24 festive movies to watch these holidays
Ah Christmas. I always feel really late to the holiday season, like I spend most of December getting into the festive spirit only for it to be over by the time I put up decorations or assemble our DIY stick tree. A friend recently commented that they didn’t realise that I was so big on Christmas. My knee jerk response was ‘but I’m not!’ however, I’ve actually kind of had to be since moving to Auckland. I’d never realised this, but I was never much into Christmas before because I guess I didn’t need to be. Our mum really carried the Christmas traditions and made sure that the tree was up and decorated by the end of November, that we had an advent calendar ready to go, and that gifts were bought and wrapped with enough time to enjoy seeing them under the tree. I never really had to think about preparing for the festive season because, thanks to my mum, it was just there.
Since moving to Auckland, my husband and I have been on our own when it comes to Christmas. We alternate celebrating the holiday with our families between Auckland and Wellington, but for most of December, it’s up to us about how festive we want to be. I think as adults as well, a lot of those traditions that we might have had as kids don’t necessarily exist anymore once we leave home. That’s why I’m so thankful for my friend Hannah who has festive spirit in mugfuls and has created her own traditions, like her annual Christmas cookie decorating event. People like her remind me of the fun to be hand at this time of year.
Over the last couple of years, I’ve handmade Christmas decorations (they got eaten by bugs), bought a real pine tree (I struggled to get rid of its dried up shell in Jan), and started a collection of our own annual Christmas tree decorations (including a Godzilla figurine). My favourite activity that I think I might continue with this year is making German Christmas cookies. They remind me of my friend’s grandmother’s cookies that one time I was in Germany for the holidays. Last year, I lovingly tried to recreate the feeling of snow, hot cocoa, and sitting around munching on cookies with my good friend in the warmth of my summer kitchen. If you ever want to make your life feel special, recreate a favourite memory or evoke it through an experience.
One thing I think many of us do at this time of year is to rewatch the old Christmas classics (and not so classic – hello ‘Love Hard’). For me, this is the perfect way to remember the comfort of Saturday morning cartoons as my sister and I try to only open up one advent calendar window.
Now, your definition of a Christmas movie might differ to mine, but here is my list of festive films to check out this holiday season.
While you were sleeping (1995)
The Holiday (2006)
Love Actually (2003)
The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
The Santa Clause (1994)
Home Alone (1990)
Mickey’s Christmas Carol (1983)
The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)
Die Hard (1998)
How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)
It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)
Robin (2021)
Jack Frost (1998)
Last Holiday (2006)
Jingle All The Way (1996)
A Very Murray Christmas (2015)
Scrooged (1988)
Groundhog Day (1993)
Bridget Jones’ Diary (2001)
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (2001)
About a Boy (2002)
Annie (1999)
Mean Girls (2004) – if you squint, according to my sister
Rent (2005)
What other festive movies would you add to this list?
