Our favourite (and worst) Christmas films

Our staff share their favourite – and sometimes their least favourite – films for Christmas time.


My all-time favourite Christmas movies are Home Alone and While You Were Sleeping. But over the past few years I started a new tradition for myself of watching super cheesy Hallmark Christmas movies (Hallmark releases a new batch every Christmas). So far this holiday season I’ve enjoyed Christmas Under Wraps (a big-city doctor moves to a small town and learns to appreciate Christmas), A Royal Christmas (a poor seamstress finds out just before Christmas that her boyfriend is actually a European prince) and One Starry Christmas (an aspiring astronomy professor finds unexpected Christmas romance when she meets a charming cowboy). They are deliciously bad, sickly sweet and perfect background enjoyment for when you’re wrapping presents.
– Nina Kenwood, Digital Marketing Manager

Over the last few years I’ve developed a tradition of wrapping presents late at night while watching Love Actually. The tradition began when I was, wait for it, wrapping gifts late one night and the film appeared on the TV. I hadn’t seen Love Actually before that moment because when it first came out a number of my friends called me from an interstate holiday just to tell me how much they hated it, and to warn me not to watch it. This was despite the fact that I was due to join them within the week and therefore had a very limited risk of seeing it before I arrived. Anyway, even though the scene where Emma Thompson straightens out her bedroom breaks my heart and I cringe every time Colin Firth and Lúcia Moniz are fishing the manuscript out of the dam, I now love watching this film each year.
– Elke Power, Editor of Readings Monthly

Last year I rewatched Home Alone (and was both delighted and horrifed by how violent it was) but as a rule, I tend to watch action movies at Christmas. This is possibly because I have four brothers who are seriously lacking in Christmas spirit. This year I’m putting in a bid to watch Jurassic Park.
– Bronte Coates, Digital Content Coordinator

The very best Christmas movie of all time and one that is essential watching in all our homes, every single year without fail is It’s a Wonderful Life. Without fail, right on cue, I weep when George’s car hits the tree, when his home becomes full of the town’s people and when his kids sing songs. The other very best film is the animation of Raymond Brigg’s The Snowman narrated by David Bowie. Can a book adaption ever be this good again? Find our and watch it, if only for the display of Northern Lights and beautiful soundtrack.
– Chris Gordon, Event Manager

The movie I watched every Christmas as a child was the 1949 version of Little Women starring June Allyson as Jo and Elizabeth Taylor as Amy. This particular adaptation includes some perfectly cheesy festive scenes – Jo leaping over snow-covered fences in her full skirts and real candles on the tree. Pure MGM schmaltz. I think this film captures the essence of the book even as it gives the story a lurid Technicolor glow and I have an irrational hatred of all other versions, despite (a.) never having watched any of them, (b.) admiring the cast members, and (c.) suspecting they are all just as good if not technically better. But this is the version I’m sticking with!
– Emily Gale, Online Children’s Specialist

The worst Christmas movie in our house is Mickey’s Magical Christmas that my bloke’s dad gave our kids a couple of years ago. They watch it all year round and recite corny lines from it that drive me insane, such as: ‘I’m going to kick you outta this movie’.
– Emily Harms, Head of Marketing and Communications

Cover image for It's A Wonderful Life (DVD)

It’s A Wonderful Life (DVD)

Capra Frank

This item is unavailableUnavailable