Well, this won't be at all divisive. Every Christmas, the same debate emerges among film fans: what's the the greatest festive film of all time? Christmas cinema is a proud Hollywood tradition, although attempts in recent years have proved that it's getting harder and harder to find an original format (Four Christmases, anyone?). We all love a film that gets us nostalgic about the season, and so do TV schedulers, who know they're guaranteed an audience ever for a film we've seen a hundred times before.
Wise to the appeal of in-film festivity, many studios have chosen to set films at Christmas at no relevance to the plot, in the hope of increasing those nostalgic repeat views. So in making a list (and checking it twice), I've taken the controversial decision to only include films which are either directly about, or significantly involve, the themes and festival of Christmas. That means there's no place for action classic Die Hard (I can already hear the angry tweets being composed), or almost all the rom-coms produced in the last twenty years (bar one).
You'll almost certainly disagree with my order, and probably some of my choices, but here for my money is the rundown – in order – of the greatest Christmas movies of all time.
10. The Nativity Story
It's probably nowhere near the top ten in truth, but I include Catherine Hardwicke's 2006 effort in this list because it's the only notable movie that makes a decent attempt at telling the real Christmas story in full. Keisha Castle-Hughes is great as a young, troubled Mary, but in truth despite all the church-led hype it received in the wake of The Passion of the Christ, the film is just a bit... boring.
It'll get an awful lot more views this Christmas from sci-fi geeks however, after Oscar Isaac – who plays Joseph – was cast as Poe Dameron in Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
9. Miracle on 34th Street
No, not the Richard Attenborough remake, but the brilliant 1947 original, featuring Edmund Gwenn as Kris Kringle, the department store santa who believes himself to be the actual Father Christmas (because he is).
Can he convince a young girl of the fact, and in so doing restore her ailing faith in Christmas as she'ssurrounded by people who think it's all about spending money? It would be a pretty depressing film if not.
8. Love, Actually
Sure, it's as bourgeois as Louis XIV, and set in a Narnian London that has airbrushed almost every sign of poverty and multiculturalism, but it's undeniably Christmassy and has become the present-wrapping backdrop of choice for an entire generation.
A brilliant ensemble cast featuring the cream of British acting talent and their turtle-necks ensure that while the story's a bit flimsy, the laughs keep coming on the third, fourth or twentieth viewing.
As an interesting side note, script editor Emma Freud recently revealed that Rowan Atkinson's character was initially meant be an angel, sent to frustrate Alan Rickman's attempt to have an affair.
7. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
Not only is the first Narnia film the best, and the most archetypical BBC1 Christmas Day movie imaginable, it's also fairly Christmassy AND full of Christian messages. At one point CS Lewis' band of polite children even encounter Father Christmas, who has presents for Lucy, Peter and Susan, but not for that nasty Edmund boy.
Best enjoyed on the sofa after a very large lunch, perhaps accompanied by a small portion of Turkish Delight if you're the sort of weirdo who actually likes it.
6. A Charlie Brown Christmas
This anti-consumerist cartoon is perhaps even more relevant now than on its 1965 release. A simple plot about a slightly wimpy-looking Christmas tree belies a meaningful short film about the true meaning of Christmas (which turns out to be a bit of the baby Jesus, and a bit of working together). A childhood favourite of mine, and millions of others.
5. The Nightmare Before Christmas
Yes, I know this is Christian Today, but hear me out. As a piece of film-making, Tim Burton's stop-motion classic is aan undisputed heavyweight which redefined its genre, but I appreciate that as a film about monsters from Hallowe'en Town will concern some Christian parents.
However, it's a film with a serious moral, and it also affirms the idea that Christmas, with its ideals of warmth, joy and generosity is far preferable to the darkness of October 31. It's a bit grisly in places, but its heart is in a harmless place. Moral panic over.
4. Elf
Certainly the best Christmas film of recent years, and probably funnyman Will Ferrell's finest hour too, the story of Buddy – a human raised by elves and sent out into the harsh reality of modern New York – is pretty much a-laugh-a-minute. It's not the deepest or most intellectually-challenging film on the list, but it has a heart of gold, and has become such a repeat-viewing phenomenon that it's even spawned a West End stage show.
3. The Snowman
Sure, it's a short film, but name me one that's more famous, influential or downright brilliant. The adaptation of Raymond Briggs' wordless picture book is an extraordinarily emotive journey from a small boy's backyard to the other side of the world. The soundtrack, including the classic 'Walking in the air' is enough to induce sobbing on its own; add in the final terrible scene, and we're all a watery mess by the end.
2. A Muppet's Christmas Carol
What do you get when you put together Charles Dickens, the Muppets and Michael Caine? The answer is one of the great children's films; a hilarious, touching musical retelling of one of perhaps the second most famous Christmas story of all.
For families all over the world, this has become a definitive part of the annual Christmas experience, and listening to Caine murder the Thankful Heart song at the end while surrounded by twirling muppets is worth the price of the DVD alone. I desperately want to make it no.1, but deep down I know it's not quite...
1. It's a Wonderful Life
A predictable winner, huh? But also the right one; Frank Capra's all-time great about a suicidal man given a second chance is as heart-warming as an eggnog latte and hugely moving to boot. James Stewart's career-best performance as the central character George Bailey steals the film, but there's genius everywhere you look, and also some pretty strong Christian themes (Bailey's only saved because prayers for him reach heaven and cause an angel to be despatched). Even if you don't 'do' black and white films, do this one – it's a bona fide Christmas classic.
I await your angry corrections. Merry Christmas.
Martin Saunders is a Contributing Editor for Christian Today and the Deputy CEO of Youthscape. You can follow him on Twitter: @martinsaunders
