8 Underrated Christmas Movies That Deserve More Recognition

There’s a reason Christmas is referred to as the most wonderful time of the year. The festive songs, the delicious food, the stunning decorations all around the neighborhood — you can almost feel a sense of magic in the air. But honestly, there’s no better way to fully immerse yourself in the holiday spirit than by watching the vast array of Christmas movies that are readily available this time of year. Because while the month of December can be filled with a lot of hustle and bustle — particularly when it comes to holiday shopping, gift wrapping, and attending the unlimited amount of school functions for the kiddos — it’s always nice to cozy up to watch a lovely Christmas classic at the end of the day with the people you love most.

But with so many options at your disposal, how do you decide what to watch? While it’s true that there are a lot of very popular Christmas films that deserve to be in the viewing rotation year after year after year, I believe it’s high time to give some of the less talked about holiday movies the attention they’ve more than earned. Of course, that’s not to say that fan favorites like Home Alone, The Santa Clause, and Elf aren’t worthy of the fame they’ve accumulated over the years. (They are all highly entertaining and extremely quotable, after all!)

However, if you’re in the mood for something a little different this year, try these lesser-known holiday gems guaranteed to make your season both holly and jolly.

1. Four Christmases (2008)

Visiting all four sets of parents may seem like an incredibly stressful undertaking in real life, but it proves to be hilariously entertaining on the big screen. Vince Vaughn and Reese Witherspoon are both at their comedic best throughout the entirety of the film, which includes some A-list guest stars, such as Kristen Chenoweth, Jon Favreau, Robert Duvall, Sissy Spacek, Mary Steenburgen, and Tim McGraw, just to name a few. Even Peter Billingsley, aka Ralphie from A Christmas Story, makes a small cameo as a ticket agent. You’ll laugh. You’ll cry (probably because you’re laughing so hard). You’ll be grateful your own family isn't quite so complicated.

2. The Family Stone (2005)

If you love witnessing family drama without having to insert yourself into the situation in any way, you'll love watching the Stone family come together for the holidays and unleash all of their baggage on each other. Seriously, there are some truly awkward moments, particularly for Sarah Jessica Parker's character, that are borderline cringe-worthy. And yet, is that not an accurate representation of how some of these family events tend to go? At least in this case, we can all sit back and watch it all happen from the sidelines and revel in someone else's family drama.

3. Fred Claus (2007)

Many stories have been told about Kris Kringle and how he became the mystical figure known as Santa Claus. But did you know he also has a very grumpy, anti-jolly older brother named Fred? This just goes to show that no one is immune from complicated family dynamics... not even Santa himself.

4. Prancer (1989)

Adore a good animal-child bonding story? Then Prancer is sure to hit you right in the feels. A little girl comes across an injured reindeer and becomes convinced it belongs to Santa, so she does everything she can to nurse him back to health. Not surprisingly, the two create a special bond along the way. It doesn’t have all of the bells and whistles of modern-day Christmas films, but that’s also kind of the appeal. Sometimes, it’s the simple things that can end up meaning the most.

5. Jack Frost (1998)

This one definitely takes you on an emotional journey, so only take this on if you don’t mind weeping into your stocking a few times. Michael Keaton stars as Jack Frost, a career-oriented dad who never really made time for his family. After dying in a car accident one year prior, Jack returns home in the form of a snowman and tries to make things right with his son and wife. Sure, the storyline sounds like a bit of a bummer for the holidays, but there are some moving scenes and comedic moments to lighten the mood. It may not be for everyone, but it genuinely deserves more recognition than it’s received.

6. While You Were Sleeping (1995)

It’s a classic love story, really: boy meets girl, boy almost gets killed by a subway train and ends up in a coma, girl takes boy to the hospital and accidentally makes boy’s family believe the two of them are engaged, girl winds up falling in love with boy’s brother. It truly is a great and highly underrated romantic comedy that boasts an all-star cast (hello, Sandra Bullock and Bill Pullman!) and is made all the more magical by using the holiday season as a whimsical backdrop. That’s what I call a win-win.

7. Jingle All the Way (1996)

National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation may get all the attention during this time of year, but let’s not forget this other family comedy chock full of hijinks. But instead of Chevy Chase trying to survive a few days with his extended family, it’s Arnold Schwarzenegger running around trying to find a Turbo-Man action figure for his son for Christmas. It gets a little stressful at times, but the end result makes for a lot of light-hearted fun.

8. Babes in Toyland (1986)

This made-for-TV Christmas movie musical isn’t ever really talked about despite the big names attached to it. Lisa Piper (a young Drew Barrymore) finds herself in a magical realm known as Toyland, where she teams up with Mary Contrary (Jill Schoelen) and Jack-be-Nimble (Keanu Reeves) to stop the evil Barnaby Barnicle from wreaking havoc on the town. There’s singing. There’s dancing. There’s a young and oh-so-dreamy Keanu Reeves. What more could one possibly ask for?

So yes, go ahead and watch all of those beloved classics this holiday season. But while you’re at it, I urge you to consider giving these underdog flicks a try as well. You won’t regret it.