12 Days of Christmas Movies (that adults might enjoy too…)

It’s that time of year again! Whether you’re young enough to have caught the viral marketing campaigns, or old enough to remember circling films in the Radio Times, Christmas films are likely to be a seasonal staple.  In honour of one of our designs appearing in Hollywood (more on that later…), we’ve put together a shortlist of our favourite Christmas films. We’ve limited it to 12, or else it would go on forever, but we think this gives a good overview of some movies we might actually watch ourselves at Christmas. 

1.) Elf (2003)

Will Ferrell’s turn as a happy-go-lucky elf, casually making the world a better place has become something of a Christmas essential. In case you don’t know the storyline already - 

Buddy the elf lives at the North Pole, making presents for the world’s children in Santa’s workshop. But all is not as it seems for our hero - Buddy has grown up believing he is an elf, but is told by his adoptive parents that he is, in fact, a human who crawled into Santa’s sack as a baby. Buddy is informed that his birth father not only works as a children’s book publisher in the Empire State Building, but that he is totally unaware of Buddy’s existence, and in fact on this year’s “naughty” list. Buddy sets out to find his father, explore who he really is, and redeem his father in time for Christmas.

What follows is a charming fish-out-of-water comedy, with Buddy’s enthusiasm contrasting sharply with his father’s (James Caan) big-city cynicism, and touching the lives of all he encounters. Laugh-out-loud jokes, a genuinely affecting story, great performances and echoes of Hollywood classics makes this enjoyable on a few levels, and it’s become something of a classic over the last twenty years.

2.) It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)

Often cited as the best Christmas film ever made, and as a contender for best film of any sort ever made, this Frank Capra classic was something of a flop. Receiving mixed reviews and failing to make back its budget, even the star power of Jimmy Stewart couldn’t save it. In fact, it was only when its copyright expired in 1974 that it became more widely distributed, when it was finally seen to be the masterpiece it is.

Loosely based on Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, the film follows George Bailey, a banker, family man and upstanding citizen. George has always tried to do the right thing, often putting the needs of others before his own. He is locked in a dispute with unscrupulous rival Henry Potter, who plans to dissolve the company and has total dominance over the town. George’s struggles lead him to lose his temper with his family and go out drinking, contemplating suicide on a bridge. He is persuaded by his “guardian angel” not to do so, who shows George, in a series of vignettes, what life would be like in the town without him. Reinvigorated, George goes home to his family, ready to face his problems, and discovers that the townspeople have come together to give him the money he needs to save the business - in gratitude for all his good deeds over the years.

The film’s heartwarming message, bracingly frank engagement with adult problems and outstanding performances have kept generations coming back to it. It manages to ask the big questions while always keeping to its intention as a family film. A complex one that can still be enjoyed by each generation and, in short, a classic.

3.) Paddington 2 (2017)

Though not explicitly a Christmas film, the second Paddington installment is the perfect thing to sit the whole family in front of in the holiday season. An ensemble cast of decorated actors, stunning animation and design and endless charm makes this one of the very best of its sort.

Paddington plans to buy his aunt Lucy a present for her 100th birthday; an antique pop-up book. When the book is stolen, he pursues the thief but is framed for the crime himself, jailed while his family try to clear his name. 

While Paddington is imprisoned, the true thief of the book roams free - the family’s neighbour, fading actor and socialite Phoenix Buchanan. He searches London for a secret treasure horde using clues embedded in the book, in a bid to become the leading public figure he once was. With the help of fellow inmates, Paddington escapes from the prison, where he discovers Buchanan is the real thief, leading to a climactic chase onboard a carnival train. The film ends with Paddington exonerated, Buchanan arrested, and with Aunt Lucy receiving her gift from the family; a ticket from Peru to visit Paddington in London.

The film was a huge commercial and critical success, with fantastic performances from a cast of high-calibre actors such as Sally Hawkins, Brendan Gleeson and, perhaps most famously, Hugh Grant as Phoenix Buchanan, sending himself up perfectly and even gaining a BAFTA nomination for the role. 

What’s more, we’re proud to say that Grant even wears one of our cravats in the role, fitting his character perfectly. If you’d like to gain some of Phoenix Buchanan’s devilish charm, have a look at our Enlai cravat - it’s a wonderful addition to a shirt collar, even if you’re not a movie villain…

4.) The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)

Few films have launched a cult fanbase quite so completely as Tim Burton’s stop-motion tale. Jack Skellington, the pumpkin-headed protagonist and king of Halloween Town, stumbles into Christmas Town and is stunned and baffled by the people who live there, as it’s like nothing he’s ever seen. He comes home and attempts to describe it, to the befuddlement of his friends. Not understanding the holiday in the slightest, he decides to “improve” it, kidnapping their king “Sandy Claws” and taking his place.

Sadly, Jack’s “improvements” terrify the town, with ghoulish figures running amok. The residents of Christmas Town call the military, who finally run him out of town. Crushed by his failures, he returns to Halloween Town, deciding to free Santa from the clutches of his henchmen and return to what he knows best - celebrating Halloween. A freed Santa returns to Christmas town, leaving the Halloween residents with the Christmas spirit to contemplate.

While it was thought at the time that children would be scared by the film’s gothic tone and darker sense of humour, it was wildly popular, with memorable songs and an unmistakable visual style. Unconventional it may be, but apart from the whisper of horror this is a classic Christmas caper film, and a must-watch for older kids and teenagers.

5.) Home Alone (1990)

It’s difficult to imagine a world without this madcap family comedy, about a young boy who is accidentally left alone at Christmas, and besieged by thieves intent on taking his family’s belongings. It launched Macaulay Culkin’s career, made Joe Pesci into a family entertainer and introduced audiences to how much a paint can to the face hurts.

The McCallisters, a large family living in the Chicago suburbs, are going away to Paris for Christmas. In the chaos and rush of leaving, they accidentally leave eight year old Kevin behind. Noticing that the boy is home alone, burglars Harry and Marv decide to steal the belongings inside. Realising their plans, and aware of his own vulnerability, he at first tries to make it seem as if there are others in the house. When this no longer works, he decides to lure the burglars in, devising a series of traps for them to fall into.

Bringing slapstick cartoon humour to live-action comedy, featuring one of the all-time great child actor performances and seeing Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern sending up their tough-guy images beautifully, it’s easy to see why the film has endured. One word of warning; your kids are likely to need a clear “don’t try this at home” warning before watching…

6.) Arthur Christmas (2011)

Continuing the theme of great actors playing in family films, this seasonal adventure stars James McAvoy, Bill Nighy, Hugh Laurie and more, voicing their animated characters in inimitable style. 

“Santa Claus” in this telling is not a person, but a hereditary title, passed from father to son across generations. Malcolm, the 20th Santa, is heading his 70th mission, but his role has been reduced to that of a figurehead. He flies in a high-tech vessel called the S-1, operated by hundreds of elves who deliver the gifts with military precision. These operations are managed by Malcolm's son Steve from a control room beneath the North Pole, while Steve's nervous but cheerful younger brother Arthur answers the letters sent to Santa. 

Realising a present has been left behind, Arthur is devastated and resolves to give it to its rightful owner, reawakening the old magic sleigh Evie. Malcolm’s curmudgeonly father Grandsanta accompanies him, desperate to prove his own relevance. 

While the film is a festive comedy with all kinds of zany adventures, it also explores themes of tradition and modernity, parental disappointment and coming-of-age. It’s full of knowing jokes and clever touches that lift it above the usual fare - it’s well worth your time, whatever age you may be.

7.) Die Hard (1988)

With none other than Macaulay Culkin wading in recently to claim that it “isn’t a Christmas movie’, the issue has perhaps been the subject of more debate than any other on this list. In our opinion, it’s difficult to argue with the naysayers; terrorists take over an office building and kill the company executive, and detective John McClane, visiting his estranged wife at her office Christmas party, is forced to do something about it - it’s not exactly the heartwarming festive premise you might have got used to! However, the film’s runaway success, almost unnecessarily excellent performances and festive setting have seen it top lists of “favourite Christmas movies” for many years now. A short summary - 

John McClane arrives at the Nakatomi Plaza in Los Angeles during a Christmas party. While he freshens up after his journey, the building is attacked by a terrorist cell, led by Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman). They plan to steal financial information from the company to fund their activities, and are frustrated in doing so by the company’s executive, who refuses to hand over the code. The group kills him and attempts to break into the vault, not knowing that the detective is already inside the building. Once they become aware of his presence, there begins a cat and mouse game between McClane and Gruber, with battles in the enclosed spaces of the office block building the tension. The final climactic scene sees a confrontation between Gruber and McClane on the roof, leading to a battle and ultimately, the death and defeat of the terrorists.

With Willis not thought of as a leading man at the time, and Alan Rickman relatively unknown in the US, the film was predicted to fail. Instead, it made a fortune and launched a series of sequels and imitators, making household names of its stars. At the time of the film’s release, who would have thought that we’d hear “Yippe ki-yay motherfucker!” every festive season?

8.) The Snowman (1982)

Originally more of a television short than a feature film, this British animation is based on the 1978 picture book by Raymond Briggs. Entirely without dialogue, the story features a snowman magically brought to life, who takes his maker, a young boy called James, on a journey to the North Pole. 

They join a party of snowmen and women and meet Father Christmas, who presents James with a scarf. The snowman flies James home, who goes to bed, only to find that the snow has melted in the morning, and that the snowman has disappeared leaving only his scarf, coal eyes, tangerine nose and coat buttons in a pile of melted snow. James is initially saddened, only to find the scarf that Father Christmas gave him, proving that the events of the last night really happened.

The original cut of the film had author Raymond Briggs discussing the origins of the story, however it was decided that if they wanted to sell it internationally, they needed a star’s involvement - singer and actor David Bowie was only too happy to oblige. The theme song of “Walking in the Air”, sung by a young Peter Auty is almost as famous as the film itself, with backing from the London Sinfonia.

At only 26 minutes long and with no voices, it’s an unlikely hit, but the beauty of the animation, the perfect soundtrack and the beautiful story has made the film universally popular. We’re presuming you’ve seen it, but if you haven’t, we urge you to go and do so.

9.) Klaus (2019)

Sticking with animation, we’d like to nominate this slightly unheralded and wonderful film, featuring a cynical postman sent to the frozen north to prove himself. Set in 19th Century Norway, the royal postmaster sends his lazy son Jesper to fulfill the most difficult job in the country - that of postmaster in the distant island town of Smeerensburg. Jesper finds Smeerensburg composed almost entirely of two feuding familial clans, the Ellingboes and the Krums, who are at each other's throats constantly. 

Desperately seeking letters from the townsfolk to no avail, Jesper finds an isolated house far outside of town, discovering it to be filled with handmade toys and inhabited by an elderly, reclusive woodsman named Klaus. Terrified by Klaus' imposing appearance, Jesper flees, leaving behind a drawing from one of Smeerensburg's children. Klaus forces Jesper to enter the boy’s home to secretly deliver a toy, which delights the child.

Word of the toy spreads to other children, and Klaus is pressed into producing yet more toys, while Jesper realises that this is the answer to succeeding in his role as postman, scheming behind the scenes. Of course, things don't go as planned, and both Jesper and Klaus are forced to reckon with their motivations.

With a beautiful fairytale animation style, excellent voice cast and unconventional story, along with a rooting in Scandinavian culture and folklore, it’s a truly one-of-a-kind film. While the tone is darker than some, it’s still very much a family film, and does a fantastic job of transcending its genre.

10.) How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)

In the same manner as Home Alone ten years earlier, it’s hard to imagine a world without The Grinch. Based on the Dr. Seuss book of the same name, the film plays with the characters’ bizarre appearance and storybook style with charm and humour, featuring a tour-de-force performance from Jim Carrey as The Grinch himself.

The Grinch is a grumpy creature, who absolutely hates Christmas and the joy it seems to bring to the residents of Whoville. A little girl named Cindy Lou learns something of the Grinch’s backstory and feels sympathy for him, nominating him to lead the town’s celebrations. The mayor strongly disagrees, making it his mission to humiliate the Grinch and ensure it never happens. In response, the Grinch goes on the rampage, hatching a plan to steal all the Whos' Christmas presents, decorations, and food while they sleep. Disguising himself as Santa Claus, he descends into Whoville, stripping the town of all its decorations and presents. 

While the town is outraged, the Grinch’s plan ultimately fails, as the residents come together for Christmas despite the lack of decorations. Guilt-stricken, he returns to the town and apologises, ensuring all the gifts are given back and leads the celebrations. 

The film is unimaginable without Carrey, who gives his all to the performance as the green, furry, scheming but ultimately sympathetic Grinch. A quirky film to be quite as popular as it is, but an unassailable Christmas classic.

11.) The Santa Clause (1994)

A story about a normal man who is forced to become Santa Claus after inadvertently causing his death, this comedy is full of surprises and has remained very popular since its release. Scott, who works as a marketing director for a toy company, startles Santa on his roof causing him to fall. Reluctantly, Scott realises what he’s done and that he needs to put on the suit and finish the Christmas deliveries. In doing so, he has activated the “santa clause”, meaning that whomever puts on the suit becomes Santa Claus in reality.

Over the next year, he undergoes a drastic transformation; he gains weight and develops an increased fondness for sweets, particularly milk and cookies. He develops a white beard that instantly regrows after shaving, and his hair turns white in spite of attempts to dye it. Scott’s attempts to deal with his new role, as well as to engage with his son prove difficult, with the clash between the real world and that at the North Pole the source of much of the film’s comedy.

Tim Allen was a huge TV celebrity at the time, and plays the transformation from cynical businessman to the gregarious and generous Santa Claus perfectly. He is also the reason why we can’t see osso buco on a menu without thinking of Christmas…

12.) The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)

In a highly competitive field, we have saved the best for last with this one. A retelling of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol featuring Michael Caine as Ebenezer Scrooge alongside Kermit the Frog as Bob Cratchit, the delights almost never stop for the film’s entire running time.

A curmudgeonly and ill-tempered man, Scrooge despises Christmas and curses others for enjoying it. He terrorises his secretary Bob Cratchit, who he nevertheless grants a single day off on Christmas Day for him to be with his family. That night, Scrooge is visited by three ghosts - Christmas Past, Christmas Present, and Christmas Future, showing him painful scenes from his personal history, the reality of the lives of others today, and the potential future if he does not change his ways. Transformed, he resolves to spread love to those around him, celebrating Christmas with all he meets and giving Bob a raise. He learns an important lesson about how short life is, and how Christmas is a time for appreciating what’s around you.

This is only the shortest possible telling, and does not account for the parade of bizarre characters, catchy songs, relentless jokes and beloved characters all making an appearance across the film. Best of all, Caine plays his role totally straight, engaging with the Muppets as if they were serious actors. Truly, this one never gets old for us, and who can possibly keep a dry eye at the sight of Tiny Tim’s face? An enduring classic that can be enjoyed on many levels.

While we did our best with this list, it’s impossible to put together a list of these films without some glaring omissions, and everyone will have their favourites. So, in your opinion, what have we missed?