'I'm Christmas-movie-obsessed and these are the 10 greatest holiday movies ever made.'

If you want to support independent women's media, become a Mamamia subscriber. Get an all-access pass to everything we make, including exclusive podcasts, articles, videos and our exercise app, MOVE.

You can just call me Buddy the Elf because when it comes to Christmas, I'm simply mad for it.

December is a special month for a lot of people — me included. Sure, it's a nice time to reconnect with old friends and see family members you only have to interact with once a year, but you know what's also nice?

Locking yourself inside your house, blanking all your calls and watching non-stop Christmas movies.

I've always been weirdly obsessed with holiday films. There's nothing more comforting than popping on a Christmas movie where you can guess exactly where the plot is going and know that everyone will get a happy ending (well, unless you're two burglars terrorising a tiny child in his very big house).

But what are the greatest movies in this genre? Believe me, I did A LOT of pondering, and I've selected my picks. Prepare to disagree, I said what I said!

Without further ado, these are my top 10 best Christmas movies of all time.

Little Women (both versions).

Don't make me choose! There are two film adaptations of the beloved Louisa May Alcott novel Little Women —released in 1994 and 2019 and directed by Gillian Armstrong and Greta Gerwig, respectively. And guess what? They're both incredible.

The plot follows the four March sisters — Jo, Meg, Beth and Amy — as they come of age in post-Civil War Massachusetts, as the family endures life's joys and tragedies, set around Christmas time. The 1994 cast featured Winona Ryder and Christian Bale, while the 2019 version starred Saoirse Ronan and Timothée Chalamet.

The story of the March women remains a cherished classic for exploring the timeless themes of female independence, unfulfilled love, family trauma and societal expectations.

You can watch the 2019 version on Prime Video, 7Plus on Binge and the 1994 version on Prime Video.

Image: Sony Pictures.

Home Alone 2.

The original is great but Home Alone 2: Lost in New York is truly where the magic happens. Released in 1992, the sequel stars Macaulay Culkin as Kevin McCallister, a kid who accidentally gets separated from his family… again.

The plot is basically every child's (and grown woman's) dream: stuck in New York City for Christmas, Kevin uses his father's credit card to book a penthouse room at the Plaza Hotel. Of course, he quickly encounters the Wet Bandits, the same thugs he defeated in the first film, played by Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern.

This is a Christmas classic and you can't go past the iconic New York setting.

You can watch Home Alone 2 on Disney+.

The Holiday.

You don't get much better than this Christmas rom-com for the ages.

The Holiday follows two women, Amanda (Cameron Diaz) and Iris (Kate Winslet), who swap homes — an LA mansion and English cottage — to escape heartbreak at Christmas. Amanda unexpectedly finds romance with Iris' brother and dad-of-two Graham (Jude Law) and Iris makes a connection with Hollywood composer Miles (Jack Black).

This Nancy Meyers film is everything you want from a cosy Christmas movie: it's funny, heartfelt, romantic and the contrasting climate of LA's sun-soaked setting and England's snow-covered landscape makes it the perfect escapist watch.

You can watch The Holiday on Binge, Stan, Paramount Plus and Prime Video.

Image: Sony Pictures.

How The Grinch Stole Christmas.

This Dr. Seuss classic from 2000 is part fever dream, part childhood classic.

Starring Jim Carrey as the grumpy Grinch, he attempts to sabotage Christmas in Whoville by stealing all the gifts. After a kind act by Cindy Lou Who (Taylor Momsen), his heart grows, and he realises Christmas is more than just the stuff people buy each other.

The film's lush visuals and wacky setting transports the viewer to the magical land of Whoville, and Carrey's iconic performance makes it a seasonal staple.

You can watch The Grinch on Binge, Prime Video and Paramount Plus.

Love Actually.

As controversial as the movie is, there's no denying it's a modern Christmas classic.

Love Actually features an all-time ensemble cast of British and Irish acting legends. In many ways, it kicked off the ensemble rom-com trend that would be replicated in films like He's Just Not That Into You and Valentine's Day.

The cast features the likes of Hugh Grant, Alan Rickman, Emma Thompson, Keira Knightley and Liam Neeson. The plot follows intertwining love stories — romantic and unrequited — of eight couples in London during the frantic weeks leading up to Christmas.

Yes, there are plenty of problematic moments, but it's effortlessly charming and still laugh-out-loud funny (and eight is a lot of legs, David).

You can watch Love Actually on Stan, Binge and Prime Video.

Watch Emma Thompson's most iconic Love Actually scene. Post continues after video.

Elf.

This might be an unpopular pick (some people really hate it??) but I don't care — it's a true Xmas classic.

Elf stars Will Ferrell as Buddy, a human raised by elves at the North Pole who travels to New York to find his biological father, Walter (James Caan). Buddy's naive demeanour and love for syrup clash hilariously with the cynical city, but his luck changes when he meets a charming Christmas retail worker, Jovie (played by Zooey Deschanel).

This film has a lot of heart and Ferrell's unhinged performance solidified it as a modern holiday classic.

You can watch Elf on… literally every streaming app (besides Disney+).

The Family Stone.

The perfect Christmas rom-com does exist — and it's The Family Stone.

The Family Stone follows Everett (Dermot Mulroney) bringing his uptight girlfriend Meredith (Sarah Jessica Parker) home for Christmas to meet his eccentric New England family, led by his mum Sybil (Diane Keaton). The family's hostile reception to Meredith triggers a disastrous week of mayhem where relationships are sent to breaking point.

If you're the type of person who dreads spending Christmas with your family, this will be a relatable watch, offering a raw portrayal of intense family dynamics.

Beware: this film will be a particularly hard watch this year after the death of Keaton (if you know, you know).

You can watch The Family Stone on Stan and Disney+.

Image: 20th Century Fox.

Happiest Season.

I've got to throw a Christmas movie from the 2020s in here and none have quite compared to Happiest Season.

Happiest Season stars Kristen Stewart as Abby, who plans to propose to her girlfriend, Harper (Mackenzie Davis), during a visit to Harper's conservative family.

Abby must pretend to be a platonic friend because Harper hasn't come out. The charming film, also featuring a hysterical Dan Levy and an oh-so-sexy Aubrey Plaza, is not just a newfound classic but a groundbreaking LGBTIQA+ holiday romantic comedy that delicately tackles family pressure, chosen family and belonging.

You can watch Happiest Season on Binge.

The Santa Clause.

Okay, the next ones are for the kiddos and the adults who crave a sharp hit of childhood nostalgia.

You don't get much more iconic than The Santa Clause. Released in 1994, the film stars Tim Allen as Scott Calvin, a divorced father who accidentally causes Santa Claus to fall off his roof. Filling in for him on Christmas, Scott soon begins transforming into the new Santa, with the help of (oddly hot) elf Bernard, played by David Krumholtz.

Scott accepts his new gig, forging a closer bond with his son and forcing his sceptical family to face the magic.

There wasn't a child of the '90s who didn't watch this movie — it ticks every feelgood Christmas flick movie box. The film did spawn a bunch of sequels and a series, but I'd stick to the original.

You can watch The Santa Clause on Disney+.

Image: Buena Vista.

Miracle on 34th Street.

This is the epitome of Christmas. The 1947 original is a classic, but the 1994 remake is what hits me straight in the childhood feels.

The film stars Richard Attenborough as Kris Kringle, along with Elizabeth Perkins, Dylan McDermott and eternal '90s child star, Mara Wilson. Kris is hired as a department store Santa who claims to be the real deal, leading to a court case where a lawyer must legally prove his identity.

For those who grew up watching this movie, I'd hazard a guess that when you imagine Santa's face, you see Attenborough. He is Santa! And you won't regret a second of watching this cute Christmas classic.

You can watch Miracle on 34th Street on Disney+.

Feature image: Universal Pictures.