Christmastime is often ripe with reflection. It’s the season of giving. The time for coming together and burying of old hatchets. And it’s also a time for romance. Yes, you read that right, amidst all the family mumbo-jumbo, there’s something about this special time that makes people feel very cozy about others.
Whether it is a couple kissing as snowflakes fall around them, or two people finally getting together at a family meal, romantic movies have a way of capturing this time perfectly. Lets be honest, the films don’t really break new ground, but that isn’t their purpose.Christmas Romance moviesare meant to be idealized. They are meant to reflect the way we want things to be, rather than the way they probably are.
And all of this makes sense! Christmas is the holiday where we idealize what we hope to receive from others. This can be in the form of gifts, food, love, etc. Sometimes those things can be interchangeable. The whole spirit of giving (no matter what it is), is what makes this time so special.
So it is without further adieus, and with the help ofIMDB, that we give you 18 Christmas Movies Perfect for Holiday Romance that are sure to make you feel warm and fuzzy. As we have said, Christmas is a special time and what’s more special then renewing, rekindling or finding romance? Whatever you want from thisholiday season, there’s something for everyone on this list.
18It’s A Wonderful Life
Thistimeless classicis a true Christmas movie gem that tugs at the heart strings. In life we all make mistakes. At one point or another, we all think the world would be a simpler place, a better place, if we weren’t in it. Well, George Bailey is having the worst Christmas Eve ever. He’s going to end it all… then an angel named Clarence steps in and shows George what life would’ve been like without him. The romance in this film comes in what George does in his life for his family and friends. What man watching this film doesn’t want to be the character of George Bailey? What woman wouldn’t want a man like that? It’s a Wonderful Life might seem like schmaltz, but it’s ability to bring people together (over a story that celebrates humanity) shows that true love is not just a romantic notion. It is very, very real.
17Four Christmases
Families have a way of bringing us together and pulling us apart. This is never more apparent during the holidays. And when you factor in your family, your partner’s family, extended family, etc., this whole thing can seem like a maze of personality managing. Vince Vaughn and Reese Witherspoon play a couple who have to navigate this emotion filled river. Their parents are divorced so they suddenly find themselves celebrating more Christmases than anybody on the planet. With a comedic touch and a lot of heart, Four Christmases serves many purposes. It is one of those Christmas movies that reminds us of the importance of the season. At the same time it is enough of a romantic movie that it binds us with our loved ones. It allows us to share the same emotions about our shared family during the holidays.
16The Bishop’s Wife (1947)
Everybody has problems. No matter who you are, no matter how perfect you think your life is, everyone is dealing with something. I bring this up because it is from these very trials that romantic comedy movies (especially of the Christmas variety) are born. This Christmas movie follows a bishop who needs to build a new place of worship and fix his flailing marriage. Starring the likes of Carey Grant and Loretta Young, director Henry Koster gets everything right here. From the tone, to the mood, to the overall warm and fuzzy Christmas feel, couples will certainly find themselves yearning for “us time” after viewing this film. If you think I’m joking, we dare you to try and not be captivated by the musical scene on ice skates!
15A Christmas Romance
It may be hard to visualize it now but there was a time when pairing Olivia Newton-John and Gregory Harrison was HOT. Think Christmas romance movie personified. Truthfully, that was in the 1980s. Things may not be steaming in this 1990s film, but there’s a lot going on to make thisChristmas moviefeel more than cozy. Newton-John plays a widowed mom who is barely getting by. Things get magical when she helps a debt collector (Harrison) who has crashed his car. A storm is happening, these strangers are thrown together, and suddenly we see how they are meant for one another. If this romantic comedy movie doesn’t put you in the mood for some Christmas love, we don’t know what will.
14The Family Man
Nicholas Cage gets a lot of grief simply for being Nicholas Cage. Sure, his movie choices can be questionable, but his dedication to those choices are certainly not. Directed by Brett Ratner, The Family Man is one of the most unsung films of both their careers. This is one of those Christmas movies that epitomizes the very genre it is a part of. Part It’s a Wonderful Life and A Christmas Carol, we see what happens when a freewheeling bachelor wakes up to being a father, a husband and all the responsibilities that entails. Resistance ensues until ultimately this character realizes just how important family is. This Christmas romance movie exudes that warm and fuzzy feeling without every feeling cheesy. That in itself is a true holiday accomplishment.
13The Holiday
Two lovelorn woman, tired of the men they are meeting in their own countries, decide to swap homes and see how the other half lives. As you have probably figured out they find the men of the dreams. Starring Cameron Diaz, Jude Law, Kate Winslet and Jack Black, The Holiday might seem schmaltzy but it’s the kind of romantic comedy movie that is perfect for couples around the holidays. Clocking in at over two hours, this will virtually ensure that those in a relationship have to spend time together. And with a romantic movie (that is also solidly in the Christmas movies camp) that makes you feel this good, those watching are all but assured of some “quality time.”
12Just Friends
This 2005 Christmas movie tackles the “friend zone” for the holidays. Don’t be fooled, however, Just Friends is very much a romantic movie. Chris Brander (Ryan Reynolds) plays a successful music executive. He returns to his hometown by accident and confronts an old crush (Amy Smart). Having been in the dreaded “friend zone” with this person when they were younger, Brander is determined to have things be different this time around. Set around Christmas, Just Friends is simply a lighthearted romp about change, hope and the spirit of the holidays. Sure, it has a bit of an insensitive subplot (even for romantic comedy movies) about weight (Brander was bigger when he was younger, so of course he had to be in the friend zone, right?), but overall this movie has its heart in the right place.
11The Family Stone
The Family Stone is that rare Christmas romance movie that tries to inject honesty into what presents itself as a happy-go-lucky genre. Look at the one sheet for crying out loud, audiences are practically being given the middle finger! The film centers on a business woman who wouldn’t know fun if it landed on her face. She goes to her boyfriends family for Christmas and soon realizes that she’s completely out of place. With a cast that features Dermot Mulroney, Sarah Jessica Parker, Claire Danes, Diane Keaton, and Rachel McAdams, just to name a few, this film has “adult” written all over it. More to the point it claims the christmas romance movie title as well. Just don’t start feeling that you need to be as honest with the love of your life as this film is, otherwise you could be staring at a green and red separation!
10Holiday Inn (1942)
Taking the classic romantic movie trope of two men vying for the same woman, Holiday Inn goes one step further by wrapping that idea in the holiday spirit. Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire (no less!) are the two men hoping to get in cahoots with Marjorie Reynolds. As you can guess, nothing goes simply in this romantic movie as Crosby and Astaire try and outdo one another for Reynolds' affections. Filled with great scenes, solid acting, and the sensibility of a time gone by, Holiday Inn is made for this time of year. So, boil some hot coco, turn on the fireplace, and settle in with someone special as you are transported back to another dimension with one of the best Christmas romance movies ever.
9I’ll Be Home For Christmas
Okay, when I think Christmas movies and definitely when I think of romantic comedy movies, the name Justin Taylor Thomas doesn’t readily jump out at me. However, this is an offbeat holiday film with a lot of heart. Essentially Jake (Thomas), is having a very difficult time getting home for the holidays. Amidst his troubles he comes to realize thetrue meaning of Christmas. However, before this happens Jake has to come to terms with who he is. Again, this might seem like a romantic film, but we’re guessing the audience for this is familiar enough with the players involved. They’ll want to see these characters and the situations they have to overcome. During Christmastime, sometimes overcoming situations is the only way to truly discover the meaning of this fine holiday.
