The 16 best classic Christmas movies to watch this year
- - The 16 best classic Christmas movies to watch this year
Gwen Ihnat, James Mercadante, Kevin JacobsenDecember 12, 2025 at 10:00 PM
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Hulton Archive/Getty; Paramount/Getty Images; RKO Radio Pictures/Getty
John Payne as Fred Gailey, Maureen O’Hara as Doris Walker, Natalie Wood as Susan Walker, and Edmund Gwenn as Kris Kringle in 'Miracle on 34th Street'; Vera-Allen as Judy Haynes, Danny Kaye as Phil Davis, Rosemary Clooney as Berry Haynes, and Bing Crosby as Bob Wallace in 'White Christmas'; The cast, led by Jimmy Stewart as George Bailey (center, seated) of 'It's a Wonderful Life'
Sometimes, there's no better escape from the hustle and bustle of the holiday season than watching a cozy Christmas classic. When the gaudiness and unoriginality of modern Christmas movies become tiring, it's nice to fall back on our timeless Old Hollywood favorites.
From Jimmy Stewart's George Bailey reflecting on his existence in It's a Wonderful Life (1946) to showstopping musicals like White Christmas (1954), these films offer an unabashedly sentimental warmth that's rarely been captured again. Ahead, we've singled out the 16 best classic Christmas movies to add to your watchlist (or re-watchlist) this holiday season.
01 of 16
The Apartment (1960)
Everett Collection Jack Lemmon as C.C. Baxter and Shirley MacLaine as Fran Kubelik in 'The Apartment'
Jack Lemmon plays office lackey C.C. Baxter with a crush on elevator gal Fran Kubelik (Shirley MacLaine) in director Billy Wilder's attack on the emptiness of corporate culture. C.C.'s eponymous home is being used by all the higher-ups for their extramarital dates — which he takes advantage of to climb the corporate ladder, until he finds out that Fran is involved with his own boss (Fred MacMurray, expertly playing against type).
Framing The Apartment during the holidays (The office Christmas party! The melancholy New Year's Eve celebrations!) just makes the solitary status of our players more acute, until they manage to craft a true connection of their own. —Gwen Ihnat
Where to watch The Apartment: Tubi
02 of 16
Bachelor Mother (1939)
Everett Collection Ginger Rogers as Polly Parrish and David Niven as David Merlin in 'Bachelor Mother'
Ginger Rogers was just departing her successful musical partnership with Fred Astaire when she embarked on this entertaining romp set during the holiday season, which interestingly conveys the concerns over an unwed mother. Rogers is shopworker Polly Parrish, who gets mistakenly identified as the parent of an abandoned baby.
A series of complications ensues, especially when her boss (David Niven) gets tangled up in the scandal and is assumed to be the father. Rogers has wonderful chemistry with both Niven and the baby, and even though Polly seems (rightfully) dubious about everyone's assumption that the ideal Christmas present for a young woman is a child, eventually she rises to the task. —G.I.
Where to watch Bachelor Mother: Tubi
03 of 16
The Bishop's Wife (1947)
Everett Collection Cary Grant as Dudley, David Niven as Bishop Henry Brougham, and Loretta Young as Julia Brougham in 'The Bishop's Wife'
Cary Grant's cinematic charm has always seemed otherworldly, but never more so than in his turn as an actual angel in The Bishop's Wife. David Niven is a young bishop who's so tripped up by ambition and the desire to build a cathedral that he's forgotten what's truly important...even his own family. An angel named Dudley (Grant) shows up to set things right again.
Honestly, it's tough to find a Christmas movie more charming than this one. Dudley's walks through the city make it seem as bucolic as a small town, while each amiable resident, from the Professor (Monty Woolley) to the title character herself (Loretta Young), is more appealing than the next. Naturally, with Dudley's help, the bishop eventually rediscovers the true meaning of Christmas, a message that The Bishop's Wife ably passes along to its holiday audience. —G.I.
Where to watch The Bishop's Wife: Amazon Prime Video
04 of 16
A Christmas Carol (1951)
Everett Collection Alastair Sim as Ebenezer Scrooge in 'A Christmas Carol'
The definitive version of Dickens' Christmas parable features Alastair Sims as an absolutely iconic Scrooge. His dourness at the start of the film is in such contrast to the jubilant Ebenezer at the end, they scarcely appear to be the same person, and the stark black-and-white cinematography makes the legendary tale seem even more like a straight-up ghost story.
There are a multitude of Christmas Carols to be viewed: animated, CGI, Muppets, Bill Murray's Scrooged (1988), and even Spirited (2022) with Ryan Reynolds and Will Ferrell. But this Christmas, you may just want to go back to the ultimate classic and ponder your own Christmases past, present, and future. —G.I.
Where to watch A Christmas Carol: Tubi
05 of 16
Christmas in Connecticut (1945)
Everett Collection Barbara Stanwyck as Elizabeth Lane and Dennis Morgan as Jefferson Jones in 'Christmas in Connecticut'
In this delightful romp, Barbara Stanwyck is a 1940s career woman who has essentially billed herself as a domestic goddess precursor to Martha Stewart. But in fact, she's anything but. She's just a really good writer. So when her publisher wants to meet her in person, she rents out a lovely Connecticut home, complete with a makeshift husband and baby.
Then, a visit by an extremely charming war vet (Dennis Morgan) threatens to derail her entire ruse. This film is a holiday joy from start to finish, complete with tree trimming, flapjack flipping, and a flirty carriage ride. —G.I.
Where to watch Christmas in Connecticut: Amazon Prime Video (to rent)
06 of 16
Holiday Affair (1949)
Everett Collection Janet Leigh as Connie Ennis and Robert Mitchum as Steve Mason in 'Holiday Affair'
A brunette Janet Leigh and a broad-shouldered Robert Mitchum have chemistry in spades in this postwar romance. The pair meet at a department store (a popular setting in many of these holiday movies!) and immediately spark a connection just before Christmas, but she's a young widow with a 6-year-old son and a devoted suitor (too bad, Wendell Corey).
Safety and security are obviously going to lose in the fight against such fierce romantic magnetism, especially with Mitchum in the mix. But Connie's adorable son, Timmy (Gordon Gebert), who manages to be cute but not cloying, practically runs away with the whole thing. —G.I.
Where to stream Holiday Affair: Amazon Prime Video (to rent)
07 of 16
I'll Be Seeing You (1944)
United Artists/Getty
Spring Byington as Sarah Marshall, Tom Tully as Henry Marshall, Joseph Cotten as Zachary Morgan, and Ginger Rogers as Mary Marshall in 'I'll Be Seeing You'
It's a classic meet-cute: Two lonely strangers, Mary Marshall (Ginger Rogers) and Zachary Morgan (Joseph Cotten), meet on a train, each traveling with hidden baggage. Mary's on an eight-day release from prison — where she's serving time for involuntary manslaughter — while Zachary, a World War I soldier experiencing PTSD, is on leave from a military hospital to show he's recovering. As they spend their Christmas break together, it's only a matter of time before their secrets are unwrapped.
I'll Be Seeing You is considerably one of the more forward-thinking films of the 1940s, addressing mental health, sexual harassment, and the struggles of the incarcerated with sincerity (even if a bit ham-fisted). Though maybe an unconventional holiday pick, it's a tender film about second chances — full of warmth, empathy, and swooning romance. —James Mercadante
Where to watch I'll Be Seeing You: YouTube
08 of 16
It Happened on 5th Avenue (1947)
Everett Collection Gale Storm as Trudy O'Connor and Don DeFore as Jim Bullock in 'It Happened on 5th Avenue'
A pair of men experiencing homelessness solve their housing problem by squatting at the Fifth Avenue home of a rich industrialist when he heads south for the winter. Obviously, hijinks ensue, especially when the wealthy man's daughter heads to the New York mansion after running away from finishing school, and a few other WWII vets and their families enter the mix just in time to spend the holidays together.
It Happened on 5th Avenue not only highlights the postwar housing crisis, but also offers an appealing communion between the haves and the have-nots as they switch places and experience life from the other side. —G.I.
Where to watch It Happened on 5th Avenue: Amazon Prime Video (to rent)
09 of 16
It's a Wonderful Life (1946)
RKO Radio Pictures/Getty
(From left to right): Larry Simms as Pete Bailey, Jimmy Hawkins as Tommy Bailey, Jimmy Stewart as George Bailey (front, seated), Donna Reed as Mary Bailey, and Carol Coomes as Janie Bailey in 'It's a Wonderful Life'
George Bailey (Jimmy Stewart), a businessman world-weary from the weight of his sacrifices, reaches a breaking point where he contemplates suicide. But when his guardian angel, Clarence (Henry Travers), appears on Earth to help him, George is shown an alternate world sans his existence — offering him a new gratitude for life, burdens and all.
While far from the cheery holiday tale its title suggests, Frank Capra's It's a Wonderful Life is cathartically uplifting — heartbreaking and heartwarming in equal measure. Stewart delivers a timeless and moving performance, anchoring a film that, despite its initial box-office failure, has grown to be one of the most iconic holiday films of all time; one that leaves audiences misty-eyed no matter how many times they've watched it. —J.M.
Where to watch It's a Wonderful Life: Amazon Prime Video
10 of 16
The Man Who Came to Dinner (1942)
Everett Collection (Center, from left to right): Monty Woolley as Sheridan Whiteside, John Ridgely as Radio man, Grant Mitchell as Ernest Stanley, and Billie Burke as Mrs. Ernest Stanley in 'The Man Who Came to Dinner'
The houseguest from hell takes precedence in this fun adaptation of a Kaufman and Hart play, probably spied at a high school near you. Prestigious man of letters Sheridan Whiteside (Monty Woolley) spills down the snowy front steps at the home of a small-town family, the Stanleys — where he's planned a promo dinner in Mesalia, Ohio, right around the holidays.
He proceeds to commandeer the entire household, hilariously insulting one and all, until, of course, he turns his attention to fixing all of the Stanley family's problems. Bette Davis masters a rare light comedy turn as Sherry's long-suffering secretary, with Jimmy Durante as a visitor from Broadway and Wizard of Oz (1939) good witch Billie Burke as the overwhelmed matriarch of the Stanley clan. —G.I.
Where to watch The Man Who Came to Dinner: Tubi
11 of 16
Meet John Doe (1941)
Everett Collection Walter Brennan as the Colonel, Gary Cooper as John Doe, and Barbara Stanwyck as Ann Mitchell in 'Meet John Doe'
Frank Capra takes on the "forgotten man" in this 1941 charmer. Barbara Stanwyck, as fast-talking newspaper reporter Ann Mitchell, in the His Girl Friday (1940) vein, crafts an anonymous letter in the paper from a man who says he'll jump off the top of city hall on Christmas Eve due to man's continuous inhumanity to man.
The John Doe becomes a sensation, as the whole city wants to offer him a job and prevent him from jumping. So Ann and the paper find an actual man living life on the rails (Gary Cooper) to pose as John Doe, who quickly becomes overwhelmed by all the attention. This movie may even out-Capra It's a Wonderful Life with its celebration of everyday people and the connection between neighbors — a sentiment that fits perfectly within the holiday season. —G.I.
Where to watch Meet John Doe: Amazon Prime Video
12 of 16
Meet Me in St. Louis (1944)
Warner Bros. Entertainment
Judy Garland as Esther Smith in 'Meet Me in St. Louis'
Meet Me in St. Louis may not be fully set during the Christmas season, but, when Judy Garland's Esther Smith gazes out the window and forlornly sings "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" in the film's climax, there's no doubt it belongs on this list. The Technicolor musical chronicles a year in the life of the Smith family, focusing largely on their four daughters. As seasons change, the sisters experience love and loss in the lead-up to the 1904 World's Fair.
Garland's costar Margaret O'Brien looks back fondly on her experience working with her, telling EW in 2019: "She was always very sweet. Because a lot of times when you do finish, you don't come over and say hello. You're busy. You can be at the same luncheon and never see the person that you knew. But Judy always came over. I always remember that about her." —Kevin Jacobsen
Where to watch Meet Me in St. Louis: Tubi
13 of 16
Miracle on 34th Street (1947)
Everett Collection Edmund Gwenn as Kris Kringle and Natalie Wood as Susan Walker in 'Miracle on 34th Street'
Divorced, busy career woman Doris Walker (Maureen O'Hara), with a wise-beyond-her-years daughter, Susan (Natalie Wood), hires an unusual man to play Santa Claus at Macy's department store. In fact, he truly believes he's Santa himself! Along the way, he gets into a bit of trouble over his proclaimed persona, but he's even able to crack the hardened hearts of Doris and Susan, as an ambitious young lawyer (John Payne) aims to defend Santa legally.
Edmund Gwenn won an Oscar for the role he was born to play, Kris Kringle. And honestly, couldn't we all use a reason to believe in Santa Claus, especially one that stands up in court? EW's writer described: "As Kris Kringle himself points out, 'Christmas isn't just a day, it's a frame of mind.' And there's no better movie for putting you in a holiday mindset than the 1947 hit." —G.I.
Where to watch Miracle on 34th Street: Disney+
14 of 16
The Shop Around the Corner (1940)
Everett Collection James Stewart as Alfred Kralik and Margaret Sullavan as Klara Novak in 'The Shop Around the Corner'
Real-life friends Jimmy Stewart and Margaret Sullavan play co-workers who loathe each other as they fall in love over an anonymous pen-pal relationship. If you're a fan of You've Got Mail (1998), you'll likely appreciate its source material here, while director Ernst Lubitsch crafts a charming cast of characters in Budapest, no less, as the shop workers get ready for the holiday season.
The characters are on a lower pay scale than your typical showy Hollywood setting, yet still look past initial pride and prejudices to find a love story for the ages in a humble stockroom. —G.I.
Where to watch The Shop Around the Corner: HBO Max
15 of 16
The Thin Man (1934)
Everett Collection Myrna Loy as Nora Charles and William Powell as Nick Charles in 'The Thin Man'
Relationship goals: the sophisticated, urbane, and witty Nick (William Powell) and Nora Charles (Myrna Loy) — created by mystery author Dashiell Hammett — as they galavant through Manhattan nightlife solving crimes. Powell and Loy have an effortless chemistry (they eventually made 14 movies together, including several Thin Man films), adding to the movies' lighthearted feel, even in the face of investigating a murder.
This first in the series appropriately kicks off during the holidays: If only we were all able to call out killers at glamorous dinner parties or celebrate the festive season with a long line of martinis. —G.I.
Where to watch The Thin Man: Tubi
16 of 16
White Christmas (1954)
Paramount/Getty
Rosemary Clooney as Betty Haynes, Danny Kaye as Phil Davis, Bing Crosby as Bob Wallace, Vera-Ellen as Judy Haynes, and their child costars in 'White Christmas'
Back from the war, NYC song-and-dance duo Bob Wallace (Bing Crosby) and Phil Davis (Danny Kaye) team up with singing sisters Betty (Rosemary Clooney) and Judy Haynes (Vera-Ellen) to revive a Vermont lodge run by their former commander, General Waverly. With the inn facing a snowless holiday season and potential bankruptcy, the group hatches a plan to stage a grand Christmas show to draw a big crowd — despite a few crossed wires and miscommunications getting in their way.
As the first film in the VistaVision format, White Christmas is a glossy, eye-popping spectacle that looks as good as it sounds — pulsating with showstopping energy thanks to its multi-talented cast and their magnetic performances. And of course, the film is packed with Irving Berlin's beloved holiday classics, including the famous title track, so no wonder it's on EW's list of the best Christmas movies of all time. —J.M.
Where to watch White Christmas: Amazon Prime Video
on Entertainment Weekly
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