What better way to get into the holiday spirit than to grab a hot cocoa and get ready for a movie night? Here is a list of the top 10 (well.. 11) Christmas movies from every generation to prepare you for this holiday season! Fifty-two people from 14-69 years old answered the question we debate at the dinner table every Christmas. “What are the top 3 Christmas movies of all time?” All the data has been sifted to narrow it down to the top 10 movies, voted on by every generation. So, let’s dive into the string lights, loud fights, and holiday delights together as we find out what the best holiday movie is!
To start our holiday extravaganza, we have two classics tying for our tenth and eleventh place: Jingle All the Way and White Christmas! Jingle All the Way shows the true meaning of Christmas… gifts! I’m just kidding; it’s more like going to the ends of the world to get a present that would make your son happy. White Christmas is the classic that outlined every Christmas Hallmark movie that would follow. The predictable storyline wins hearts over every time!
Also tying for our eighth and ninth spots are A Christmas Story and Diehard! A true classic, full of pop culture phrases and the brave attempts at a Red Rider BB-gun for Christmas, is up against the heavily debated story of a brave husband who happens to be at a holiday party.
Pulling into our seventh slot is A Charlie Brown Christmas. The gang has people of every age engaged in fun-filled preparations for Christmas Day. Traditions and food are noticed in this little Christmas movie!
The Santa Clause sweeps up the sixth-place podium in our lineup. A comedic story of a divorcee ‘playing Santa’ could not be better for this holiday season. The spirit of Kris Kringle is strong in this one!
We have a classic National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation in the fifth place slot. The hilarious story of a perfect Christmas gone wrong with crazy in-laws and weird uncles pushed it into the top five. It’s so exciting to see a classic still paving its way.
Our fourth-place contender pushing past the limit of the regular holiday season is The Nightmare Before Christmas. What for many is a good spook for Halloween has become a Christmas Scream! I’m so glad to see Tim Burton on this list of classic Christmas stories.
Coming in third on our holiday podium, a tale we all know…. How the Grinch Stole Christmas! Hearts have grown three times the size to see that The Grinch has entered the top three. Hopefully, they’ll enjoy roast beast down in Whoville this holiday season.
With the silver ornament this year… Home Alone! Kevin stole the hearts of 46% of movie lovers this holiday season and in so many previous seasons. The brave young boy with the soul of an adult has pushed his way into the second-place slot.
Finally… Coming in first place… For all of Santa’s cookies…Elf! with no surprise! It is working its way up to being on 52% of people’s top three list; it is a classic that many families enjoy every year. From the comedic relief we all need after those heated gatherings to the sweet elements of family, Elf has become a staple for the holidays.
Some quotes from our surveyors talk about the significance of these movies in their lives; here are just a few that stood out. Regan Nyberg brought up a great point about our spooky favorite, “Nightmare Before Christmas is one of my favorite movies of all time, and even though it isn’t always considered a Christmas movie, it gets me in the jolly spirit, and it brightens up my mood all season long, it has deeper meanings of finding happiness where you are, and it always helps me feel better.” Just one quote about the deeper meaning behind this holiday spectacular. 
It’s also essential to note that our nostalgia isn’t always tied to a specific movie but rather to the experience we remember from childhood. Andy Bui comments on this well by saying he “remember(s) being a little kid and binging Christmas movies on Blu-ray and DVDs my parents would find in the bargain bin.” This is something that many Gen Z teens remarked on in their answers: going to the closest RedBox to grab a few movies, running to the nearest Walmart, and picking something out, a memory we all cherish. So many of the responses received were about family, “We would all celebrate as a big family, about 50 of us crammed in a small 1-story house in Fontana.” & the traditions that so many families continue to carry on every year have become the true happiness behind Christmas.
While we all love the movies that make up this top ten list, we also have to know that there is more than characters on a screen; they are the laughs on film that we share with family, the cozy blankets the characters and we wrap ourselves in, and the hot cocoa that we sip alongside every character yearly. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays. Enjoy the movies and the moments you have with your family this season, and always remember that with a bit of holiday magic, all your wishes can come true.
