5 Classic Holiday Films Every Professional Should Watch
Posted on: Dec 16, 2025
As many of us know, the holiday season is typically a slow time for us in the TV and film industry. I often like to take this time and work on passion projects and study up on other creative works. Holiday films often get dismissed as comfort viewing amd seasonal fluff meant to play in the background while people wrap gifts. But for film professionals, they can be just as influential as an Academy Award-winning masterpiece. The best holiday movies are anything but disposable; they are case studies in tone management, performance control, production design, and audience manipulation. These films return year after year not just because of tradition, but because they are engineered to work.
‘Tis the season, so grab a mug of hot cocoa, your favorite holiday snack and revisit your favorite holiday movie, but this time look at it through the eyes of a film professional. Here are five essential holiday films every film professional should revisit, not for nostalgia, but for craft.
Key Insights
• The best holiday films succeed because of deliberate craft choices in structure, tone, and performance, not nostalgia alone.
• Holiday movies offer valuable lessons in emotional payoff, production design, blocking, and audience engagement that apply across genres.
• Even low-budget holiday films demonstrate problem-solving, discipline, and creative adaptability under real-world constraints.
1. ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ (1946)
Director: Frank Capra
Perhaps one of the greatest Christmas movies ever made, It’s a Wonderful Life is a must-watch when diving deep into holiday films. No holiday film has a stronger grasp on emotional architecture and long-form payoff by expertly planting seeds early that don’t bloom until the final scenes. The film spends nearly two hours tearing George Bailey down before rebuilding him in some of the most gratifying scenes at the end.
From a professional standpoint, this is a lesson in patience and restraint. Capra trusts the audience to sit with discomfort, to endure setbacks, and to understand character through consequence rather than exposition. It’s also a reminder that sentimentality works best when it’s earned. The film’s emotional impact doesn’t just come from its message, but from its structure as well. For writers, directors, and editors alike, this film is proof that third acts only work when the first two do the heavy lifting.
2. ‘A Christmas Story’ (1983)
Director: Bob Clark
A Christmas Story is a Christmas classic. Its iconography has solidified itself in pop culture so much so that even if you haven’t seen the film, you will recognize several iconic images. From a filmmakers perspective, this movie’s execution is airtight. The film succeeds by embracing episodic storytelling while maintaining a clear emotional throughline: childhood obsession and disappointment.
For film professionals, this movie is an invaluable study in voiceover. The narration doesn’t repeat what we see; it reframes it. It adds perspective and rhythm, functioning almost like an editor’s voice inside the script. Combined with meticulous production design, the film creates a lived-in world that feels authentic rather than staged. This is also a reminder that low-stakes storytelling still requires precision. Comedy, especially nostalgia-based comedy, only works when timing, framing, and performance are exact.
3. ‘How the Grinch Stole Christmas’ (2000)
Director: Ron Howard
How the Grinch Stole Christmas is a modern holiday classic that has solidified itself in the hearts of many. Jim Carrey’s performance as the Grinch is masterful, albeit often underestimated because some find the loud, maximalist, and deeply stylized performance as too much. However, from a production perspective, that’s exactly why it’s essential viewing. In this competitive industry, you must find a way to stand out and have a unique point of view.
While most may focus on Carrey’s extreme, physical, improvisational performance, when analyzing this film from a production perspective, it is important to narrow in on the other aspects that make this film great. The incredible prosthetics, controlled blocking, and a production design anchor the film and contribute heavily to the tone, helping transport the viewer into Whoville. For directors and producers, it’s a lesson in managing big personalities and high-concept visuals within a studio framework. For makeup artists and production designers, it’s proof that technical craft directly shapes character psychology.
4. ‘Die Hard’ (1988)
Director: John McTiernan
Holiday film debates aside, Die Hard is required viewing for anyone working in narrative film or television. It expertly shows how the theme, not the setting, can define the genre. The Christmas setting isn’t just a random coincidence here; it’s deeply woven into the story throiugh ideas of reconciliation, family, and vulnerability.
From a technical standpoint, the film is very well shot, and the blocking and spatial awareness is the definition of what makes a great action film. The audience always knows where characters are in relation to each other, which is why the action remains legible and tense. The contained location also proves that you don’t need a bunch of extravagant locations to make a successful film.
5. ‘Home Alone’ (1990)
Director: Chris Columbus
Who doesn’t love this movie? From A-list talent, impeccable storytelling, and hilarious physical comedy performances, Home Alone has everything a filmmaker could ask for. There is a reason this film has become a classic and proven that it is much more than a simple family Christmas comedy.
For film professionals, this movie can teach us so much about visual comedy and production planning. Every gag is carefully planted early, paid off later, and staged so the audience always understands geography. The house itself becomes a character as it is mapped, learned, and weaponized throughout the film. Additionally, editors will notice how cleanly information is delivered without slowing momentum. Directors can study how performance, blocking, and camera placement do most of the comedic work before a line of dialogue is even spoken. And producers will appreciate how a modest budget is stretched through smart design and disciplined execution.
Home Alone proves that broad comedy still demands technical rigor. The laughs only land because the filmmaking is exact.
Honorable Mention: Every Lifetime and Hallmark Holiday Film
As controversial as this opinion may be, I believe these corny and often low-budget holiday movies deserve some credit. As a filmmaker, I believe it is incredibly important to study at least a few of these holiday films. These projects are often independent filmmakers working hard to create a name for themselves.
A majority of us may never get a chance to work on a high-budget studio film, but its these low-budget independent projects that keep us going. If you can get past the often predictable nature of these films, you can see a team of filmmakers that worked hard to create something new with limited resources. By engaging with these films, we can gain valuable insights into the filmmaking process. They highlight innovative solutions that filmmakers employ when faced with constraints, encouraging us to think creatively and adapt in our own projects. By studying these holiday gems, we not only celebrate the perseverance of their creators but also remind ourselves that even the most cookie-cutter holiday movies take a whole team of creatives just like us.
There is no denying that there is a lot to learn from holiday movies. There is a reason why so many of these films mentioned above are rewatched year after year. They are entertaining and evoke nostalgia and joy as they tap into universal themes of love, family, and hope. These films offer a sense of comfort during the festive season, resonating with audiences across generations.
As a filmmaker, it is important to understand these themes and learn how to make them work for your own projects because by doing so you can ensure you will connect with audiences just as authentically as these classics.
Key Takeaways
• Film professionals can use holiday films as practical case studies in storytelling fundamentals like setup, payoff, and visual clarity.
• Studying both studio classics and made-for-TV holiday movies builds a stronger understanding of how constraints shape creative decisions.
• Understanding why holiday films resonate year after year can help filmmakers create emotionally authentic stories that connect with audiences.
Benjamin Hickson is an aspiring producer and production coordinator who has 4+ years experience working on various Film and TV projects. He has a background in Public Relations and served for six years in the military. He also has passion for travel and aims to increase LGBTQ+ representation in the entertainment industry.
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