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It can be difficult to warm into the Christmas season at the best of times. It is usually announced instantaneously and in overwhelming fashion with extravagant displays, a resurgent sense of joyousness in the community, and, of course, with an onslaught of music from Mariah Carey and Michael Bublé. Thankfully, for many of those who like to ease into the festivities, there are plenty of movies that dabble in Christmas without bombarding audiences with seasonal cheer every step of the way.
Instead, these holiday-adjacent pictures have become well-known and respected titles for reasons other than their incorporation of yuletide celebrations. From stunning superhero blockbusters that just so happen to unfold over the Christmas season, to romantic-comedies that purposefully avoid using the seasonal spirit as a narrative device, and even to the odd frightful festive horror flick, these 10 Christmassy classics provide a treat for those hoping to circumnavigate the full brunt of holiday movies.
10 'Let It Snow' (2019)
Directed by Luke Snellin
Image via Netflix Let It Snow was very much released as the notion of teenage troubles of romance and connection crossing paths with the hysteria of Christmas Day. However, the Netflix original rom-com flick ends up finding far more depth in its story of young love and friendship than it does its winter wonderland setting and the festivities that surround it. Set in a small town as a snowstorm strikes on Christmas Eve, the lives of several adolescents collide in exciting and unexpected ways.
Of course, the festive season does have a central presence in the film, but it isn't so entwined into the story that audiences are forced to absorb it along with the unfolding tales of the characters and their relationships. Additionally, what is there just serves to wonderfully complement the charm and tenderness already present in each of the characters. As a result, it is a perfect pre-Christmas film, a commendable flick for those wanting to edge into Noel at a steady pace.
Release Date November 8, 2019
Director Luke Snellin
Runtime 92 minutes
9 'In Bruges' (2008)
Directed by Martin McDonagh
Image via Focus Features When one thinks of beloved Christmas comedies, it is hard to go past the likes of National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, Scrooged, and… In Bruges? From the brilliant mind of Martin McDonagh, the striking dark crime-comedy follows two Irish hitmen who travel to Bruges to lie low when a job goes horrifically wrong. Their precarious situation intensifies when their boss orders one of them to kill the other.
The winter setting only adds to the picturesque town of Bruges, and the gradual implementation of Christmas iconography sees a certain festive aesthetic build into the film. That being said, In Bruges seldom indulges in such seasonal charms. Instead, it opts to further embrace its strengths of cold hilarity, shocking violence, and copious profanity as the runtime goes on.
Release Date February 8, 2008
Runtime 107minutes
8 'The Holiday' (2006)
Directed by Nancy Myers
Image via Sony Comedy, courtship, and Christmas is a winning combination that many movies have exploited to their own advantage. Interesting, 2006's The Holiday is not quite one of those films. Directed by Nancy Meyers, the rollicking rom-com follows two women, one from America and one from England, as they agree to swap places for the holidays in a bid to escape their ongoing relationship woes. Both of them find their lives changing drastically when they fall in love with local guys.
It proves to be more Christmas-adjacent than just plain Christmassy, placing its focus on the love and friendship that develops between the two unlikely couples while the festivities of the holiday season linger in the backdrop as a bonus detail. This isn't to say that The Holiday is completely devoid of more holiday-focused sequences, but for the most part it thrives on its own feet as a cheerful and rewarding romantic comedy bolstered by its incredible cast that includes Jack Black, Kate Winslet, Cameron Diaz, and Jude Law.
Release Date December 14, 2006
Director Nancy Meyers
Runtime 138 Minutes
7 'Iron Man 3' (2013)
Directed by Shane Black
Image via Marvel Studios One for those who prefer their Christmas celebrations with more superhero bombast than caroling and decorating, Iron Man 3 is the first example of an MCU Christmas. The whole film transpires at Christmastime, meaning the sparkling and colorful aesthetic of the festivities permeates through so much of the movie, giving it a unique and dazzling appeal that few other superhero movies contain. However, the story itself follows Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) as he battles a new foe known as the Mandarin (Ben Kingsley) while coming to terms with his own PTSD.
Granted, the film does have its flaws, but it also has one of the most tender and accessible chapters in the entirety of the Marvel franchise where Tony is forced to hide out in small-town America and begins to bond with a young boy who idolizes him. The unlikely yet powerful human connection can be perceived as hitting at the heart of what Christmas is all about, or simply be enjoyed as a pivotal beat in Tony's wider arc. It results in Iron Man 3 flaunting a Christmas message that audiences are free to indulge in as much as they see fit.
Release Date May 3, 2013
Director Shane Black
Runtime 130 minutes
6 'Serendipity' (2001)
Directed by Peter Chelsom
Image via Miramax A whimsical tale of true love propped up by plenty of fateful and fanciful happenings that conspire to bring the two separated romantics back together, Serendipity has all the gooey warmth and goodwill of any Christmas classic. In fact, it even opens during the Christmas season with Jonathan (John Cusack) and Sara (Kate Beckinsale) meeting while doing their holiday shopping. With Sara doubtful that they belong together despite their immediate romance, she decides to leave it to destiny to determine their relationship.
The complete lack of any holiday presence for the vast majority of the movie is a key reason why it hasn't been regarded as a feel-good Christmas classic. However, its rousing story of love and the fact that it is bookended by Christmas celebrations and romantic epiphanies ensure it maintains a warm and wonderful Christmassy aura without bludgeoning audiences with an abundance of festive fervor.
Release Date October 5, 2001
Runtime 90 Minutes
5 'Batman Returns' (1992)
Directed by Tim Burton
Image via Warner Bros. Given that Batman Returns has an abundance of both Batman and Christmas, it simply has to be regarded as one of the greatest festive flicks by default. Tim Burton’s return to the caped crusader crossing paths with the ruthless industrialist Max Shreck (Christopher Walken) and the malformed crime lord Oswald Cobblepot / the Penguin (Danny DeVito), with the villainous duo hellbent on gaining power in Gotham City at any cost. As he battles against them, Batman (Michael Keaton) finds an unlikely ally in Catwoman (Michelle Pfeiffer).
Not only does Batman Begins use the holiday to enrich its aesthetic appeal, but it also incorporates it thematically as well, with the focus on commercialism and loneliness being given an added heft by Christmas cheer. However, the film remains a true superhero action flick at its core, one that indulges in its unique Christmas energy without letting the festivities ever come close to overriding the central plot.
Release Date June 19, 1992
Runtime 126minutes
4 'Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone' (2001)
Directed by Chris Columbus
Image via Warner Bros. Pictures A defining strength of the Harry Potter franchise's early success is its immersive sense of childlike wonder and adventure that oozes from behind every corner of the enchanting fantasy world. It is the same kind of allure and magical warmth that imbues many of the greatest Christmas movies of all time with a distinct emotional pull that has proven to be a timeless quality. It makes it no surprise that when the franchise does tackle the festive season, it proves to be one of the most spellbinding and stunning displays of Christmas ever put on screen.
By default, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone has amassed a certain following of fans who cherish its Christmas environment and regard it to be something of a holiday movie in itself. While Harry's (Daniel Radcliffe) first year at Hogwarts is probably too overloaded with spellcasting and fantasy adventure to truly stand as a Christmas flick as well, the arresting charm of the film's festivities are wonderfully supported by the story's intrinsic focus on friendship and wonder.
Release Date November 16, 2001
Runtime 152 Minutes
3 'Eyes Wide Shut' (1999)
Directed by Stanley Kubrick
Image via Warner Bros. Kubrick and Christmas don’t necessarily seem like two things that go together hand in hand, but the director’s final film, Eyes Wide Shut, brought an interesting perspective of family values to the festive season. The film follows a doctor who is shocked to learn that his wife considered having an affair a year earlier. He embarks on a night-long journey into the catacombs of his lust and desire, becoming involved with a masked orgy in the process and falling in with a secret society he can’t escape from easily.
As the novel the film is based on—Arthur Schnitzler’s ‘Traumnovelle’—takes place during Mardi Gras, the Christmas setting is a purposeful decision by Stanley Kubrick for the picture. The holiday is an ever-present and colorful backdrop to the central drama, presenting a vibrant aesthetic that, at times, is completely at odds with the darkness of the story. However, the story remains firmly focused on Dr. Bill Harford’s (Tom Cruise) relationship woes and the dangerous voyage of temptation and obsession he sets off on.
Release Date July 16, 1999
Director Stanley Kubrick
Runtime 159 minutes
2 'Gremlins' (1984)
Directed by Joe Dante
Image via Warner Bros. Over the years, there have been plenty of films that have attempted to cash in on the abrupt tonal clash of Christmas festivities and horror entertainment. No movie has married these two elements with quite the effervescent brilliance of Gremlins. While it has become a Christmas classic in its own right, the iconic 80s gem can still be enjoyed primarily as a wickedly twisted yet largely accessible creature feature that strikes the perfect balance between chaotic fun and horror inspiration.
It focuses on a young man who is gifted a "mogwai" for Christmas and is given three rules he must adhere to in order to raise the creature safely. When the more rambunctious of the critters defy these rules, however, a reign of sinister and murderous terror is unleashed on the small town of Kingston Falls. Gremlins is the perfect title for horror hounds hoping to head into the festive season with some frights and plenty of fun to boot.
Release Date June 7, 1984
Runtime 106 minutes
1 'Die Hard' (1988)
Directed by John McTiernan
Image via 20th Century Studios While no final comment will bring a conclusion to the debate that has raged on for decades now, YES, Die Hard is a Christmas movie. It is, however, also one of the greatest action blockbusters ever made and finds much of its allure for repeat viewing in the fact that it refrains from being too Santa-centric in favor of piling as many shoot-ups, explosions, and snappy one-liners as it can into its 131-minute runtime.
It follows John McClane (Bruce Willis), a New York cop who travels to L.A. to be with his estranged family for the holidays and finds himself entrenched in a shootout with thieving European terrorists when they attack his wife's office Christmas party. It doesn't aspire to be Miracle on 34th Street in regard to festive cheer, but with such great lines as "Ho Ho Ho, now I have a machine gun," Die Hard can only be viewed as the ultimate Christmas movie for those who want to avoid the sweeping sentimentality of many of the genre's defining hits.
Release Date July 15, 1988
Runtime 132 minutes
English (US) ·