The best Christmas movies of all time
The top 3 according to 248 votes from people: It's a Wonderful Life · Elf · Home Alone. (Updated Nov 19, 2025.)
The Christmas films voted best by Empire readers and ranked highest on IMDb, from It's a Wonderful Life to Home Alone and Elf.
Top 12
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1
It's a Wonderful Life
Frank Capra, 1946. George Bailey sees what the world would be like without him; 8.6 on IMDb.
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2
Elf
Jon Favreau, 2003. Will Ferrell, a human raised by Santa's elves, arrives in New York.
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3
Home Alone
Chris Columbus, 1990. Kevin defends the house from two burglars; often voted the ultimate Christmas film.
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4
Love Actually
Richard Curtis, 2003. Ten love stories in Christmas-time London.
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5
Scrooge (A Christmas Carol)
Brian Desmond Hurst, 1951. Alastair Sim's definitive Scrooge; 8.1 on IMDb.
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6
The Muppet Christmas Carol
Brian Henson, 1992. Michael Caine as Scrooge among the Muppets.
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7
A Christmas Story
Bob Clark, 1983. Ralphie and his dream of a Red Ryder BB gun.
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8
The Nightmare Before Christmas
Henry Selick, 1993. Jack Skellington discovers Christmas Town; Tim Burton's stop-motion.
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9
Die Hard
John McTiernan, 1988. Bruce Willis at a Christmas Eve office party taken hostage; the eternal 'is it a Christmas film?' debate.
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10
Miracle on 34th Street
George Seaton, 1947. A department-store Santa claims to be the real one; 7.9 on IMDb.
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11
Gremlins
Joe Dante, 1984. Three rules for a mogwai, broken just before Christmas.
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12
Klaus
Sergio Pablos' 2019 Netflix animated film about the origins of Santa Claus, BAFTA winner.
Candidates
They don't make it into the top 12… yet. Vote for them to move them up.
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13
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
Jeremiah Chechik, 1989. Chevy Chase and a family Christmas where everything goes wrong.
How is this ranking ordered? By people's votes: each ▲ adds a point and each ▼ takes one away. Anyone can vote and add what is missing.
Is something missing?
Comments (4)
Elf is a must every December in our house 🎄
It's a Wonderful Life at #1, I cry every Christmas Eve.
Klaus on Netflix should be on here, beautiful animation.
Die Hard IS a Christmas movie and I won't hear otherwise 🎄