HOWZAT

12 White Christmas (1954) Michael Curtiz
Former soldiers Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye find themselves in a near bankrupt ski lodge in Vermont. The business is owned by their beloved former general, so what can the boys do but put on a show?

"I totally just started crying when Bing was singing White Christmas to the troops.... My brother is in Afghanistan for Christmas (along, of course, with many others)... I'm so depressed"

11 Will It Snow For Christmas? (1996) Sandrine Veysset
Veysset’s semi-autobiographical feature debut is a portrait of impoverished family life in rural France. It’s extraordinarily assured and affecting; the naturalistic storytelling leads to a truly devastating conclusion.

10 It’s A Wonderful Life (1946) Frank Capra
Suicidal George Bailey meets an angel in training who shows him how much poorer a place the world would have been without him. Pure slush, but irresistible nonetheless.

"This is the best Christmas movie ever!!! White Christmas is great too, but this is my favorite. They certainly don't make wonderful movies like this anymore"

9 Meet Me In St Louis (1944) Vincente Minnelli
While not in the strictest sense a Christmas movie, the fact that Judy Garland performs Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas has seen the film appropriated by the festive season. One of the great musicals.

"Best Christmas song ever. Judy is amazing. She is my hero and idol and inspiration. The way she sung this song makes me so happy and want to cry at the same time"

8 Miracle On 34th Street (1947) George Seaton
An amiable old gentleman who claims to be Santa Claus is institutionalised. Can Kris Kringle convince the courts that he is sane? More importantly, can he convince six-year-old Susan that Santa exists?

"Notice how this trailer gives you no clue that it's a Christmas movie? For whatever reason, this movie was originally released in May of 1947"

7 The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992) Brian Henson
A good-natured Michael Caine takes on the Scrooge role as a sprawling cast of Muppets retells the classic tale. It playful, amusing and unexpectedly moving.

"The very first version I ever saw of "A Christmas Carol." I seriously can't think of Bob Cratchet without thinking of Kermit. Amazing stuff"

6 The Dead (1987) John Huston
John Huston’s final film is based on a James Joyce short story and set within an extended Irish family at Christmas. It’s richly textured and superbly acted.

"This is the most beautiful short story in english language ever written; the most sensitive movie ever made; and the most amazing scene ever played and filmed"

5 Elf (2003) Jon Favreau
A sweet-natured and very funny romp that casts Will Ferrell as Buddy the overgrown Elf, in fact a human raised by Elves at the North Pole. If you can steel yourself for the sight of Ferrell in tights, there are few festive films more charming.

"THIS IS AWESOME!! "Does Santa know that you left the workshop?" rofl!"

4 Holiday Inn (1942) Mark Sandrich
Slick stepper Fred Astaire does battle with lovesick crooner Bing Crosby over Marjorie Reynolds. It’s the movie that launched the festive song to end all others, White Christmas.

"I love it how he's pretending to play the piano but does one hear ANY piano here? :) One of the best Christmas songs EVER"

3 Bad Santa (2003) Terry Zwigoff
Billy Bob Thornton is a boozy department store Santa who plans to rob the shop on Christmas Eve in the scatological anti-festive film that, deep down, has its heart in the right place.

"This movie is amazing. If anybody out there ever suffers from holiday depression, BUY THIS MOVIE!!! It will slap you across the face with laughter and wake you up"

2 The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) Henry Selick
The denizens of Hallowe’en Town decide that they can do a better job of running Christmas than Santa and his crew. Marvellous and macabre, with a lovely soundtrack.

"I love every single part of this movie. It's a masterpiece! Tim Burton's movies are my favourites! And Danny Elfman deserves to be worshiped like a god by everyone"

1 Scrooge (1951) Brian Desmond Hurst
The wonderful Alastair Sim is the original Christmas ham in the role of Ebenezer Scrooge in this glorious adaptation of the Dickens classic. Many Scrooges came after him, but Sim made the role his own.

"i think this has to be the best scrooge ever. alastair sim plays scrooge so well! i think i know all the words to this now i seen it so many times. lol"

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