Christmas – a time for food, forgiveness, giving, sharing, family – and well, Christmas movies!

Whether you’re overstuffed from too much Christmas food or you just want to get away from the forced and often awkward conversation with relatives you meet once a year – Christmas movies can really make the holiday season memorable in more ways than one.

In fact, with many of us having to change our usual Christmas plans due to the pandemic, what better way to end the holidays on a positive note than check out some of the best Christmas movies?

Best Christmas Movies to watch during the Holiday Season

1. National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation

Actor Chevy Chase, in his prime at the time, takes this Christmas movie to new heights, which is why it often ends up on people’s ‘best Christmas movies’ playlist.

The film takes place during the Griswold family’s Christmas and the season’s multiple misgivings. If you thought your Christmas family get-together last year was awkward, wait till you see this slapstick comedy meshed with heart-warming 80s’ vibes.

2. How the Grinch Stole Christmas

There are options a plenty on this one! You could watch the 1966 original cartoon, Jim Carrey’s ridiculous movie version, or the 2018 animated remake featuring Benedict Cumberbatch as the Grinch’s voice.

Or, you could just run a little movie marathon and watch all three. All the more reason to pop extra bags of popcorn and soda. And why not? It’s Christmas!

3. Gremlins

The three golden rules to keep gremlins from ‘messing things up’: don’t get them wet, don’t let them out in the light, and never feed them at midnight! But of course, as the Christmas horror movie progresses, none of those rules are complied with.

And as one might imagine, the subsequent chaos is worth the couch time, popcorn and soda!

4. Home Alone

Culkin being a very forward-thinking and mature lad for his age in the movie, it’s pure entertainment to watch him foil the adult burglars’ multiple attempts at invading his home.

However, what is often overlooked in amid the 8-year old’s feats and shenanigans, is that the film certainly makes a handful of meaningful points about the importance of family.

5. Home Alone 2

We could have included the third movie too on this list of Christmas movies, but it’s a universally known truth that the first sequel is vastly better. The franchise did drag on for three films, but we feel the second one lived quite well to the original.

The same great formula for a bag of laughs is back with this one, where Culkin relocates to New York City to defend his home from imposters.

6. Carol

When we talk about the best Christmas movies ever, love and romance is in abundant supply, and Carol definitely hits all the right notes, even though the story line is queer. So you may want to leave the kids out of this one. However, the film is a wonderfully shot adaptation of the 1952 Patricia Highsmith novel – where a department store employee falls for a mysterious older woman before the days leading up to Christmas.

7. Polar Express

Fun for the whole family! A group of kids hop on board an express train set to journey to the North Pole. The beautifully enchanting adaptation of Chris Van Allsburg’s tale is more than ideal for families who don’t mind embracing their inner child while still keeping in view the holiday season magic.

8. The Holiday

This rom-com features stars like Kate Winslet and Cameron Diaz – your typical “let’s switch houses over the holiday season” plot. And, it’s fantastic!

Winslet stars as an English cottage owner who trades it with Diaz’s mansion, who plays a Hollywood mogul. Both women love the ol’ switcheroo and even find love while vacationing in their new home away from home.

Leading men Jude Law and Jack Black do a lot of justice to the male lead roles, entertaining audiences with their holiday romance charm.

While there are many Christmas movies to add to your playlist, give some the ones on this list of best Christmas movies a go. You’re not going to be disappointed.