Let’s get into the holiday spirit. During the time of Advent I force the husband to watch all the Christmas movies the streaming services provide to us. And I watch a ton more on my own. Like a ton. Most of them are mediocre and forgotten as soon as watched. But I love it. A couple years back I compiled a list of Christmas movies. Today I am talking about Christmas movies Top 3 Bottom 3. I rarely watch movies more than once. So this will be tough. I really don’t know yet what’s gonna be on the list besides the first one…
Top Three Christmas Movies
1. The Spirit of Christmas
What’s it about: A Christmas Ghost Story set in Vermont with lots of snow and a touch of 1920 elegance.
Why I like it: This movie just makes my heart happy. It’s set in a beautiful Vermont inn. The characters are lovely. There is charm but it is slowly building. The movie is not overly dramatic. And the main character isn’t too shabby looking and always well dressed too. And this is one of the few movies I have watched multiple times and I can’t wait to watch it again this year.
Trailer: Watch here
Currently running on: Amazon Prime Video
Released: November 2015
2. The Holiday
What’s it about: Home swapping for the Holiday, fleeing your own reality, and chance meetings that turn your life around.
Why I like it: I love the two different places we see. Love the cast. Kate Winslet is just always a joy to watch. I love the plot. I think it is not as cheesy as other movies.
Trailer: Watch here
Currently running on: Amazone Prime Video
Released: 2006
3. Silver Skates
What’s it about: A winter fantasy set in St. Petersburg where most everything happens on skates and the frozen waterways.
Why I like it: I am usually not a fan of period drama but this one has my heart. It is just whimsical and different. And the production is really great which makes it fun to watch too.
Trailer: Watch here
Currently running on: Amazone Prime Video, Netflix
Release: 2021
Bottom Three Christmas Movie
1. Royal Prince Christmas Movies
Every single movie with a prince in some made up snow country. They are all so very cheesy. And I hate the royal trope. There are too many to list them all but I am sure you have watched one to know what I mean. And just to make sure I will continue to watch when I find no one… you know just for research purpose and to strengthen my point.
2. Kevin Home Alone
What’s it about: An eight-year-old rascal has to protect his house from two burglars during the Christmas vacations because he was accidentally left home alone by his family.
Why I didn’t like it: I find this movie just stupid. It is not funny. I didn’t grow up with it maybe that’s it.
Trailer: Watch here
Currently running on: Disney, Amazon Prime Video
Release: 1990
3. Operation Christmas Drop
What’s it about: A political advisor is assigned by her boss to inspect a US Air Force base in order to close the base – over Christmas of all times.
Why I didn’t like it: I think the main reason I didn’t like it… It was not winter. At least not how I see winter. Also the plot was meh. I know what they tried to do here but… meh.
Trailer: Watch here
Currently running on: Netflix
Release: 2020
New Releases to Watch in 2024
Now while I most likely re-watch my favorite movie at least once I will also watch the new ones of course. I did a little research on what has been released in 2024.
- Red One | Release date: November 7th, 2024 | Amazon Prime Video | Trailer: Watch here
- Meet Me Next Christmas | Release date: November 6th, 2024 | Netflix | Trailer: Watch here
- Check Inn to Christmas | Release date: unknown | Netflix | Trailer: Watch here
- A Sudden Case of Christmas | Release date: November 8th, 2024 | Amazon Prime Video | Trailer: Watch here
- The Christmas Quest | Release date: unknown | unknown | Trailer: Watch here
- Santa Tell Me | Release date: November 8th, 2024 | Hallmark | Trailer: Watch here
- Hanukkah on the Rocks | Release date: unknown | Hallmark | Trailer: none found
- Leah’s Perfect Gift | Release date: unknown | unknown | Trailer: none found
- Home Sweet Christmas | Release date: unknown | unknown | Trailer: none found
- Trivia at St. Nick’s | Release date: November 8th, 2024 | unknown | Trailer: Watch here | already vetted by Elisabeth and recommended.
- The Finnish Line | Release date: December 1st, 2024 | unknown | Trailer: none found
- Hot Frosty | Release date: November 13th, 2024 | Netflix | Trailer: Watch here | already vetted by Kate and recommended.
- The Merry Gentlemen | Release date: November 20th, 2024 | Netflix | Trailer: Watch here
- Our Little Christmas Secret | Release date: November 27th, 2024 | Netflix | Trailer: Watch here
What is your favorite Christmas Movie? Anything you watch every year? What is the biggest disappointment when it comes to Christmas moves? Any good Hanukkah movies you could recommend? Any movies outside the romance genre you can recommend?
16 comments
I haven’t heard of some of your favourites, but Home Alone is a classic that I adore.
My absolute favourite Christmas movie is White Christmas, though. I watch it every single year with my best friend and I look forward to that evening all year long. We know basically the entire movie by heart and quote/sing most of the time! It’s so fun.
That sounds like wonderful quality time with your friend. I don’t n is the movie “white Christmas” I need to check that out.
Ha, WELL, my biggest disappointment was last year when I finally watched Love Actually. Everyone raves about it, and I always felt like I was missing out by not seeing it. BUT THEN I HATED IT. The funny thing was, I made my husband watch it with me, and he liked it. So, to each his own.
I don’t know any of the ones you mentioned. The original Home Alone is okay- my kids like it. I can tolerate it. I like Polar Express, and some of the older movies, like Charlie Brown and Rudolph. Your top three sound good though!
Ha ha that is so funny. I think Love Actually did not age very well. I liked it when it was released and I’ve watched it a couple of times. But then I learned about all the toxic behavior and what people criticize about that movie and after I watched it, then I could see all the flaws.
I don’t know why I’ve never watched the Polar express because I do like Tom Hanks. I assume it is because it is marketed too much as a kids movie and my husband doesn’t want to watch it so it always falls off the list.
I love The Holiday too! I can’t think of any others I really love right now. I hope that some of the new ones you have listed will be good!
I hope so too.
I guess Home Alone was cute enough when it came out, but I’ve never felt the need to see it again. I haven’t heard of most of the movies you mention, but I don’t watch a lot of Christmas Movies. I liked the Holiday, you’re right about Winslet, she’s always amazing.
I like all of the stop motion ones, Year Without a Santa Clause, Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer, etc, mostly because I grew up with them.
The movies we always watch are:
It’s a Meaningful Life – Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed. A classic.
Scrooged – Bill Murrey being Bill Murrey, doing The Christmas Carol. Sometimes I like him, sometimes I don’t, but I love this one.
The movies I actively dislike are:
Love Actually – Could not make myself care about any of the characters, absolutely boring movie. I generally really like this kind of film, I’m not sure why this one never works for me.
Polar Express – Don’t get me started on how fucked up it is that the impoverished child in this story has NEVER had a Christmas gift before. NEVER. SANTA, YOU HAD ONE JOB. LITERALLY.
HaHa… I never watched the Polar Express. I am not sure why. I like Tom Hanks.Maybe it is marketed too much a Children’s movie? I know the husband didnt really want to watch it so maybe that was it. But never getting a present. How sad. Not even an orange or some nuts?
I really liked Love Actually when it came out specially the starting scene at the air port. But this movie has not aged well when you watch it now. A lot of toxic behavior.It is interesting what we back then found cute and acceptable.
As for the classics I think this really depends on how you grow up. Obviously those movies you mentioned weren’t household staples in Germany. Weh have some other fairy tale movies everyone watches annually. I don’t. My family was not a tv family so I don’t get lot of the pop cultural references and nostalgia.
I have a big soft spot for the Hallmark holiday movies. (I call them all Hallmark movies even though they aren’t all technically Hallmark movies.) Yes, even the Royal ones. They are just so cozy and predictable. There is a cute Hanukkah one called Round and Round that I really liked last year.
My favorite Christmas movie is While You Were Sleeping. I was just saying today to a friend that I don’t love The Holiday because it came out when Jude Law was embroiled in that whole cheating scandal and that’s what I think of when I see him on screen- the Kate Winslet part is lovely, though.
Every year we watch It’s A Wonderful Life and Meet Me in St. Louis.
I have to check out the Hanukkah one. I tried to find some but it is not easy so thanks for that recommendation.
I don’t care about Jude Law… I watch the Holiday for the female parts to be honest. And I don’t know anything about a scandal. But I can understand that that is tainting it.
While you were sleeping is a Christmas movie? I have seen it once but I wouldn’t have know it was around Christmas.
The other two you mentioned I dont know at all. I will check.
I have gotten into Christmas movies some years, but most of them are so boring with really bad acting AND thin plot that it feel like wasting my life watching them. 😬 Finding a list like yours might aid the search though.
There is a Finnish movie which is very different and I love. It is based on a book by Marko Leino called in Finnish Joulutarina. There is not yet a translation but there is a movie originally in Finnish I think. Maybe you have that in Sweden?! I liked it a lot as it is a bit like a matured Astrid Lindgren movie.
Most Holiday movies do have a very thin plot. Put it is ok to watch while crafting a bit or online gif shopping.
The Holiday is pretty much my favorite Christmas movie of all time! I love watching Elf (it’s so entertaining) and I do like Home Alone (but only the original one).
I am not sure I ever watched Elf.
The Holiday is just a great one to watch AND you can even watch it after Christas too since it seeps into New Years Eve.
The Spirit of Christmas is my all time favorite Christmas movie! I have watched it at lease once every Christmas season since it was made! I’ve never met anyone else who has seen it so I’m excited that you mentioned it as one of your favorites as well! I also always watch White Christmas and Little Women (the 1994 version with Winona Ryder). I’m not sure if Little Women counts as a Christmas movie, but I always watch it at Christmas time so for me it is a Christmas movie!
Hey Tina, welcome to my blog. I love love love this movie. Unfortunately I had to realize that they only show it with German synchronization this year and I cannot stomach that. So I haven’t seen it and I am beyond sad. I had been looking forward to it all year. Sigh.