Festive Film Recs of the Merry and Not-So-Merry Variety

Season's greetings, everyone!  

Craving alllllll the Christmas-y movies but finding yourself in a rut?  Hopefully this post can help.  I'm going to share some of the films I most associate with this time of year.  I've mixed in a few that don't really have anything to do with Christmas but that are set primarily or partially during the holiday season, and I'm also including some dramatic/tragic options in case you're looking for something a little less holly-jolly.  

I've added a one-line blurb for each story and listed each film's MPAA rating.  We're ranging from the scrupulously clean 'Not Rated's to the adults-only 'R's, so do your own research before popping any of these into the DVD player for family movie night, sight unseen.

Caveats concluded and without further ado, then, here they are:  some of my favorite films to watch during the Yuletide.  (Listed alphabetically, 'cause there's no way I'm taking the time to rank these for you.)

⸻

A Christmas Story (1983) ● PG

As his middle-class family navigates the holidays, nine-year-old Ralphie desperately tries to figure out how to persuade his parents to buy him the toy at the top of his Christmas list.

One of those '80s classics that everyone's already seen, but I'm including it anyway because I still think it's fun every now and then.  It has some hilarious moments, but also a few genuinely cute ones.  It's your typical "dysfunctional American family catastrophizing their way through the Christmas season back in the day" plot, but you do get the sense that there's love in that home underneath all the chaos, which is sweet.

Barbie in The Nutcracker (2001) ● G

Clara's aunt gifts her a special toy on Christmas Eve, but Clara is soon swept into an unexpected adventure when the toy comes to life at midnight.

One thing about me is I'm a Nutcracker girlie.  I'll eat up any iteration you give me.  Mattel's version features low-quality animation, chaotically hilarious dialogue, and heaps of nostalgia.  Everything, in other words, is exactly as it should be.

Desk Set (1957) ● NR

A corporation's attempts to modernize threaten the job stability of its reference librarians and complicate a developing friendship.

A slow, simple older film about a television network trying to implement the first iteration of a computer system.  There's nothing much to it, but Katharine Hepburn elevates it as she always does, and the old-timey "Christmas in the big city" atmosphere is there.  I enjoy it.

Eloise at Christmastime (2003) ● TV-G

Precocious six-year-old Eloise, who lives in New York's posh Plaza Hotel with her nanny, tries to ensure that everyone at the hotel gets the Christmas they deserve.

Richard B. Smith:  "To face unafraid — "

Eloise and Bill:  *aggressive headbanging*

This is basically a Hallmark movie for kids, and you know what?  It's fantastic.  Exactly as light and sugary and colorful and funny as a happy Christmas film should be.  And Bill and Rachel are cute, idc.  (That moment when her dad sees him twirling around in the snow after their date?  QUALITY CONTENT.  Sublime stuff.)

Holiday (1938) ● NR

A carefree plebeian clashes with his wealthy new fiancee and her straitlaced father, but finds sympathy in her siblings.

Christmas carols and holiday parties and New Year's shenanigans, oh my.  The comedic/romantic chemistry between Grant and Hepburn has never failed me yet; I love to watch them play off of each other.  This is a satisfying seasonal flick.  (Albeit one that does occasionally reek of upper-class privilege. 😂)

Little Women (1994) ● PG

The four March sisters come of age against the backdrop of new friendships, sibling rivalries, budding romances, impending losses, and the conclusion of the Civil War. 

Multiple Christmas scenes, a generally festive color palette, and an overall spirit of coziness, camaraderie, and celebration aren't the only reasons why the 1994 is my favorite adaptation of Little Women.  They are, however, the primary reasons why it's a good candidate for Yuletide movie nights.

Meet Me in St. Louis (1944) ● NR?

The Smith siblings love their life in St. Louis and spend their time engaging in playful antics and romantic schemes, but their father's impending job change threatens their tranquility.

This movie neither begins nor ends during the holidays, but what with the iconic "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" scene, it's hard to not think of it as a Christmas movie.  It also has a very jewel-toned color scheme throughout that helps to maintain the holiday illusion, even during summer-set scenes:  lots of rich, warm reds, browns, blues, greens, and golds.  Moreover, the Smiths are such a wholesomely close-knit family that you can't help but get swept up in the jollity of their daily life — a rather perfect vibe for the festive season.

Moonstruck (1987) ● PG

Complications ensue when a superstitious widow tries to reconcile her new fiance and his estranged brother.

This movie is . . . a trip.  Par for the course for a John Patrick Shanley offering, it's random, chaotic, and absurd, but also strangely entertaining.  The characters are preposterous and problematic — there's not a single good decision-making ability in sight — but they're somehow a little endearing anyway.

And it does hit the Christmas-y spot for me, because the story takes place during the holiday or at least the winter season (I can't guarantee it, but I seem to recall a twinkly tree or two).  The wintry city vibes are definitely vibing.  It's also pretty family-centric, which adds a touch of holiday relevance.

All of that said, it is, unfortunately, one of those stories which attempt to normalize cheating on your partner (with his brother) Because Fate™, but it's all semi-resolved in the end.  Still, keep in mind that the PG rating is from the '80s.  The sexual content is never graphic, but there is a decent bit of it, probably (but possibly not) enough to warrant a PG-13 rating by today's standards.

Penny Serenade (1941) ● NR

On the cusp of ending her marriage, a grieving woman looks back on the trajectory of the relationship and wonders if there is any hope for its redemption.

Know what pairs really well with Christmas-y festivities?  EMOTIONAL DAMAGE.  Look no further than this black-and-white film (featuring an uncommon dramatic turn by Cary Grant) for all your Yuletide heartbreak needs.

Seriously, I just re-watched this for the first time in years, and I can confirm that it's . . . it's rough.  Sweet, but rough.  It'll really deck your halls, if you know what I mean.

This is one of those that have barely anything to do with Christmas, but there is a significant New Year's Eve party early on, and a Christmas pageant plays an important role in the story at the end.

Spencer (2021) ● R

Princess Diana wrestles with her demons during the royal family's Christmas holiday at Sandringham.

Highly stylized and psychedelic, this one is a good candidate when you want a movie with festive visuals but a grittier storyline.  It's wispy, dark, and sparkling by turns.

The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014) ● R

A bored writer spends time with an elderly loner who recounts the adventures he had as a youngster, working as a lobby boy at the illustrious Grand Budapest Hotel under the mentorship of the infamous and eccentric Monsieur Gustave.

No, there are no Christmas scenes in this movie (from what I recall), but I'm including it on this list because the entire thing looks like a gingerbread house.  With its wintry setting and highly contrived, colorized visuals, it lends itself well to Yuletide viewings, I think.

The Lion in Winter (1968) ● PG

When King Henry II brings his wife, Eleanor of Aquitane, out of exile for the Yuletide, the estranged couple grapples with the complexity of their relationships with one another and with their three rivalrous sons.

With less than three weeks left for anything to unseat it, this historical* drama that I watched in January remains the best new-to-me film I've seen (so far) in 2023.  It's a great choice if you're craving those medieval Christmas vibes, reminiscent of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight sans the symbolically significant mythical creatures.   Or if you're seeking solidarity with your own family's holiday dysfunction — 'cause honey, if you think you've got problems . . . 

*'Historical,' here, is used loosely, as the story is certainly not very factually accurate.  But it is A Vibe™, and personally, I think that matters more in this instance.

The Nativity Story (2005) ● PG

Following King Herod's census edict, Mary and Joseph travel to Bethlehem while wrestling with the world-shattering revelation of the Annunciation.

Everyone has their own feelings and degrees of pickiness when it comes to fictionalized depictions of biblical stories.  Personally, I think The Nativity Story does it wonderfully.  A beautiful, sobering, uplifting portrayal of Advent, with an incredible soundtrack to boot.  (Seriously, Mychael Danna was not messing around.)

The Nutcracker and the Four Realms (2018) ● PG

A young girl grieving the loss of her mother is transported to a magical world during her godfather's Christmas Eve party and soon becomes involved in a fight to free the land from tyranny.

This movie isn't going to win any substantive awards anytime soon, but it's very satisfying to my Nutcracker-loving self.  Its extravagant visuals perfectly recall the classic ballet and provide a fantastical (if unoriginal) adventure "for the whole family".  Meanwhile, there's a saving undercurrent of sadness threading through its plot and providing some needed moments of quiet. 

The Thin Man (1934) ● PG

A retired, recently married private detective agrees to take a new case, with the support of (and a bit of amusement from) his wife.

Mysteries aren't my thing, but I've enjoyed all four of the Thin Man movies I've watched so far.  This first one takes place during the Christmas season, and while it's not at all a Christmas story, you do get some cute, twinkly little 1930s Yuletide vibes when you watch it.  (Exhibit A:  tinsel-adorned Tannenbaum in background.)

And, as an aside, the main couple is adorable and wholesome and everything that married fictional couples always ought to be but so rarely are.

While You Were Sleeping  (1995) ● PG

After rescuing her crush from a near-death experience, a lonely subway worker becomes the object of a massive misunderstanding and finds herself falling for his family in all of their quirky, caring glory.

An endlessly satisfying rom-com.  All of the characters, even the "bad" ones, are so lovable.  The holiday setting only enhances the story; it doesn't distract from or compensate for a shaky foundation.  (I mean, the premise wouldn't really hold up in real life, obviously, but the character dynamics more than make up for that.)

White Christmas (1954) ● NR

Flush with the success of their show-biz act, veteran pals Bob and Phil stumble into cahoots with the Haynes sisters, rising stars who help them mount an extravagant Christmas production at the inn of the boys' former commanding officer.

Without the military general subplot, White Christmas would still be cute, but perhaps a bit vapid.  With it, it boasts some genuinely emotional moments.  A classic that might seem overhyped, but is still worth a watch.  The players in the two couples each have decent (if different) chemistry with each other.

⸻

Merry Christmas!

Which movies would you add to this list?