Christmas can be a hard time of year, and there’s no shortage of melancholy Christmas films. But why do those when you could actively lift your spirit instead?
No, we won’t begrudge anyone their taste. If sadder Christmas movies are your thing, we support you. But if you’re here, you’re looking for more of a holiday comedy, and we can certainly help you out with that. From early 2000s classics to more recent offerings, there are plenty to choose from, so allow us to narrow it down a bit.
Here are seven Christmas comedies that will surely bring you some holiday cheer.
“Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas” (2000)
This version of the Grinch’s story has always been divisive, but for me, it’s an annual watch. Jim Carrey’s face is so expressive, even through prosthetics, and it’s just endlessly quotable. Christine Baranksi also wholly commits to the bit, alongside Molly Shannon and Jeffrey Tambor. It’s just pure Christmas fun.
“Fred Claus” (2007)
“Fred Claus” may not be the Christmas movie most immediately associated with Paul Giamatti these days, thanks to “The Holdovers,” but don’t sleep on it. His portrayal of Santa Claus is both funny and heartwarming, and the movie contains a whole aggressive snowball fight between Giamatti and Vince Vaughn. It’s overall a delight.
“Jingle All the Way” (1996)
Admittedly, unless you grew up with “Jingle All the Way,” you may not enjoy this off the bat. It doesn’t age quite as well as other Christmas classics, so you’ll have to stomach some cringe, but I’ve always considered it under-appreciated for its time. It includes Arnold Schwarzenegger as a fake superhero, as well as him running through New York, chanting the names of Santa’s reindeer. It’s just goofy and fun.
“Noelle” (2019)
Thanks to “Noelle” heading straight to streaming, it tends to go overlooked each year, but it’s actually quite sweet. Plus, with Anna Kendrick and Bill Hader at the heart of it, you will certainly get a laugh out of the film. The duo plays Santa’s adult children, preparing to take over the family business. The thing is, only one of them is super prepared — and it’s not Nick.
“Candy Cane Lane” (2023)
This is another one that went a bit under the radar because it went straight to streaming. But, like Jim Carrey, Eddie Murphy is a star that will make sure you have a good time. In it, he races against the clock after unintentionally making a horrifying deal with an evil Christmas elf, and has to deal with the 12 days of Christmas coming to life. It’ll certainly give you some joy.
“Violent Night” (2022)
Fair warning, this one is bloody. It’s a bit like “Home Alone,” if the medical ramifications of “Home Alone” actually came to pass. David Harbour plays a disillusioned Santa, who finds his passion for the holiday again when mercenaries take a family hostage. You may have to look away a lot, but this movie is undeniably very funny at times, and a sequel is on the way next year.
The Night Before
“The Night Before” is really a sweet story about friendship, but it stars Seth Rogen, Anthony Mackie and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, so it has many a laugh in there too. There are stoned shenanigans, musical numbers and even a stray Michael Shannon in a laugh-out-loud supporting role. It’s also one of the most rewatchable on this list.
