125 Best Christmas Movies for Adults of All Time

The most wonderful time of year is upon us, and what better way to celebrate than by watching some of the best Christmas movies of all time for adults and kids?

Christmas movies always bring cheer to the whole family and they oftentimes break the box office. From heartwarming classics to hilarious comedies, there’s something for all ages to enjoy.

There are also plenty of PG-13 rating and R-rated Christmas movies.

Here are the best Christmas movies for adults of all time, in alphabetical order!

Holiday Movies for Adults

1. All I Want for Christmas (1991)

Our first movie to get you into the festive season is All I Want for Christmas featuring two siblings who try to reunite their divorced parents for Christmas.

2. Almost Christmas (2016)

A dysfunctional family comes together for their first Christmas since their mother’s death.

3. Anna and the Apocalypse (2017)

This British musical follows Anna (Ella Hunt) and her friends who are forced to fight in her town of Little Haven during a zombie apocalypse. Their mission is to find safety in the school.

4. The Apartment (1960)

A romantic comedy-drama featuring an office worker who lends his apartment to his superiors for their extramarital affairs, only to fall in love with the mistress of his boss.

5. Arthur Christmas (2011)

An animated movie about Santa’s youngest son who sets out to deliver a present that was accidentally left behind.

6. A Bad Moms Christmas (2017)

A comedy about three overworked and stressed-out moms who rebel against the expectations of Christmas and their mothers. Starring Kristen Bell, Mila Kunis, and Kathryn Hahn.

7. Bad Santa (2003)

In this dark comedy, a con man (Billy Bob Thornton) and his partner pose as Santa and his elf to rob a department store on Christmas Eve.

8. Batman Returns (1992)

Set during Christmas time, this superhero movie has Batman facing off against the Penguin and Catwoman.

9. Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas (1997)

A holiday-themed spinoff of the classic Disney animated movie. Belle is determined to change his mind about the Christmas season.

10. The Bishop’s Wife (1947)

The Bishop’s Wife is a romantic comedy fantasy about an angel who comes to Earth to help a struggling bishop and his family during the holiday season.

11. Black Christmas (1974)

A classic horror movie about a group of sorority sisters stalked by a killer over the Christmas holiday.

12. Black Christmas (2006)

A remake of the 1974 horror movie that has the same premise. However, the remake brings a new cast of actors including Michelle Trachtenberg, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Lacey Chabert, and Katie Cassidy.

13. Better Watch Out (2016)

Intruders break into the house of a kid and a babysitter. They must protect themselves from the home invasion. But the two begin to realize that this isn’t a normal home invasion.

14. Carol (2015)

Set during Christmas Time, an aspiring photographer played by (Rooney Mara) begins a relationship with a married older woman in the 1950s.

15. A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965)

The characters we all know and love are back in A Charlie Brown Christmas. Charlie and his gang go on an adventure to figure out the true meaning of Christmas.

16. The Children (2008)

While on a relaxing vacation during Christmas time, things take a turn for the worse when parents must protect themselves from their children who are trying to kill them. 

17. Christmas on the Bayou (2013)

Christmas on the Bayou is a romantic drama about a successful New York marketing executive who returns to her hometown in Louisiana for Christmas and rekindles her romance with her high school sweetheart.

18. Christmas Belle (2013)

A romantic drama about a woman who inherits her family’s Christmas tree farm and falls in love with a man who works for a competing business.

19. Christmas Bounty (2013)

Christmas Bounty is a comedy about a former bounty hunter who returns home for Christmas and must protect her family from her ex-boyfriend, who is also a criminal.

20. The Christmas Candle (2013)

A faith-based drama about a candlemaker in a small English village who is visited by an angel who grants wishes to those who light his special candle.

21. A Christmas Carol (1984)

This classic adaptation of Charles Dickens’s timeless tale is about a miserly businessman who is visited by three ghosts on Christmas Eve.

22. A Christmas Carol (2009)

An animated version of the classic tale featuring the voice talents of Jim Carrey as Ebenezer Scrooge and Gary Oldman as Bob Cratchit.

23. The Christmas Chronicles (2018)

A family adventure movie about two siblings who team up with Santa Claus to save Christmas after accidentally crashing his sleigh.

24. Christmas in Connecticut (1945)

Christmas in Connecticut is a classic romantic comedy about a food writer who pretends to be a domestic goddess for a magazine, featuring Barbara Stanwyck.

25. Christmas in the City (2013)

This movie is about a woman who fights to save her family’s department store from going bankrupt during the holiday season.

26. Christmas Crush (2012)

A romantic comedy about a woman who returns to her hometown for the holidays and reconnects with her high school crush.

27. Christmas Cupid (2010)

Christmas Cupid is a romantic comedy about a Hollywood publicist who is visited by three ghosts on Christmas Eve and helps her learn the true meaning of love.

28. A Christmas Horror Story (2015)

Multiple stories take place in this horror film while being told by a radio host. A Christmas Horror Story is the fight between good and evil, Santa vs Krampus, the anti-Santa.

29. Christmas Inheritance (2017)

A romantic comedy-drama about a wealthy heiress who is sent to a small town to learn the value of hard work before inheriting her family’s business.

30. Christmas with the Kranks (2004)

Christmas with the Kranks is a comedy about a couple who decide to skip Christmas and go on a cruise, but their plans are derailed by their neighbors. Starring Tim Allen, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Dan Aykroyd.

31. Christmas Land (2015)

A romantic drama about a woman who inherits a Christmas-themed amusement park and falls in love with the town’s attorney.

32. Christmas Mail (2010)

Christmas Mail is a romantic comedy about a postman who falls in love with a woman who wrote a letter to Santa Claus.

33. Christmas Magic (2011)

Christmas Magic is about a woman who returns to her hometown for the holidays and rediscovers the magic of Christmas and love.

34. Christmas Next Door (2017)

A romantic comedy about a workaholic author who is forced to take care of his niece and nephew during the holidays, and falls in love with his neighbor.

35. Christmas at Pemberley Manor (2018)

This romantic comedy-drama is about a New York event planner who travels to a small town to organize a Christmas festival and falls in love with a local millionaire.

36. Christmas Perfection (2018)

Christmas Perfection tells the story of a woman who wakes up in a perfect Christmas village and falls in love with a man who may not be who he seems.

37. A Christmas Prince (2017)

A journalist goes undercover as a tutor to get the inside scoop on a prince’s supposed scandalous behavior only to fall in love with him in the process.

38. A Christmas Prince: The Royal Wedding (2018)

If you enjoyed the first film of the A Christmas Prince series, then you should enjoy this one. The sequel to A Christmas Prince, this movie follows the couple as they prepare for their upcoming royal nuptials.

39. A Christmas Prince: The Royal Baby (2019)

The third installment in the Christmas Prince series, this movie follows a couple who must find a way to unite their kingdoms before the birth of their first child.

40. A Christmas to Remember (2016)

I just had to add a Hallmark movie to this list. A Christmas to Remember is about a celebrity chef who finds herself with amnesia when she gets into a car accident.

While recovering, she stays in a small town and learns all about the magic of holiday cheer.

41. Christmas on the Square (2020)

A retelling of A Christmas Carol, this recent adaptation follows a woman named Scrooge who plans to sell her town and leave her tenants homeless. When she is visited by an angel (Dolly Parton), she starts to understand the spirit of Christmas.

42. A Christmas Story (1983)

Set in the 1940s, this holiday classic follows a young boy named Ralphie who dreams of receiving a Red Ryder BB gun for Christmas.

43. A Cinderella Story: Christmas Wish (2019)

A modern take on the classic fairy tale, this movie follows a singer who is forced to work as an elf in a Christmas-themed amusement park.

44. Christmas Trade (2015)

Christmas Trade is a popular comedy about two fathers who accidentally switch gifts for their children and must work together to get them back.

45. Christmas Wedding Planner (2017)

A romantic comedy about a wedding planner who falls in love with the groom’s brother while planning a Christmas wedding.

46. Christmas Wonderland (2018)

Christmas Wonderland is a beautiful romantic drama about a woman who returns to her hometown and falls in love with a man who helps her restore the town’s Christmas decorations.

47. Cooper’s Camera (2008)

In this funny Christmas movie, a dysfunctional family records themselves celebrating Christmas in 1985 on a retro video camera.

48. Daddy’s Home 2 (2017)

A sequel to the original film, Daddy’s Home, a blended family has to deal with their intrusive fathers joining their family on Christmas vacation, featuring Mark Wahlberg and Will Ferrell.

49. Deck the Halls (2006)

Deck the Halls tells the story of two neighbors who compete to have the most elaborate Christmas decorations, featuring Danny DeVito and Matthew Broderick.

50. Die Hard (1988)

Often considered one of the best action movies of all time on 20th Century Fox, Die Hard showcases Bruce Willis’ character John McClane battling terrorists on Christmas Eve.

51. A Diva’s Christmas Carol (2000)

A modern retelling of A Christmas Carol, this movie follows a selfish pop singer who is visited by three ghosts.

52. Elf (2003)

One of the best Christmas movies for adults, Elf is a comedy about a man raised as an elf who goes to New York City to find his true identity and spread Christmas cheer, starring Will Ferrell.

53. Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas (1977)

A puppet musical about a poor otter family who enters a talent contest in hopes of winning the prize money to buy each other Christmas presents.

54. Falling for Christmas (2022)

A heiress played by (Lindsay Lohan) suffers an accident resulting in amnesia. She stays in a local lodge owned by a handsome man played by (Chord Overstreet) while she tries to figure out who and what she is.  

55. The Family Stone (2005)

The Family Stone is a comedy-drama about a family’s Christmas gathering where a man brings his uptight girlfriend to meet his unconventional family.

56. Four Christmases (2008)

A comedy about a couple who must visit all four of their divorced parents on Christmas Day, starring Vince Vaughn and Reese Witherspoon.

57. Fred Claus (2007)

Fred Claus is a refreshing comedy about Santa Claus’s brother Fred, who goes to the North Pole to help his brother and save Christmas, featuring Vince Vaughn and Paul Giamatti.

58. Friday After Next (2002)

When two men are robbed of their Christmas presents, they’re forced to work as security guards to pay their rent.

59. Frosty the Snowman (1969)

A classic animated movie about a magical snowman who comes to life and goes on an adventure with a young girl.

60. Gremlins (1984)

Gremlins is a horror-comedy about a young man who receives a strange creature as a Christmas gift, only to unleash chaos when he fails to follow the rules.

61. Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990)

The sequel to Gremlins, this movie sees the mischievous creatures causing havoc in a high-rise building during the holiday season.

62. The Grinch (2018)

An animated movie based on the classic Dr. Seuss book. The Grinch features the voice of Benedict Cumberbatch as the Grinch who plots to steal Christmas.

63. Happiest Season (2020)

A romantic comedy about a young woman who plans to propose to her girlfriend during Christmas, only to discover that her girlfriend hasn’t come out to her conservative family yet.

64. Holiday Engagement (2011)

Holiday Engagement follows a woman who hires a man to pose as her fiancé for the holidays, only to fall in love with him for real.

65. The Holiday (2006)

A romantic comedy about two women who swap homes for the holiday season and find love in unexpected places. Starring an ensemble cast with Kate Winslet, Cameron Diaz, and Jack Black.

66. Home Alone (1990)

A warm and fuzzy comedy about a young boy who is accidentally left behind when his family goes on vacation. He must also defend his home against burglars, starring Macaulay Culkin.

67. Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992)

The sequel to Home Alone, this movie follows Kevin McCallister who becomes stranded in New York City during the holiday season.

68. How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)

A live-action adaptation of the classic Dr. Seuss story starring Jim Carrey as the Grinch who tries to steal Christmas from the Whos in Whoville.

69. How Sarah Got Her Wings (2015)

A young woman dies and must earn her wings by helping a stranger during the Christmas season.

70. I’ll Be Home for Christmas (1998)

A college student tries to make it home for Christmas in time to win back his girlfriend and inherit his father’s car.

71. Ironman 3 (2013)

While most people wouldn’t consider this movie a holiday film, the director Shane Black says overwise. Shane Black is known for making his movies involve the Christmas spirit.

Robert Downey Jr. returns in the third movie of the Ironman franchise. He must face one of his biggest foes ever, the Mandarin.

72. Jingle All the Way (1996)

A 20th-Century Fox comedy about a father who goes on a quest to find the must-have toy of the holiday season for his son, featuring Arnold Schwarzenegger.

73. Joyeux Noël (2005)

A historical drama about the Christmas truce of 1914 during World War I.

74. Just Friends (2005)

Just Friends is a comedy about a man who returns to his hometown for the holidays and tries to win back the girl he was in love with in high school.

75. Klaus (2019)

An animated movie about a postman who befriends a reclusive toymaker and helps bring joy to a town through the creation of a new holiday tradition.

76. Krampus (2015)

A horror-comedy about a family who inadvertently summons a demonic creature on Christmas Eve.

77. Lethal Weapon (1987)

Lethal Weapons follows two cops attempting to capture drug smugglers while overcoming their differences. This movie is set during the holiday season, and stars Mel Gibson and Danny Glover.

78. Let It Snow (2019)

If you’re looking for a coming-of-age movie, Let It Snow is perfect! On Christmas Eve, a group of teenagers are brought close together when a snowstorm blows in.

79. Love Actually (2003)

A romantic comedy that tells the interconnected stories of several couples and singles during the Christmas season. Starring an ensemble cast with Hugh Grant, Colin Firth, and Keira Knightley.

80. Love Hard (2021)

Natalie travels to the East Coast for the holidays to surprise the man she’s been chatting with on a dating app. Only to find out he wasn’t what she expected.

81. A Madea Christmas (2013)

Tyler Perry stars in this comedy about Madea visiting her rural hometown for the holidays.

82. The Man Who Invented Christmas (2017)

A biographical drama about Charles Dickens’s writing of A Christmas Carol, starring Dan Stevens as the author.

83. Meet Me in St. Louis (1944)

A musical set in the early 1900s that follows a family’s experiences over a year, including their preparations for the World’s Fair and their Christmas celebrations.

84. Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence (1983)

A drama set in a Japanese prisoner-of-war camp during World War II, featuring David Bowie in a leading role.

85. Miracle on 34th Street (1947)

Miracle on 34th Street is a classic Christmas movie about a man who claims to be Santa Claus and is put on trial to prove his identity.

86. Mixed Nuts (1994)

A comedy about a crisis hotline on Christmas Eve, starring Steve Martin and Madeline Kahn.

87. The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)

The Muppets, known for being lifelong friends are back on their next adventure with Michael Caine, as they do a remake of Charles Dicken’s A Christmas Carol.

88. National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989)

A comedy about the Griswold family’s disastrous Christmas vacation, featuring Chevy Chase as the bumbling patriarch.

89. The Night Before (2015)

Three childhood best friends spend Christmas Eve in New York City looking for the holy grail of Christmas parties. Starring Seth Rogen, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Anthony Mackie.

90. The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)

A stop-motion animated movie that tells the story of Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin King, who discovers Christmas and decides to take over the holiday.

91. Noel (2004)

Four strangers come to New York and meet one another. On Christmas Eve, they go looking for a miracle, starring Susan Sarandon.

92. Noelle (2019)

When Santa is set to retire and his son is supposed to take over the family business, he gets cold feet. It is up to his sister to find her brother who ran away and convince him to be Santa. Starring comedians Anna Kendrick and Bill Hader.

93. Nothing Like the Holidays (2008)

A drama-comedy about a Puerto Rican family’s Christmas celebrations in Chicago, starring John Leguizamo and Debra Messing.

94. Office Christmas Party (2016)

A raunchy comedy about a company’s wild Christmas party, featuring an all-star cast including Jason Bateman, Jennifer Aniston, and Kate McKinnon.

95. Once Upon a Christmas Miracle (2018)

This romantic drama is based on a true story about a couple who met on a dating app and bonded over their shared experiences with organ transplants.

96. One Magic Christmas (1985)

A fantasy-drama about a struggling family who receives a visit from an angel on Christmas Eve.

97. The Polar Express (2004)

An animated adventure movie about a young boy who takes a magical train ride to the North Pole on Christmas Eve.

98. Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale (2010)

A Finnish horror-comedy about a group of hunters who discover the real Santa Claus, who is not quite what they expected.

99. The Ref (1994)

The Ref is a dark comedy about a dysfunctional family held hostage by a thief on Christmas Eve, starring Denis Leary and Kevin Spacey.

100. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964)

In one of the best Merry Little Christmas feel-good movies, Rudolph is expected to follow in his father’s footsteps and be Santa’s reindeer. However, Rudolph is constantly made fun of by the other reindeer because of his red nose.

101. The Santa Clause (1994)

A family comedy about a man who inadvertently becomes Santa Claus after accidentally causing the previous Santa’s death.

102. The Santa Clause 2 (2002)

The sequel to The Santa Clause, the second installment follows Santa Claus who searches for a wife before Christmas Eve.

103. The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause (2006)

In the third installment of The Santa Clause series, Santa Claus battles his evil duplicate who is attempting to take over Christmas.

104. Scrooged (1988)

A modern retelling of Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol, starring Bill Murray as a cynical television executive who is visited by three ghosts on Christmas Eve.

105. Serendipity (2001)

A romantic comedy about two strangers who meet and fall in love during Christmas shopping in New York City.

106. The Shop Around the Corner (1940)

The Shop Around the Corner is about two employees at a gift shop who are unaware that they are each other’s anonymous pen pals.

107. Shrek the Halls (2007)

A Christmas special featuring the beloved and known characters played by Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, and Mike Myers. Shrek learns how to celebrate Christmas the right way.

108. Silent Night (2012)

A horror movie about a small-town sheriff who must protect his citizens from a killer dressed as Santa Claus.

109. Spirited (2022)

A musical rendition of a classic Christmas story by Charles Dickens, this movie follows a disliked man played by (Ryan Reynolds) who goes on a journey with the ghost of Christmas present (Will Ferrell).

110. The Snowman (1982)

An animated short film based on the children’s book, The Snowman follows a young boy’s adventure with a snowman that comes to life on Christmas Eve.

111. The Star (2017)

An animated retelling of the Nativity story from the perspective of the animals involved, featuring the voices of Steven Yeun and Oprah Winfrey.

112. Surviving Christmas (2004)

A comedy about a wealthy businessman who pays a family to let him spend Christmas with them, only to cause chaos and reveal secrets.

113. This Christmas (2007)

A drama about a dysfunctional family’s Christmas reunion, starring an ensemble cast including Chris Brown and Regina King.

114. Three Godfathers (1948)

A Western drama about three outlaws who discover a dying woman and her baby in the desert on Christmas Eve.

115. Trading Places (1983)

Trading Places tells the story of a wealthy stockbroker and a street hustler who switch places as part of a bet during the holiday season, featuring Eddie Murphy.

116. The Ultimate Gift (2006)

A drama about a spoiled young man who inherits a fortune from his grandfather, but must complete a series of challenges before receiving his inheritance.

117. A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas (2011)

A stoner comedy where Harold and Kumar team up to find the perfect Christmas tree after accidentally burning down Harold’s father-in-law’s prized tree.

118. A Very Merry Mix-Up (2013)

A romantic comedy about a woman who accidentally swaps Christmas gifts with her fiancé’s family, leading to mistaken identities and unexpected romance.

119. A Very Nutty Christmas (2018)

A romantic comedy about a woman who wakes up to find a nutcracker come to life with the belief that he is her boyfriend.

120. Violent Night (2022)

Starring Stranger Things star (David Harbour), Violent Night is one of the best Christmas movies for adults. The movie follows an innocent family being attacked by burglars on Christmas Eve. It is up to Santa to save the day.

121. While You Were Sleeping (1995)

A romantic comedy-drama about a lonely subway worker who pretends to be the fiancé of a man in a coma, only to fall in love with his brother.

122. White Christmas (1954)

A musical comedy about two ex-army buddies who team up with a sister act to put on a Christmas show at a Vermont inn.

123. It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)

A classic drama about a man who is shown what life would be like if he had never been born, starring James Stewart.

124. The Year Without a Santa Claus (1974)

An animated TV special about a year when Santa Claus decides to take a break from Christmas, causing chaos at the North Pole.

Best Christmas Movies for Adults Guide

I hope you enjoyed reading our list of adult Christmas movies to get you into the holiday spirit.

Whether you’re in the mood for a heartwarming classic or a fun comedy, there’s something on this list of the best Christmas movies for adults of all time.

So, grab some popcorn, pour some eggnog, and settle in for some festive movie marathons this holiday season. Happy holidays!

Get the scoop on more holiday movies by visiting the articles below:

• 32 Best Lifetime Christmas Movies of All Time
• 100 Best Quotes from Iconic Christmas Movies
• 35+ Best Hallmark Christmas Movies

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