Countdown to Christmas: 10 Christmas Films to Watch over the Festive Period

Thus, the pool for good seasonal films is quite small and there are only a handful that I would class as worthy of being watched year upon year (or every other year). There are certain films like Home Alone and The Grinch Who Stole Christmas, who have cemented themselves as holiday classics. There are more recent entries like Arthur Christmas, who’s joy and innocence have earned themselves a well deserved place on the holiday calendar and there are others that you will happily watch in the run up to Christmas as joyful hours of festive bliss.

From a personal perspective, Elf is my favourite Christmas film. It may be a bit silly and a little goofy, but it has so much heart and never fails to make you feel happy and Christmassy. Elf is the film that I will always try and watch in the lead up to Christmas, but with so many different channels and platforms, there’s a plethora of different films to choose from.

This year, here at The LW Collection, we’ve decided to compile a list of some of the best Christmas films for you to watch over the festive period. Our list of ten films gives you a film to watch in any spare moment you have to really get you in the festive mood. If your favourite isn’t on here, don’t shoot the messenger, tag us with a photo of your favourite film on social media, or better yet of you watching it!

Family/Animated

Let’s face it, most Christmas films full under this category because it’s the time of year to get together and do things as a family. Seven of our ten films are family films, from a young Macaulay Culkin to a rather spooky Jim Carey, here are our first suggestions:

Elf (2003)

I couldn’t mention my favourite Christmas film and not include it on our list. Following the adventures of Buddy the Elf as he searches for his biological father, Elf is a lighthearted tale of family, love and embracing your inner child.

Arthur Christmas (2011) A relatively new film, Arthur Christmas is an animated adventure with an impressive voice cast. James McAvoy, Arthur Christmas, is the youngest of the Claus clan and embodies the spirit of Christmas. The film’s events follow what happens when a child’s present doesn’t get delivered and the mayhem that follows.

Home Alone (1990) and/or Home Alone 2 (1992)

“Merry Christmas ya filthy animal!” Okay, okay, I know that’s Home Alone 2, but the sentiment still stands. Another film and sequel (will ignore the many subsequent films) that has become somewhat of a cult classic. Watch a young Macaulay Culkin defend his home from thieves and marvel at the fact that Culkin is now forty years old and his face has barely changed.

The Grinch Who Stole Christmas (2000)

I know there is a new incarnation of The Grinch, but you can’t beat the original with Jim Carey. My friend loves the film, so there was no way I couldn’t include it on the list. Also, considering The Grinch Who Stole Christmas has been given the meme treatment over the past couple of years, you should definitely watch this film if you haven’t got around to it yet.

Polar Express (2004)

Polar Express is a little bit of a strange one, but enjoyable nonetheless. On Christmas Eve, a young boy boards the Polar Express to the North Pole, encountering other children with whom he quarrels, forms friendships and learns all about the spirit of Christmas. It’s a fast-paced animated adventure, a little bit dark in places, but different from the other Christmas films on our list to keep you on your toes.

Santa Clause (1994)

What happens when a man accidentally kills Santa? It sounds like a bit of a dark start to a Christmas film, but believe me it gets a lot more jolly. The Santa Clause, starring Tim Allen, has all of the combinations of a classic family Christmas film: a reluctant main character devoid of Christmas spirit, a child filled with the wonder of the festive period and that pinnacle moment of belief and realisation that has become synonymous with films over the year.

A Christmas Carol (Multiple years)

Bah Humbug! There are so many different versions of A Christmas Carol from family films to darker versions of the tale, so you really do have plenty to choose from. Be it Mickey Mouse’s Christmas Carol, A Muppet’s Christmas Carol or the slightly darker Jim Carey version released in 2009. This is the epitome of a classic Christmas story and one that pretty much everyone knows.

Romantic Comedies

In terms of romantic Christmas films and rom-coms, this is certainly one of the areas of cinema that we were referring to above when we mentioned that there was a lot of “quantity“ but not “quality”. Here we look at two of our favourite romantic comedies for you to watch over the Christmas period.

Love Actually (2003)

If we’re talking Christmas rom-coms, look no further than a everyone’s festive favourite Love Actually. Who doesn’t want to see Hugh Grant dancing through the halls of Number 10 once a year, all in the name of Christmas. Love Actually has all of the sweetness and joy that you need at Christmas and, if nothing else, the scene at airport arrivals will give you a little sense of normality.

The Holiday (2006)

A classic tale of broken hearts, dramatic running away and new love, The Holiday perhaps isn’t as much of a “go-to” Christmas film as some of the others in our list, but it is an enjoyable easy watch with Cameron Diaz, Kate Winslet, Jude Law, Jack Black and Rufus Sewell. It’s a little bit gooey, farfetched and predictable, but it is a film you can sit back and relax to whilst getting in the Christmas spirit.

Bonus Film

It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)

You really had a wonderful life George Bailey. It’s a Wonderful Life is an oldie but a goodie and I cry Every. Single. Time. In my opinion, this film was somewhat ahead of its time and it carries a message that is as important now as the day it was released. It’s a Wonderful Life highlights the fragility of life, the desperation we can all find ourselves in, but most importantly, the value of life. It’s not as super festive as the other films on our list, but it’s both poignant, soulful and a beautiful film.