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So, here’s a list of the 10 best holiday films, as of 2025. Keep in mind that these are in no particular order, just some films that are classics or films that we’ve all seen before, starting with some sleeper films you quite possibly haven’t seen.

10. Violent Night (2022)

 This film is a 2022 Christmas action comedy that sees David Harbour’s Santa Claus fighting mercenaries who took a family hostage. “Violent Night” was largely successful, grossing $76 million, and earning a sequel, which is set to release in December 2026.  It has a 74% on Rotten Tomatoes.

9. Thanksgiving (2023)

If you’re still craving some horror after Halloween, you’re in luck! The 2023 action slasher movie takes place after Black Friday goes wrong, causing a  creepy killer to horrify the city of Plymouth in Massachusetts. It’s done solid, earning an 83% on Rotten Tomatoes.

8. Happiest Season (2020)

“Happiest Season” is a 2020 romantic comedy, starring Kristin Stewart, Mackenzie Davis, Allison Brie, Aubrey Plaza, Daniel Levy, Holland Victor Garber, and Mary Steenburgen. We follow a young woman struggling to come out to her Conservative family while visiting them with her girlfriend during Christmas. It’s actually based on the director Clea DuVall’s experiences with her own family. The film is significant because it’s the first lesbian Christmas rom-com from a major Hollywood studio. It scored 82% on Rotten Tomatoes.

7. Black Christmas (1974)

Going way back to 1974, this Canadian movie, ”Black Christmas” is a story about a group of sorority sisters who are tormented by stalkers and eventually attacked. It’s actually inspired by an urban legend we’ve all possibly heard about “the babysitter and the man upstairs,” as well as a series of murders that took place in Montreal. Many film historians call it one of the earliest slasher films. It scored 71% on Rotten Tomatoes.

6. Christmas, Again (2014)

This rather obscure Christmas drama sees Noel, a troubled man returning to New York City in an attempt to escape his past. He lives in a trailer and soon begins to spiral emotionally. That is until he meets a woman who saves him. The film scored 100% out of 20 reviews on Rotten Tomatoes. This is likely due to its obscurity.

5. It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)

Now, we’re heading into the movies more people know. ”It’s a Wonderful Life” is a nearly 80-year movie, starring James Stewart as George Baily, and is directed by the great Frank Capra. It’s also heavily inspired by Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” from 1843. In this film, we see George Baily contemplating suicide after giving up on helping people in his community. He’s about to jump to his death on Christmas Eve, when he’s saved by his guardian angel who shows him what the world would look like had he never been born. Something interesting about this film is that it initially had mixed reviews upon release. It had disappointing sales, and people at the time thought that Frank Capra could no longer produce or direct anything worth seeing. Today, ”It’s a Wonderful Life” is seen as one of the greatest films of all time, as its Rotten Tomatoes sits comfortably at 94%.

4. Elf (2003)

“Elf” is a film that gets played on repeat during the holidays. It’s a Christmas movie depicting Will Farrell as a human who was raised as an elf, and learns of his origins and travels to meet his family. It immediately became a success, raising $220 million with only a $33 million budget. The film’s Rotten Tomatoes score sits at 86%.

3. Bad Santa (2003)

This film is a comedy starring Billy Bob Thornton with a solid supporting cast. The main characters are professional thieves who rob malls during the Christmas season. It’s a vulgar, but admittedly hilarious, movie that sits at 77% on Rotten Tomatoes.

2. How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1967, 2000, 2018)

There are three adaptations of the Grinch’s story that we know so well. They are all unique in their own rights, but the film that gets the most praise is the original one that came out in 1967. They’re all based on the incredible work of Dr. Seuss, and they depict a creature who lives alone in a cave on Mt. Crumpit, which overlooks Whoville. He especially hates Christmas, and hates the town’s celebration of it. One Christmas he decides he’s had enough, and attempts to “steal Christmas.” He does this by dressing up like old Saint Nick and sneaking into the homes of the Whos sleeping silently and awaiting the morning. He takes their things, their presents and trees, even the food from the fridge, leaving those in the town with nothing. It’s a classic, I’m sure everyone’s seen at least one version of.

1. Home Alone (1990)

This wouldn’t be a Christmas movie list without “Home Alone.” In this film, we see eight-year-old Macaulay Culkin’s Kevin McCallister acting up in the Christmas season. His family goes on vacation, accidentally leaving him home and not realizing it until far too late. This allows a couple of amateur burglars to believe that the McCallister’s home was unguarded and unprotected, the perfect house to burglarize. Unbeknownst to them, Kevin is conveniently there, and he comes up with a plan to protect his house. He does so by placing painful and more than likely, very deadly traps on the property. It’s always a blast to watch on Christmas morning.