Christmas time brings with it all sorts of traditions.
We all have our family traditions. We’ve got favorite foods, desserts, decorations, songs and movies. We love movies around here, and Christmas movies just MUST be watched at during this season! My kids love Christmas movies so much that they usually begin watching them mid-summer– much to my horror. Christmas time = Christmas movies. Fourth of July… notsomuch.
Just let the temperatures drop. Let the nights become frosty. Let me put the Christmas tree up first. (That will be the day after Thanksgiving.) THEN bring on the Christmas movies! There are oh, so many favorites! This list is by no means exhaustive, but I tried. 🙂 I also have some kid-friendly quick snack recipes for you, so plan your family movie nights with me!
Disclaimer: I wanted to make it very EASY for you to find good Christmas movies. Every title is linked to Amazon’s listing for that movie, and you will find that MANY titles are available for online rental through Amazon for between $1.99-3.99, or FREE if you have an Amazon Prime Membership (I LOVE THAT!) You can even try an Amazon Prime 30-Day Free Trial
Not every movie here will appeal to you. Some of the movies contain references to Santa. Others contain spirituality of one sort or another. Some may have some rude or adult humor or situations. Use your own judgement and please do not take this listing as a blanket endorsement from myself, the iHomeschool Network, or the Christian faith. As with everything, use your head. Only you can decide what to allow your children to watch.
I was careful to try to put the movies in the proper categories by viewing age, but there is no way for me to know what happens in every single movie.
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Classics with a Capital “C”
A Christmas Carol (1999, George C. Scott)
It Came Upon a Midnight Clear (1984, Mickey Rooney) Out of production. If you can find it used, DO!!!
It’s a Wonderful Life (1947, James Stewart, Donna Reed)
Miracle on 34th Street (1947, Maureen O’Hara, Edmund Gwen)
White Christmas (1954, Bing Crosby, Danny Kay)
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While you’re watching one of the classics, why not snack on some Puppy Chow? It’s fast and easy to make and it won’t last very long!
Puppy Chow
- 9 Cups Rice or Corn Chex style cereal
- 1 Cup Chocolate Chips
- 1/2 Cup Peanut Butter
- 1-1/2 Cup Powdered Sugar
Put the powdered sugar in a gallon size zipper storage bag. Melt the chocolate and peanut butter in a pan on low until combined. Remove from stove and add cereal, stirring until coated. Add the cereal to the zipper bag, zip shut and shake until all the cereal is coated with powdered sugar. Pour into a bowl and enjoy. If there are leftovers (as if!!), store in a sealed zipper storage bag.
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Family Movies, Kids and Up
Disney’s A Christmas Carol (2010, Jim Carrey)
A Christmas Memory (1997, Patty Duke)
A Grandpa For Christmas (2007, Ernest Borgnine & Katherine Helmond)
Back to Christmas (2015, Kelly Overton, Michael Muhney)
Bush Christmas (1947 B & W, set in Australia)
Call Me Mrs. Miracle (2010, Doris Roberts)
Christmas Comes to Willow Creek (1987, Tom Wopat, John Schneider)
The Christmas Dragon (2015, Adam Johnson, Jake Stormoen)
Christmas Eve (2015, Patrick Stewart, Gary Cole)
Christmas With the Kranks (2003, Jamie Lee Curtis, Tim Allen)
Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000, Jim Carrey)
Elf (2004, Will Farrell, James Caan)
Fred Claus (2007, Vince Vaughan)
Get Santa (2015, Jim Broadbent)
Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer (2000, Michelle Lee, Elmo Shropshire)