Editor’s list of must-watch holiday movies

Chloe Hawkins, Spectrum Editor

The holiday season calls for many traditions such as baking cookies, creating gingerbread houses, attending the annual parade and listening to jolly tunes. Another tradition is curling up under a cozy blanket and watching all the iconic Christmas movies.

The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)

This animated movie may seem like it fits Halloween more, but the plot does explore the Christmas season. The film follows a character named Jack Skellington, also known as the king of Halloween. Skellington stumbles upon a place called “Christmas Town” while looking for something more cheerful than his usual spooky city — the rest of the film is a festive adventure to watch with family or friends. 

Available on Disney+ \ 95% Rotten Tomatoes 

The Holiday (2006)

This romantic comedy follows two heartbroken women — Iris and Amanda, played by Kate Winslet and Cameron Diaz, who are trying to heal during the holidays. To help cope with their abrupt breakups before Christmas, they decide to completely swap lives, moving Iris from London to Los Angeles and Amanda from California to London. Throughout this film, you are taken through their process of growth and love. 

Available on Hulu | 50% Rotten Tomatoes

Home Alone (1990)

Prepare to become a part of the McCallister family in this ‘90s Christmas film. The family is going on vacation for the holidays, but ends up forgetting a key member of the family — Kevin McCallister, the witty eight year old boy. He is all by himself for the holidays, except for the two burglars that show up on Christmas Eve while he’s home alone. This comedy film has a rollercoaster of events that unfold while Kevin combats these burglars all by himself.

Available on Disney+ \ 67% Rotten Tomatoes 

The Polar Express (2004) 

This children’s film follows a little boy who runs away on Christmas Eve to the North Pole, in hopes of meeting Santa and his elves. The journey is a long one that holds many mysteries, but you have to hop along the Polar Express to see what these are. The holidays aren’t complete without watching this movie with a comfortable blanket and a warm cup of hot chocolate.  

Available on HBO Max \ 56% Rotten Tomatoes 

Single All the Way (2021) 

This Netflix original is a classic romantic holiday film. It follows two flatmates named Peter, played by Michael Urie and Nick, played by Philemon Chambers. For the Christmas season, Peter does not want to show up with no partner to introduce to his family once again. To fix this issue, Nick volunteers to be his “boyfriend” for the holidays. This hometown visit complicates things between the two main characters, resulting in one of them catching more than just presents under the tree. 

Available on Netflix \ 67% Rotten Tomatoes 

The Ultimate Christmas Present (2000)

This Disney film follows a girl named Allie Thompson, played by Hailee Hirsh, who desperately wants snow for Christmas in her California hometown. This desire leads her and her best friend Samantha Kwan, played by Brenda Song, to take a snow machine from Santa himself. While Allie does end up getting snow, it is much more than she imagined. This movie brings back all the nostalgia from childhood.

Available on Disney+ | 49% Rotten Tomatoes