Favorite Family Christmas Movies

There is nothing I love more than our tradition of gathering as a family on Christmas Eve, plates heaping full of good food, to watch Christmas movies. We all have our favorites, and my mother is usually good about introducing a new, usually obscure, movie to the mix every year.

Here are some of my family’s favorite classic Christmas movies that I would highly recommend checking out if you are in need of something to watch this Christmas season.

It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)

My personal favorite and one of the most endearing stories about sacrifice, love, and doing the right thing to help those around you. This movie follows kind-hearted George Bailey through a life defined by how he gives to those around him even at the sacrifice of his own happiness. It never fails to bring a smile to my face as he runs through the snow after realizing how the simplest actions of our life can deeply touch those around us.

Elf (2003)

My brothers’ favorite movie and one of the most recent classic Christmas movies to date. A charming comedy following Buddy the Elf on his journey through the unfamilar land of New York City to reconnect this his father. A fluffy movie that packs a lot of laughs and provides a sweet ending. 

The Shop Around the Corner (1940)

If you have ever seen the movie You’ve Got Mail this was its predecessor and inspiration. A fun rom-com from the 1940s about a man and woman, coworkers who can't stand to be around each other due to the misconceptions and assumptions they make about the other person. They each have a pen pal they begin to fall in love with via letters. Unknown to them, they are each other’s pen pals. A delightful comedy set with a snowy Christmas backdrop. If you are fan of It’s a Wonderful Life, this movie is sure to make you smile too.  

Little Woman (2019)

Now, everyone has their own favorite version of Little Woman. There are plenty of adaptations out there. This most recent adaptation by Greta Gerwig, is my personal favorite. While not strictly a Christmas movie, it provides a Christmas feeling as it centers on family and the ups and downs of the March sisters’ relationships. Certainly a timeless tale.

A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965)

This is a short little movie by Charles Schulz with strong Christian undertones. Charlie Brown struggles to find the true meaning of Christmas. The season is so commercialized and seems to be focused solely on making money. This was a problem nearly sixty years ago when this short film first aired and is still a prominent issue today as religion often takes a backseat to all the selling and buying of Christmas goods. It’s Linus’s simple recitation of the Christmas story from the gospel of Luke that brings home the true meaning of Christmas, “…For unto you is born this day, in the city of David, a savior which is Christ the Lord…That’s what Christmas is all about Charlie Brown.” A beautiful, simple reminder of the real reason for the season.