Holiday movies are my favorite part of the holiday season. There is something special about the pure coziness of  the holiday captured in film. I always get a little sad when the marathon of Hallmark holiday movies disappears from my screen. These films below—a mixture of holiday humor, horror and drama—will keep the holidays alive long after the season is over. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Home Alone

The harrowing tale of Kevin McAllister thwarting the Wet Bandits after being accidentally left behind by his family who went on a trip to Paris is one of the first movies I think of when I think of the holidays. Home Alone definitely gets the most airplay during the holiday season but the slapstick antics and adventure will keep you entertained no matter the season. The sequel Home Alone 2: Lost in New York is also one of my favorites.  

Die Hard

Die Hard is a Christmas movie. There is a debate, but, to me, it absolutely is. It takes place during a corporate Christmas party and the holiday feel is prevalent throughout the film. Die Hard, however, is an action-packed thriller that can entertain in any season. And Alan Rickman’s Hans Gruber is one of the best villains ever.

National Lampoon's: Christmas Vacation

There is no holiday movie that captures the complete chaos of the holidays quite so well as National Lampoon's: Christmas Vacation. From Christmas trees lit aflame to unexpected (and unwelcome) visits from relatives, we can all identify with one or two mishaps from the Griswold family Christmas. The Griswold's antics are always entertaining and funny no matter the season. C’mon, Uncle Lewis burning down the Christmas tree is always funny.

The Nightmare Before Christmas

Tim Burton and the holidays are not synonymous with each other but The Nightmare Before Christmas manages to be the perfect blend of Tim Burton’s dark imagery and holiday themes. The Nightmare Before Christmas straddles the line between seasons and manages to entertain throughout all of them. Also Jack and Sally are one of the most iconic pairings of all time.

Gremlins

Don't feed them after midnight! Gremlins is campy horror perfect. The story of cute and cuddly Christmas presents that become vicious if you break their rules is one of my favorite holiday films. Gremlins toes the line between hilarious and horrific and is good for a chuckle any time of the year. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Little Women

The coming of age tale of the March sisters is not explicitly a holiday story but there is something so intrinsically wintery and cozy about both the classic Louisa May Alcott novel and its movie adapations. The novel and film both begin during Christmastime which lends to it a holiday feel, but the story of the March family will make you laugh and cry throughout the seasons. 

You've Got Mail

The love story between Kathleen Kelly and Joe Fox is not a holiday story, but partly takes place in a wintery New York City during the holiday season. You've Got Mail also happens to be one of my favorite movies altogether. It's filled with late '90s nostalgia,  bookish nerdiness, and New York scenes and these are  enough to keep any viewer entertained. 

Mean Girls

I am one of the rare people who had never seen Mean Girls. I know—it's a classic. I finally ended up sitting down and watching the film when I saw the Broadway musical. It quickly became one of my favorite movies. There is only one holiday scene and it is pretty iconic, so, it ticks at least a few holiday boxes and is a great comedy to watch throughout the year.

Krampus

Horror movies are my favorites. I live for a good jump scare. Krampus is probably the least “holiday” holiday movie I have ever seen. It’s a horror film that tells the tale of a family’s lack of Christmas spirit unleashing the Krampus—a creature in European folklore who terrorizes naughty children during Christmas. I very rarely think of horror and jump scares when I think of the holidays. Despite the Krampus being a Christmas-related legend, Krampus is watchable all year round because, who doesn’t love a good horror movie?