5 Underrated Christmas Films Worth Watching This Season
This season is the perfect time to look beyond the usual lineup and discover overlooked holiday treasures
Words Mikaelah Bianca Panopio
Photos courtesy of The Movie Database and TV Tropes
December 04, 2025
Picture this: the room is chilly, you’re wrapped in your comfiest pajamas, hot chocolate in your hand–nothing like a cozy setup, right? But you know what would make it even better? A great Christmas movie. And not ones you’ve memorized
We’ve all heard of (and probably watched countless times) the classics like Elf, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and Home Alone. But this year, it's time to step out of your Christmas-movie comfort zone and take a sleigh ride through discovering unknown holiday gems.
From a high schooler left behind at his prep school during Christmas break to a postman helping revive the color and spirit of a forgotten town, these films bring fresh magic, familiar warmth, and heart-tugging emotions we all crave this season:
The Holdovers (2023)
Talk about unconventional Christmas movies. Paul Hunham, a traditional and uptight history teacher at a boarding school, is forced to spend his Christmas break on campus, babysitting students with nowhere to go. Eventually, he forms an unexpected bond with Angus Tully, a smart but troubled young man, and Mary Lamb, the grieving head cook of the school.
Klaus (2019)
“A true act of goodwill always sparks another.”
Klaus is a heartwarming, beautifully hand-drawn animation that reimagines the origins of Santa Claus. It follows Jesper, a selfish postman stationed on a faraway island, who befriends Klaus, a reclusive toymaker. Their unlikely friendship becomes a turning point that melts an age-old feud and brings light and love to the cold, dark town.
A Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)
The Muppets deliver a heartfelt spin on Charles Dickens’ classic novella, A Christmas Carol. The film revolves around Ebenezer Scrooge, a stingy and mean-spirited man, as he is visited by the spirits of Christmas Past, Present, and Yet to Come. Retold with the Muppets’ signature playfulness, beautiful music, and genuine heart, it’s a charming movie that reminds us all of the true meaning of Christmas: compassion, second chances, and generosity.
Arthur Christmas (2011)
Who would’ve thought that Santa Claus has sons?
A perfect blend of comfort and fast-paced holiday adventure, the film follows Arthur, Santa Claus’s youngest, clumsy but determined son, as he embarks on a mission to deliver a forgotten present to a young girl before Christmas morning arrives. Filled with cheer and humor, Arthur Christmas shows us that even the smallest gesture of kindness can make a world of difference.
Gremlins (1984)
Sometimes, you need a little spook in your holiday watchlist.
A mixture of comedy, creepiness, and Christmas spirit, Gremlins tells the story of Billy Peltzer, a young man who receives a unique holiday gift from his father: a small, furry creature named Gizmo. But when he fails to heed three simple rules for caring for his new pet, Gizmo unleashes a horde of mischievous gremlins into Billy’s town, wreaking havoc and causing chaos on Christmas Eve.
