Every family has its holiday traditions. Many families read traditional holiday books every year. Others enjoy reading poems like “The Night Before Christmas” every year. Some embrace newer traditions, such as The Elf On the Shelf, while others celebrate religious traditions. These and other customs create meaning for families worldwide and magic during the holiday season.
Many families enjoy watching holiday movies, which is an annual favorite tradition for many, including my family. It’s great to relax with your loved ones, watch a classic movie or enjoy hot cocoa and a good book.
Every family has its traditions. Everyone has their favorite holiday movies. We selected five of our favorite holiday movies to compile this list and asked our readers for their top picks.
Top 10 Holiday Movies For Kids
1. It’s a Wonderful Lifestyle
Frank Capra’s 1946 Christmas classic has been widely regarded as one of the greatest films ever made. This certainly makes it worthy of a place in the top ten list for holiday movies. The original is great, but you can also get a color version if your children don’t like black and white movies. This film is not suitable for very young children, but they will enjoy it.
2. The Muppet Christmas Carol
The Muppets’ version of Dickens’ holiday favorite is kid-friendly. Ebenezer Scrooge or Tiny Tim has many notable adaptations, the oldest being from 1901.
3. Christmas Specials by Rankin/Bass Stop Motion
This is a little cheating trick. I have gathered together a lot of classic TV Christmas specials. You can’t go wrong choosing any of the Rankin/Bass stop motion animated specials for your movie night. These specials, which air on TV every year, are still loved by children and adults.
Rudolph’s trip to the “Island of Misfit Toys” and the incredible Heat Miser/Snow Miser in The Year Without a Santa Claus are two of the holiday classics from Rankin/Bass.
4. Elf
The funny and touching 2003 film starring Will Ferrell tells the story about Buddy the Elf, a good-natured but naive character, and his journey to self-discovery. Elf is a holiday movie that kids and adults will enjoy. It features quotable dialogue, great actors, and Buddy’s joyful antics to spread Christmas cheer.
5. The Nightmare Before Christmas
Tim Burton’s 1993 Halloween/Christmas mashup differed slightly from another holiday fare. The iconic visuals of Burton in this animated stop-motion film are at their best. Jack Skellington’s humorous, dark story and catchy tunes make Jack Skellington’s story an interesting addition to the holiday movie genre. It might be too frightening for very young children, but it should be okay for kids 7+.
6. White Christmas
Many of our readers mentioned this classic 1954 musical starring Bing Crosby. It features Crosby singing the holiday tune of the same title, which happens to be the most-sold single of all time. Style shared this sentiment: “I love White Christmas. Giving back to others, selfless acts of kindness and thinking about them at Christmas. An old-time classic with no bad dialogue. This is a must-see film every year.
7. Polar Express
Another favorite was this 2004 adaptation of a children’s classic. This animated film, which uses CGI to create animations, takes us on a magical train trip to the North Pole as our protagonist doubts his ability to see the true spirit of Christmas.
8. Home Alone
This comedy starring Macaulay Culkin was a favorite of every kid in the 90s and is still very popular today. Reader Kim LR shared: “Home Alone! It’s still my favorite thing, and I tried it with my four-year-old daughter. She laughed through .”
9. Christmas Story
This holiday classic tells Ralphie’s story about his zany family and longing for a Red Ryder BB Gun. It was loved by many readers and was also a top choice for holiday books.
10. Holiday Inn
These musicals are beloved by our readers, and we can see why. They’re timeless classics! This 1942 story stars Fred Astaire and Bing Crosby. It takes place in an inn that is closed during the holidays. Not rated
11. National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation
Many readers suggested that Christmas Vacation should be included on the list. We’ll add it to this list, but we will not be recommending it. Parents should exercise discretion and determine if the movie is appropriate for their children. This holiday comedy may be a hit with teens, but parents might want to reconsider for their children.