articles

20+ Watch-at-Home Classic Christmas Movies

By Kyrie Collins, Highlands Ranch-Parker-Castle Rock-Lone Tree Publisher December 13, 2023

Here comes Santa Claus, Rudolph, The Grinch, and all your favorite Christmas characters! We're sharing our favorite seasonal movies so you can fill your family movie nights all month long! 

All movies are available to borrow from Douglas County Libraries. Just click the movie title to reserve your copy.

Family Movies for All Ages

A Charlie Brown Christmas (Not Rated) The Peanuts gang is ready to celebrate the season with you as Charlie Brown tries desperately to organize a Christmas Pageant and save a sickly Christmas tree.

Arthur Christmas (PG) So how does Santa deliver all those presents in one night? With an exhilarating, ultra-high-tech operation hidden beneath the North Pole, of course! But this year, Santa's son Arthur has an urgent mission that must be completed before Christmas morning dawns.

The Grinch (PG) The classic you love, updated for a new generation. Benedict Cumberbatch voices the Mean One.

Home Alone (PG) Macaulay Culkin stars as the 8-year-old kid who accidentally gets left behind by his family during Christmas break and has to protect his home from bumbling burglars. It will be as popular with your kids as it was in the '90s!

How the Grinch Stole Christmas (PG) Jim Carrey stars as the green creature with a small heart in this hilarious full-length feature film directed by Ron Howard.

Irving Berlin's White Christmas (Not Rated) This classic from the 1950s stars Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, and Rosemary Clooney. It's full of old-fashioned, wholesome dancing and music.

Miracle on 34th Street (Not Rated) The real Santa Claus is hired to play himself at Macy's Department Store in New York City. His gentle, joyous spirit and magical powers soon transform those around him, including a little girl and her mother.

The Muppet Christmas Carol (Not Rated) The classic story can be a little frightening for young children, but this musical version starring Miss Piggy, Kermit, and all your favorite muppets is a great introduction.

The Polar Express (PG) A young boy lies awake in his room one snowy Christmas Eve when a train stops in his front yard, and the conductor invites him aboard. What unfolds is an extraordinary adventure and a journey of self-discovery that shows the boy that the wonder of life never fades for those who believe. Tom Hanks is the voice of many of the characters.

Santa Buddies (G) Budderball, B-Dawg, Rosebud, Buddha, and Mudbud return for this fantastic festive journey to the magical world of the North Pole. When the world begins to forget the true meaning of the season, it's up to Puppy Paws, the fun-loving son of Santa Paws, and his newfound Buddies to save Christmas.

For Older Kids and Tweens

A Christmas Story (PG) In the town of Hammond in the 1940s, Ralphie wants just one thing for Christmas — an official Red Ryder B.B. Rifle. But his mother, teacher, and even Santa tell him, "You'll shoot your eye out." Ralphie fears he'll never get the BB gun for Christmas, but there may be a surprise in store for him.

Elf (PG) Buddy was a baby in an orphanage who stowed away in Santa's sack and ended up at the North Pole, where he was raised by elves. As an adult, Santa permits him to go to New York City to seek out his roots, but Buddy discovers that his birth father is on Santa's Naughty List and everyone seems to have forgotten the true meaning of Christmas. Buddy sets out to win over his family and save Christmas, too.

It's a Wonderful Life (Not Rated) George Bailey is a small-town man whose life seems so desperate he contemplates suicide. As he prepares to jump from a bridge, his guardian angel intercedes, showing him what life would have become for the residents of his hometown if he had never lived. It stars Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed.

National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (PG-13) Third in the National Lampoon series about the Griswold family. In this sequel, the Griswolds must deal with a holiday with their in-laws. Starring Chevy Chase.

The Nightmare Before Christmas (PG) Despite having recently presided over a successful Halloween, Jack Skellington is bored with his job and feels that life in Halloweenland lacks meaning. Then he stumbles upon Christmastown and promptly decides to make the Yuletide his own. Written and produced by Tim Burton.

The Nutcracker and the Four Realms (PG) The live-action version of the classic Christmas ballet features an all-star cast including Keira Knightley and Morgan Freeman.

The Santa Clause (PG) A divorced father's strained relationship with his son begins to mend after a strange accident transforms him into the new Santa. Starring Tim Allen and Judge Reinhold.

Mature Teens & Adults

Four Christmases (PG-13) Happily committed-but-unmarried couple Kate (Reese Witherspoon) and Brad (Vince Vaughn) find their exotic Christmas vacation plans unexpectedly canceled. Instead, they end up visiting all four of their divorced parents on Christmas Day.

Joyeux Noël (PG-13) This French film is based on the true story of a group of front-line soldiers who engaged in an unofficial cease-fire on Christmas Day during World War I. It won many international awards and was nominated for an Academy Award® for Best Foreign Language Film.

Love Actually (R) This classic romantic comedy features an all-star cast that includes Keira Knightley, Emma Thompson, Hugh Grant, Colin Firth, and many others. There are eight stories featuring eight interconnected couples, each navigating through the holidays — a joyous time for some and a lonely time for others — in their own way.

The Ref (R) A dysfunctional family is abducted by a foul-mouthed thief (Denis Leary) after a robbery on Christmas Eve, and he is forced to play referee to their endless bickering.

Scrooged (PG-13) Charles Dickens' classic "A Christmas Carol" gets an update focusing on a television executive who exploits the holiday season to boost ratings. The cast of stars includes Bill Murray, Karen Allen, Carol Kane, Robert Mitchum, Bobcat Goldthwait, and John Forsythe.

Trading Places (R) Billy Ray (Eddie Murphy) is a petty crook, Louis (Dan Aykroyd) is a successful stockbroker, and they are both the victims of a twisted bet made by a couple of millionaire brothers. It's an '80s classic that is as funny now as it was then.