Uncommon Christmas Movie Traditions
Posted by Abidarthegreat@reddit | Xennials | View on Reddit | 223 comments
Many of us grew up watching Christmas movies as a yearly tradition: Christmas Vacation, Muppets Christmas Carol, Christmas Story, even Die Hard or Gremlins.
Any of us watch any Christmas movies not often seen posted?
I think for me it was Albert Finney's Scrooge (1970). The songs were fantastic and "Thank You Very Much" gets stuck in my head far too often.
Let me hear your unusual Christmas movie traditions, it doesn't even have to be an actual Christmas movie, if you watch it every year around Christmas!
tml212@reddit
Not a movie, but the original UK version of The Office, concluding with the Christmas special episodes.
dogtor_howl@reddit
The 1994 version of Little Women. Love, laughter, tears—and Christmas!
Ashes_Ashes_333@reddit
Meet Me In St. Louis. The movie is split into four seasons (the Halloween scene is great) so it's technically only a quarter of a Christmas movie. But that's where Judy Garland singing Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas comes from.
No-Assignment6685@reddit
I remember my first time watching that as an adult (instead of as a kid) and realizing how surreal it is that no one notices or cares how absolutely demented the younger sister is. She was a little serial killer in the making, that one.
borisdidnothingwrong@reddit
H. H. Holmes was in Chicago, not St. Louis. /s
classyfunbride@reddit
I only know this scene from The Family Stone. Clearly need to watch the original!
poohfan@reddit
We watch this too!!!
BK_0000@reddit
I always watch the Rifftrax and MST3k versions of Santa Claus and Santa Claus Conquers the Martians. I watch the Rifftrax versions in November and MST3k close to Christmas so I don't burn out.
I haven't watched Santa Claus Conquers the Martians in two years, though. I was watching it the night my mom died. I have some bad memories attached to that movie now. I don't know if I'll ever be able to watch it again.
tracy-young@reddit
I'm surprised that Home Alone hasn't gotten more mentions. We also love to watch Die Hard, Gremlins, and Christmas Vacation.
moxvoxfox@reddit
And Mac's one of us (1980)!
Hefty_Macaroni6288@reddit
The Night They Saved Christmas with Jaclyn Smith! Not a yearly tradition for me, but I love this movie and was enthralled by them living in the North Pole.
Babymakerwannabe@reddit
Bad Santa every year.
Own-Examination-5911@reddit
Oddly enough, Cannibal! The Musical has become a holiday favorite of mine. I always get ‘Let’s Build a Snowman’ in my head.
Own-Examination-5911@reddit
COV3RTSM@reddit
A Muppet Christmas Carol is the best adaptation of the original work. I’ll meet anyone in the parking lot if they want to “discuss” it. Like the movie, these hands are rated E for everyone.
OkBaconBurger@reddit
As long as we’d be shaking hands or doing fist bumps. It’s a wonderful adaption. Always on my rotation.
“Heat wave!” lol.
moxvoxfox@reddit
This is my island in the sun!
moxvoxfox@reddit
I was already a cultural Anglophile, but when I learned how hard they love the Muppets Christmas Carol too it only got worse. My favorite example being Brett Goldstein. Fucking Roy Kent going hard for the Muppets fills me with joy.
IgnitionPenguin@reddit
Me and my partner observe Wicksmas. We always watch a movie featuring our lord and savior, John Wick.
SquirrelCone83@reddit
I like watching Star Trek Generations this time of year. It came out when I was a kid around thanksgiving/christmas time in 1994 and I always associate that movie with the holidays and cold weather. Plus there is a christmas scene in the movie where Picard's fake family is opening xmas gifts around the tree and it always feels like a dream.
agentmkultra666@reddit
I always like to go rewatch my favorite shows’ holiday episodes during their respective holidays (ex. the Buffy Halloween episodes during Halloween, etc). It was doing this that I realized that Star Trek TNG had no holiday episodes and I got sad. I have not seen Generations though, maybe that can be my xmas Trek now
rarselfaire2023@reddit
Imo one of the better ST movies.
agentmkultra666@reddit
good to know! There’s so many kinda bad ones lol
degausser187@reddit
My wife and I watch "Olive The Other Reindeer" on Christmas Day and now our children watch it with their kids.
We also fall asleep to Die Hard every single night in December.
Lastly, on Christmas Eve we have A Christmas Story on for 24 hours in the background while we do other things to prepare for Christmas Day.
zenigmatic@reddit
Mixed Nuts with Steve Martin. Also features Jon Stewart and Parker Posey as rollerblading yuppies. and The Ref with Denis Leary. But I’m from New England.
Hefty_Macaroni6288@reddit
The REF! Thank you for the reminder!
jtho78@reddit
"Now that's a good plan"
jtho78@reddit
Latchkey kid raised on TV here, I lived for the local TV guide holiday listings every year. Now I have a digital library of all my favorites. My most uncommon are:
Here is my Thanksgiving/Christmas library
Hefty_Macaroni6288@reddit
IMO Just Friends should be mandatory viewing. It’s 20 years old and not enough people are quoting it at me on the street!
zenigmatic@reddit
The only missing thing I see is The Bishop’s Wife.
Uztta@reddit
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang is so criminally underrated!
zenigmatic@reddit
Woah
Asleep_Onion@reddit
I watch Christmas Evil every christmas eve.
The basic story is that this little boy sneaks downstairs to see Santa in christmas eve night, and he joyfully sees "Santa" (obviously his dad, dressed as santa) putting presents under the tree, drinking the milk he had left out for him, etc. Then he sees "Santa" start doing some sexy-time with his mom. Which absolutely traumatizes him, to the point where he grows up to become a serial killer who's hell-bent on ruining christmas for everyone else.
It's fantastic.
AerwynFlynn@reddit
Scrooged! My husband and I make it a point to start our Christmas movie fest with that one. It’s probably one of our favorites aside from Muppet Christmas Carol.
Hefty_Macaroni6288@reddit
I saw this in the theater, and it’s been a favorite ever since!
jjkarate@reddit
My wife and I watch this every year on Christmas Eve with white russians before bed.
fozziwoo@reddit
white russians?! i thought i caught my white russian bug from lebowski, guess i was indoctrinated long before then, what a shame
Epicardiectomist@reddit
THAT ISN'T GOOD ENOUGH! THEY HAVE GOT TO BE SO SCARED TO MISS IT! SO TERRIFIED!
now if I were charge, and I AM! Perhaps I can help you. Here's the kind of thing I would have done. Grace, cue it up.
DBE113301@reddit
https://i.redd.it/gxkrzve29n2g1.gif
Abidarthegreat@reddit (OP)
It's a toaster!
der_innkeeper@reddit
She was so.. hot.
Abidarthegreat@reddit (OP)
Still is! Carol Kane is pretty much great in everything.
AerwynFlynn@reddit
That’s my husband’s favorite ghost! Mine is Ghost of Christmas Past
CaptianBrasiliano@reddit
Came for this comment...
EnragedAmoeba@reddit
If you can't work late, I can't work late! If I can't work late, I CAN'T WORK LATE!
AerwynFlynn@reddit
“Towel, towel, towel….most of these are towels!”
sapient_pearwood_@reddit
Scrooged is an absolute necessity. It's ~~a toaster~~ perfect.
LH99@reddit
8 but Christmas should be every xennial’s Xmas movie alongside Christmas vacation
Our tradition ever year is to put a giant Santa hat on the corner of the TV and whenever a character “wears” the hat you drink. (can’t be directly facing front and only one drink per scene to avoid dying during long dialogue back and forth scenes)
Emotional_Fortune78@reddit
Love actually 🤓
DiaDeLosMuebles@reddit
Friday after next. Every year.
Current_Working_2103@reddit
Yes!
Affectionate-Cut4828@reddit
The Long Kiss Goodnight (1996) A Gina Davis and Sam Jackson classic about a spy with amnesia who regains her memory around Christmas.
Material-Strength-92@reddit
Love this movie!
Current_Working_2103@reddit
Friday After Next.
Illustrious-Highway8@reddit
I always watch Trapped in Paradise. Nicholas Cage, Dana Carvey, and Jon Lovitz. It’s wonderfully dumb in a way I find enjoyable.
GrungeCheap56119@reddit
We didn't watch much as kids. Now we watch The Christmas Chronicles on Netflix.
AustinBloggy@reddit
I have to watch The Bear Who Slept Through Christmas every year and as a vinyl collector I was psyched to find the LP a year or two ago.
JaxBQuik@reddit
My bf and I watch The Santa Clause every year on Thanksgiving Weekend!
one_among_the_fence@reddit
I always watch the Alistair Sim version of Christmas Carol every Christmas eve...I imagine it's probably not the most common version being watched these days, but I love it.
Material-Strength-92@reddit
I still watch A Christmas Story every Christmas. And Home Alone.
lythy2016@reddit
Raiders of the Lost Ark, Star Wars and Clash of the Titans always used to be on tv on Boxing Day (and probably some Doug McClure flick like The Land that Time Forgot), so they all feel like tinsel and fairy lights to me, try and watch at least one over the festivities every year.
zenerNoodle@reddit
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever got regular holiday viewing in my family in the late 80s and early 90s. Super young Fairuza Balk and Hot Lips from MASH. Looks like a remake came out last year. I should probably get around to seeing it.
There was another weirdo Christmas tv movie that my parents loved called Miracle in the Wilderness, which was about an 1800s era white family saving themselves from a band of murderous Native Americans by telling them an altered version of the Nativity story. Kris Kristofferson and Kim Cattrall played the white parents, telling the story. I remember my parents watching it for several Christmases in a row. It was certainly something.
For a while, the 1994 film, The Ref, was my goto Christmas movie. I enjoyed most of the main actors (things hadn't yet come out), and thought the story was suitably fun for the season.
mattchewy43@reddit
Lord of the Rings trilogy. Extended versions.
CoolHwip__@reddit
All the Harry Potter movies
Imaginary-Mix-5726@reddit
The Rankin Bass "Life and Adventures of Santa Claus," special, one of their more obscure ones. It's based on a story written by Frank L. Baum, author of "The Wizard of Oz."
Weird 80s fantasy vibes for the win.
Tricky-Comfortable66@reddit
YES! It’s my favorite Rankin Bass. My dad recorded it one year when it aired, and my sisters and I would watch it all the time. Then it was like it just disappeared for the longest time, never aired on TV, no streaming, or anything. My sister found it on a DVD collection and we were STOKED.
FlurkingSchnit@reddit
Oh dang good tip. I like the book.
soopirV@reddit
I missed rankin Bass growing up (outside of the big 3), and encountered The Year Without a Santa Clause in my 20s. My first watch I was horrified, and the heat miser/cold miser song was like nails on a blackboard, but then after a few years I kinda missed it, and now it’s inexplicably part of our rotation.
thebarnacleez@reddit
I have all the Rankin Bass specials, this is a good one, also Leprechauns Christmas Gold is weird
Stunning-Horror9177@reddit
Merry Christmas, Mr Bean!
More-read-than-eddit@reddit
When he wakes up christmas morning and runs in circles before opening teddy's gift.... Heartwarming.
Still can't believe Friends just wholesale ripped off that joke with the turkey.
jjkarate@reddit
Will Vinton's Claymation Christmas Celebration
More-read-than-eddit@reddit
I specifically remember being a kid in like 4th grade watching this and being like "my god I love how many specials there are to be watched at this time of year."
OkBaconBurger@reddit
Oh mannnnnn I forgot. I can’t believe i forgot.
agentmkultra666@reddit
I love all that old claymation shit, can’t believe I haven’t seen this one!
RachelPalmer79@reddit
My siblings and I got subjected to an old school Disney film called One Magic Christmas. Because it was my dad’s favorite. Great cast, really depressing. Kind of like It’s a Wonderful Life.
poohfan@reddit
We watch "Emmett Otter's Jugband Christmas", followed by the Muppet & John Denver Christmas show, that you can only find on YouTube, unless you were lucky enough to have a VHS copy you taped off the TV.
More-read-than-eddit@reddit
I was telling a friend how depressing I found EOJC when I watched it as an adult and a friend commented that it was the Winter's Bone of Muppet-related Christmas films.
FlurkingSchnit@reddit
Yep, this
kathatter75@reddit
I have a DVD copy of it I found on Amazon last year!
SkyRadiant1879@reddit
The Family Man with Nic Cage and Tea Leoni.
sweetspetites@reddit
Yes, this one
More-read-than-eddit@reddit
Muppet Family Christmas (as opposed to Muppet Christmas Carol). I believe unique in having sesame street, fraggles, and muppets characters all together?
Young Sherlock Holmes.
Childs Christmas in Wales.
bigfancydelta@reddit
Emmett Otter's Jug Band Christmas, The Snowman, The Christmas Toy. Last year we watched Scrooged and Grimlins as well!
DnDAnalysis@reddit
Rare Exports. A very Murray Christmas. White Christmas.
FlurkingSchnit@reddit
Heyyy are you me?
twirlerina024@reddit
I love White Christmas, especially the "Sisters" song
HANK1829@reddit
The Night They Saved Christmas is 80s Christmas mover perfection, complete with Jaclyn Smith.
zenerNoodle@reddit
This was one of the favorites for my family. Though I have to admit, our favorite part was the sequence where the father tells his kid that, no, he didn't visit the North Pole, it was a hallucination because he was drugged by that evil Gaylord. We referenced that for decades. Makes me wonder if my siblings would get the reference now.
Separate_Counter9427@reddit
Mickey's Christmas Carol (1983) count? It's never played in the annual rotation of regular Christmas specials. It's on Disney+
The ending used to terrify me! Hahahaha
doyoulikemyladysuit@reddit
Yess!
random_numbers1@reddit
It’s the tightest retelling of the Christmas Carol ever. They nail all the story beats and it clocks in at like 30 min.
babyBear83@reddit
Every time I watch it as an adult, I feel like it gets shorter and shorter. Funny how as a kid my memory is of a full length movie. It probably was best because it held our attention long enough to get through it before we ran off to play again.
Themightytiny07@reddit
I really like the Flintstones Christmas Carol as well
babyBear83@reddit
I definitely would rent this one every year as a little kid. Or it would come on tv specials around the holidays and I got to watch it visiting families houses that had cable. We didn’t get cable tv until I was in 6th grade. By that time, Mickey’s Christmas carol was already super nostalgic for me. I still love that movie. It has the best ghost of Christmas past of all versions of this story.
OkBaconBurger@reddit
That’s a must for us every year.
JayRay_44@reddit
OH YES!! I had a record of this soundtrack that was one of those “picture discs” that were popular in the 80’s. This was definitely the Christmas Carol I remember as a little kid. Then the Muppets Christmas Carol came out and kind of overshadowed the Disney one.
doyoulikemyladysuit@reddit
Santa Claus: The Movie! I rewatched it for the first time in years last Christmas and it is so much fun!!!
Also adding to my annual list Guardians of the Galaxy Christmas Special - that is a new classic.
Busy_Raisin_1102@reddit
The Ref with Denis Leary.
MushroomMossSnail@reddit
I watch Krampus every year
RalphMacchio404@reddit
Santa Claus vs. The Martians (MST3K version)
moxvoxfox@reddit
Since no one else has mentioned it: Sleepless in Seattle.
Horses, horses, and Dr. Marsha Fieldstone. She's probably not even a real doctor.
Crazy-Ad-7869@reddit
Little Women
duckswtfpwn@reddit
Okay this is a weird one and only pertaining to me. When I wrap Christmas presents I always put on Macross Plus. It's an obscure old Anime from when I was a Junior in High School and it was the first time I got high. I'm pretty sure those have nothing to do with each other, but it's my wrapping tradition no matter what.
MahliSaia@reddit
I always watch the two classic Mystery Science Theater 3000 episodes: “Santa Claus Conquers the Martians” (spoilers: no actual conquering takes place) and “Santa Claus” (which depicts the age-old conflict between Santa Claus and the forces of Hell).
deanna6812@reddit
For some reason, Forest Gump. It was always on TV around the holidays growing up and now it’s kind of part of our family tradition.
asanissimasa@reddit
Little Women, the Winona version, obviously. Auntie Mame, the Rosalind Russell version. When Harry Met Sally. These are all Christmas adjacent films I rewatch during the holiday season.
moxvoxfox@reddit
Obviously. I did enjoy Gerwig's version, but it will never have the years of rewatching comfort the 1994 version has. I particularly enjoy how Jo refusing Laurie makes perfect sense in the book and every version that doesn't include Christian Bale at that fence. Regardless, here we go a-wassailing!
Sally and Harry carrying her tree down the block. Then her doing it alone. Ugh.
SJSsarah@reddit
SJSsarah@reddit
SJSsarah@reddit
SJSsarah@reddit
CottaBird@reddit
I always make a point to watch Batman Returns. Definitely Christmas movie.
Ok_Percentage5157@reddit
For me it's Die Hard and the first Lethal Weapon. As I got older, LOTR plays a lot, as those films came out in December, and my wife and I saw Fellowship of the Ring on our third date.
nicunta@reddit
My family watches Dr Strangelove every Christmas. Why? It's my dad's favorite movie. This year, though, it may feel a little too real.
Jenaaaaaay@reddit
It’s not Christmas for me until I’ve watched A Very Brady Christmas. It’s so dumb but I love it lol
TheWorldsOnlyHope@reddit
Muppet Family Christmas. It was a special that aired on tv. It was amazing and on YouTube
ObiWan-Shinoobi@reddit
I’ve been enjoying “Violent Night” and “8-Bit Christmas” to change it up.
Atheleas@reddit
We're No Angels.
A story about 2 convicts on the run in 1885. Having escaped Devil's Island, they decide to help out the family that shelters them during a blazing hot Christmas in French Guyana. Stars Humphrey Bogart, Peter Ustinov, Basil Rathbone and......a reptile
Check it out.
SnickersDickVein@reddit
HughJuvula@reddit
Gremlins and Trading Places
ritzcrackerman@reddit
"Trading Places" needs more upvotes. A fantastic holiday movie.
PorkChopS8ndwiches@reddit
Bad Santa with Billy Bob Thornton. It’s horrible. 🤣
ritzcrackerman@reddit
I rarely if ever see "Trading Places" on the top Christmas movies of all time list, but for me it's easily a Top 5.
JoyfullyMortified43@reddit
Santa Claus: The Movie made in 1985. Was my all time favorite magical movie. Complete with Coco-cola ads and magical flying reindeer.
BrooklynBookworm@reddit
Family Man with Nicolas Cage… it just gives me the feels.
laffingriver@reddit
Trading Places
LeftHandStir@reddit
Batman Returns, of course, but also Mission: Impossible. We got the VHS for Christmas '96, slammed it in the VCR, and watched it surrounded by the detritus of wrapping paper. It will always be the most Christmas-y non-Christmas movie to me.
badpenny1983@reddit
Lord of the Rings extended edition on xmas/boxing day. Arthur Christmas and the Guardians holiday special in the run up.
moxvoxfox@reddit
Briony!
LeftHandStir@reddit
Hell yeah Arthur Christmas
TamalesForBreakfast6@reddit
For some reason, when the LotR movies came out my mom was like, “Let’s see those movies and not go to church!” So I’ll always have a special fondness for the movies which got me out of mass.
whyneedaname77@reddit
Arthur Christmas is really funny.
VampireOnHoyt@reddit
Christmas with the Kranks became a tradition for us somewhere along the line
elcheapodeluxe@reddit
The Hogfather
https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/11910-hogfather
Ian Richardson made a great Death. "Ho, ho-Ho."
ahopskipandaheart@reddit
It's educational.
Abidarthegreat@reddit (OP)
I'm a huge Prachett fan, but I haven't seen many of the movies/TV shows based on them. Though I do appreciate when they get Christopher Lee to voice Death.
punky100@reddit
We watch Krampus every year with Die Hard.
TamalesForBreakfast6@reddit
Ever since Spirited came out on Apple, it’s my new go-to. Will Farrell, Ryan Renolds, Octavia Spencer, and incredibly catchy songs. I didn’t expect to like a musical Christmas movie but it’s really funny and creative.
Money_Magnet24@reddit
I read that as Uncommon Christmas Traditions
I was about to mention I’m Orthodox Christian and we celebrate Christmas twice a year
One, the traditional American on the 25th of December
And the other in January
CaveMonsterBlues@reddit
The last 5+ years I have been watching all of them. Mostly mainstream movies and specials but I watch well over 100 Christmas movies. And a lot of less popular favorites. I also watch every sitcom Christmas episode I like. Newer Christmas movies have now become well known classics in my home. Movies like El Camino Christmas, The Night Before, Office Christmas Party, The Christmas Chronicles, Arthur Christmas, Friday After Next, Krampus, Urkel Saves Santa, Deck The Halls, and Christmas with The Kranks.
DonNatalie@reddit
King Ralph
We'd watch it every year at granny's on Christmas eve. It was the only one we could all agree on.
WittyRequirement3296@reddit
The Family Stone. It's not truly Christmas until SJP hums Joy to the World.
babyBear83@reddit
ERNEST SAVES CHRISTMAS.
Oh Christmas tree oh Christmas tree (Ernest version) is sung in my house all season. Lol.
Sea_One_6500@reddit
A Very Murry Christmas. It's on Netflix. It's outstanding.
deathschlager@reddit
I always watch Independence Day on Christmas Day. Worked retail for 20 years and hate most "holiday" media so it's become my tradition.
AmygdalaInOverdrive@reddit
Now that my son is s teenager, I hope we can restart the tradition of watching Cobra.
Themightytiny07@reddit
We always watched the Alistair Sims Christmas Carol (it is my mom's favorite version). Ice Age is still a Christmas movie in my family, my grandma always wanted to watch it with us so we continue to watch it Christmas day
Epicardiectomist@reddit
Everyone is always taking about how it's not Christmas until they see Hans Gruber fall from Nakatomi Plaza.
For me, it's not Christmas until I see Martin Riggs beat the dogshit out of Mr. Joshua on Murtagh's front lawn. Lethal Weapon is as much a Christmas movie tradition for me as Die Hard is for others.
Jingle All the Way is arguably one of my top favorite holiday movies. My daughter loves it and we watch it every year, I have a Matchbox car replica of the Dodge Caravan that Ted drives, it's such a stupidly fun movie.
We watch the Simpsons episodes "Miracle on Evergreen Terrace" and "Marge Be Not Proud", and we also watch the Santabot episodes of Futurama.
rarselfaire2023@reddit
Lethal Weapon kicks ass. Best Mel Gibson movie aside from Braveheart.
Jingle is a good one too.
d00kieshoes@reddit
The first Harry Potter feels like a Christmas movie to me
babyBear83@reddit
Not really from the xennial era but it’s for sure one that brings the Christmas season for me. All the potters have a seasonal feel.
missive101@reddit
Agreed! We always have it on for Christmas Day. Really just for the couple scenes.
agentmkultra666@reddit
My favorite double feature is the Peewee Christmas Specialand Muppet Christmas Carol. Can’t believe no one’s mentioned the Peewee Christmas special yet! It’s so damn good.
The obvious ones I get in every year are indeed Die Hard, Gremlins, Home Alone, claymation Rudolph, etc.
Also, not a movie, but this specific performance of Kate Bush doing December Will Be Magic Again: https://youtu.be/pfD7FzcjVyQ?si=SCXei_IRdAqk_t9y
Black Christmas is obviously the superior xmas horror, but honorable mention to Silent Night Deadly Night 2, which is so terrible that it’s absolutely hilarious.
Thamnophis660@reddit
I watch Carnosaur (a shitty Roger Corman-produced dinosaur horror movie from '93) every year around the holidays because I rented it back when it came out and watched it while my mom decorated for the holidays. Looking back she let me rent it to keep me out of her hair while she did her thing. But since it's always had that association for me.
The movie has nothing to do with Christmas, but I jokingly point out that Diane Ladd (R.I.P.) is in Carnosaur and Christmas Vacation, so it's basically a Christmas movie. My girlfriend hates Carnosaur and isn't amused.
Meatloaf_Mondai@reddit
The House Without a Christmas Tree. I came across it by accident going through my grandmother's VHS lot back when I was a kid.
pravragita@reddit
We watch the LOTR and Hobbit trilogies over the holiday season. The movies were released around Christmas and the DVDs were given as Christmas gifts. It brings back memories of watching the movies for the first time and watching them with deceased or distant family members.
OkBaconBurger@reddit
Plus it has elves, so there is that too.
gbyrd013@reddit
Jaws 4
twirlerina024@reddit
I like The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe, the one with Tilda Swinton as the white witch. It's Christmas-ish. There's snow, and Santa makes a brief appearance.
Not a movie, but I always watch the video of David Bowie and Bing Crosby singing Little Drummer Boy.
https://www.cbc.ca/music/read/david-bowie-bing-crosby-and-the-story-of-the-strangest-christmas-duet-ever-1.5008343
agentmkultra666@reddit
Grace Jones does Little Drummer Boy in the Peewee Christmas special and it’s so goooood.
Can’t believe I haven’t heard the David Bowie/Bing Crosby version until now
Small_Jackfruit3824@reddit
Rare Exports
midnight-dour@reddit
I watch Black Christmas on Christmas morning.
agentmkultra666@reddit
Such a good slasher film!
TortoiseshellTurkey@reddit
Any fellow nihilists out there watching Bad Santa every year?? It’s still my favorite Christmas movie lol
Mom2Dos@reddit
Office Christmas Party….we watch multiple times every year with our kids (teens) 😂
Magnificent_Squirrel@reddit
When I was a kid my dad made us watch the 1951 black & white version of A Christmas Carol with Alastair Sims. Every. Christmas. Eve. I never understood his obsession with that one. As a kid I preferred the Mickey mouse version. Last year I watched the Muppets version with my kid, I'd never seen it before either. It was hilarious, and I will be going with that version from now on.
originalchaosinabox@reddit
Not Christmas movies, but Christmas specials. Started collecting some of the the really kitschy ones on DVD:
- the He-Man and She-Ra Christmas Special
- A Claymation Christmas Celebration
- A Wish for Wings That Work (i.e. the Opus and Bill Christmas special.)
katie_cat_eyes@reddit
Basically every movie already mentioned here (we have a playlist of about thirty Christmas movies).
There is the Muppets Family Christmas, where Fozzie’s mom decided to rent her house out to Doc and Sprocket but all the Muppets show up anyway. And Miss Piggy shows up in grand splendor.
And speaking of that diva, we have added Miss Piggy and Martha Stewart making cookies and a gingerbread house to the playlist.
Dry_Confidence42@reddit
I looove Muppet Family Christmas!!! Robin singing “jingle bells” 😭 the muppet babies home movie, Big Bird and the Swedish Chef bonding….the BEST!!!
safety3rd@reddit
Kirk Cameron Saving Christmas every single year since it came out.
It's so bizarre
rjcpl@reddit
Star Wars because it always seemed to be broadcast around Christmas.
Capable_Swordfish701@reddit
Not really a christmas movie, but my family always watches The Sound of Music at christmas.
a_solid_6@reddit
The Wizard of Oz always manages to make it into my Christmas rotation
washburncincy@reddit
I have a hard time picturing this as a Christmas thing. Growing up in SW Ohio, it aired on TV every year as the weather began warming enough to start storms and tornadoes.
a_solid_6@reddit
That makes total sense. I'm honestly not even sure how we began associating it with Christmas.
rohm418@reddit
Same in our house. It's the first movie we watch after Thanksgiving dinner.
everybodys_lost@reddit
my deep cuts are more geared towards new years - great to watch in the week after xmas -
Hudsucker Proxy and Charlie Chaplin's The Gold Rush.
ovenmit_@reddit
You know, for kids!
everybodys_lost@reddit
I think it also helped that I rented this movie on VHS back in the day, maybe it was DVD, either way I hadn't seen the cover so I really didn't know what they were talking about. The whole time, I was like is it a ball?
But I just love the cinematography, the art deco, a lot of it looks like a hopper painting, but a little bit goofy.
Scarlettlovesyarn@reddit
The Life of Bryan
monsterlynn@reddit
Every Christmas Eve!
LemonSkye@reddit
Scrooged and Gremlins are the two big ones I watch yearly, along with Muppet Family Christmas. I also make it a point to try and find different Christmas specials that I haven't seen before. Last year it was Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol; the year before that it was The Christmas Toy.
BeadedCurtains@reddit
Every Christmas Eve we do a back to back of "Eyes Wide Shut" and the BBC Kate Bush Christmas Special, and I hope that never ever changes
anitamargarita419@reddit
"Better Off Dead" It has a Christmas scene, it is a Christmas movie.
psuKinger@reddit
We watch a lot of Christmas movies (and listen to a lot of Christmas music... And I sip on a lot of holiday flavored coffees and beers while we do it) in my house. In addition to the kinda of classics you mentioned (National Lampoon's, A Christmas Story, Home Alone, Muppets Christmas Carol, the animated Grinch and Charlie Brown, etc), here's a few a least a little bit lesser known movies we really enjoy in my house:
Deck the Halls Fred Claus Jingle All the Way Elmo's Christmas Countdown (we started watching this when the kids were classic sesame street age... But you/they do not have to be that small to really enjoy this one).
Additionally, the new 8-bit Christmas movie has become quite popular in our house, and it's only been out a couple of years.
ovenmit_@reddit
March of the Wooden Soldiers, aka Babes In Toyland, but not the 1961 Babes in Toyland (which we also watched). This was my dad’s favorite Christmas movie after Miracle on 34th Street and It’s a Wonderful Life. I have such a soft spot for it.
giraffemoo@reddit
We find the cheesiest Xmas movie we can and add it to the pile of movies to watch every year. This tradition started with "Santa's Slay" (my partner is a wrestling fan and wanted to see it because a wrestling guy is in it).
We've expanded out if just Xmas movies and we will watch any bad horrible movie for the holidays.
odin_the_wiggler@reddit
How Murray Saved Christmas is pretty great.
It's narrated by Dennis Haysbert (the Allstate guy) and is full of pretty subtle adult jokes for being a cartoon.
MaraScout@reddit
Batman Forever is even more of a Christmas movie than Die Hard, so it's not hard to slip into the rotation with basically every version of a Christmas Carol, and, most importantly: A Muppet Family Christmas. It's on youtube, and it's my all-time favorite
JayRay_44@reddit
I always associated the OG Star Wars trilogy with the holidays. I can’t remember if these aired around the holidays in the mid-80’s or if we rented them, but it’s just always been a vague childhood memory. When Disney+ launched in Dec 2019, the first thing I watched was Star Wars 4, 5, and 6. It just felt right.
Abidarthegreat@reddit (OP)
Happy Life Day!
Meglade@reddit
The Ref! Takes place over Christmas eve, but is very R rated and hysterical. I can recite it by memory now 🤣
RamboJane@reddit
We watch Gremlins, Black Christmas and Home Alone.
der_innkeeper@reddit
The Ref
Peak Dennis Leary.
BrattyTwilis@reddit
Santa Claus: The Movie from 1985. Very hammy and corny, but hits all the holiday feels.
jupiterwizard@reddit
I love this movie!
Mental-Method-1321@reddit
I always watch Love Actually but some of my new yearly must watches are Happiest Season and Dash and Lily.
EssentialOilsFor7@reddit
Emmett Otter’s Jugband Christmas, which my kids hate & will not watch with me.
BeerFunky@reddit
Love Actually, the DVD cover is even gift wrapped.
notoriousrdc@reddit
Red Sonja. When I was a kid, one of the few channels my grandparents got where they lived up in the mountains (they didn't get cable until the late 90's) for some reason played Red Sonja over Thanksgiving and Christmas every year, which is when we visited them. So now it's one of my holiday season movies.
Inevitable_Professor@reddit
Mr. Kruger's Christmas. BYU produced half half-hour starring Jimmy Stewart as a lonely (possibly suffering dementia) old man.
JediNeo101@reddit
The Long Kiss Goodnight with Gena Davis and Samuel Jackson
ChromeDestiny@reddit
I usually try to get some Canadian stuff in the mix like Dave Foley's The True Meaning of Christmas Specials, Cooper's Christmas featuring Samantha Bee, Jason Jones, Mike Beaver and Dave Foley or Fubar II where they combined both ideas that were being batted around for a Fubar sequel into one movie, a Christmas movie and a remake of Going Down The Road.
MoonlitBlossoms@reddit
Oh we do so many, but here are a few that are never miss movies..
A Christmas Toy (Jim Henson)
The Nightmare Before Christmas
Mixed Nuts
8 Bit Christmas (a newer addition over the last few years perfect for most Xennials!)
While You Were Sleeping
All the Rankin Bass stop motion Christmas movies/specials
Polar Express
Scrooge’s
Ernest Saves Christmas
MsBlondeViking@reddit
Arthur Christmas.
Anyone remember Blue Toes the Christmas Elf? It was a favorite of kid me. I’d love to see it again!
washburncincy@reddit
Mr. Magoo's A Christmas Carol. Classic. Highly recommend.
BrattyTwilis@reddit
🎶With razzleberry dressing🎶
Tough-Astronomer-456@reddit
GardenDrummer@reddit
I remember watching this. "Ears, Nestor" got stuck in my head.
WafflesFriendsWork99@reddit
The Little Drummer Boy Part 2. It’s been a few years since I have watched it because my parents VHS of Christmas specials finally wore out. But we watched the every year and enjoyed it just as much as Frosty or Rudolph.
TrashBoatTrashBoat@reddit
Once a year I put on Woodland Critter Christmas, get stoned to bejesus and laugh myself silly. Impossible to recommend this highly enough
sdouble@reddit
Seth Rogan’s The Night Before
Extra-Blueberry-4320@reddit
We always watch Scrooged and then we watch all the Indiana Jones movies. And we watch Christmas Vacation on our VCR. We have the VCR specifically for certain movies we always watched on VHS and have VHS copies of. It’s incredibly nostalgic.
daniellaroses1111@reddit
I love this! Did you record it from TV, and so also have 80s commercials?
FoppyRETURNS@reddit
Thank you for reminding me that Gremlins is a Christmas movie.
Usually on Christmas Eve my family watches Animal House. Very strange but organic tradition. 😂
redclover83@reddit
Our traditional Christmas movie was always Terminator 2 followed by Atlantis, the Lost Continent. My family was a little odd.
ohwowimonredditcool@reddit
watched this as a teenager and thought erik von detten was awesome. still do. my kids thinks it’s cheesy but i think it’s a cozy groundhog day flick. ticked they never released it on dvd
https://youtube.com/watch?v=-vw19pKcKHc
ammodramussavannarum@reddit
Babe.
Seven22am@reddit
I'm not sure if it counts as uncommon by Scrooged is annual watch. And we watched the Muppet's version last year with Michael Caine. That was good.
Curious George's A Monkey Christmas is still on the list, even though my kids have aged out of Curious George. (They're probably ready for Scrooged come to think of it.)
And I think we'll finally be adding Die Hard to the list (as long as we watch it before it disappears from Hulu).
Extra-Blueberry-4320@reddit
Scrooged is THE BEST Christmas movie ever. “Towel. Towel. Oh, VHS player. Towel. Most of these are towels!” Is my mantra when I’m making my gift list every year.
Abidarthegreat@reddit (OP)
Scrooged is a great one!
bjgrem01@reddit
Edward Scissorhands is in my Christmas movie rotation.