50 Best Romantic Christmas Movies Of All Time!

#50 Christmas Wedding Planner (2017)

A wedding planner’s world is turned upside down when a handsome private investigator is hired to disrupt one of her biggest jobs. Fun and romance follow in this merry Christmas movie!

#49 A California Christmas (2020)

With his carefree lifestyle on the line, a wealthy charmer poses as a ranch hand to get a hardworking farmer to sell her family’s land before Christmas. Now that doesn’t sound nice! Hopefully love will show him the right path!

#48 A California Christmas: City Lights

A year after their romance took root, Callie and Joseph are leaving the ranch for family business in San Francisco — with wedding bells on the horizon.

Our favorite couple from A California Christmas are back, this time they are in San Francisco. Will wedding bells be chiming at Christmas too?

#47 Falling For Christmas (2022)

After losing her memory in a skiing accident, a spoiled heiress lands in the cozy care of a down-on-his-luck widower and his daughter at Christmastime.

This movie is brand new to Netflix this Christmas (premiere is November 10) and marks Lindsay Lohan’s return to movie acting. We can’t wait to catch this one!

#46 A Castle For Christmas (2021)

To escape a scandal, a bestselling author journeys to Scotland, where she falls in love with a castle — and faces off with the grumpy duke who owns it.

This is a romantic comedy that is pure Christmas escapism and a perfect watch if you are looking for a lighthearted easy to watch movie. It has also been praised for featuring two older leads (who are both still looking absolutely fantastic!)

#45 Christmas Inheritance (2017)

To inherit her father’s company, socialite Ellen must first visit his small hometown, where she learns the value of hard work and helping others.

A charming Christmas movie about the real meaning of Christmas. There are lessons to be learned here!

#44 Let It Snow (2019)

A snowstorm hits a small town on a cold Christmas Eve, affecting the friendships, love lives and futures of several high school seniors. Who knew snow could have that much affect! A cute option for families with older children and teenagers.

#43 A Welcome Home Christmas (2020)

During the town’s Army Christmas toy drive, Chloe is paired up with a veteran named Michael to recruit other veterans and active military personnel to join the cause. This is a heartwarming movie that will thaw the chilliest of hearts this Christmas season!

#42 The Spirit Of Christmas (2015)

12 days before Christmas, Kate is trying to close the sale of a historic inn, only to find Daniel, the ghost of a man who died a century ago, and he needs her help to unravel the mystery of his annual holiday haunting. As one reviewer said, “Do you believe in ghosts? You will want to after watching this movie.” And we can verify that this is actually true!

#41 A Princess For Christmas (2011)

Attention Sam Heughan fans, you don’t want to miss this gem! A young woman travels to Europe to stay in a beautiful castle for the holidays at the invitation of an estranged relative, and finds herself falling for a dashing prince.

#40 A Royal Christmas (2014)

Prince Leopold, heir to the throne of Cordinia, wishes to marry his young love Emily Taylor, a humble seamstress from Philadelphia. But Leopold’s mother, Queen Isadora has other plans for her son.

#39 Santa Girl (2019)

This unique love story is full of quirky fun for the whole family. The only daughter of Santa Claus heads off to university before she is forced to marry the son of Jack Frost and take over the family business.

#38 Operation Christmas Drop (2020)

A by-the-book political aide falls for a big-hearted Air Force pilot while looking to shut down his tropical base and its airborne Christmas tradition. Hopefully love will stop Christmas being cancelled!

#37 The Family Stone (2005)

Everett Stone (Dermot Mulroney) wants to bring his girlfriend, Meredith Morton (Sarah Jessica Parker), to meet his bohemian Connecticut family at Christmas. Straitlaced Meredith, feeling she needs backup, asks her sister Julie to come along. Instead Meredith succeeds only in highlighting her uptight personality and making Everett doubt his intentions.

#36 The Holiday Calendar (2018)

A talented photographer stuck in a dead-end job inherits an antique Advent calendar that may be predicting the future — and pointing her toward love.

Now, where can we get one of these? This is a fun and lighthearted Christmas movie!

#35 A Christmas Prince (2017)

Christmas comes early for an aspiring young journalist when she’s sent abroad to get the scoop on a dashing prince who’s poised to be king.

The first movie in the charming A Christmas Prince series this is a sweet Christmas romance! There’s something about the fairytale combination of royal princes and Christmas magic that just works. We see it over and over – and we can’t get enough. This family-friendly movie is no exception!

#34 A Christmas Prince: The Royal Wedding (2018)

A year after helping Richard secure the crown, Amber returns to Aldovia to plan their wedding. But her simple tastes clash with royal protocol.

The romantic royal couple are back again, this time with a festive wedding in store!

#33 A Christmas Prince: The Royal Baby (2019)

Christmas brings the ultimate gift to Aldovia: a royal baby. But first, Queen Amber must save her family and kingdom by unwrapping a monarchy mystery.

The third instalment in this sweet Christmas Prince series brings a new arrival, and of course it’s at Christmas!

#32 Single All The Way (2021)

Peter asks his best friend to pose as his boyfriend on a Christmas visit home, but their plan — and feelings — change when his family plays matchmaker.

This is a fun fake dating Christmas movie with plenty of family meddling involved. It has plenty of well worn Christmas movie tropes so if this is your thing then you will find these too. This movie also officially became Netflix’s first gay holiday movie when it was first streamed in November 2021! Hopefully there will be many more to follow!

#31 Love Hard (2021)

After meeting her perfect match on a dating app, an LA writer learns she’s been catfished when she flies 3,000 miles to surprise him for Christmas.

Don’t you hate it when that happens! A fun rom com with extra festive trimmings!

#30 The Christmas Setup (2020)

Raise your hand if you’re a fan of Fran Drescher (The Nanny). For us, Fran is enough reason to watch this heartfelt LGBTQ+ Christmas romantic movie! Hugo heads to Milwaukee with his best friend, Madelyn, to spend the holidays with his brother Aiden and his mum, who is in charge of the local Christmas celebrations.

#29 Almost Christmas (2016)

Walter Meyer (Danny Glover) is a retired mechanic who lost the love of his life one year earlier. Now that the holiday season is here, he invites daughters Rachel (Gabrielle Union) and Cheryl (Kimberly Elise) and sons Christian (Romany Malco) and Evan (Jessie T. Usher) to his house for a traditional celebration. Poor Walter soon realizes that if his bickering children and the rest of the family can spend five days together under the same roof, it will truly be a Christmas miracle.

#28 Holiday In The Wild (2019)

Ready for something different? This Christmas romance will make you cry and cheer – especially if you love animals.

When her husband abruptly ends their marriage, empty nester Kate embarks on a solo second honeymoon in Africa, finding purpose — and potential romance. Have a wild time this Christmas with this movie!

#27 Holidate (2020)

Sloane hates the holidays due to the judgement she receives from her family for not being in a relationship. And after her recent breakup, her mother keeps trying to set her up with a new man. Meanwhile Jackson is stuck spending the holidays with a girl he has no interest in pursuing a serious relationship with. After he didn’t get her a Christmas present, his date gets angry with him and he decides to leave her. One day, Sloane and Jackson have a chance encounter as they are both returning Christmas presents they received. So, they agree to be each other’s dates for holidays.

This is a fun holiday romantic comedy which is refreshing in its self aware approach to the rom-com. Make a holidate to watch this movie this festive season!

#26 The Princess Switch (2018)

Stacy DeNovo is a talented baker who runs a successful with her life-long friend Kevin. A week before Christmas, Kevin tells Stacy that their entry in a prestigious baking competition in the Kingdom of Belgravia was accepted. There, Stacy runs into Lady Margaret Delacourt, Duchess of Montenaro and fiancée of Crown Prince Edward of Belgravia and they are struck by their identical looks. Margaret suggests that they switch places for two days to have a break from their normal lives.

This is a rom-com twist on Mark Twain’s The Prince and the Pauper with Vanessa Hudgens playing both leads. The movie is a light-hearted, charming movie and is a delightful romantic movie for the festive season.

#25 The Princess Switch 2: Switched Again (2020)

Margaret Delacourt, the Duchess of Montenaro, who suddenly inherits the throne to her home country of Montenaro. As her Christmas coronation approaches, she and Stacy switch places once again so Margaret can fix her relationship with Stacy’s friend Kevin. Unbeknownst to both women, a third look-alike, Margaret’s evil cousin Lady Fiona, disguises herself as Margaret in a scheme to steal the throne.

Vanessa Hudgens reprises both her roles from the original movie but this time with a third added character also played by Vanessa. And it is as choc full of sweet charm as the first movie, Christmas vibes are aplenty here!

#24 The Princess Switch 3: Romancing The Star (2021)

When a priceless Christmas relic is stolen, royal look-alikes Margaret and Stacy turn to audacious doppelgänger Fiona — and her dashing ex — for help. Our favorite doppelgangers are back for another festive filled flick full of drama and romance!

Vanessa Hudgens is back in her three roles for the third movie in The Princess Switch franchise. This is another worthy addition to the trilogy which is pure light hearted Christmas fun. Merry Switchmas!

Starring: Vanessa Hudgens, Nick Sagar and Sam Palladio

#23 The Knight Before Christmas (2019)

Medieval magic sends a 14th-century knight to modern-day Ohio, where he falls for a high school science teacher who’s disillusioned by love.

Christmas movie favorite Vanessa Hudgens is back for another festive flick, this time with less Princesses and more Knights!

#22 Last Christmas (2009)

Starring: Emilia Clarke and Henry Golding. Nothing seems to go right for young Kate, a frustrated Londoner who works as an elf in a year-round Christmas shop. But things soon take a turn for the better when she meets Tom — a handsome charmer who seems too good to be true. As the city transforms into the most wonderful time of the year, Tom and Kate’s growing attraction turns into the best gift of all – a Yuletide romance. This is an endearing Holiday tale with a cure performance from both leads!

#21 A Cinderella Story: Christmas Wish (2019)

With a few musical numbers thrown in, this movie is fun for the whole family.
An aspiring singer is stalled on her path to success by her stepmother and two wicked stepsisters. When she starts working at a job to help her dreams come true, she starts to fall for the handsome new Santa

#20 Twelve Dates of Christmas (2011)

Starring Mark-Paul Gosselaar and Amy Smart. Kate is a young woman who re-lives the same first date on Christmas Eve over and over again. In an attempt to win back her ex-boyfriend on Christmas Eve, Kate ends up ruining her blind date with Miles, a handsome guy she’s been set up with. In a strange twist of fate, Kate is given the chance to re-live Christmas Eve twelve times! We just hope that in at least one of those twelve run throughs that she manages to get everything right!

#19 Just Friends (2005)

High school student Chris Brander (Ryan Reynolds) loves his best friend, Jamie Palamino (Amy Smart). He finally confesses his feelings, but she tells him that she just wants to be friends and he leaves town in shame. Ten years later, Chris is a successful record executive and involved with self-absorbed pop star Samantha James (Anna Faris). He still pines for Jamie, though, and when his plans to go to Paris for the holidays fall through, he returns to his hometown to try and win her heart.

#18 The Last Holiday (2006)

The discovery of a terminal illness prompts introverted saleswoman Georgia Byrd (Queen Latifah) to reflect on what she realizes has been an overly cautious life. So Georgia withdraws her life savings and jets off to Europe where she lives like a millionaire for what little time she has left. The only one missing from her new life is her longtime crush Sean Matthews (LL Cool J).

#17 Ghosts Of Girlfriends Past (2009)

Starring: Matthew McConaughey and Jennifer Garner

Celebrity photographer Connor Mead lives life in the fast lane, committed to bachelorhood and simultaneous relationships with multiple women. On the eve of his brother’s wedding, Connor receives a visit from the spirits of his jilted lovers, who take him on an odyssey through his many failed relationships to try to find out what made him such a cad – and if there is any hope of Connor finding true love. This movie is a modern fun twist on the Dickens classic and is definitely worth a watch!

#16 Four Christmases (2008)

When their plans for an exotic vacation fall apart, unmarried couple Brad and Kate must spend Christmas Day trudging around to a quartet of family get-togethers. While Brad counts the hours till he can escape the onslaught of crazy relatives, Kate begins to wonder about her own choices and ponders whether her family members are so crazy after all. This is a fun festive rom-com with charming performances from the two leads!

#15 Happiest Season (2020)

Starring Kristen Stewart and Mackenzie Davis. A young woman with a plan to propose to her girlfriend while at her family’s annual holiday party discovers her partner hasn’t yet come out to her conservative parents. This is A Holiday Rom-Com about being true to yourself and trying not to ruin Christmas. And those are rules to live by.

#14 About A Boy

Keep the tissues close for this one! Will (Hugh Grant) is a rich and irresponsible Londoner in his thirties who, in search of available women, invents an imaginary son and starts attending single parent meetings. As a result of one of his liaisons, he meets Marcus, an odd 12-year-old boy with problems at school. Gradually, Will and Marcus become friends, and as Will teaches Marcus how to be a cool kid, Marcus helps Will to finally grow up.

#13 Bridget Jones’s Baby (2016)

Breaking up with Mark Darcy leaves Bridget Jones over 40 and single again. Feeling that she has everything under control, Jones decides to focus on her career as a top news producer. Suddenly, her love life comes back from the dead when she meets a dashing and handsome American named Jack Things couldn’t be better, until Bridget discovers that she is pregnant. Now, the befuddled mom-to-be must figure out if the proud papa is Mark or Jack.

As all of the Bridget Jones movies are set at Christmas times then this definitely makes them Christmas movies in our book!

#12 Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason (2004)

The sequel to “Bridget Jones’s Diary” finds Bridget working as a TV host and still dating barrister Mark. But Bridget is jealous of the time Mark spends with a co-worker, and, despite a vacation meant to smooth things over, ends their relationship. On assignment in Thailand, she has a dalliance with her disreputable ex, Daniel, and is temporarily jailed on the false accusation of drug smuggling, before Mark comes to the rescue.

#11 Bridget Jones’s Diary (2001)

This hilarious British comedy series based on the bestselling novel by Helen Fielding always leaves us in stitches! At the start of the New Year, 32-year-old Bridget (Renée Zellweger) decides it’s time to take control of her life – and start keeping a diary. Things get messy when two men vie for her affection. Now the most provocative, erotic, and hysterical book on her bedside table is the one she’s writing.

#10 The Preacher’s Wife (1996)

Starring Whitney Houston and Denzel Washington. A cleric begins to doubt himself and is visited by an angel. The heavenly emissary is supposed to help the good reverend over his midlife crisis, but he is distracted by the cleric’s lovely young wife. Remake with gospel music of the `The Bishop’s Wife’, we’re declaring this classic a must-watch in our top ten Christmas Romantic Movie marathon!

#9 Serendipity (2001)

Starring John Cusack and Kate Beckinsale. On a magical night, Jonathan meets Sarah. After 10 years and with 3,000 miles between them they must decide if fate wants them to be together again. When love feels like magic, it is called destiny. When destiny has a sense of humor, it is serendipity.

This is a must watch classic magical movie with amazing chemistry between the leads. A genuine feel-good Christmas movie all about love and fate.

#8 When Harry Met Sally (1989)

With Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal, this classic is a must-watch at least once. College graduates Harry and Sally share a car ride from Chicago to New York, during which they argue about whether men and women can ever truly be strictly platonic friends. Ten years later, Harry and Sally meet again at a bookstore and attempt to stay friends without sex becoming an issue between them. And as this movie is set recurrently in late December that makes this a Christmas movie!

#7 While You Were Sleeping (1995)

One of Sandra Bullock’s most well loved films, this one pulls on the heart strings every time! Lonely transit worker Lucy saves her longtime crush Peter from the path of an oncoming train. At the hospital, doctors report that he’s in a coma, and a misplaced comment from Lucy causes Peter’s family to assume that she is his fiancée. When Lucy doesn’t correct them, they take her into their home and confidence. Things get even more complicated when she finds herself falling for Peter’s brother, Jack. With Sandra Bullock highly praised for a charming performance and Peter Gallagher and Bill Pulman as the Callaghan brothers this is a perfect feel good film for some warm hearted Christmas cheer.

#6 You’ve Got Mail (1998)

A Blockbuster classic that’s still relevant today, You’ve Got Mail is a romantic comedy film directed by Nora Ephron and starring Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan. Struggling boutique bookseller Kathleen Kelly hates Joe Fox, the owner of a corporate Foxbooks chain store that just moved in across the street. When they meet online, however, they begin an intense and anonymous Internet romance, oblivious of each other’s true identity.

#5 It’s A Wonderful Life (1946)

This classic is a bucket-list must watch. A lot of spoofs have been made using the It’s A Wonderful Life premise. For that reason alone we had to include it. George Bailey has so many problems he is thinking about ending it all – and it’s Christmas! As the angels discuss George, we see his life in flashback. When George is about to jump from a bridge, he ends up rescuing his guardian angel, Clarence who then shows George what his town would have looked like if it hadn’t been for all his good deeds over the years. This is now a classic Christmas movie with a very important message.

#4 The Holiday (2006)

This romantic dramady ranks number four for its A+ cast including Jack Black, Cameron Diaz, Kate Winslet, and Jude Law. Dumped and depressed, Iris agrees to swap homes with similarly unlucky in love Amanda for a much-needed break. Iris finds herself in a palatial Hollywood mansion while Amanda navigates the lanes of a picture-perfect English village. Soon enough, both lovelorn ladies bump into local lads perfect for a romantic pick-me-up. The cast have amazing chemistry and this movie wanders into sentimentality without being overtly sweet give this one a try!

#3 The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)

The film follows the misadventures of Jack Skellington, Halloweentown’s beloved pumpkin king, who has become bored with the same annual routine of frightening people in the “real world.” When Jack accidentally stumbles on Christmastown, all bright colors and warm spirits, he gets a new lease on life — he plots to bring Christmas under his control by kidnapping Santa Claus and taking over the role. But Jack soon discovers even the best-laid plans of mice and skeleton men can go seriously awry. This movie would definitely be at the top of our must watch Christmas movies list! And what makes it romantic? Well the enduring love between Jack and Sally of course!

#2 Elf (2003)

Elf wins the popularity vote at RomanceDevoured hands down! Even though it’s not your typical romance this nutty comedy is beloved by the whole family and is a holiday tradition for all ages. That makes it a must-watch in our book. And there’s enough romance between Buddy and Jovie to justify its placement on this list.

Buddy is accidentally transported to the North Pole as a toddler and raised among Santa’s elves. Unable to shake the feeling that he doesn’t fit in, the adult Buddy travels to New York in search of his real father. As it happens, Buddy’s father is Walter Hobbs a cynical businessman. After a DNA test proves this, Walter reluctantly attempts to start a relationship with the childlike Buddy with increasingly chaotic results.

#1 Love Actually (2003)

Arguably the most beloved holiday romance movie of all time. A favorite of ours at RomanceDevoured for sure!

Nine intertwined stories examine the complexities of the one emotion that connects us all: love. Among the characters explored are David, the handsome newly elected British prime minister who falls for a young junior staffer . Sarah, a graphic designer whose devotion to her mentally ill brother complicates her love life. And Harry, a married man tempted by his attractive new secretary.