Team Experiences UK's Best Christmas Films

Everyone has got a favourite Christmas film: Home Alone, It's a Wonderful Life, Elf, The Grinch, Love Actually, Die Hard (don't worry, Bruce Willis fans, we hear you loud and clear. It's a Christmas film). But which ones do our team at Experiences HQ watch again and again every December? We asked them and here's what they said…

• Alex MacGregor, Senior Creative Content Writer: The Muppet Christmas Carol

The same way that most people have a favourite James Bond (just FYI, Sir Roger Moore is mine), most people have a favourite big screen adaptation of Charles Dickens' festive novella, A Christmas Carol. And in my case, it's truly not the start of the run up to Christmas until I've heard the immortal words: "It's in the singing of a street corner choir / It's going home and getting warm by the fire..." coming from my TV.

This unique, fuzzy retelling of the story of miserly moneylender Ebenezer Scrooge, and his redemption to see the good in the festive season via paranormal visits from three Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Yet to Come, is illuminated all the more by Sir Michael Caine in the lead role (he famously said he played the role dramatically to make it all the funnier in contrast to the wild and wacky cast of Muppets he's surrounded by).

Then there's the winning combination of Gonzo as a narrating Charles Dickens - with an oftentimes petrified Rizzo the Rat as something of a Greek chorus in tow ("LIGHT THE LAMP, NOT THE RAT" still lives hilariously rent free in our heads), Kermit the Frog as Scrooge's poor but loyal clerk Bob Cratchit, his nephew Robin as Tiny Tim and - who else? - Miss Piggy as his wife, Emily Cratchit. Not to mention a supporting singing menagerie of pigs, penguins, rats, mice, chickens, even vegetables in Victorian London costume and it's quite simply anything but a humbug!

• Beth Webb, Creative Content Writer: Miracle on 34th Street

This is a tricky question since there have been so many Christmas films released over the years, offering a wide variety to choose from. However, some of my favourite feel-good Christmas movies that I love to return to include Miracle on 34th Street. This is also one of my mum's favourite films, so we always grab a blanket, make some hot chocolate, and watch it together.

I also enjoy watching The Holiday; it's definitely a cosy film that gives a feel-good vibe. You can't have Christmas movies without mixing in some comedies, so I often find myself revisiting films like Dear Santa - which is new this year and stars Jack Black - Violent Night, which sounds a bit gory (and it is a little bit), but it's so good, and of course, Nativity. You can't have a Christmas movie marathon without at least one of these films!

• Violet Daniels, Content Writer / Editor: The Holiday

Being a little bit of a Scrooge when it comes to Christmas (I blame the nearly five years spent working in retail!) - it's hard for me to pinpoint a festive film I like, but on the other hand, I might be a better judge because of that. The one Christmas film that will always get me out of my Scrooge shell is The Holiday. Not only is Jude Law at his finest (in more ways than one) but it has all the cosy, wintery vibes you need whilst also being funny and upbeat thanks to the casting of Jack Black and his pairing with one of my favourite actresses of all time: Kate Winslet.

Writing this is actually making me want to do my seasonal re-watch right this second! As Kate Winslet and Cameron Diaz embark on the most iconic house swap of all time, we're wrapped up in a cosy love story with just a faint drizzle of Christmas thrown in. If you haven't seen The Holiday yet, make it your next film to watch during this festive season. You'll no doubt fall in love with Shere and Godalming in Surrey - two real locations used to create the cosy pub vibes of the quaint little town that Iris (Winslet) lives in and Amanda (Diaz) ends up falling in love with. As Christmas films go, it takes a lot for me to like them, but this is simply the best.

• Lucy Jobson, Content Writer / Editor: The Holiday

There's a notable variety of Christmas films out there: the brilliant ones, the not-so-brilliant ones, and those that fall somewhere in between. From blockbusters to Hallmark specials, from New York to Coventry, romance, horror, comedy, nostalgia—we're absolutely spoilt for choice.

Now, let me level with you: I'm not the biggest movie watcher (ironic, I know, for a film graduate). I'd much rather spend my free time down at the pub on Christmas, or watching age-old classic TV that radiates festive cheer (think The Vicar of Dibley or Miranda). But when the time comes for my icy heart to thaw and accept a Christmas movie into my life as the days tick down, there's always a shining star waiting for me. And that star…is Jude Law.

Of course, I'm talking about The Holiday! Honestly, what woman can resist it? It brings together iconic UK and American actors, it's emotional, heartwarming, and funny, and—most importantly - it's got young Jude Law. What more could you possibly want in a Christmas film?

For runners-up, I'd nominate Home Alone 2, Nativity, and The Polar Express. But come the 23rd, the real highlight of the season is waiting for the 24th - cosying up with a bottle of bubbly, a million blankets, a cheeky Domino's pizza, and The Holiday playing on the TV. Bliss.

What's your favourite Christmas film? Let us know on our social media channels. Don't forget, you can book one of our great TV and Film Tour Experiences which gets you closer to many of the filming locations used in much loved films, from Mary Poppins to Harry Potter and Paddington! And you can find more great Christmas Gift Ideas for everyone to enjoy whatever your budget or whatever their interests are.