City Cast Madison logo

Cozy Up With the Best Holiday Movies

Posted on December 26, 2023   |   Updated on September 30, 2025
Adrian González

Adrian González

a group of three people is sitting around a screen for a movie

Warm up your hot cocoa, we’re getting festive. (evgenyatamanenko / Getty)

Christmas may have come and gone but you can still hold on to that holiday cheer for a little while longer. Gather your new socks and blankets, and cozy up on the couch for some holiday movie binge watching.

The Classics

Let’s start off with the easy choices — I’m talking “Home Alone,” “Elf,” or “Love Actually.” These are best for when you don’t want to endlessly scroll for options, or when you just want a crowd pleaser. Here are a few other favorites.

  • “The Holiday” — Who knew Jack Black could be charming?
  • “Little Women” — You have three film adaptations from which to choose!
  • “The Nightmare Before Christmas” — We’re all a little bit of Jack Skellington.
  • “A Christmas Carol” — This one has a slew of film adaptations, including a Muppets version.
  • “Scrooged” — Or you could watch Bill Murray in the modern adaptation of the Charles Dickens novel.
  • “Carol” — One of the most beautiful on-screen affairs.

A Word About ‘Bad’ Holiday Movies

As an equal opportunity movie lover, I encourage you to watch whatever flicks you enjoy without an ounce of shame. There is simply no denying the hot-soup levels of comfort you can get from watching Hallmark movies and holiday rom-coms. Don’t let film bros tell you otherwise. One that I enjoy to an unreasonable degree is “Felíz NaviDAD,” starring Mario Lopez and his adorable dimples.

die hard screen shot of bruce willis in a building's air shaft

Is “Die Hard” a Christmas movie? (Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox)

Something Different

  • “Die Hard” — The debate on whether this is a Christmas movie rages on. Regardless, it’s a great time to watch.
  • “Black Christmas” — A 1974 gory horror classic.
  • “A Serious Man” — Comedy cringe a-la Coen brothers.
  • “The Lodge” — For the horror fans that want to partake in the holiday spirit.
  • “Santa Claus” — No, not the one with Tim Allen. I’m referring to the 1959 Mexican film, chock-full of weirdness.
  • “The Ice Harvest” — John Cusack as a conniving lawyer pulling a Christmas Eve con is quite enjoyable.
  • “Tangerine” — One of my favorites from 2015, this one follows a transgender sex worker in L.A. And it was all shot on an iPhone.

Happy watching!

Share article

Hey Madison

Sign up for your free daily toolkit to get the most of the city you love.

Can't subscribe? Turn off your ad blocker and try again.

Madison's Best

See All
Madison's BestOctober 13

Practice Shelf-Care at the Wisconsin Book Festival

Discover your next great read at the 25th annual Wisconsin Book Festival Fall Celebration, Oct. 15-18. Enjoy free author events for all a...

A group of people browse a table of books in a bright sunlit space.
Madison's BestOctober 8

Your Favorite Spots To Meet Your Neighbors in Madison

City Cast Madison Neighbors share their favorite places in Madison.

Rolling green hills with wildflowers.
Madison's BestOctober 5

Where To Get Scared in Madison for Spooky Season

Looking for a scare this October in Madison? From horror movies to haunted forests and eerie ghost tours, here is your ultimate guide to...

A poster for "Jeckyll & Hyde" - a ballet dancer in black leaps in front of a foggy, London background.
Madison's BestOctober 1

What To Do in Madison in October 2026

Plan your perfect October 2026 in Madison! Check out the 25th Wisconsin Book Festival, cheer on the Badgers, tour haunted spots, and find...

City Cast Madison’s Hayley Sperling, Bianca Martin, Rob Thomas, and Jade Iseri-Ramos stand in front of a wooden arch-shaped bookcase that is holding books that will be featured at the Wisconsin Book Festival Fall Celebration.
Madison's BestSeptember 23

‘Park People’ Will Satirize Madison’s Protest Culture

Madison filmmaker Corey Holl launches a crowdfunding campaign for his new political satire, "The Park People." Explore the proof-of-conce...

Two production staff members on the left hold equipment and a microphone for two actors sitting on a park bench being filmed.
Madison's BestSeptember 8

Ann Garvin Has a Surprise in Store For Her Readers

Madison author Ann Garvin shares her glee in throwing readers a curveball with her poignant, messy new novel, hitting stores September 8.

Author Ann Garvin poses in front of a red wall.
Madison's BestSeptember 1

What To Do in Madison in September 2026

Discover the best things to do in Madison, Wisconsin, in September 2026! From vibrant fall festivals to concerts and athletic events, pla...

A post for the theater show "Steady as She Goes" by Erica Berman. An illustration of a woman with blue flowing hair that looks like ocean waves.
Madison's BestAugust 17

Madison Artist Knocks It Out of the Park With Brewers Mural

Madison artist Emily Balsley unveils her new "Seventh Inning Stretch" mural at Fitchburg’s McKee Farms Park, inspired by her Brewers T-sh...

A woman paints a mural on a wall. The mural has a cornflower blue background and is populated with people and animals in Brewers uniforms and caps..

The latest in Madison

Madison, ExplainedOctober 7

UW-Madison Professor Receives Nobel Prize in Physics

Discover the backstory behind UW-Madison professor Francis Halzen's Nobel Prize in physics for pioneering the IceCube Neutrino Observator...

An observatory at the South Pole. A metal structure sits on a desolate landscape with the cosmos above it.
Food & DrinkOctober 1

The Best Fall Drinks To Try in Madison

Looking for the perfect pumpkin spice or autumnal drink? Here is your guide to the best coffee shops and bars serving special fall bevera...

A group of multi-colored cocktails sit on a wooden bar.
Neighborhood GuidesSeptember 29

Browse the Imagination Center, Madison’s Newest Library

Explore Madison's new Imagination Center at Reindahl Park—the city's first public library in 26 years. Take a virtual tour of this vibran...

The outside of the Imagination Center. A blue tiled buildiing with a sign that read "Library."
Madison, ExplainedSeptember 28

What To Know About The Proposed BECI Transmission Line

The 190-mile BECI high-voltage transmission line aims to secure Wisconsin’s grid, but locals and the Dane County Board are demanding dela...

Two large electric towers stand next to a white house.
Food & DrinkSeptember 24

The Best New Restaurants in Madison

This month’s list of the area’s best new restaurants includes a new outpost for a wildly popular local pizza chain, a new sushi spot near...

People eating at booths in a restaurant with a glassed-in kitchen at the rear.
Madison, ExplainedSeptember 22

Know the Constitutional Amendments On Your Fall Ballot

Wisconsin's Nov. 3 election features key governor and legislative races—plus three Republican-backed constitutional amendments. Learn wha...

Multiple red, white, and blue "I Voted" stickers are scattered on a white table.
Madison, ExplainedSeptember 21

Big Changes Planned For Madison’s Breese Stevens Field

As Breese Stevens enters its second century, its owners plan to increase the number of concerts and events. But some neighbors of the fie...

A band playing on an outdoor stage in front of an audience.
Madison, ExplainedSeptember 15

The House on the Rock Is Even Weirder Than You Think

Located about an hour west of Madison, The House on the Rock is one of Wisconsin's most infamous, and certainly oddest, tourist attractio...

People in a narrow room covered in glass.