The peace and joy that Christmas movies bring cannot be topped. The holiday movies undoubtedly make people happy, but what makes this such a cherished tradition for both young and old is the actual event. And even while your family might already have their holiday specials (Home Alone and The Holiday are a must), take a look at these Christmas movies on HBO Max to see if you want to add something new to your list.
- How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)
- Elf (2003)
- The Polar Express (2004)
- Four Christmases (2008)
- Deck the Halls (2016)
- 8-Bit Christmas (2021)
1. How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)
This story revolves around a small world that exists inside a snowflake. A green, vengeful Grinch lives outside of Whoville (a town that loves Christmas) and has plans to ruin Christmas for everyone in the little town.
- Release Date: November 17, 2000
- IMDb Rating: 6.2/10
- Time Duration: 1 hour 44 minutes
- Director: Ron Howard
- Main Cast: Jim Carrey, Taylor Momsen, and Christine Baranski
2. Elf (2003)
Buddy, a little child from an orphanage, hid in Santa’s bag and made it to the North Pole. Later, as an adult who had been raised by elves, Santa gives him permission to visit New York City in order to track down Walter Hobbs, his birth father. He didn’t even know Buddy was born, and he’s on Santa’s bad list for being a selfish jerk. While this is happening, Buddy enjoys New York City (and modern civilization) to the fullest extent possible for an elf. He is compelled to reconsider his priorities when his friendship with Walter interferes with his ability to do his work.
- Release Date: November 7, 2003
- IMDb Rating: 7.0/10
- Time Duration: 1 hour 37 minutes
- Director: Jon Favreau
- Main Cast: Will Ferrell, James Caan, Bob Newhart, Zooey Deschanel, and Mary Steenburgen
3. The Polar Express (2004)
Hero Boy, a young skeptical struggling with growing doubt over the eternal topic of Santa Claus’ existence, is interrupted in his sleep by the familiar sound of a train. Then, to his amazement, a mysterious conductor offers him a seat on the beautiful Polar Express, which will take him on an extraordinary and spectacular journey all the way to Santa Claus’ home country of the huge North Pole. Will he and the other young atheists on the train eventually discover the real meaning of Christmas?
- Release Date: November 10, 2004
- IMDb Rating: 6.6/10
- Time Duration: 1 hour 40 minutes
- Director: Robert Zemeckis
- Main Cast (voice): Tom Hanks, Chris Coppola, Michael Jeter, and Leslie Zemeckis
4. Four Christmases (2008)
Brad and Kate have been pulling off the same trick for the past three years to avoid Christmas and their divorced estranged parents’ chaotic families: a little bit of charity work in a far-off location at the other end of the planet is always the ideal cover. The ultimate Christmas tragedy is about to happen, though, as the young couple must spend the holiday with all four of their estranged parents. Can Brad and Kate endure not just one Christmas, but four in one year?
- Release Date: November 26, 2008
- IMDb Rating: 5.7/10
- Time Duration: 1 hour 28 minutes
- Director: Seth Gordon
- Main Cast: Reese Witherspoon, Vince Vaughn, Mary Steenburgen, and Robert Duvall
5. Deck the Halls (2006)
A small New England town’s two neighbors go to war in this festive comedy when one of them plans to decorate his home with so many Christmas lights that it can be seen from space. As the families search for the genuine significance of Christmas, the neighborhood is flipped upside down.
- Release Date: November 22, 2006
- IMDb Rating: 5/10
- Time Duration: 1 hour 33 minutes
- Director: John Whitesell
- Main Cast: Matthew Broderick, Danny DeVito, Kristin Chenoweth, and Kristin Davis
6. Bit Christmas (2021)
This movie is set in 1988 December in Chicago. Eleven-year-old Jake Doyle desires a pricey, extravagant video game console above all else since it is the peak of home entertainment. Jake and his extremely obsessive buddies are now prepared to go to considerable measures to obtain the prized third-generation entertainment system, set against the backdrop of the magnificent 8-bit period, but the road to success is paved with failure. Certainly, the stakes are enormous, and only a select group of fortunate children will be able to use the renowned console. What would it take to add some sparkle and make this the finest Christmas in the 8-bit era?
- Release Date: November 24, 2021
- IMDb Rating: 6.7/10
- Time Duration: 1 hour 37 minutes
- Director: Michael Dowse
- Main Cast: Neil Patrick Harris, Winslow Fegley, and Sophia Reid-Gantzert
Explore more: Christmas movies on Amazon Prime
Conclusion
You’ll find a variety of classic christmas movies on HBO on this list, as well as a few more recent selections that your kids will enjoy. While there aren’t many holiday rom-coms on this list, there are still several timeless and humorous Christmas films. We hope they make you Christmas happy!
