The festive season is an odd, liminal space in the calendar—a time where you’re never quite sure of the day, but it doesn’t really matter. You can’t move for leftover cheese, your family’s tolerance levels are hanging by a thread, and suddenly it feels acceptable to sit in your dressing gown for 72 hours straight. What better way to spend those long, glittering evenings than with films that make the world outside disappear?

This isn’t a list for just Christmas films—though a couple do sneak in. It’s about nostalgia, chaos, and sheer entertainment, the kind that makes you feel like the world might not be so bad after all. Grab your favourite snack, claim the comfiest seat, and settle in.

The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992): A Festive Classic for Everyone

Let’s start with the best—The Muppet Christmas Carol. There’s no need to argue. This is Dickens as it was meant to be: a ghost story wrapped in felt and stitched together with Michael Caine’s deadpan sincerity. He plays Scrooge as if he’s on the West End stage, delivering Oscar-worthy grief while surrounded by Kermit the Frog and Gonzo narrating as Charles Dickens himself.

The music is excellent, the jokes are timeless, and it balances heart and chaos like no other festive film. If you don’t shed a tear during “Bless Us All” or laugh at Rizzo muttering, “Light the lamp, not the rat!”, then you may, in fact, be Scrooge.

Jaws (1975): Nothing Says Togetherness Like Sharks

Nothing bonds a family like collective tension, and Jaws provides it in spades. Spielberg’s masterpiece is technically a summer film, but its crashing waves and tight-knit trio of Roy Scheider, Richard Dreyfuss, and Robert Shaw make it perfect for a wintry watch.

It’s also the ultimate lesson in anticipation: Jaws builds dread with precision, proving you don’t need to see the shark to know it’s there—much like that relative who insists on discussing politics after too many sherries. Watching it in the festive season feels oddly comforting, like slipping into an old jumper that smells faintly of salt and terror.

Paddington 2 (2017): Pure, Undiluted Joy

Paddington 2 is a film so charming it could single-handedly cure cynicism. If you’ve not yet seen it, you’re in for a treat. If you have, you already know it’s as comforting as a cup of tea and a marmalade sandwich on a cold day.

Paddington himself—gentle, earnest, and perpetually optimistic—reminds us of the importance of kindness, while Hugh Grant’s ludicrously brilliant villain turn as Phoenix Buchanan injects just the right amount of chaos. If the festive season is making you feel a bit frayed around the edges, this is the film equivalent of a warm hug.

Die Hard (1988): Yes, It’s a Christmas Film.

Is Die Hard a Christmas film? Of course it is—Bruce Willis fights terrorists at a Christmas party, there’s snow (sort of), and “Ho ho ho, now I have a machine gun” is practically carol-worthy. But even if you’re not convinced, Die Hard deserves a place in your festive rotation for one reason: it’s the antidote to saccharine holiday fluff.

There’s nothing cosy about ventilation shafts or Alan Rickman’s Hans Gruber falling off a skyscraper, and yet it’s impossibly rewatchable. If nothing else, Die Hard proves that Christmas is about tradition—and for many, watching Bruce Willis crawl through ducts barefoot has become exactly that.

Goldfinger (1964): A Bond Film Is Non-Negotiable

No festive season is complete without a James Bond film, and Goldfinger is as good as it gets. Sean Connery’s Bond is suave, confident, and prone to dropping lines so iconic they belong on tea towels. From “Shocking, positively shocking” to the unforgettable “No, Mr. Bond, I expect you to die!”, it’s a film dripping in nostalgic British charm.

Bond films have a tradition of appearing on television at Christmas, often while families half-watch through post-lunch naps. There’s something reassuring about it—like Alan Partridge narrating Bond’s “seductive spy work” in his dulcet tones, offering unsolicited opinions on laser beams and bowler hats.

Scrooged (1988): Bill Murray at His Chaotic Best

Scrooged is the dark, chaotic cousin of The Muppet Christmas Carol, and it’s all the better for it. Bill Murray plays Frank Cross, a cynical TV executive and the modern-day Scrooge, whose Christmas is filled with sarcasm, explosive sets, and the occasional ghostly intervention.

It’s relentlessly funny, occasionally unsettling, and undeniably 80s in its approach. Frank’s transformation from a sneering villain to a man with actual feelings might not be subtle, but that’s not what you’re here for. You’re here for Bill Murray, who delivers lines with the kind of unhinged charisma that’s perfect for the season.

Carry On Camping (1969): Classic British Nonsense

The Carry On films are to British cinema what leftover turkey sandwiches are to Christmas—they’re unavoidable, slightly absurd, and oddly satisfying. Carry On Camping is the pinnacle of this nonsense, featuring Sid James, Barbara Windsor, and a series of double entendres so predictable they’ve become an art form.

It’s ridiculous, of course, but that’s the joy of it. Watching Carry On Camping during the festive season feels like a throwback to simpler times, when comedy didn’t require nuance and the only thing that mattered was the next pratfall. It’s nostalgic, chaotic, and wonderfully British—perfect for a post-lunch slump on Boxing Day.

Elf (2003): Festive, Silly, and Impossible to Resist

There’s something undeniably pure about Elf, even if you’d rather not admit it. Will Ferrell’s Buddy, an oversized elf with the innocence of a child and the energy of ten espresso shots, transforms even the most cynical Scrooge into a believer.

It’s a film that thrives on its silliness—whether Buddy’s wrestling a fake Santa or enthusiastically pouring syrup onto spaghetti—and yet, it manages to hit the right emotional beats, too. By the time the credits roll, you’ll have laughed, you’ll have cringed, and you might even feel a tiny bit festive.

Films to Escape Into

The festive season is about indulgence, nostalgia, and films that bring comfort, chaos, or a bit of both. Whether it’s Michael Caine delivering Dickens, Bond battling Goldfinger, or Bill Murray yelling at ghosts, the best films to watch are the ones that remind us why we fell in love with movies in the first place.

So grab a blanket, pick your poison (tea, wine, or leftover trifle), and settle in. The festive season isn’t just about tradition—it’s about creating your own strange, wonderful moments. And sometimes, that means watching Bruce Willis throw Hans Gruber off a skyscraper for the fiftieth time. After all, what else are you going to do—go for a brisk walk? I didn’t think so.

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James Henshaw

James Henshaw is a brooding Geordie export who swapped the industrial grit of Newcastle for the peculiar calm of Lincolnshire—though he’s yet to fully trust the flatness. With a mind as sharp as a stiletto and a penchant for science-tinged musings, James blends the surreal with the everyday, crafting blogs that feel like the lovechild of a physics textbook and a fever dream.

Equally at home dissecting the absurdities of modern life as he is explaining quantum theory with alarming metaphors, James writes with the wit of someone who knows too much and the irreverence of someone who doesn’t care. His posts are infused with a dark humour that dares you to laugh at the strange, the inexplicable, and the occasionally terrifying truths of the universe—whether it’s the unnerving accuracy of Alexa or the existential menace of wasps.

A figure of mystery with a slightly unsettling edge, James is the sort of bloke who’d explain the meaning of life over a pint, but only after a dramatic pause long enough to make you question your own existence. His wit cuts deep, his insights are sharp, and his ability to make the surreal feel strangely plausible keeps readers coming back for more.

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