City Cast Portland logo

The Best Holiday Movies

Posted on December 13, 2023   |   Updated on September 30, 2025
Adrian González

Adrian González

people lying on a floor with white Christmas lights watching a screen

Warm up your hot cocoa, we’re getting festive. (evgenyatamanenko / Getty Images)

‘Tis the season for cozying up on the couch and binge-watching holiday movies. The only problem is that there are so many to choose from that picking what to watch can be a chore. Here’s a good place to start.

The Classics

Let’s start off with the easy choices — I’m talking “Home Alone,” “Elf,” or “Love Actually.” These are best for when you don’t want to endlessly scroll for options, or when you just want a crowd-pleaser. Here are a few other favorites.

  • “The Holiday” — Who knew Jack Black could be charming?
  • “Little Women” — You have three film adaptations from which to choose!
  • “The Nightmare Before Christmas” — We’re all a little bit of Jack Skellington.
  • “A Christmas Carol” — This one also has three different film adaptations.
  • “Scrooged” — Or you could watch Bill Murray in the modern adaptation of the Charles Dickens novel.
  • “Carol” — One of the most beautiful on-screen affairs.

A Word About ‘Bad’ Holiday Movies

As an equal-opportunity movie lover, I encourage you to watch whatever flicks you enjoy without an ounce of shame. There is simply no denying the hot-soup levels of comfort you can get from watching Hallmark movies and holiday rom-coms. Don’t let film bros tell you otherwise. One that I enjoy to an unreasonable degree is “Felíz NaviDAD,” starring Mario Lopez and his adorable dimples.

Bruce Willis crawling on his belly

Is “Die Hard” a Christmas movie? (Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox)

Something Different

  • “Die Hard” — The debate on whether this is a Christmas movie rages on. Regardless, it’s a great time to watch.
  • “Black Christmas” — A 1974 gory horror classic.
  • “A Serious Man” — Comedy cringe a-la Coen brothers.
  • “The Lodge” — For the horror fans who want to partake in the holiday spirit.
  • “Santa Claus” — No, not the one with Tim Allen. I’m referring to the 1959 Mexican film, chock-full of weirdness.
  • “The Ice Harvest” — John Cusack as a conniving lawyer pulling a Christmas Eve con is quite enjoyable.
  • “Tangerine” — One of my favorites from 2015, this one follows a transgender sex worker in L.A. And it was all shot on an iPhone.

Happy watching!

What Are Your Favorite Holiday Movies?
see more:art

Share article

Hey Portland

Stay connected to City Cast Portland and get ready to join the local conversation.

Can't subscribe? Turn off your ad blocker and try again.

The latest in Portland

The Weekly Wander by City Cast PortlandOctober 11

Side Quest: From Beyond the Grape

Frightful festivities from beyond the grapes await as Willamette Valley wineries host Halloween events. Throw on your costume and get rea...

Fog sits low among the fields and trees of Willamette Valley wine country. In the foreground, green grape plants show signs of fall as leaves begin to turn yellow.
The Weekly Wander by City Cast PortlandOctober 11

Your Guide to Tualatin

Don’t rock the gourd or you’ll miss Tualatin’s West Coast Giant Pumpkin Regatta when it returns Oct. 18. Join the fun and see what else t...

Two costumed people — one dressed as an aviator and the other in a squirrel suit — paddle their giant pumpkins toward the finish line at the West Coast Giant Pumpkin Regatta in Tualatin. Crowds of people cheer them on in the background.
Food & DrinkOctober 5

The Best Fall Foods in Portland

A fall festival at Bauman's Farm apples at a Hood River orchard (Kiyokawa Family Orchards, ideally), and a Sauvie Island pumpkin patch (B...

A pulled pork sandwich, soup, and apple cider slushy at Sugarpine Drive-In.
The Weekly Wander by City Cast PortlandOctober 4

Side Quest: A Smile That Can’t Be Bleat

Need a mood boost? Portland's goats deliver. Here's where to visit, feed, and hang out with the city's most charming herds, from St. John...

A black and white goat stands elevated on a stone and wood tower outside of the Sellwood Goat House in Portland, Oregon.
Neighborhood GuidesOctober 4

Your Guide to Parkrose

Petting zoo, line dancing, and live music: Portland Fall Fest hits Rossi Farms on Oct. 4. Here’s how to make a day of it in Parkrose, plu...

A mural at 10721 NE Sandy Blvd. in Portland’s Parkrose neighborhood depicts farmers working in fields colored orange, red, and green. The blue-hued figures load yellow crates onto a blue truck.
Portland Life HacksOctober 2

Tips for a Better October 2026 in Portland

You know what’s coming: The next six months in Portland involve a lot of rain and colder weather, so let's get ready for it.

River with the steal bridge in the background, I-5 on the right side, downtown showing on right
Neighborhood GuidesSeptember 27

Your Guide to Kerns

When members of the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral moved into the large church at the corner of Northeast Glisan Street and 32nd A...

A street view from the corner of Northeast Glisan Street and Northeast 28th Avenue of the Apambichao Building, a cream and white colored Victorian apartment building that sits above Pambiche, a Cuban restaurant painted a deep blue.
Food & DrinkSeptember 27

Take a Tour of Franz Bakery in Portland

There are some things you knead to dough (sorry, seasonal allergies are the worst) about Franz Bakery, a fifth-generation, family-owned b...

Loaves of Franz bread tumble off of a conveyor belt at Franz Bakery in Portland, Oregon.