Festivities are upon us! The romantic holiday season has officially arrived. Surely that means you’re ready to enjoy some of the best romantic Christmas movies once again?
Christmas romance movies are all about cosying up with your loved one. From Hallmark guilty pleasures to must-see old school classics, the best Christmas love films warm your cockles and show you what Christmas is all about: family, love, and that warm, fuzzy feeling you get inside when you’re snuggled on the sofa.
And if you’re not a fan of romantic Christmas movies…Bah humbug to you! Raise your spirits and give into these rom-com Christmas movies which all have the power to turn your heart of stone back to sickly, melty, gooeyness.
The proof’s really in the Christmas pudding! These beloved festive films are magical, merry classics for a reason. Forget our flirty questions to ask the guy you love. There’s just question you should ask – “Wanna watch a Christmas movie?”
So grab a brandy tipple and a freshly-baked slice of gingerbread. It’s time to commence your cosy night-in with the one you love most.
Our Criteria
We want you to sit down with the right kind of Christmas rom-com this holiday season. That’s why we’ve ranked each of our romantic Christmas movies based on the festive criteria that matters – the laughs, the cries, the sing-along factor, and the feel-good factor:
Laughs
The burst-out-laughing factor. Is it a comedy full of gags and jokes? Does it offer lots of laughs?
Cries
The sobbing uncontrollably factor. Is it a tear jerker? Does it pull at your heartstrings?
Sing-Along Factor
The holiday music factor. Is it a musical full of festive tunes? Will you be humming along?
Feel-Good Factor
The feel-good factor. Will you be smiling from ear to ear once the credits roll? Does it leave you with a warm feeling inside?
Our Top 10
Best Romantic Christmas Movies
Movie | Laughs | Cries | Sing-Along | Feel-Good Factor |
Love Actually | ||||
The Best Man Holiday | ||||
Meet Me in St. Louis | ||||
Last Christmas | ||||
The Last Holiday | ||||
It Happened on 5th Avenue | ||||
Miracle on 3th Street | ||||
White Christmas | ||||
The Holiday | ||||
The Happiest Season |
Table of Contents
Romantic Christmas Rom-Coms
Looking for rom-com Christmas movies that’ll fill your stockings with love and joy? Fancy a romantic night-in with cosy Christmas love films that make you laugh out loud and cry into your mince pies? Watch these oh so charming Christmas romantic movies from the past few decades. You can’t beat a good rom-com.
1. Holidate (2020)
17/20 Love Score
One of Netflix’s newest festive rom-coms.
Emma Roberts plays a forever-single Sloane and Luke Bracey is her Australian golfer crush, Jackson. Will she finally fall in love? And most importantly, will her parents ever stop judging her hopeless attempts of meeting ‘the one’? Thankfully Holidate takes a surprisingly fresh route down the rom-com formula too.
2. A Very Merry Mix-Up (2013)
16/20 Love Score
A corny but charming Hallmark TV movie.
Alice (Alicia Witt) plays an antique store owner who visits her fiance’s hometown for the holidays. She’s meeting his family for the very first time, but (somehow?) ends up at the wrong house. Alice soon discovers her bond with the wrong family is stronger than her bond with her fiance’s family. What a palava!
3. Love Hard (2021)
15/20 Love Score
A festive rom-com for the dating-app age.
Natalie is a journalist who documents her disastrous dates in her weekly column. She’s all out of luck with her endless swipes and likes getting her nowhere. But will she eventually fall for the catfishing lost-cause Josh or his seemingly-perfect friend, Tag?
4. Holiday in the Wild (2019)
16/20 Love Score
A Christmassy comedy for elephant-lovers.
Rob Lowe and Kristin Davis star in Holiday in the Wild. When veterinarian Kate’s husband confesses he’s no longer in love with her, she travels to Zambia on their planned second honeymoon alone. Luckily pilot and elephant-lover Drew is there to pick up the pieces. It’s Christmas meets conservation.
5. You’ve Got Mail (1998)
17/20 Love Score
A classic rom-com starring Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks.
Ryan and Hanks star as business rivals with a secret soft spot for one another. Although it’s not a clear-cut Christmas flick, it’s still set amongst the backdrop of tinsel and mistletoe.
It’s also the third film pairing of Hanks and Ryan (also Joe Versus the Volcano, Sleepless in Seattle), so there’s first-rate chemistry between the 2 90s Hollywood titans.
6. The Trouble With Mistletoe (2017)
16/20 Love Score
A sweet Christmas love story.
Based on a bestselling novel by Jill Shalvis, The Trouble With Mistletoe sees San Francisco pet store owner Walla bump into the high school jerk who once stood her up. But what happens when she starts to catch feelings for the man who broke her heart? Does he deserve a second chance?
7. Last Christmas (2019)
20/20 Love Score
A Christmas tale inspired by the music of George Michael.
Written by legendary actress Emma Thompson, Last Christmas sees aspiring singer Kate meet the enigmatic Tom, a homeless shelter volunteer. After a series of clumsy misfortunes, Kate’s life is turned upside when she discovers who Tom really is. Emilia Clarke is wonderfully charming as its lead character, and there’s a big twist you won’t see coming.
8. Love Actually (2003)
20/20 Love Score
An absolute cracker of a British rom-com.
With its British wit and star-studded ensemble cast, Love Actually has become one of the most beloved Christmas movies of all time. The plot follows a series of intertwined stories, including a Best Man who’s in love with his mate’s wife and a Prime Minister who falls for his new secretary.
9. The Holiday (2006)
20/20 Love Score
A life-swap comedy with a stellar cast.
The Holiday will put a smile on your face this Christmas, mostly because its cast is just darn likeable (Cameron Diaz, Kate Winslet, Jude Law, and Jack Black). The story follows two lovelorn women who home exchange during the holiday season in the hope of healing their broken hearts. It’s the film equivalent of a warm glass of mulled wine in front of a cosy log fire.
10. 12 Dates of Christmas (2011)
16/20 Love Score
A Christmassy Groundhog Day.
Amy Smart stars as Kate, a hopeless romantic who finds herself in a strange time-loop. With 12 days and 12 dates to improve her luck, will she finally manage to find the romance she’s been looking for? It also stars Zack from Saved By The Bell as Kate’s love interest (Mark-Paul Gosselaar), so how could you possibly resist?
11. The Christmas Set Up (2020)
18/20 Love Score
Lifetime’s first-ever LGBT Christmas movie.
The plot follows Hugo (Ben Lewis) as a New Yorker attorney who’s set up on a date with his High School crush Patrick (Blake Lee). As the two men fall for each other, Hugo faces the difficult decision of choosing between love and a dream promotion overseas. It’s one of the most authentic TV movies in years thanks to Lewis and Blake being a real-life couple.
12. New Year’s Eve (2011)
18/20 Love Score
Basically the New Year’s version of Love Actually.
With its A-list ensemble cast and holiday-ey atmosphere, New Year’s Eve is a feel-good flick that couples can enjoy on a 31 December night-in. It’s not quite the classic as Love Actually, but its stories are sweetly sentimental. Just what you need when snuggled under a blanket.
13. The Family Man (2000)
18/20 Love Score
A modern-day take on ‘A Christmas Carol’.
Nicolas Cage stars as an uptight businessman who learns the true meaning of Christmas in this adaptation of Dickens classic novel, A Christmas Carol. The moral of the story = family is everything all year round! Cage’s on-screen wife Téa Leoni gives a standout performance too, keeping the whole movie just on the right side of schmaltzy.
14. The Last Holiday (2006)
20/20 Love Score
A joyously charming tear-jerker.
Queen Latifah stars as Georgia, a retail worker with just a few weeks to live after being diagnosed with a rare brain tumour. Determined to live her final days gloriously, Georgia embarks on a luxury holiday to snowy Europe. It’s warming, funny, and Latifah shines through as its hugely loveable lead.
15. The Knight Before Christmas (2019)
17/20 Love Score
A time-travelling Christmas comedy.
Josh Whitehouse stars as a 12th-century squire who’s unwillingly sent on a knighthood quest to the present day. He soon meets Brooke (Vannessa Hudgens) who helps him adjust to the 21st century and fulfil the quest he must complete before midnight Christmas Eve..otherwise he’ll be trapped in 2019 forever.
16. The Princess Switch (2018)
17/20 Love Score
A mixed-identity Christmas comedy.
Vanessa Hudgens also stars in The Princess Switch, a festive rom-com that sees two strangers discover they look identical, a humble Chicago baker and the royal Duchess of Montenaro. Struck by their similarities, they decide to switch lives for 2 days. There’s 2 sequels too, The Princess Switch: Switched Again and The Princess Switch 3: Romancing the Star.
17. Four Christmases (2008)
16/20 Love Score
A wacky Christmas comedy.
Vince Vaughn and Reece Whitherspoon play a couple who are forced to visit the four homes of their divorced parents on Christmas Day. You’ll love this if you’re a fan of slapstick physical comedy. Somehow it’s a film that makes divorce absolutely hilarious. There’s a killer supporting cast too, including Sissy Spacek, Jon Voight, and Kristen Chenoweth.
18. The Best Man Holiday (2013)
20/20 Love Score
A Funny and emotional Christmas romp.
As the sequel to 1999’s The Best Man, The Best Man’s Holiday sees Terrance Howard, Regina Hall, and all of the original cast reprise their roles. The Christmassy follow-up sees the gang get together once again for the holidays, bringing with them old baggage, old flames, and old rivalries. It’s equal parts hilarious and touching, so expect both laughs and cries.
19. Christmas in the Smokies (2015)
15/20 Love Score
A feel-good country drama.
The future of a family-run farm is jeopardized when big retail expansions take over the local town. Determined to save their farm and their family business, the Haygoods do all they can to cling onto the only life they’ve ever known.
20. Happiest Season (2020)
20/20 Love Score
Hulu’s ultra-relatable festive comedy.
Although Harper (Mackenzie Davis) has fallen head over heels for girlfriend Abby (Kristen Stewart), there’s one thing standing in her way: she’s yet to come out to her conservative parents. How will the Christmas visit to ‘meet the parents’ go down? If you love Schitt’s Creek’s wisecracking humour, you’ll love this.
21. Serendipity (2001)
18/20 Love Score
A light-hearted festive romance.
Kate Beckingsale and John Cusack play a once-in-love couple who reconnect after 10 years during the holiday season. Will they put their past behind them and finally realise they’re meant to be together?
22. Ghosts of Girlfriends Past (2009)
17/20 Love Score
Another ‘A Christmas Carol’ adaptation.
Matthew McConaughey stars as Connor, a renowned womanizer who’s visited by the ghosts of 3 ex-girlfriends, all of whom force him to look back and foresee his notorious dating past, present, and future. Will he learn from his lothario mistakes and finally win over Jenny (Jennifer Garner), the only woman he’s ever truly loved?
23. While You Were Sleeping (1995)
17/20 Love Score
A heart-wrenching then heart-warming drama.
Sandra Bullock shines in this rom-com drama about a woman who falls for the brother of a man whose life she saved on Christmas Day. It’s a surprisingly feel-good drama that pulls at the heartstrings ever so gently.
24. A Very Harry & Kumar Christmas (2011)
15/20 Love Score
A Christmassy stoner comedy.
The Harry & Kumar films aren’t exactly known for their glaring romance, but there’s plenty of love flying around in this gag-filled third instalment. If you’re looking for a Christmas rom-com that’s a barrel of laughs, this is it.
25. The Family Stone (2005)
16/20 Love Score
A festive family dramedy.
The plot follows the misadventures of the eccentric Stone family during one holiday season. When the eldest son brings his prim and proper girlfriend home for Christmas, tensions begin to run high and heads start to butt. Can disagreements be settled in the name of Christmas spirit? The superb cast includes Sarah Jessica Parker, Diane Keaton, and Rachel McAdams.
26. Let It Snow (2019)
17/20 Love Score
A gen-Z Christmas rom-com.
Based on the novel of the same name, Let It Snow is a young adult Christmas rom-com that follows the lives of teens in a Midwestern town. It might thrive on formulaic rom-com cliches, but it’s charming and uplifting enough to warm any Scrooge’s heart this Christmas time.
27. The Perfect Holiday (2007)
17/20 Love Score
A sugary Christmas tale.
Queen Latifah wonderfully narrates this sweet Christmas rom-com starring Morris Chestnut and Gabrielle Union. The plot follows a divorced mum of three Nancy who falls for an aspiring songwriter, Benjamin (he’s also the town’s local Santa Claus).
28. Noel (2004)
16/20 Love Score
A melancholy Christmas drama.
The plot follows five strangers whose lives are intertwined on Christmas Eve in their search for happiness. What makes this film so enjoyable is the performances, especially from Robin Williams and Susan Sarandon (who plays a suicidal woman whose mother is suffering from Alzheimer’s).
Romantic Christmas Musicals
How about a jolly Christmas musical? Sometimes the best romantic Christmas movies are the ones that get you up, off the sofa, singing, dancing, and rocking around the Christmas tree. Enjoy one of these all-singing-all-dancing romantic Christmas films to bring an extra dose of festive magic to your screen. We say binge these bright and merry Christmas romantic movies till your heart’s content.
29. Meet Me in St. Louis (1944)
20/20 Love Score
One of the best musicals of all time, period.
Although it’s not purely a Christmas film, Meet Me in St. Louis has become a Christmassy classic over the years, simply because of its beloved Christmas carol, ‘Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas’. This is Judy Garland at her very best!
30. Frozen
19/20 Love Score
A modern Disney classic.
There’s nothing more Christmassy than a fresh blanket of snow and a cheery sing-along, right? With its smash hit soundtrack and delightful animations, Frozen has become one of the most successful Disney movies ever. And we think it’s a perfect festive musical to watch during the holiday season.
31. Holiday Inn (1942)
20/20 Love Score
An affectionate and well-performed musical.
Contrary to popular belief, Bing Crosby’s ‘White Christmas’ was first introduced in this 1942 classic. In fact, it received the 1943 Academy Award for ‘‘Best Original Song’. The plot follows Jim, Lila, and Ted, a performing trio with plans to quit and open up a country hotel instead.
32. White Christmas (1954)
20/20 Love Score
A fun-filled musical extravaganza.
Bing Crosby’s song ‘White Christmas’ is reintroduced here 12 years later. It’s probably the version that you know. The plot of the film follows singers Bob Wallace and Phil Davis as they perform in a festive musical show to raise money and put their old commander’s failing business back on track.
33. Dolly Parton’s Christmas on the Square
19/20 Love Score
A super campy Christmas sing-along.
Dolly Parton wrote all of the songs featured in Christmas on the Square, making it a country-twanged festive hoedown that even won a Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Television Movie. The plot follows a wealthy town-owner who returns home with plans to evict the town’s residents and sell the land to a mall developer. Can an angel convince her to mend her bitter ways?
34. The Nightmare Before Christmas
18/20 Love Score
A festively dark fantasy musical.
Tim Burton brings Christmas into new ghostly realms with A Nightmare Before Christmas. All the family will love this ooky spooky animation just for the delightful visuals alone. Based on Tim Burton’s 1982 poem, the plot follows Jack Skellington, the King of Halloween Town who soon becomes tired of his ghoulie ways and instead gets a new lease of life by spreading the joy of Christmas.
Romantic Christmas Classics
How about a good old fashioned Christmassy classic? There’s tons of timeless romantic christmas films lurking in Hollywood’s back catalogue. In fact, we think the golden oldies are the absolute best Christmas romance movies out there. So let’s take a step back in time and celebrate Christmas movie history with these vintage romantic Christmas films.
35. It’s a Wonderful Life (1940)
20/20 Love Score
One of Hollywood’s finest Christmas films.
A list of romantic Christmas movies simply couldn’t be completed without 1940’s It’s a Wonderful Life. The poignant story follows George Bailey (James Stewart), a downhearted man whose suicide attempt on Christmas Eve causes his guardian angel to intervene and remind him of how much he’s touched the lives of his loved ones.
36. Miracle on 34th Street (1947)
20/20 Love Score
A film that makes you truly believe in Santa.
When a department store Santa Claus performer claims to be the real Santa, a court hearing determines whether he’s telling the truth or not. Miracle on 34th Street even won 3 Oscars back in 1948, including Best Original Screenplay and Best Supporting Actor. There’s also a 1994 remake to check out too.
37. Christmas in Connecticut (1945)
18/20 Love Score
An old school Christmas rom-com.
The story follows a single magazine writer who falls in love with a returning war hero after pretending to be a country farm wife. Will she manage to cover her tracks? It’s the type of film which proves sometimes the simplest love stories are the sweetest.
38. Holiday Affair (1949)
17/20 Love Score
A Christmassy sleeper hit.
Originally a box-office failure, 1949’s Holiday Affair has slowly become one of the most beloved Christmas love films. Starring Janet Leigh and Robert Mitchum, the story follows a department store clerk who catches a war widow participating in a fraudulent scheme. Will he take pity or turn her in to the authorities?
39. It Happened on 5th Avenue
20/20 Love Score
A classic Hollywood romance story.
The story follows a homeless man who squats in a 5th avenue mansion whilst its residents are away during winter. When the owner’s daughter returns unexpectedly, she eventually falls for the squatter and offers to help him.
40. Remember the Night (1940)
19/20 Love Score
A beloved Hollywood comedy-drama.
A woman is put on trial for stealing a bracelet from an NYC department store during the holidays and it’s up to the city’s district attorney to prosecute. He faces a moral dilemma when he starts to sympathise with the woman and falls for her charm. Will he risk damaging his career for the sake of love?
41. Little Women (1933)
17/20 Love Score
A romantic novel adaptation.
Although it’s not strictly Christmas-themed, Little Women can be enjoyed around the holidays with its sweet festive spirit and sentimental appeal. The coming-of-age story follows the passage of four sisters from childhood to womanhood. There’s various remakes to choose from too, including later films that came in 1949, 1994, and 2019.
42. The Shop Around the Corner (1940)
18/20 Love Score
A first-rate romantic comedy.
There’s a thin line between love and hate; a lesson learned by two store employees who can’t can’t stand each other, only to realise they’re actually corresponding through anonymous love letters. This 1940s classic also formed the basis of the modernised plot for 1998’s You’ve Got Mail.
43. The Bishop’s Wife (1947)
17/20 Love Score
A Christmassy comedy tale.
David Niven, Carry Gran, and Loretta Young star in this Christmas rom-com about a bishop who’s visited by a man who claims to be an angel. The bishop becomes sceptical when the angel poses as his household assistant and earns the affections of his wife. There’s also a 1996 remake called ‘The Preacher’s Wife’ starring Whitney Houston and Denzel Washington.
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