Top 10 Family Christmas Movies

I cherish Christmas vacations. Our children get two weeks off from school. Christmas is the best time to play board games and watch movies. We have more fun staying in. I have many fond memories of game and movie nights during the holidays. Movies are a great for families. You can spend time together in peace. 

Now that streaming services offer so many movies it’s hard to decide what movies to watch. Here are my top 10 family friendly movies for this holiday season. Everyone in your family should be able to enjoy. I link each title to the IMDb parental page. If you haven’t seen a movie IMDb should give you all the information you need. Then you can decide if this movie is right for your family.

1. Home Alone. I had debated adding this movie. If you have seen this movie, you know Kevin gets left home alone. Two men want to rob his house and he ends up fighting them at the end. There’s violence in this movie. I can see parents objecting to that hence the mention.

I don’t have an issue with the movie I grew up watching Home Alone, and I never thought twice about the violence. I grew up in the 80s and 90s and things were different.

Home Alone has a moral to the story. Kevin who is not behaving himself loses his family. Only when he knows what it’s like to be alone does, he realize the importance of having family. Throughout Kevin’s journey he realizes how important his family is.

Mrs. McAllister is another example as moms we get frustrated with our kids. Kevin’s mom feels terrible for what happened the night before they left for their trip. Mrs. McAllister does everything she can to get back to her son.

Despite the violence Home Alone has a plot. Home Alone is a beloved Christmas movie for a reason it is funny. I say give it a chance.

2. A Christmas Story is a classic. Based on Jean Shepherd’s In God We Trust: All Others Pay Cash a Christmas Story is hilarious.

A Christmas Story is 35 years old this year. A Christmas Story is played for 24 hours straight on Christmas Day. It is hands-down one of the funniest Christmas movies ever made.

Ralphie has is overactive imagination and all he wants is a BB gun for Christmas. A Christmas Story takes place in the 1940s. There is a little violence when Ralphie hits a bully.

This is one the best family Christmas movies. A Christmas Story is funny and there’s something for everyone.

3. White Christmas is one of my all-time favorite Christmas movies ever. The casting was amazing even though Vera-Ellen didn’t sing in White Christmas. There is singing and dancing galore. Bing Crosby and Rosemary Clooney get top billing. But Danny Kaye and Vera-Ellen were as enjoyable.

They don’t make musicals like this anymore. Or Christmas movies like this anymore. White Christmas is family-friendly. I’ve got my children hooked on this movie I cannot recommend White Christmas enough!!

4. It’s a Wonderful Life. Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed star in this classic movie. Stewart plays George Bailey a man who spent most of his life helping others. Rather than helping himself. After his uncle misplaces money George takes the blame.

A guardian angel in training named Clarence must help George and earn his wings. We get a glimpse at Georges past. Followed by Clarence showing George what life in his town would be like if George had never been born. It’s a wonderful life is one of the best films made.

5. Miracle on 34th St. the 1947 version. The remake is fine. I prefer the original version that stars Natalie wood and Maureen O’Hara. If you love Disney movies O’Hara plays the mother in the Parent Trap. Maureen was one of the leading ladies from the Golden Age of Hollywood.

Natalie Wood plays Susan Walker. Susan was raised by a single mother which in the 50s single parents were not discussed often. William Frawley from I love Lucy also has a role in the movie.

Kris Kringle is a Macy’s store Santa who moves in with Fred who is Susan’s neighbor and her mothers love interest. He defends Kringle when Macys store psychologist tried to have him committed.

Miracle on 34th Street is one of the best Christmas movies ever made and cannot recommend it enough.

6. The Santa Clause. Tim Allen stars as Scott Calvin is a divorced dad who accidentally knocks Santa Claus off the roof. Now Scott must replace Santa Clause. Despite that the Santa Clause is funny and sweet.

The Santa Clause Is funny and heartwarming. Santa dying in the beginning is glossed over the Santa Cluse is a Disney movie. As Scott becomes Santa, he reestablishes his relationship with his son Charlie.

The Santa Clause is a modern Christmas Classic for families.

7. Prancer an underrated Christmas movie. Sam Elliot and Cloris Leachman star in this movie. Prancer follows Jessica whose mother has died. Her father is a farmer struggling to make ends meet.

Jessica is his youngest child is a free-spirited happy-go-lucky sweet. She believes she has found one of Santa’s reindeer needs to get him back to Santa Claus. Prancer is a sweet movie that will tug at your heartstrings.

8. Elf is about Buddy the Elf. Buddy is a baby in an orphanage who crawls into Santa’s sack. And is adopted by one of Santa’s elves when he ends up in the North Pole. Raised in the North Pole he thinks he’s an elf. He finds out by accident that is human and returns to the mortal world to find his family.

Will Ferrell stars in Elf. Elf is funny. Elf has a scene where Buddy gets drunk but he doesn’t realize what he’s doing. Buddy is childlike and trusting. Elf despite that is funny and is a great movie for families with older kids.

9. Charlie Brown Christmas is a Peanuts family-friendly classic. Who doesn’t like Snoopy? In this animated Christmas special the Peanuts gang gathers to celebrate Christmas. Charlie Brown Christmas is a movie you can play while you’re cooking dinner to keep the kids occupied. You do not have worry they will see anything objectionable

10. I consider Edward Scissorhands a Christmas movie. Edward Scissorhands has a PG-13 rating. If you’re looking for something to enjoy with your tweens and teens Edward Scissorhands is a good choice. This Tim Burton classic follows Edward. A scientist who died before giving Edward hands made Edward in his hilltop home. I find the Scientist/ Edward dynamic to be a mash up of Pinocchio and Frankenstein.

Peg the local Avon lady finds Edward and takes him in. After getting to know Edward the neighbors love him. After Peg’s Daughter Kim’s boyfriend becomes jealous Jim sets Edward up. Edward must return to the home he shared with the scientist.

You cannot go wrong with any of these films this holiday season. I hope you enjoy them all.

Did you like this post? Want to read more?

Read on to learn how to get your kids to bed early on Christmas Eve.

Please refer to my post here on 4 handmade crafts for Christmas if you love DIY projects.