The 12 Best Christmas Movies to Watch on a Full Stomach
When your Christmas feast is over, and you are full and a little sleepy, these are the best Christmas movies to watch.
Christmas is a time of joy, gift-giving and family time. It’s also a very good day for all kinds of delicious food. But when you’ve eaten all the Christmas turkey—not to mention all that delicious KĹ«ÄŤios dinner and side dishes—you need to just relax.
Christmas movies have to meet the following requirements:
- they have to be fun
- they can’t be too deep or serious
- they need good music
- they have to focus on family and/or friends
So, based on that list, we’ll go over the best Christmas movies—classics and modern ones.
Special note: Of course, all these movies are subjective, and as long as they meet those four requirements, they’ll be considered.Â
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Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992)
Okay, let’s just get this out of the way. Home Alone 2 is better than the original Home Alone, because New York is there. And of course, there’s also Donald Trump.
This is a light, family-oriented movie with possibly the best Christmas soundtrack. It is so light that you can fall asleep halfway, wake up, and enjoy it some more.
Favorite line: Merry Christmas ya filthy animal. And a happy new year!
Elf (2003)
This is, obviously, a stupid movie. In fact, it’s the dumbest of the Christmas movies on this list. However, it is a good movie to watch while you’re waiting for sleep because you don’t have to pay attention to it at all.
It’s more a movie for the kids, and the Christmas music is nice (Zooey Deschanel’s duet with Will Ferrel in the shower is pretty nice).
Favorite line: Santa! Oh, my God! Santa’s coming! I know him! I know him!
A Christmas Story (1983)
This is a funny, slightly dark, but very realistic Christmas movie.
It’s set in the 1940’s, and all little Ralphie wants is a Red Ryder B.B. gun. This is his story, as he tries to convince his family, friends and teachers that his B.B. gun won’t shoot his eye out.
Favorite line:Â I want an Official Red Ryder Carbine-Action Two-Hundred-Shot Range Model Air Rifle!
Last Holiday (2006)
Not only is this one of our our favorite food films of all time, it’s also a great Christmas movie.
The music is fantastic (although not particularly Christmas-themed), and it all happens between Christmas and New Year’s. It’s about love here, so let’s put it down as a romantic Christmas movie.
Favorite line: You and I, we know the secret to life… it’s butter.
Jingle All the Way (1996)
I’m gonna say it now: Arnold Schwarzdfsdfnegger is one of the most underrated actors of all time. The screaming, the bad accent, the more screaming. It’s fantastic. One of my favorite movies of all time is Kindergarten Cop. Arnold, as a kindergarten teacher—hilarious!
This one is about family, great music, and of course action.
Favorite line:Â We get one day a year to prove we’re not screw-ups and what do we do? We screw it up.
Love Actually (2003)
I’ll have to admit: I hated this movie the first time I saw it. But it grew on me. Now it’s a Christmas favorite. It is wonderfully appropriate, very optimistic, and Hugh Grant!
I absolutely hate Kiererra Knightley, but at least Snape is there.
And anytime anything about Harry Potter is anywhere, it is automatically great.
Favorite line:Â There was more than one lobster at the birth of Jesus?
Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)
Jim Carrey. Jim Carrey, Jim Carrey, Jim Carrey.
Jim Carrey.
Favorite line:Â I’m gonna die. I’m gonna die! I’m gonna throw up, then I’m gonna die.
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989)
This one of the most hilarious of the Christmas movies. It looks like a nice, positive family Christmas film, but it is a bit dark and extremely funny for both adults and kids.
This one you probably won’t sleep through, seeing as there are so many great moments. Songs are of course great, but it really shows how difficult it can be with so much family around.
Favorite line:Â Can I refill your eggnog? Get you something to eat, drive you into the middle of nowhere, and leave you for dead?
It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)
Okay, this is possibly the most classical of all these Christmas movies, besides Home Alone of course. A frustrated father is shown what life would be like if he’d never existed.
The most famous scene is at the end, when he gets back to his real life and begins to appreciate everything and everyone. A really feel-good movie.
Favorite line:Â Strange, isn’t it? Each man’s life touches so many other lives. When he isn’t around he leaves an awful hole, doesn’t he?
Non-Traditional Christmas movies
These are the Christmas movies that most people don’t even think about during the holidays. But I give you permission to watch them, especially to take a break from the very sweet and cheesy traditional movies.
Die Hard (1988)
This one is apparently a controversial choice, but it really is a Christmas movie. I mean, it happens during Christmas. That’s the definition of a Christmas movie.
It has Bruce Willis fighting some terrorists. In an office building. And, of course, there’s Snape. And when there’s Snape, there’s magic.
Favorite line: Yippee-ki-yay, mother****er
Gremlins (1984)
One of the special, non-Christmasy Christmas movies is Gremlins.
It may not be so much about family, fun and all that, but it is a funny film. It also has some great music, if you want to take a break from the standard Christmas movies.
Favorite line: Say you hate Washington’s Birthday or Thanksgiving and nobody cares, but say you hate Christmas and everybody makes you feel like you’re a leper.
Edward Scissorhands (1990)
This is a non-traditional Christmas movie, but it is a Christmas movie nonetheless. This was when Tim Burton and Johnny Depp actually didn’t make crappy movies.
The snow is there, the beautiful music, and of course the focus on family and friendship. It doesn’t talk about Christmas directly, but it is a beautiful movie that your whole family will love. Right after Lion King, this may be my favorite movie of all time.
Favorite line:Â Before he came down here, it never snowed. And afterwards, it did. I don’t think it would be snowing now if he weren’t still up there. Sometimes you can still catch me dancing in it.
And there you have it, some traditional and non-traditional Christmas movies for the whole family to enjoy. So when you’re sleepy but you don’t want to go to sleep yet, just put one of these Christmas movies on and continue enjoying this special time.
Merry Christmas everyone!
What are some of your favorite Christmas movies? Did we miss any important ones? Let us know in the comments below!
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