I’ve spent years compiling this list of the very best family Christmas movies. It includes a mix of new favorites and nostalgic classics—movies that feel magical, cozy, and memorable without being too cringey or cheesy. These are the movies my family comes back to over and over again.
As part of our 25 Days of Christmas Magic advent series this year, we’re watching a bunch of Christmas movies together as a family… but I wanted to take things up a notch. So for each movie, I paired a simple treat or activity that relates to the story. Think:
– Drinking hot chocolate during The Polar Express
– Eating cheese pizza during Home Alone
– Making paper snowflakes during Elf
Below you’ll find 50 Christmas movies, divided into Animated, Live-Action, and Classic categories. Each one includes a simple idea you can pair with your movie night, plus a placeholder for where to watch so you can easily hyperlink each title.
These are the best-of-the-best in my opinion—movies that bring just the right amount of heart, humor, and Christmas magic.
Animated Christmas Movies
A Christmas Carol
Pair it with: Drink warm spiced cider
Angela’s Christmas
Pair it with: Light candles around the room
Angela’s Christmas 2
Pair it with: Drink hot cocoa
Arthur Christmas
Pair it with: Eat cookies with milk
Klaus
Pair it with: Eat goldfish + Swedish Fish
Mickey’s Christmas Carol
Pair it with: Eat toast with jam
Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmas
Pair it with: Drink hot cocoa with candy canes
Mickey’s Twice Upon a Christmas
Pair it with: Make a popcorn garland
Prep & Landing
Pair it with: Eat mini candy canes
Prep & Landing: Naughty vs. Nice
Pair it with: Decorate gingerbread cookies
Prep & Landing: Operation Secret Santa
Pair it with: Wear red and green glow sticks
Prep & Landing: The Snowball Protocol
Pair it with: Crumple paper for a “snowball” fight
Rise of the Guardians
Pair it with: Eat powdered donut holes
The Grinch
Pair it with: Eat green food/snacks
The Polar Express
Pair it with: Drink hot chocolate with marshmallows
The Star
Pair it with: Make paper stars
Live-Action Christmas Movies
8-Bit Christmas
Pair it with: Eat fruit roll-ups (or other 90’s treats)
A Boy Called Christmas
Pair it with: Eat gingerbread cookies
Christmas with the Kranks
Pair it with: Pamper with face masks or cucumber eye patches
Elf
Pair it with: Make paper snowflakes
Good Luck Charlie, It’s Christmas!
Pair it with: Eat mug cakes
Home Alone
Pair it with: Eat cheese pizza
Home Alone 2
Pair it with: Make giant ice cream sundaes
How the Grinch Stole Christmas
Pair it with: Eat green food/treats
Jingle All the Way
Pair it with: Eat chocolate kisses
Jingle Jangle
Pair it with: Build Lego toys
Noelle
Pair it with: Eat peppermint bark
Prancer
Pair it with: Snack on carrots and apple slices
Samantha: An American Girl Doll Holiday
Pair it with: Drink tea + shortbread cookies
That Christmas
Pair it with: Write a Christmas postcard
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever
Pair it with: Bake chocolate cookies
The Christmas Chronicles
Pair it with: Drink hot chocolate with whipped cream
The Christmas Chronicles 2
Pair it with: Drink hot chocolate with sprinkles
The Santa Clause
Pair it with: Bake chocolate chip cookies
The Santa Clause 2
Pair it with: Eat candy canes
The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause
Pair it with: Eat blue + white candies
The Santa Clauses
Pair it with: Make paper Santa hats
Classic Christmas Movies
A Christmas Story
Pair it with: Drink Ovaltine chocolate shakes
It Happened on Fifth Avenue
Pair it with: Make classic soda-fountain floats
It’s a Wonderful Life
Pair it with: Make a gratitude jar—each person writes something they’re grateful for
Little Women (1994)
Pair it with: Eat butter-soaked popcorn
Little Women (2019)
Pair it with: Make simple scones
Meet Me in St. Louis
Pair it with: Eat caramel apples or apples dipped in caramel
The Shop Around the Corner
Pair it with: Eat chocolate squares
White Christmas
Pair it with: Snack on small sandwiches
Frosty the Snowman
Pair it with: Drink frozen hot chocolate
How the Grinch Stole Christmas!
Pair it with: Eat roast beast sliders
The Little Drummer Boy
Pair it with: Drum on the table with pretzel sticks
The Small One
Pair it with: Snack on pitas and hummus
The Year Without a Santa Claus
Pair it with: Eat mini marshmallow “snowballs”
Download the Free Printable
If you want to keep this list handy all season long, I created a free printable checklist with all 50 movies and their pairings.
You can print it, hang it on the fridge, or save it on your phone to check off as you go!
