The 10 best Christmas movies not actually about Christmas.

Like most years, Christmas will be here in the blink of an eye.

While this time of year can bring a lot of stress to people's finances or dig up issues with their dysfunctional families, there is one particularly good thing the season ushers in: Christmas movies.

From classic films like Love Actually and Home Alone, to the more campy/silly films found on Netflix and Lifetime, there are loads of Christmas movies to choose from.

But what if you don't feel like watching a Christmas movie, per se, and instead just want to put on a heartwarming flick that will get you in the festive spirit?

We've got you covered with a list of movies that feature Christmas but aren't actually about Christmas.

Christmas adjacent, you might say.

Some have Christmas scenes in them but most of these just give... cosy holiday vibes.

Bridget Jones's Diary.

Image: Universal Pictures.

Tenuous link to Christmas: This movie is book-ended by Christmas; starting and ending with Bridget's family Christmas gathering. 

Bridget Jones's Diary is the perfect amount of Christmas for those that don't want to be slapped across the face with holiday spirit. Following the love life of a chronically single 32-year-old (yes, she's that young) living in London, starring the trifecta of rom-com stars, Renée Zellweger, Colin Firth and Hugh Grant.

The film spurred two sequels but the original is the best and most Christmassy.

Available to stream on Binge and Stan. 

Little Women (1994 or 2019). 

Tenuous link to Christmas: The film begins with a family Christmas — and snow! 

This is the ideal movie to pop on with your family and whether you like the classic 1994 film starring Winona Ryder and Christian Bale or the 2019 Greta Gerwig adaption with Saoirse Ronan and Timothée Chalamet, either way, you're in for a wholesome watch.

The film adaptions of the famous novel of the same name revolve around the March family, especially sisters Meg,Beth, Amy, and protagonist Jo who aspires for something greater than the old-fashioned ideals she's been taught about women.

Available to stream on Binge and Amazon. 

About A Boy.

Image: Universal Pictures. 

Tenuous link to Christmas: There's a Christmas scene or two in the movie.

Hugh Grant plays a lifelong Bachelor who has never had a job and only sees women as conquests. But then he's thrust into a dysfunctional mother-and-son dynamic, played by Aussie Toni Collette and The Great's Nicholas Hoult. And, like all good Christmas movies, he soon learns the value of love, family and belonging.

This is a flawless rom-com and Grant has never been more charming. 

Available to stream on Binge. 

You've Got Mail. 

Tenuous link to Christmas: There's a Christmas tree in one scene and the film is set in New York – the cinematic city of Christmas.

This list couldn't exist without a Nora Ephron classic, with the queen of rom-coms proving her Christmas chops in her seasonal masterpiece, The Holiday. 

Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks reunite for this God-tier film about a small bookshop owner (Ryan) who becomes enemies with a bookshop chain owner (Hanks) after he sets up shop in the same neighbourhood.

Available to stream on Binge and Netflix.

Chocolat.

Image: Miramax. 

Tenuous link to Christmas: Chocolate! 

This is a warm hug of a movie, which became a cult classic upon its debut. Starring Juliette Binoche, Judi Dench and Johnny Depp, the film sees Vianne and her six-year-old daughter move to a quiet French village to open a chocolate shop. 

Given how much chocolate most of us stuff in our faces this time of year, the link between Chocolat and December 25th should be obvious.

Available to stream on Amazon.

Serendipity. 

Tenuous link to Christmas: The romantic leads meet when Christmas shopping in New York. Tick and tick.

A rom-com starring John Cusack and Kate Beckinsale about the power of letting the universe find your soul mate is quite clearly the perfect movie to watch at the tail end of the year. The two collide while present-shopping in Bloomingdale's as they both try to buy the same pair of gloves.

This is a charming, cute and easy watch that's perfect for easing into the festive season without overdoing it.

Available to stream on Stan.

The first five Harry Potter movies. 

Image: Warner Bros.

Tenuous link to Christmas: In the first five movies, there's a big Christmas celebration as Hogwarts is adorned in festive decorations. 

So what better time to follow Harry, Ron and Hermione on their next magical adventure at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry?

For Potterheads, this is probably already on your Christmas movie rotation, but if not, it's time to add the first five installments, because they're stacked with spectacular festive scenes that will put your little Kmart Christmas tree to shame.

But fair warning, the sixth and seventh Harry Potter films are not particularly festive, so proceed on with caution.

Available to stream on Stan, Netflix, Paramount Plus and Binge.

Chalet Girl. 

Tenuous link to Christmas: Snow! The movie is set in a ski lodge. 

A Christmas movie list would be incomplete without a so-bad-it's-good film: enter Chalet Girl. Two deeply 2010 actors, Brideshead Revisited's Felicity Jones and Gossip Girl's Ed Westwick, star as an unlikely pairing. Jones plays a young girl desperate to make money, so she becomes a "chalet girl" in a ski lodge where she meets Westwick's character, the rich son of parents played by Bill Nighy and Brooke Shields.

It's pure silly escapism but sometimes that's all you need for a solid feel-good film. 

Available to stream on Binge.

Happy Feet.

Image: Warner Bros. 

Tenuous link to Christmas: Again, snow! And nothing screams Christmas like singing penguins. 

This one is for the kiddies (okay, adults too), and while some families might embrace Frozen this silly season, you can only listen to 'Let It Go' so many times before losing the plot completely.

This film features loads of iconic pop tunes from over the years, along with a cute plot about tiny penguin Mumble who can't sing like the rest of his penguin community but can tap dance like no other.

Available to stream on Stan, Netflix and Binge.

Confessions of a Shopaholic.

Tenuous link to Christmas: Shopping. Enough said.

This is the perfect film to pop on after a day of shopping for presents. Isla Fisher plays Rebecca, a compulsive shopper heavily in debt who tricks her way into offering financial advice for a money magazine, and working for handsome boss Luke, played by eternal British hottie Hugh Dancy.

It's a classic rom-com that ticks all the boxes: two charming leads with electric chemistry, set in New York City, and some actually hilarious moments thanks to Fisher's comedy flare.

You'll never pronounce the country 'Finland' the same again.

Available to stream on Disney Plus.

Feature image: Miramax.

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