Our Family Christmas Movie List
A list by John Perritt
The Christmas movies the Perritt family queues up every December, in the order they watch them, from Rudolph on the drive home from the tree farm to Christmas Vacation, plus a few that sometimes make the rotation. From John Perritt's Family Movie Night newsletter (johnperritt.substack.com). The Family Man is John and his wife's date-night pick, not one for the kids.
- 1
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
Movie · 1964
“The 1964 stop-motion classic where Rudolph learns he's only valuable once his disability becomes useful—holiday nostalgia with some baggage.”
- 2
Home Alone
Movie · 1990
“The Christmas classic where an 8-year-old defends his house with paint cans and blowtorches—heartwarming AND borderline Home Depot assault.”
IMDb 7.7RT 66% - 3
The Family Man
Movie · 2000
“Nicolas Cage gets a Christmas do-over in this 'It's a Wonderful Life' knockoff that's more sentimental than entertaining.”
- 4
A Christmas Story
Movie · 1983
“A 9-year-old conducts a high-stakes lobbying campaign to convince his parents that a Red Ryder B.B. gun is a safety-neutral Christmas gift.”
- 5
Elf
Movie · 2003
“Will Ferrell in yellow tights spreading Christmas cheer and awkwardness across Manhattan—a holiday staple that's genuinely sweet under all the syrup.”
IMDb 7.1RT 86% - 6
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
Movie · 1989
“Clark Griswold tries to engineer the perfect family Christmas with 25,000 light bulbs, a kidnapped boss, and an uninvited cousin in a bathrobe.”
- 7
How the Grinch Stole Christmas!
Movie · 1966
“The OG animated Grinch—25 minutes of Seussian rhymes, a grumpy green guy, and a heart that grows three sizes. Still holds up.”
IMDb 8.3 - 8
Frosty the Snowman
Movie · 1969
“The 1969 holiday special that launched a thousand snowman-building sessions—wholesome, gentle, and showing its age.”
- 9
It's a Wonderful Life
Movie · 1946
“The Christmas classic about seeing your life's worth—beautiful message, but 1946 pacing means most kids will be checking their phones.”
IMDb 8.6RT 94% - 10
White Christmas
Movie · 1954
“Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye save a Vermont inn with tap dancing, sister acts, and enough Irving Berlin songs to power a holiday season.”
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