25 CHRISTMAS MOVIES YOU NEED TO WATCH WITH YOUR KIDS THIS YEAR

You probably tell yourself the same thing every December. This is the year you're going to have that slow, cocoa-in-hand and popcorn movie season with your kids. And then real life hits you in the face, and by movie three you're half asleep on the couch, wondering how you're supposed to go through twenty-five movies in twenty-five nights when half of them are already filled with school stuff, family stuff, and not forgetting getting ready for actual Christmas.

But being the mom you are, you do it anyway. Because somewhere between the popcorn and the fighting over which movie and who's hogging the blankets, you really want these movie nights to turn into the thing your kids actually remember about the holidays. Not the presents. But the squeezing on the couch. The same tired jokes from a movie that everyone in the house remembers by heart now.

You want these to be a special sort of tradition. You hope that this is one of those things that turn into their core memory. Something they'll carry well after they've grown up.

So if you're building your own lineup this year, here's a list to work from. Some are the classics you already know, a few are newer ones worth trying, and a couple are just good enough that your kids will ask to rewatch them before December's even over.

Christmas Movies Everyone Already Knows (And Still Watches Every Year)

Home Alone

This is a classic. You simply cannot build a Christmas movie list without starting with this one. Kevin outsmarting two grown men with a slingshot and a blowtorch will never get old, no matter how many times you've seen it. This one works for basically every age, which makes it a safe opener for movie night one.

Elf

Buddy the Elf walking through New York in yellow tights, eating spaghetti with syrup, telling strangers they smell like beef and cheese. Your kids will most probably quote this one back at you for the rest of the season, so brace yourself.

The Polar Express

Put this one on early in December while everyone's still got that fresh holiday excitement going on. The train ride, the hot chocolate scene, the whole "does the bell still ring" thing at the end. It's a good one to watch in pajamas with the lights dimmed and hot chocolate in hand.

Miracle on 34th Street

This one's a slower watch, so save it for the weekend or for a night when nobody's in a rush. It's sweet and old-fashioned in the best way, and it opens up with a good conversation with your kids about believing in things you can't prove.

It's a Wonderful Life

Fair warning, your younger kids might get restless with this one. It's long and it's black and white and it takes its time getting where it's going. But if your kids are a little older, it's worth sitting through together at least once.

National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation

This one's for kids a little older because some of the humor goes over younger heads and some of it just isn't for little ones. Older kids will be able to catch the jokes and it's a genuinely fun one to watch together every year.

The Santa Clause

Time Allen accidentally becoming Santa is still one of those premises that just works. It's funny without being mean, and it holds up better than you'd expect for a movie this old.

A Christmas Story

"You'll shoot your eye out" is one of those lines that ends up quoted in a lot of houses after the movie's over. This one's got a nostalgic, old neighborhood feel to it that a lot of us grew up on ourselves.

Christmas Movies For Littler Kids

Klaus

This one tends to sneak up on people. The animation style is gorgeous and the story behind how Santa Claus came to be has more heart in it than you'd expect from something aimed at little kids.

Arthur Christmas

Santa's slightly awkward son trying to deliver one forgotten present before sunrise. It's silly and sweet and moves fast enough to hold a younger kid's attention the whole way through.

Noelle

A gentle, funny one about Santa's daughter stepping up when nobody else can. This one's good for a calmer night when you want something warm without a ton of chaos on screen.

The Grinch (2018 animated version)

The newer animated Grinch is bright and fast-paced, which makes it an easier watch for little kids than the older versions. Still hits that same message about the holidays not being about the stuff under the tree.

A Charlie Brown Christmas

Short, simple and somehow still says more about the actual meaning of the season than movies twice its length. Good one to watch early in December before things start getting chaotic.

Rise of the Guardians

Not exactly a Christmas movie, but Santa's in it and the whole thing has that winter, wonder, believing in magic feel to it. It tends to land better with kids than parents expect going in.

Ones That Work Across the Whole Family, Family Included

The Muppet Christmas Carol

Somehow this is the version of A Christmas Carol that sticks with kids the most. The songs are genuinely good, and Michael Caine plays it completely straight while puppets sing around him, which is exactly why it works.

Home Alone 2

If your family already loves the first one, this is basically guaranteed to be a hit. New York at Christmas. Kevin causing chaos again. Same energy as the original with a fresh setting.

The Christmas Chronicles

Kurt Russell as Santa turned out to be one of those casting choices that just makes sense. This one's got enough action and humor in it to keep older kids interested too.

For Older Kids and Teens

Red One

This one became an instant favorite for a lot of families the year it came out. It's got enough action to keep a teenager's attention and enough heart to still feel like a Christmas movie underneath all the chaos.

Spirited

A modern take on A Christmas Carol with musical numbers and a lot more humor than you'd expect. Good pick for a night when your teenager's rolling their eyes at "another Christmas movie: and you need something with a bit more edge.

Jingle All The Way

Arnold Schwarzenegger fighting through crowds trying to find the last hot toy on the shelf. It's ridiculous in the best way and it somehow still feels relevant every single holiday season.

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever

A quieter, more grounded pick that's been showing up on a lot of best family movie lists lately. Good one to slow things down with after a few nights of louder, sillier picks.

Brand New This Year

The Man With The Bag

One of this year's new family releases, and worth adding into the rotation if you're looking for something that isn't a rewatch. A good one to try early in the season while everyone's still curious about it.

Alma

Another new one for this year. If your family likes to add at least one fresh pick to the lineup every December instead of only rewatching the same ones, this is a solid one to try.

The One For After The Kids Are Asleep

Violent Night 2

Okay this one's not for the kids, seriously. This is the one you save for after everyone's in bed and you and your partner or a friend want something loud and a little unhinged to end the night on. Mentioning it here because if your teenager's old enough and asks about it, at least you'll know what you're saying yes or no to.

One Last One For Good Measure

Love Actually

Because it's my favorite Christmas movie of all time. Technically it's more of a grown-up watch than a kid one, but if your teenager's old enough to handle more mature storylines, you can watch it with them. It's become a genuine holiday tradition in a lot of homes for good reason. A must watch in my opinion.

Make it a Little More Fun With a Movie Draw Bowl

Here's a small thing that might end up making a big difference when picking which movie to watch every night. Write each movie title on its own strip of colored paper and drop them all in a bowl. Every day in December, let one of your kids reach in and pull one out. Whatever they draw is what you're watching that night.

It takes the pressure off you to plan out twenty-five nights in advance, and gives your kids something to actually look forward to each afternoon. They can all take turns drawing so everyone gets a say over the whole month.

There's a real kind of excitement in not knowing what's coming next, even when it's a movie you've all seen a dozen times already.

You don't need anything fancy for this. Colored paper, a marker, and a bowl you don't mind sitting on the coffee table for a month. That's it.

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