy, the human raised by elves, has made him an unlikely Christmas star. He fronts the beloved 2003 comedy from Iron Man director Jon Favreau as a fish-out-of-water in the Big Apple.
Elf 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 (Ferrell) comes to realise he doesn’t fit in, so sets out to New York City determined to find his biological father (James Caan) and a place where he belongs.
Die Hard
Is Die Hard a Christmas film? It’s a debate that’s raged on for more than 30 years, with Bruce Willis himself controversially declaring that the beloved action flick is in fact not a Christmas film.
Whether you agree with him or not, Die Hard has become a de facto festive favourite for cinephiles around the world, with Empire readers voting it the best Christmas film of all time. The film – which takes place on Christmas Eve, at a Christmas party – follows New York City cop John McClane (Willis), who faces overwhelming odds when his visit to California is interrupted by a terrorist invasion of his estranged wife’s office building.
Home Alone
Cute little Macaulay Culkin became a cultural icon after starring in Chris Columbus’ festive favourite. In the 1990 comedy, neglected youngster Kevin McCallister (Culkin) is inadvertently left behind while his family goes on a Christmas trip to Paris.
After making the most of his time alone, a pair of bungling burglars known as the Wet Bandits attempt to rob his family’s suburban home, forcing Kevin to fight them off with a series of DIY booby traps.
It’s a Wonderful Life
Even nearly 80 years since its release, It’s a Wonderful Life remains one of Classical Hollywood’s most timeless films. In arguably James Stewart’s most beloved 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.
The Muppet Christmas Carol
Everyone’s favourite talking frog gives Charles Dickens’ classic tale the Muppet treatment in this 1992 musical. Kermit, Miss Piggy and the rest of the film’s puppet cast star alongside British acting veteran Michael Caine in this heart-warming festive film.
It takes place on Christmas Eve, as grouchy old Ebenezer Scrooge (Caine) is visited by the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future. Alongside kind and humble Bob Cratchit (Kermit) and his family, the spirits open Scrooge’s eyes – and his heart – to the true meaning of Christmas.
Love Actually
From Notting Hill writer-director Richard Curtis, Love Actually follows the love lives of eight different couples in London as told through various loosely interrelated stories, all set during a frantic month in the run up to Christmas. It boasts a huge ensemble cast including Hugh Grant, Keira Knightley, Emma Thompson, Alan Rickman, Colin Firth, Liam Neeson, Andrew Lincoln and Martine McCutcheon.
The film was a huge success, grossing more than $240 million worldwide and becoming a festive staple for many in the UK and beyond.
The Nightmare Before Christmas
Tim Burton’s stop-motion musical makes perfect viewing on both Halloween and Christmas and is packed with catchy songs from Burton collaborator and composer Danny Elfman. 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.
Klaus
This Oscar-nominated and BAFTA-winning adventure-comedy is somewhat overlooked, but is definitely worth a watch this Christmas. It centres around selfish postman Jesper (Jason Schwartzman), who distinguishes himself as the postal academy’s worst student, so is stationed on a frozen island above the Arctic Circle.
Jesper is about to give up when he finds an ally in local teacher Alva (Rashida Jones) and discovers Klaus (J.K. Simmons), a mysterious carpenter who lives alone in a cabin full of handmade toys. These unlikely friendships return laughter to Smeerensburg, forging a new legacy of generous neighbours, magical lore and stockings hung by the chimney with care.
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation
Written by teen-movie legend John Hughes, Christmas Vacation is fronted by former SNL star and comedy icon Chevy Chase as the patriarch of the Griswold family. The zany comedy features plenty of tongue-in-cheek gags as Clark Griswold (Chase) plans for a big family Christmas, which predictably turns into a big disaster when both sets of parents – and more – turn up to visit.
The Polar Express
