Christmas Movies to Recommend to Students for the Holiday Season
There’s a good chance Christmas and the year-end holiday season will come up as a conversation topic during your lessons as the weather turns colder. Why not take advantage of the season and recommend your students some seasonal English-language movies?
In addition to getting into the holiday spirit, students will have an opportunity to improve their listening skills, learn some unique words and expressions, and learn more about Christmas culture in the west (which, as you'll see below, is sometimes good and sometimes bad!).
No matter what type of films your students enjoy, there is sure to be a genre or title here that will grab their attention. Ask about their tastes, then make a recommendation. After they’ve watched it, consider discussing it during a free conversation lesson.
Family Christmas movies
How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (1966, 2000)
Based on a book by Dr. Seuss, this classic story is about a green monster who does everything he can to ruin Christmas for the children of the town of Whoville.
The 1966 movie is an animated film with narration by classic movie icon Boris Karloff, while the remake from 2000 is live-action and stars Jim Carrey.
Jingle All the Way (1996)
Though he is most famous for action movies with guns and explosions, Arnold Schwarzenegger has starred in many types of films. This time, he plays a desperate father trying to get the year’s hottest toy for his son as a Christmas gift. He has a lot of competition, however…
Comedy Christmas movies
A Christmas Story (1983)
This movie is also about a special gift; in this case, the main character Ralphie has a BB gun at the top of his wishlist. On his quest to get it for Christmas, he experiences many crazy holiday situations with his quirky family.
While perhaps not as famous as some of the other titles on this list, A Christmas Story is still a holiday classic to many movie fans.
Elf (2003)
The main character of Elf is larger than most elves you’ve seen in storybooks and films. Played by comedian Will Ferrell, he goes from the North Pole to New York City in order to find his true father. Released in 2003, Elf quickly became a holiday season favorite.
Romantic Christmas movies
The Holiday (2006)
The Holiday is about a pair of women who swap homes (and countries) during the Christmas season. While on their respective trips, they each meet one special person who changes their lives.
This film may be especially interesting for students who would like to see examples of the differences between the US and the UK.
Just Friends (2005)
This romantic comedy is about a man who is in love with his best friend from high school. The two meet again years later during the Christmas season, but things are not the same as they were before.
Action/Adventure Christmas movies?
Die Hard (1988)
The idea that this classic action film is considered a “Christmas movie” is often joked about. However, the holiday season does feature often in this story of a tired New York cop who must fight against terrorists occupying an office building in Los Angeles.
The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special (2022)
This short film (42 minutes) is actually half action and half comedy. Two members of a strange crew of outer space “heroes” go to Earth in order to find the perfect Christmas gift for their depressed captain.
The title and concept of this movie was inspired by the infamous Star Wars Holiday Special from 1978.
Horror Christmas movies??
Krampus (2015)
This film, which also includes comedic elements, is the story of a holiday monster from European folklore. Watching this movie will give students a chance to learn a bit about Christmas customs and beliefs that they have probably not been exposed to before.
Anna and the Apocalypse (2017)
Have you or your students ever seen a Christmas-themed horror movie that's also a comedy and also a musical? If you haven't, here's your chance!
Discussion questions
Follow up a viewing with some of these questions to encourage a thoughtful conversation.
- What did you think of the movie?
- Why did you like or not like it?
- Who was your favorite character?
- Do you think it did a good job of capturing the spirit of Christmas?
- If someone who didn't know about Christmas watched this movie, do you think they would get a good idea of it?
- How does it compare to your favorite holiday movie?
Wrap-up
Movies offer opportunities to gain not only words and expressions, but also insight into the cultures that produce them. That means that they can be doubly valuable to English students looking for alternative study methods.
Be sure to recommend something from this list for your movie-loving students this holiday season. And if they happen to already know these films, ask them what Christmas-related movie recommendations they have for you!
