#1 · 1940
The Shop Around the Corner
Ranked #1 in Rotten Tomatoes’ U.S. editorial list of the best Christmas movies. Its 99% Tomatometer value is a retrieval-time snapshot, not a personal Reelkeeper rating.
Open ranked detailsChristmas Movies · U.S. Top 50
Fifty holiday favorites, in published order.
The first fifty entries in Rotten Tomatoes’ U.S. editorial Christmas-movie ranking, with local artwork, title-level research, and clear collection boundaries.
Ranking boundary
U.S.-published list, not U.S.-only productions
The first 50 entries in Rotten Tomatoes’ U.S. editorial ranking of the 100 Best Christmas Movies of All Time, preserved in published order as retrieved on August 12, 2026.
The first 50 titles in Rotten Tomatoes' published editorial order. Rotten Tomatoes states that the list is ranked by Tomatometer score with Certified Fresh films first. The published order is preserved even when raw score percentages alone would sort differently.
The source is U.S.-published, but the ranking includes films from multiple production countries. No claim is made that all fifty films are U.S. productions. Tomatometer values are snapshots retrieved August 12, 2026 and may change. 17 exact editions are already saved; 33 remain discovery-only.
Published ranking
45 movies and 5 specials
Ranks 1–50
#2 · 1944
Meet Me in St. Louis
Ranked #2 in Rotten Tomatoes’ U.S. editorial list of the best Christmas movies. Its 99% Tomatometer value is a retrieval-time snapshot, not a personal Reelkeeper rating.
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#3 · 2023
The Holdovers
Ranked #3 in Rotten Tomatoes’ U.S. editorial list of the best Christmas movies. Its 97% Tomatometer value is a retrieval-time snapshot, not a personal Reelkeeper rating.
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#4 · 2015
Tangerine
Ranked #4 in Rotten Tomatoes’ U.S. editorial list of the best Christmas movies. Its 96% Tomatometer value is a retrieval-time snapshot, not a personal Reelkeeper rating.
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#5 · 1947
Miracle on 34th Street
Ranked #5 in Rotten Tomatoes’ U.S. editorial list of the best Christmas movies. Its 96% Tomatometer value is a retrieval-time snapshot, not a personal Reelkeeper rating.
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#6 · 2019
Little Women
Ranked #6 in Rotten Tomatoes’ U.S. editorial list of the best Christmas movies. Its 95% Tomatometer value is a retrieval-time snapshot, not a personal Reelkeeper rating.
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#7 · 1993
Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas
Ranked #7 in Rotten Tomatoes’ U.S. editorial list of the best Christmas movies. Its 95% Tomatometer value is a retrieval-time snapshot, not a personal Reelkeeper rating.
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#8 · 2019
Klaus
Ranked #8 in Rotten Tomatoes’ U.S. editorial list of the best Christmas movies. Its 95% Tomatometer value is a retrieval-time snapshot, not a personal Reelkeeper rating.
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#9 · 2015
Carol
Ranked #9 in Rotten Tomatoes’ U.S. editorial list of the best Christmas movies. Its 94% Tomatometer value is a retrieval-time snapshot, not a personal Reelkeeper rating.
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#10 · 1946
It's a Wonderful Life
Ranked #10 in Rotten Tomatoes’ U.S. editorial list of the best Christmas movies. Its 94% Tomatometer value is a retrieval-time snapshot, not a personal Reelkeeper rating.
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#11 · 1988
Die Hard
Ranked #11 in Rotten Tomatoes’ U.S. editorial list of the best Christmas movies. Its 94% Tomatometer value is a retrieval-time snapshot, not a personal Reelkeeper rating.
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#12 · 2022
The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special
Ranked #12 in Rotten Tomatoes’ U.S. editorial list of the best Christmas movies. Its 95% Tomatometer value is a retrieval-time snapshot, not a personal Reelkeeper rating.
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#13 · 2011
Arthur Christmas
Ranked #13 in Rotten Tomatoes’ U.S. editorial list of the best Christmas movies. Its 93% Tomatometer value is a retrieval-time snapshot, not a personal Reelkeeper rating.
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#14 · 1960
The Apartment
Ranked #14 in Rotten Tomatoes’ U.S. editorial list of the best Christmas movies. Its 93% Tomatometer value is a retrieval-time snapshot, not a personal Reelkeeper rating.
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#15 · 1994
Little Women
Ranked #15 in Rotten Tomatoes’ U.S. editorial list of the best Christmas movies. Its 92% Tomatometer value is a retrieval-time snapshot, not a personal Reelkeeper rating.
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#16 · 2003
Tokyo Godfathers
Ranked #16 in Rotten Tomatoes’ U.S. editorial list of the best Christmas movies. Its 92% Tomatometer value is a retrieval-time snapshot, not a personal Reelkeeper rating.
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#17 · 2020
Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey
Ranked #17 in Rotten Tomatoes’ U.S. editorial list of the best Christmas movies. Its 91% Tomatometer value is a retrieval-time snapshot, not a personal Reelkeeper rating.
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#18 · 1990
Edward Scissorhands
Ranked #18 in Rotten Tomatoes’ U.S. editorial list of the best Christmas movies. Its 92% Tomatometer value is a retrieval-time snapshot, not a personal Reelkeeper rating.
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#19 · 2010
Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale
Ranked #19 in Rotten Tomatoes’ U.S. editorial list of the best Christmas movies. Its 89% Tomatometer value is a retrieval-time snapshot, not a personal Reelkeeper rating.
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#20 · 1983
A Christmas Story
Ranked #20 in Rotten Tomatoes’ U.S. editorial list of the best Christmas movies. Its 87% Tomatometer value is a retrieval-time snapshot, not a personal Reelkeeper rating.
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#21 · 2016
Better Watch Out
Ranked #21 in Rotten Tomatoes’ U.S. editorial list of the best Christmas movies. Its 89% Tomatometer value is a retrieval-time snapshot, not a personal Reelkeeper rating.
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#22 · 2022
Spoiler Alert
Ranked #22 in Rotten Tomatoes’ U.S. editorial list of the best Christmas movies. Its 87% Tomatometer value is a retrieval-time snapshot, not a personal Reelkeeper rating.
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#23 · 1984
Gremlins
Ranked #23 in Rotten Tomatoes’ U.S. editorial list of the best Christmas movies. Its 86% Tomatometer value is a retrieval-time snapshot, not a personal Reelkeeper rating.
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#24 · 1983
Trading Places
Ranked #24 in Rotten Tomatoes’ U.S. editorial list of the best Christmas movies. Its 87% Tomatometer value is a retrieval-time snapshot, not a personal Reelkeeper rating.
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#25 · 2005
Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang
Ranked #25 in Rotten Tomatoes’ U.S. editorial list of the best Christmas movies. Its 86% Tomatometer value is a retrieval-time snapshot, not a personal Reelkeeper rating.
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#26 · 2008
A Christmas Tale
Ranked #26 in Rotten Tomatoes’ U.S. editorial list of the best Christmas movies. Its 86% Tomatometer value is a retrieval-time snapshot, not a personal Reelkeeper rating.
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#27 · 2003
Elf
Ranked #27 in Rotten Tomatoes’ U.S. editorial list of the best Christmas movies. Its 85% Tomatometer value is a retrieval-time snapshot, not a personal Reelkeeper rating.
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#28 · 2020
Happiest Season
Ranked #28 in Rotten Tomatoes’ U.S. editorial list of the best Christmas movies. Its 82% Tomatometer value is a retrieval-time snapshot, not a personal Reelkeeper rating.
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#29 · 1992
Batman Returns
Ranked #29 in Rotten Tomatoes’ U.S. editorial list of the best Christmas movies. Its 81% Tomatometer value is a retrieval-time snapshot, not a personal Reelkeeper rating.
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#30 · 1995
While You Were Sleeping
Ranked #30 in Rotten Tomatoes’ U.S. editorial list of the best Christmas movies. Its 81% Tomatometer value is a retrieval-time snapshot, not a personal Reelkeeper rating.
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#31 · 2024
Christmas Eve in Miller's Point
Ranked #31 in Rotten Tomatoes’ U.S. editorial list of the best Christmas movies. Its 80% Tomatometer value is a retrieval-time snapshot, not a personal Reelkeeper rating.
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#32 · 2017
The Man Who Invented Christmas
Ranked #32 in Rotten Tomatoes’ U.S. editorial list of the best Christmas movies. Its 79% Tomatometer value is a retrieval-time snapshot, not a personal Reelkeeper rating.
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#33 · 2022
A Christmas Story Christmas
Ranked #33 in Rotten Tomatoes’ U.S. editorial list of the best Christmas movies. Its 79% Tomatometer value is a retrieval-time snapshot, not a personal Reelkeeper rating.
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#34 · 2003
Bad Santa
Ranked #34 in Rotten Tomatoes’ U.S. editorial list of the best Christmas movies. Its 78% Tomatometer value is a retrieval-time snapshot, not a personal Reelkeeper rating.
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#35 · 1992
The Muppet Christmas Carol
Ranked #35 in Rotten Tomatoes’ U.S. editorial list of the best Christmas movies. Its 78% Tomatometer value is a retrieval-time snapshot, not a personal Reelkeeper rating.
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#36 · 2017
Anna and the Apocalypse
Ranked #36 in Rotten Tomatoes’ U.S. editorial list of the best Christmas movies. Its 77% Tomatometer value is a retrieval-time snapshot, not a personal Reelkeeper rating.
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#37 · 1954
White Christmas
Ranked #37 in Rotten Tomatoes’ U.S. editorial list of the best Christmas movies. Its 76% Tomatometer value is a retrieval-time snapshot, not a personal Reelkeeper rating.
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#38 · 2014
Happy Christmas
Ranked #38 in Rotten Tomatoes’ U.S. editorial list of the best Christmas movies. Its 75% Tomatometer value is a retrieval-time snapshot, not a personal Reelkeeper rating.
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#39 · 2005
Merry Christmas
Ranked #39 in Rotten Tomatoes’ U.S. editorial list of the best Christmas movies. Its 74% Tomatometer value is a retrieval-time snapshot, not a personal Reelkeeper rating.
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#40 · 2020
LEGO Star Wars Holiday Special
Ranked #40 in Rotten Tomatoes’ U.S. editorial list of the best Christmas movies. Its 74% Tomatometer value is a retrieval-time snapshot, not a personal Reelkeeper rating.
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#41 · 1994
The Santa Clause
Ranked #41 in Rotten Tomatoes’ U.S. editorial list of the best Christmas movies. Its 73% Tomatometer value is a retrieval-time snapshot, not a personal Reelkeeper rating.
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#42 · 1994
The Ref
Ranked #42 in Rotten Tomatoes’ U.S. editorial list of the best Christmas movies. Its 73% Tomatometer value is a retrieval-time snapshot, not a personal Reelkeeper rating.
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#43 · 1967
How the Grinch Stole Christmas
Ranked #43 in Rotten Tomatoes’ U.S. editorial list of the best Christmas movies. Its 100% Tomatometer value is a retrieval-time snapshot, not a personal Reelkeeper rating.
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#44 · 1942
Holiday Inn
Ranked #44 in Rotten Tomatoes’ U.S. editorial list of the best Christmas movies. Its 100% Tomatometer value is a retrieval-time snapshot, not a personal Reelkeeper rating.
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#45 · 1964
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
Ranked #45 in Rotten Tomatoes’ U.S. editorial list of the best Christmas movies. Its 95% Tomatometer value is a retrieval-time snapshot, not a personal Reelkeeper rating.
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#46 · 2024
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever
Ranked #46 in Rotten Tomatoes’ U.S. editorial list of the best Christmas movies. Its 92% Tomatometer value is a retrieval-time snapshot, not a personal Reelkeeper rating.
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#47 · 2025
A Very Jonas Christmas Movie
Ranked #47 in Rotten Tomatoes’ U.S. editorial list of the best Christmas movies. Its 88% Tomatometer value is a retrieval-time snapshot, not a personal Reelkeeper rating.
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#48 · 2013
White Reindeer
Ranked #48 in Rotten Tomatoes’ U.S. editorial list of the best Christmas movies. Its 90% Tomatometer value is a retrieval-time snapshot, not a personal Reelkeeper rating.
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#49 · 1974
The Year Without a Santa Claus
Ranked #49 in Rotten Tomatoes’ U.S. editorial list of the best Christmas movies. Its 90% Tomatometer value is a retrieval-time snapshot, not a personal Reelkeeper rating.
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#50 · 1945
Christmas in Connecticut
Ranked #50 in Rotten Tomatoes’ U.S. editorial list of the best Christmas movies. Its 89% Tomatometer value is a retrieval-time snapshot, not a personal Reelkeeper rating.
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