55 Funny Christmas Movies to Keep You Laughing This Holiday Season

There are plenty of reasons to look forward to this holiday season, from dazzling Christmas lights to festive drinks and desserts (don’t even get us started on these chocolate peppermint cookies). But one of the best holiday traditions is watching a slew of funny Christmas movies during a cozy night in.

The options are endless when it comes to this genre, from kid-friendly comedies like Home Alone to holiday romances like Love Actually. And if you're down for a fun musical to make you dance and sing your heart out, we've got gems like Spirited and How the Grinch Stole Christmas. You simply can't go wrong with a feel-good holiday flick that gets you in the spirit and delivers all the laughs. So, grab some hot cocoa, slip into some festive pajamas and prepare to be entertained with these 55 funny Christmas movies (and when you're done watching these, check out our list of the best family movies of all time.)

1. Elf (2003)

• Who’s in it? Will Ferrell, James Caan, Zooey Deschanel, Mary Steenburgen
• Rating: PG

After growing up with Santa and his elves, a man named Buddy heads to New York City to find his biological father. Even if you’ve seen it a million times, nothing beats watching Ferrell devour plates full of spaghetti, syrup and candy. 
"My sisters and I have developed a tradition of watching Elf after Thanksgiving dinner, an unofficial ringing in of Christmas season, and even though we've seen it 20-plus times it still makes us all laugh so much," says PureWow fashion editor Abby Hepworth. "The Christmas 'Gram song and mailroom scenes in particular are just so so good."

• Rating: TV-PG
• Who’s in it? Lindsay Lohan, Ron Oliver. Chord Overstreet, George Young

Lohan stars as a spoiled heiress who gets into an accident and loses all her memory after her boyfriend proposes to her during the holidays. Luckily, she gets taken in by a kind stranger, and an unexpected romance ensues. "Falling for Christmas isn't exactly a laugh-out-loud comedy but it knows what it is and isn't afraid to lean into the cheese," says PureWow fashion editor Abby Hepworth. "Lohan and Overstreet are the right level of campy, as is her insane fiance. Highly recommend!"

3. Four Christmases (2008)

• Who’s in it? Vince Vaughn, Reese Witherspoon, Kristin Chenoweth, Robert Duvall
• Rating: PG-13

When their plans to vacation abroad for the holidays fall through, Brad and Kate are forced to stay home and celebrate with their families. Can they survive one Christmas with their dysfunctional relatives? "Four Christmases will definitely hit for anyone who has driven themselves crazy trying appease family during the holidays," according to PureWow fashion editor Abby Hepworth. "It really makes you appreciate when you can find someone to share in the madness with, in the most ridiculous way. Plus the cast is amazing—Reese Witherspoon, Vince Vaughn, Kristin Chenoweth, Jon Favreau, Mary Steenburgen, the list goes on and on."

4. Home Alone (1990)

• Who’s in it? Macaulay Culkin, Joe Pesci, Daniel Stern, John Heard, Catherine O'Hara
• Rating: PG

If there’s one Christmas movie that can bring out your inner child, it’s this one. Revisit Kevin McCallister's adventures as he outsmarts two bumbling criminals, who are trying to rob his home. "Watching Home Alone each Christmas has become one of my favorite traditions! I will never, ever grow tired of seeing those  bumbling criminals get outwitted by an 8-year-old," says Nakeisha Campbell, PureWow associate editor of news and entertainment.

5. Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992)

• Who’s in it? Macaulay Culkin, Joe Pesci, Daniel Stern
• Rating: PG

"As someone who’s always been obsessed with New York at Christmas, Home Alone 2 is the perfect Christmas movie. It’s got all the best parts of the original—hilarious performances by Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern plus unbelievable savviness from Kevin McCallister—but you get to add iconic scenes from ’90s NYC landmarks and an appearance from Tim Curry. How does it get better than that!?" says Nicole Frazzini, Gallery Media Group's audience development strategist. In this follow-up to Home Alone, Kevin is stuck in New York for the holidays with plenty of money to buy himself a room at an upscale hotel. His fun comes to a screeching halt when his old foes try to find him again. 

• Who’s in it? David Harbour, Beverly D'Angelo, John Leguizamo
• Rating: R

Let's say you or your holiday guests like a can of Whup @ss with your laughs. You're in luck, since 2022's Violent Night stars the improbable David Harbour as Kris Kringle, the original Santa, who is just going about his Christmas Eve business when he happens upon a home invasion led by imposter caterers, led by the always dependable villain John Leguizamo. I loved when Harbour's Santa goes commando (so different from his affable Officer Cooper on Stranger Things) to rescue the family, and the hopes of their youngest member, who is, of course, on the "Nice list." Turns out, Santa's got a backstory as a Viking warrior, so there's lots of explosions and hand-to-hand combat—but never too much for all ages.

• Who’s in it? Lewis Black, Wilmer Valderrama
• Rating: PG

"The movie Unaccompanied Minors is one of my favorite Christmas movies of all time!" says PureWow assistant editor Delia Curtis. "What’s worse than being stuck in an airport on Christmas day away from your family and friends? When said airport is run by an absolute Scrooge. Follow along with five unaccompanied minors and their wild shenanigans as they try to bring Christmas spirit back to stark Hoover International Airport all while being quarantined from the other kids. Escapades in the unclaimed baggage area? Sneaking into the first class lounges? A car run on vegetable oil? Down hill skiing on suitcases?" Comedian Lewis Black's dark scowl as the airport honcho is well suited to torture Valderrama's hapless kid wrangler.

• Who’s in it? Billy Bob Thornton, Tony Cox, Lauren Graham
• Rating: R

Not a film to watch when your conservative in-laws come to visit, but definitely a film I love to watch for an irreverent but ultimately touching feel-good film. One that's R-rated fun. This 2003 flick is from offbeat director Terry Zwigoff; it tells the story of two hard-drinking, foul-mouthed con men who impersonate a department store Santa and elf sidekick in order to rob stores in the run-up 'til Christmas. Thornton's Santa hates children, which is a rough characteristic for a department store Santa to have, but he thinks he can tough it out until their big scam is through. Then when an awkward, bullied little boy fixates on Thornton as the real Santa, the con man decides to help a child in need...but grudgingly, fortified by swigs of booze. I've never thought of Santa the same way after hearing the NSFW intimate talk between Thornton's Kris Kringle and his love interest, Lauren Graham, in a hot tub (Lorelai Gilmore would be ashamed!).

9. Surviving Christmas (2004)

• Who’s in it? Ben Affleck, James Gandolfini, Christina Applegate
• Rating: PG-13

Ben Affleck stars as a rich businessman, who goes to great lengths to avoid spending Christmas alone. After getting dumped by his girlfriend, he revisits his childhood home and bribes the new family so he can spend the holidays with them. The only catch? They must pretend to be his real family.

10. Mixed Nuts (1994)

• Who’s in it? Steve Martin, Caroline Aaron, Rob Reiner, Juliette Lewis
• Rating: PG-13

Philip is having a rather stressful holiday. Not only is he struggling to keep his suicide-prevention hotline afloat, but he’s also dealing with a recent breakup. 

11. A Bad Moms Christmas (2017)

• Who’s in it? Mila Kunis, Kristen Bell, Kathryn Hahn 
• Rating: R

Our favorite trio of down-to-earth mamas are back at it again in this festive sequel to Bad Moms. This time, Amy, Kiki (Kristen Bell) and Carla (Kathryn Hahn) make a pact to "take Christmas back" as they deal with their own mothers during the holidays.

12. Get Santa (2015) 

• Who’s in it? Jim Broadbent, Rafe Spall, Kit Connor 
• Rating: PG

When Santa crashes his sleigh and lands in jail, he enlists the help of a father-son duo to help him escape and return home for Christmas. If you need a family-friendly option that’s got laughs and a thoughtful storyline, then Get Santa is your best bet.

13. Ernest Saves Christmas (1988)

• Who’s in it? Jim Varney, Douglas Seale, Oliver Clark, Noelle Parker
• Rating: PG

While working his day job as a cab driver, Ernest embarks on a thrilling journey to help Santa Claus search for his successor. As always, Ernest is a hoot.

14. The Princess Switch (2018)

• Who’s in it? Vanessa Hudgens, Sam Palladio, Nick Sagar
• Rating: G

Think of it as The Parent Trap…but with a more mature and festive twist. Vanessa Hudgens stars as doppelgängers Stacy De Novo and Lady Margaret Delacourt, who swap places and wind up falling in love. Cheesy rom-coms, FTW.

15. Jack Frost (1998)

• Who’s in it? Michael Keaton, Kelly Preston, Joseph Cross, Mark Addy
• Rating: PG

When a rock musician slash father passes away, he gets resurrected as a life-sized snowman, thanks to a magical harmonica. Can he repair his relationship with his son before winter comes to an end?

16. Noelle (2019)

• Who’s in it? Anna Kendrick, Shirley MacLaine, Bill Hader
• Rating: G

As Nick Kringle, son of the late Santa Claus, goes through training to replace his father, he gets so overwhelmed that he runs away from the North Pole. Now, it’s up to his sister, Noelle (Anna Kendrick), to find her brother and get him back in time for Christmas.

17. The Santa Clause (1994)

• Who’s in it? Tim Allen, Judge Reinhold, Wendy Crewson, Eric Lloyd
• Rating: PG

Single dad and toy salesman Scott Calvin is in for the surprise of a lifetime when he accidentally causes the death of Santa Claus. It’s delightfully cheesy, full of charm and loaded with humor.

18. Christmas with the Kranks (2004)

• Who’s in it? Tim Allen, Jamie Lee Curtis, Dan Aykroyd
• Rating: PG

Excited to take advantage of their alone time, Luther and Nora Krank decide to skip out on the holidays, opting for a romantic cruise in the Caribbean instead. But their Christmas-obsessed neighbors don’t appreciate this news—especially since they’re determined to win the "best-decorated street" competition.

19. How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000) 

• Who’s in it? Jim Carrey, Molly Shannon, Anthony Hopkins
• Rating: PG 

Jim Carrey shines as the Grinch, a cynical creature who tries to put an end to holiday cheer by stealing everyone’s presents on Christmas Eve. He's a mean one, indeed.

20. A Christmas Story (1983)

• Who’s in it? Melinda Dillon, Darren McGavin, Peter Billingsley
• Rating: PG

Arguably one of the best Christmas movies of all time, A Christmas Story follows 9-year-old Ralphie Parker, who's determined to get a Red Ryder air rifle for Christmas. With its clever narration and heartwarming depiction of childhood, it's no wonder so many stations keep the film on heavy rotation during the holidays.

21. Best Man Holiday (2013)

• Who’s in it? Morris Chestnut, Taye Diggs, Regina Hall, Terrence Howard, Sanaa Lathan
• Rating: R

Old drama and rivalries resurface as Lance (Morris Chestnut), Harper (Taye Diggs) and the rest of the gang reunite to celebrate the holidays in this fun sequel. (P.S. If this is up your alley, look out for Peacock's upcoming Best Man limited series.) 

22. This Christmas (2007)

• Who’s in it? Delroy Lindo, Idris Elba, Loretta Devine, Chris Brown
• Rating: PG-13

In this special ode to awkward family Christmas dinners everywhere, a beloved matriarch invites the entire family over for their first reunion in years. But the happy occasion quickly goes south when family secrets are revealed.

23. I'll Be Home for Christmas (1998)

• Who’s in it? Jonathan Taylor Thomas, Jessica Biel, Adam LaVorgna, Sean O'Bryan
• Rating: PG

When a group of bullies leave Jake (Jonathan Taylor Thomas) stranded in the middle of nowhere with a Santa suit and no money, he must find a way to make it home in time for Christmas—and more importantly, get to the Porsche that his dad promised him.

24. Christmas Cupid (2010)

• Who’s in it? Christina Milian, Ashley Benson, Chad Michael Murray
• Rating: PG-13

A hard-working PR executive learns that one of her biggest clients has passed away. When he returns as a ghost and takes her on a journey through her ex-boyfriends, she soon realizes who she’s meant to be with.

25. Love Actually (2003)

• Who’s in it? Hugh Grant, Liam Neeson, Colin Firth, Laura Linney
• Rating: R 

Well, who can say no to a dazzling all-star cast and eight fascinating stories that explore the complexities of love? Watch for the laughs and Andrew Lincoln's epic cue-card scene.

26. The Night Before (2015) 

• Who’s in it? Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Seth Rogen, Anthony Mackie
• Rating: R

Three tight-knit friends have established a years-long tradition of celebrating Christmas Eve together, but when one of them becomes a father, they realize that their annual celebration is coming to an end. For their last hurrah, they decide to go all out. Naturally, chaos (and hilarity) ensues. 

27. A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas (2011)

• Who’s in it? John Cho, Kal Penn, Neil Patrick Harris
• Rating: R

Two old pals embark on a wild Christmas Eve adventure after Kumar (Kal Penn) accidentally burns down Harold's (John Cho) family Christmas tree. While it delivers in terms of humor and holiday cheer, it's also quite vulgar, so probably not the best choice for a family movie night.

28. Office Christmas Party (2016) 

• Who’s in it? Jason Bateman, Olivia Munn, T. J. Miller, Courtney B. Vance, Jennifer Aniston
• Rating: R

When his sister, CEO of Zenotek, threatens to shut down his branch in Chicago and cancel their Christmas party, Clay Vanstone (T.J. Miller), head of the branch, joins forces with his chief technical officer and plans a huge office Christmas party to save everyone’s jobs. If you think teen party scenes are wild, you haven't seen anything yet.

29. Deck the Halls (2006) 

• Who’s in it? Danny DeVito, Matthew Broderick, Kristin Chenoweth
• Rating: PG

A suburban dad’s life is turned upside-down when he meets his obnoxious new neighbor. To top it off, he seems determined to outshine everyone else with his holiday lights.

30. Tyler Perry’s A Madea Christmas (2013)

• Who’s in it? Tyler Perry, Kathy Najimy, Chad Michael Murray, Anna Maria Horsford, Tika Sumpter, Eric Lively
• Rating: PG-13

In the spirit of Christmas, Madea agrees to join her niece to surprise her daughter, Lacey (Tika Sumpter)—not knowing that she secretly got married. To cover up her secret, Lacey claims that her husband is actually her coworker, but the lie quickly starts to unravel.

31. Almost Christmas (2016)

• Who’s in it? Kimberly Elise, Mo'Nique, Nicole Ari Parker, Gabrielle Union, Danny Glover
• Rating: PG-13

Walter Meyer (Danny Glover), a retired mechanic, invites his children to celebrate Christmas for the first time since his wife’s death. Can the bickering siblings put their differences aside and make it a happy occasion? 

32. The Holiday (2006)

• Who’s in it? Cameron Diaz, Kate Winslet Jude Law, Jack Black,
• Rating: PG-13

Cameron Diaz and Kaye Winslet play two women living on opposite sides of the world. After going through major heartbreaks, they agree to swap homes and escape for the holidays, giving them both another chance at love. 

33. Last Holiday (2006)

• Who’s in it? Queen Latifah, LL Cool J, Timothy Hutton, Gérard Depardieu
• Rating: PG-13

Queen Latifah steals the show as Georgia, a soft-spoken department store worker who decides to go on a luxury holiday after learning that she’s dying in a few weeks. Although certain parts are predictable, it’s hard not to swoon at the chemistry between Latifah and LL Cool J’s characters.

34. Snowglobe (2007) 

• Who’s in it? Jason Schombing, Hilda Doherty, Christina Milian
• Rating: PG

Can you imagine getting a snow globe that magically transports you to a Winter Wonderland? That’s what happens to Angela (Christina Milian), who’s thrilled to experience a snowy town where everyone celebrates Christmas. But when one snow globe inhabitant follows her back into the real world, trouble ensues. 

35. Friday After Next (2002)

• Who’s in it? Ice Cube, Mike Epps, John Witherspoon, Terry Crews
• Rating: R

In this underrated Friday sequel, Craig (Ice Cube) and his slacker cousin Day-Day (Mike Epps) are enjoying their newfound freedom in their own apartment. But when a criminal dressed as Santa Claus breaks in and steals all their valuables, they’re forced to take jobs as security guards to avoid getting evicted.

36. Happiest Season (2020)

• Who’s in it? Kristen Stewart, Mackenzie Davis, Alison Brie
• Rating: PG-13

Happiest Season follows Harper (Mackenzie Davis), a young woman who struggles to come out to her conservative family when she brings her girlfriend to meet them for the holidays. (Fun fact: The story is inspired by director Clea DuVall’s real-life experiences with her family.)

37. Scrooged (1988)

• Who’s in it? Bill Murray, Karen Allen, John Forsythe, John Glover
• Rating: PG-13

In this dark, comedic version of Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol, Bill Murray plays Frank Cross, a heartless and cranky TV executive who fires one of his staff members on Christmas Eve. When he’s visited by the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future, he starts to rethink his actions and the true meaning of Christmas.

38. The Family Stone (2005)

• Who’s in it? Claire Danes, Diane Keaton, Rachel McAdams, Sarah Jessica Parker
• Rating: PG-13

A high-strung businesswoman struggles to fit in with her boyfriend’s eccentric family when she visits during the holiday season. *Cue the awkward family drama* 

39. A Very Merry Mix-Up (2013)

• Who’s in it? Alicia Witt, Mark Wiebe
• Rating: TV-G

What holiday is complete without at least one cheesy Hallmark romance? This one follows a young woman who travels to meet her fiancé's family on Christmas day…but ends up at the wrong house. By the time she discovers her mistake, however, she finds herself falling for another eligible bachelor.

40. Holidate (2020)

• Who’s in it? Emma Roberts, Luke Bracey, Jake Manley, Jessica Capshaw, Manish Dayal, Kristin Chenoweth
• Rating: R

Desperate to avoid judgment from her family for being single, Sloane teams up with a stranger to play his girlfriend. But things get complicated when they develop real feelings for each other. 

41. The Princess Switch: Switched Again (2020)

• Who's in it? Vanessa Hudgens, Sam Palladio, Suanne Braun
• Rating: G

In this follow-up to The Princess Switch, Hudgens returns as Margaret, whose Christmas coronation is fast approaching. She and her look-alike, Stacy (also Hudgens) swap places once again in an attempt to salvage Maragaret's love life, but things get quite messy when a third, evil doppelgänger enters their lives.

42. Father Christmas Is Back (2021)

• Who's in it? Elizabeth Hurley, Nathalie Cox, John Cleese
• Rating: PG-13

The British holiday comedy follows four siblings who reunite to celebrate Christmas at their Yorkshire mansion. But when their estranged father shows up unannounced, family secrets come to light and chaos ensues.

43. 48 Christmas Wishes (2017)

• Who's in it? Madeline Leon, Lauraas Laura, Liam MacDonald, Blakeas Blake
• Rating: TV-G

If you need a family-friendly option that'll have everyone laughing, look no further than this wholesome flick. The movie follows the misadventures of two elves as they try to retrieve a number of lost letters to Santa.

44. Last Christmas (2019)

• Who's in it? Emilia Clarke, Henry Golding, Michelle Yeoh, Emma Thompson
• Rating: PG-13 

Clarke stars as Kate, an aspiring singer and Christmas store worker who meets and falls for charming, mysterious guy named Tom (Henry Golding).

45. Midnight at the Magnolia (2020)

• Who's in it? Natalie Hall, Evan Williams, John Andrews, Alison Brooks
• Rating: TV-G

When two good friends and radio co-hosts get dumped by their romantic partners during the holidays, they decide to fake a romantic relationship to promote their show. But will their plan succeed?

46. A Christmas Story 2 (2012)

• Who’s in it? Daniel Stern, Braeden Lemasters, Stacey Travis
• Rating: PG

In this sequel to the 1983 classic, Ralphie is five years older and close to getting his driver's license. So this time, he sets his eyes on the 1939 Mercury Eight convertible—a gift he’s sure will help him win the girl of his dreams.

• Who’s in it? Winslow Fegley, Neil Patrick Harris, Steve Zahn
• Rating: PG

Set in 1980s Chicago, the movie follows 10-year-old Jake Doyle and his friends as they embark on a very important mission: to get the Nintendo Entertainment System, AKA the best Christmas gift ever. But how far are they willing to go to get heir hands on the new game? You'll have to watch to find out.

• Who’s in it? Will Ferrell, Ryan Reynolds, Octavia Spencer, Sunita Mani
• Rating: PG-13

In this musical adaptation of the Charles Dickens classic, A Christmas Carol, Will Ferrell is Ebenezer Scrooge, aka the Ghost of Christmas Present. His mission? To ensure that Clint, a hard-hearted media consultant, gets his redemption. To his surprise, however, Clint winds up helping Ebenezer confront his own past.

• Who’s in it? Mary Steenburgen, Gary Basaraba, Michelle Meyrink, Elisabeth Harnois
• Rating: G

An angel named Gideon sets out to help Ginny—a wife and mother with no Christmas spirit—embrace the holidays with a newfound sense of gratitude. And in order to do it, he has to show her that things could be much, much worse.

50. The Christmas Chronicles (2018)

• Who’s in it? Kurt Russell, Darby Camp, Judah Lewis
• Rating: PG

When Saint Nick comes to their home for a visit, two siblings manage to sneak onto his sleigh. But when they lose all the presents due to a mechanical issue, the children and Santa must team up to get them delivered in time for Christmas. 

• Who’s in it? Ryan Reynolds, Amy Smart, Anna Faris, Chris Klein
• Rating: PG-13

Reynolds shines as Chris Brander, an L.A.-based record producer and womanizer who tries to win the heart of his high school crush when he returns to his hometown for Christmas—even though she friend-zoned him over a decade earlier.

• Who’s in it? Jonathan Bennett, George Krissa, Chelsea Hobbs, Everett Andres
• Rating: TV-G

When Sam agrees to babysit his niece and nephew during the holidays, he gets so overwhelmed that he enlists the help of a handsome neighbor named Jason. Fortunately, Jason is a natural with the kids, and before long, Sam starts to develop feelings for him.

53. National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989)

• Who’s in it? Chevy Chase, Beverly D'Angelo, Juliette Lewis
• Rating: PG-13

All Clark Griswold wants is to host the perfect family Christmas. That proves nearly impossible when a relative shows up uninvited and, worse yet, Clark misses out on his holiday bonus. 

54. Jingle All the Way (1996)

• Who’s in it? Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sinbad, Phil Hartman, Rita Wilson
• Rating: PG

How far would you go to get your child a Christmas gift? Would you risk getting trampled by a crowd, chasing after a car and getting into a fight with Santa Claus? Well, Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Howard Langston does all the above and more as he desperately tries to get a Turbo-Man action figure for his son on Christmas Eve.

55. Arthur Christmas (2011)

• Who’s in it? James McAvoy, Hugh Laurie, Bill Nighy, Jim Broadbent 
• Rating: PG

This clever animated comedy follows Santa Claus’s quirky son, Arthur Claus, as he embarks on a special mission to save Christmas by delivering one last gift with the help of his grandfather, an elf and a team of eight untrained reindeer. This heartwarming flick will appeal to kids and adults alike.