It’s time for all of us to get into the holiday spirit! Cozying up by the fire and putting on a tried and true holiday film is aChristmasstaple for most families who celebrate. As we gear up for yet another fantastic festive season, we should all expand our Christmas film watchlist. Of course, a nice holiday romance or Santa-centered family film could put anyone into the Christmas spirit. However, what about the films that are perfect for the holidays, but are not necessarily Christmas movies?
Depending on the impact of film throughout our lives, we all have certain movies that we associate with Christmas. Whether or not it’sthe holiday classicslikeElfor films we just grew up watching during this time of the year, getting to know some more films that are bound to put you in the Christmas spirit is always going to be a good time. If you are tired of the North Pole, Santa, and mistletoe, here is a list of some of the best non-Christmas Christmas movies to take a look at this holiday season!
10Harry Potter Franchise (2001-2011)
Can it get any more non-Christmas Christmas than theHarry Potterfranchise? Starring Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson, theHarry Potterfranchise is still one of the most popular film series in history. Following the trio of friends from their first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the films see these kids growing up in front of our eyes as they face the darkest wizard of their age, Lord Voldemort.
What Makes It Great
The entireHarry Potterfranchise is a wild ride to watch, and worth every minute. Whether you associateHarry Potterwith Halloween, Christmas, or as a year-round event, there is no doubt that a Christmas at Hogwarts is one that continuously heals our inner child.Harry Potteralready holds a great deal of nostalgia in both the books and the films. However, especially in the earlier films, seeing a young Harry opening up gifts on Christmas morning for the first time is what the beloved holiday is all about.Stream on Max
9Die Hard (1988)
The love we have for theDie Hardfranchise will never, well, die. The 1988 action thrillerstarring Bruce Willisand Alan Rickman may not be everyone’s first choice for a holiday watch, but it is one of ours. The film follows police officer John McClane (Willis) as he joins his family for a Christmas Eve party in an NCY high-rise. However, a group of terrorists takes over the building and everyone in it as hostages. McClane takes it upon himself to be the one to save everyone.
If you are looking for something festive and fun, turn away now.Die Hardis one of those films that manage to make us think of Christmastime without all the jingles and bells. However,Die Hardwill forever be a Christmas film in the ways that count for the purpose of this list. It is easy to fall into the rabbit hole of holiday films that make us feel good, but this filmis a great way to introduce a change of pace while also keeping in the spirit of the season.Stream on Hulu
8Gremlins (1984)
Just because it takes place on Christmas Eve does not makeGremlinsa Christmas movie. Therefore, it is perfect for this list. The 1984 fantasy horror film follows a man who buys the titularmogwaias a gift for his son. However, a very specific set of instructions — warnings, really — are also given to him: never expose him to bright light or water, and he cannot be fed after midnight. Well, everything goes wrong and a group of little gremlins wreaks havoc in the town.
Along with being a horror classic,Gremlinsis a great movie to watch on Christmas without being about the holiday itself. The film is the perfect mixture of horror, science fiction, and fantasy, with its incredibly unique creature introduction and the set-up for a beloved little franchise. Not every household hasGremlinsas a holiday staple, but it’s not one to miss out on this festive season.Rent on AppleTV
Related:Best Christmas Movies of the 2010s, Ranked
7You’ve Got Mail (1998)
You’ve Got Mail
Who says the holiday season can’t be a season of love? Any excuse to include a Tom Hanks romance is a good one.You’ve Got Mailis a 1998 romantic comedy starring Hanks and Meg Ryan, truly a match made in rom-com heaven. In this classic, enemies-to-unlikely-lovers story, small business bookseller Kathleen (Ryan) has a deep disdain for the owner of a corporate book chain store, Joe (Hanks). However, the two get caught up in an anonymous romance online that they now have to face the reality of.
If we can avoid being sad during the holidays at all costs, we will. Will Hanks and Ryan fix our holiday blues? Most likely.You’ve Got Mailspans a few months, but you do get a glimpse into the holiday season in New York City, which is definitely a plus. Love is always going to be a great way to go about film hunting for the holidays, but a rom-com will never steer you wrong. This film is feel-good through and through and will set your spirits high this holiday season.Stream on Tubi
6Little Women (2019)
Little Women
Greta Gerwig’sLittle Womenhas become a comfort movie for all of us, and watching during the holidays is something that makes us feel warm and fuzzy on the inside. This masterpiece of a film came out in 2019 and has been recognized as one of the best films Gerwig has directed.
Little Womenfollows the complicated lives of the four March sisters, Meg (Emma Watson), Jo (Saoirse Ronan), Beth (Eliza Scanlen), and Amy (Florence Pugh). As they all find their way through life and love,Little Womencontinues to be a delicate tale of women empowerment, loyalty, and sisterhood.
Other than the fact that we all know the raw talent that exists in Gerwig as a director,Little Womenstands out in a way that is hard to describe. The already captivating story is, in every way, engaging as we root for certain characters and their happily ever afters. Of course, it is truly the impeccable casting that takes this film to the next level. Each and every actor in this film captures your attention and your heart with their performances. If Christmas is the holiday to convince you to watchLittle Women, it will not let you down.Stream on Starz
5Lethal Weapon (1987)
Lethal Weapon
Lethal Weaponis an action crime movie that came out in 1987. Los Angeles detective Martin Riggs (Mel Gibson) begins to spiral in the wake of his wife’s death. Along with all of that, he finds out he does not get along with his new partner, Roger Murtaugh (Danny Glover). When the pair comes across a huge drug trafficking ring, they go deeper into the darkness of this case and find themselves bonding.
How is this one related to Christmas? The film takes place during the holiday season in Los Angeles. If action films get you going during the holidays, many people considerLethal Weapona rival to the action/Christmas appeal ofDie Hard. The team-up between Gibson and Glover is what dreams are made of, and the buddy cop storyline taking place during Christmas makes it perfect for this list.Rent on AppleTV
Related:Best Christmas Action Movies That Aren’t About Christmas
4The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005)
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
The Chronicles of Narnia:The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobehas tons of snow, perfect for this time of year. This is the film adaptation of the novel of the same name by C.S. Lewis, and follows a group of young, displaced children during World War II, who stumble upon Narnia, a hidden world on the other side of an old wardrobe. Together, siblings Lucy, Susan, Peter, and Edmund have to unite the forces under Aslan to defeat The White Witch, expertlyplayed by Tilda Swinton.
Is there any film out there that makes you feel colder thanNarnia? WatchingThe Chronicles of Narniaduring Christmastime makes us want to cuddle up under a blanket and relive our childhood fantasies about fantastical universes hiding in the back of our closets. If you want to feel the magic of nostalgia burn through your soul during the holidays, this film will get you in the spirit.Stream on Disney+
3Mean Girls (2004)
Mean Girls
Mean Girlsis a film to watch throughout the entire year. However, one specific scene makes this an even better non-Christmas Christmas film in our eyes.Mean Girlsis a teen comedy film from 2004, starring Lindsay Lohan, Rachel McAdams, Tina Fey, Amanda Seyfried, Lacey Chabert, and Jonathan Bennett. The film follows new student Cady, who, although she finds herself with a decent pair of friends, gets swept into the harsh realities of public high school popularity that sends her down an intense spiral of self-identity.
So many things aboutMean Girlsmake it a comedy classic. Whether it’s Lohan at the peak of her career or the early-2000s aesthetic, this film continues to be a must-watch for teens and a must-rewatch for the older generations. However, in order for it to classify as a non-Christmas Christmas movie, we have to talk about one of the most iconic scenes in movie history: The Plastics performing a suggestive dance routine to “Jingle Bell Rock,” which instantly makes this film a great watch during the holiday season.Stream on Paramount+
2Batman Returns (1992)
Batman Returns
Batman Returns sees the return of Michael Keaton’s Bruce Wayne after his victory over the Joker. This time, the Dark Knight faces a new threat in the form of The Penguin, an outcast who wants revenge on Gotham City. Featuring Danny DeVito as Oswald Cobblepot, Michelle Pfeiffer as Selina Kyle a.k.a. Catwoman, and Christopher Walken as Max Schreck, Batman Returns is Tim Burton’s second and final movie based on the iconic DC comics character.
Michael Keaton’s Batman is back — this time, in a non-Christmas Christmas movie.Batman Returnscame out in 1992 and featuresDanny DeVito’s sinister Penguinas he teams up with Max Shreck (Christopher Walken) to take down Batman. However, when Shreck’s assistant Selina Kyle (Michelle Pfeiffer) becomes a problem, she becomes the Catwoman and joins Penguin and Shreck. This seemingly seamless partnership turns more complicated when her chemistry with Batman comes to the forefront.
Batman Returnsis easily one of Tim Burton’s most underrated projects. The black-and-white film feels like an instant holiday classic, even though it isn’t about Christmas. The action is phenomenal, the cast is amazing, and Christmastime could always use a little superhero action.Stream on Max and Prime Video
1Frozen & Frozen II
Watching Disney movies is a year-long event if you ask us. If there is any Disney animated film/franchise that is seemingly perfect for the holiday season without throwing Christmas in your face, it has to beFrozen. Frozenfirst came out in 2013, and made waves as one of Disney’s most successful and iconic films, followed by its sequel,Frozen II, which came out in 2019.
Frozenfollows Anna, Kristoff, Sven, and Olaf as they try to find a way to break the spell of an eternal winter that has befallen the kingdom of Arendelle, caused by Anna’s sister Elsa. The sequel follows the sisters and their friends as Elsa tries to discover the origin of her powers and where she truly belongs in the world.
TheFrozenfilms are perfect for wholesome family fun. Nothing screams winter and the holidays like a boatload of snow, ice, and sisterly love, right? There is a reasonFrozencatapulted into Disney stardom. The storyline focuses less on the romantic love between a princess and a prince and more on the power of familial love and sisterhood. BothFrozenmovies also include some of the best songs in Disney history. Christmas should be a time of family, laughter, fun, and singing.Frozen, although not a Christmas movie, does it all.Stream on Disney+
