The 50 Best Holiday Movies of All Time, Ranked

Ah yes, holiday movies. While you can legally watch them anytime of year, it only feels appropriate when the weather is chilly, the Christmas lights are twinkling, and the drinks are flowing. 🍿 🥃

While there are hundreds and hundreds of holiday movies to choose from, which are considered the very best?

Rotten Tomatoes gives us a handy ranking of their top 50 rated movies, that range from the early 1940s to 2022. Obvious classics like “It’s a Wonderful Life” and “A Christmas Story” are high on the list. So are retro favorites like “The Muppets Christmas Carol” and “Edward Scissorhands”, which features classic Tim Burton swelling music.

How many on this top 50 list have you seen? Do you consider Die Hard a Christmas movie? Check out the entire list below.

The top 50 rated Holiday movies, according to Rotten Tomatoes……

  1. Meet Me in St. Louis (1944) // 100 percent

  2. The Shop Around the Corner (1940) // 99 percent

  3. Miracle on 34th Street (1947) // 96 percent

  4. Tangerine (2015) // 96 percent

  5. Klaus (2019) // 95 percent

  6. The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) // 95 percent

  7. Little Women (2019) // 95 percent

  8. Die Hard (1988) // 94 percent

  9. Carol (2015) // 94 percent

  10. It’s a Wonderful Life (1946) // 93 percent

  11. Little Women (1994) // 93 percent

  12. The Apartment (1960) // 93 percent

  13. Arthur Christmas (2011) // 92 percent

  14. Tokyo Godfathers (2003) // 91 percent

  15. A Christmas Story (1983) // 90 percent

  16. Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale (2010) // 90 percent

  17. The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special (2022) // 92 percent

  18. Edward Scissorhands (1990) // 89 percent

  19. Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey (2020) // 89 percent

  20. Better Watch Out (2016) // 89 percent

  21. Trading Places (1983) // 88 percent

  22. Gremlins (1984) // 86 percent

  23. A Christmas Tale (2008) // 86 percent

  24. Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang (2005) // 86 percent

  25. Elf (2003) // 85 percent

  26. Happiest Season (2020) // 82 percent

  27. While You Were Sleeping (1995) // 81 percent

  28. Batman Returns (1992) // 81 percent

  29. The Man Who Invented Christmas (2017) // 79 percent

  30. Bad Santa (2003) // 78 percent

  31. A Christmas Story Christmas (2022) // 79 percent

  32. White Christmas (1954) // 77 percent

  33. Anna and the Apocalypse (2017) // 77 percent

  34. The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992) // 76 percent

  35. Happy Christmas (2014) // 75 percent

  36. Merry Christmas (2005) // 74 percent

  37. The Ref (1994) // 73 percent

  38. The Santa Clause (1994) // 73 percent

  39. How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1967) // 100 percent

  40. Holiday Inn (1942) // 100 percent

  41. March of the Wooden Soldiers (1934) // 100 percent

  42. Remember the Night (1940) // 100 percent

  43. Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas (1977) // 100 percent

  44. Mickey’s Christmas Carol (1983) // 100 percent

  45. Alien Xmas (2020) // 100 percent

  46. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964) // 95 percent

  47. Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town (1970) // 93 percent

  48. White Reindeer (2013) // 90 percent

  49. The Year Without a Santa Claus (1974) // 90 percent

  50. Christmas in Connecticut (1945) // 89 percent

Happy watching!