The Ultimate Christmas Movie Showdown

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Let’s have some fun with a March Madness style Christmas Movie tournament!

I’ve made a printable bracket below that you can fill out to join in! Voting will take place on my instagram stories from Sunday December 6th until December 19th. Follow along with voting on instagram (I’ll also update here), or you can have your own family and friends vote on the winners!

The Matchups

Here’s a guide to the first round of matchups to help you fill out your bracket. ( All of the description quotes below are from IMDB. )

Home Alone vs Home Alone 2

“An eight-year-old troublemaker must protect his house from a pair of burglars when he is accidentally left home alone by his family during Christmas vacation.”

“One year after Kevin McCallister was left home alone and had to defeat a pair of bumbling burglars, he accidentally finds himself stranded in New York City – and the same criminals are not far behind.”

White Christmas vs Holiday Inn

“A successful song-and-dance team become romantically involved with a sister act and team up to save the failing Vermont inn of their former commanding general.”

“At an inn which is only open on holidays, a crooner and a hoofer vie for the affections of a beautiful up-and-coming performer.”

Emmet Otter’s Jugband Christmas vs The Christmas Toy

“A poor otter family risks everything for the chance to win the cash prize of a talent contest for Christmas.”

“When no people are around, the toys still play in the playroom. But since a toy will be frozen forever if a person catches it out of position, they have to be very careful. It’s Christmas Eve, and Rugby the Tiger remembers how he was the Christmas Toy last year, and thinks he’s going to be unwrapped again.”

Elf vs Fred Claus

“After discovering he is a human, a man raised as an elf at the North Pole decides to travel to New York City to locate his real father.”

“Fred Claus, Santa’s bitter older brother, is forced to move to the North Pole to help Santa and the elves prepare for Christmas in exchange for cash.”

Noelle vs Babes in Toyland (1961)

“Santa’s daughter must take over the family business when her father retires and her brother, who is supposed to inherit the Santa role, gets cold feet.”

“After an introduction by Mother Goose and her pet goose Sylvester, the audience is invited to Mother Goose Village, wherein numerous characters from nursery rhymes make their homes.”

The Nightmare Before Christmas vs How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)

“Jack Skellington, king of Halloween Town, discovers Christmas Town, but his attempts to bring Christmas to his home causes confusion.”

“On the outskirts of Whoville lives a green, revenge-seeking Grinch who plans to ruin Christmas for all of the citizens of the town.”

Snowglobe vs The Mistletones

“A young woman discovers a Christmas-themed dreamworld inside a magical snowglobe.”

“A talented singer forms a musical group and challenges her rivals to a competition on Christmas Eve.”

Arthur Christmas vs Klaus

“Santa’s (Jim Broadbent’s) clumsy son Arthur (James McAvoy) sets out on a mission with Grandsanta (Bill Nighy) to give out a present they misplaced to a young girl in less than two hours.”

“A simple act of kindness always sparks another, even in a frozen, faraway place. When Smeerensburg’s new postman, Jesper, befriends toymaker Klaus, their gifts melt an age-old feud and deliver a sleigh full of holiday traditions.”

One Magic Christmas vs Prancer

“An angel must show a mother the true meaning of Christmas. It’s not just presents and materialistic things, but the people she cares about.”

“A farm girl nurses a wounded reindeer she believes is one of Santa’s, hoping to bring it back to health in time for Christmas. Her holiday spirit inspires those around her, something her disheartened father is having trouble understanding.”

12 Dates of Christmas vs Holiday in Handcuffs

“A story that follows Kate, a young woman who after a horrible blind date on Christmas Eve, wakes up to find she is re-living that same day and date all over again.”

“A struggling artist working as waitress kidnaps one of her customers to bring home and meet her parents at Christmas.”

A Christmas Story vs National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation

“In the 1940s, a young boy named Ralphie attempts to convince his parents, his teacher and Santa that a Red Ryder BB gun really is the perfect Christmas gift.”

“The Griswold family’s plans for a big family Christmas predictably turn into a big disaster.”

Deck the Halls vs Christmas with the Kranks

“Two neighbors have it out after one of them decorates his house for the holidays so brightly that it can be seen from space.”

“With their daughter, Blair, away, Luther and Nora Krank decide to skip Christmas all together until she decides to come home, causing an uproar when they have to celebrate it at the last minute.”

The Year Without a Santa Claus vs. Santa Claus is Coming to Town

“When a weary and discouraged Santa Claus considers skipping his Christmas Eve run one year, Mrs. Claus and his Elves set out to change his mind. “

“A mailman reveals the origin of Santa Claus.”

Miracle on 34th Street (1947) vs Miracle on 34th Street (1994)

“When a nice old man who claims to be Santa Claus is institutionalized as insane, a young lawyer decides to defend him by arguing in court that he is the real thing.”

“A lawyer and a little girl must prove that a man claiming to be Santa Claus is the real thing.”

Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmas vs. Mickey’s Christmas Carol

“Mickey and his friends star in 3 heartwarming stories of Christmas past.”

“The classic Disney animated characters play the roles in this animated retelling of the Charles Dickens masterpiece.”

Christmas Eve on Sesame Street vs. It’s a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie

“Big Bird worries when Oscar tells him that if Santa Claus can’t fit down the chimney on Christmas Eve, nobody would get presents.”

“On Christmas Eve, an angel petitions God to send help for Kermit the Frog who has lost all hope after losing the Muppet Theatre.”

The Santa Clause vs I’ll Be Home For Christmas

“When a man inadvertently makes Santa fall off of his roof on Christmas Eve, he finds himself magically recruited to take his place.”

“A college student faces an impossible journey when he is left stranded in the desert, thousands of miles from home, with no money and only a few days left until Christmas.”

Jingle All the Way vs Jack Frost (1998)

“A father vows to get his son a Turbo Man action figure for Christmas. However, every store is sold out of them, and he must travel all over town and compete with everybody else in order to find one.”

“A father who can’t keep his promises, dies in a car accident. One year later, he returns as a snowman, who has the final chance to put things right with his son, before he is gone forever.”

Scrooged vs Disney’s A Christmas Carol (2009)

“A selfish, cynical television executive is haunted by three spirits bearing lessons on Christmas Eve.”

“A foul-tempered and misanthropic miser is shown the error of his ways in a single night through the visits of a number of spirits, some kindly and jolly; some not so much.”

Muppet Christmas Carol vs Muppet Family Christmas

“The Muppet characters tell their version of the classic tale of an old and bitter miser’s redemption on Christmas Eve.”

“Kermit and his friends spend Christmas staging a surprise visit to Fozzie Bear’s mother’s farm.”

It’s a Wonderful Life vs Christmas in Connecticut

“An angel is sent from Heaven to help a desperately frustrated businessman by showing him what life would have been like if he had never existed.”

“A food writer who has lied about being the perfect housewife must try to cover her deception when her boss and a returning war hero invite themselves to her home for a traditional family Christmas.”

Nutcracker (1993) vs The Nutcracker and the Four Realms (2018)

“On Christmas Eve, a little girl named Marie (Cohen) falls asleep after a party at her home and dreams herself (or does she?) into a fantastic world where toys become larger than life. Her beloved Nutcracker (Culkin) comes to life and defends her from the Mouse King, then is turned into a Prince after Marie saves his life.”

“A young girl is transported into a magical world of gingerbread soldiers and an army of mice.”

Frosty the Snowman vs Frosty’s Winter Wonderland

“A living snowman and a little girl struggle to elude a greedy magician who is after the snowman’s magic hat.”

“Frosty’s kind of lonely, so the kids think of making him a wife, Crystal. But will Jack Frost let them be happy?”

A Miser Brothers’ Christmas vs Rudolph and Frosty’s Christmas in July

“The story begins when Santa’s new chief mechanic, Tinsel, creates a speedy, new high tech sleigh for Christmas. But what Santa doesn’t know is that North Wind has secretly sabotaged the sleigh in the hope of taking Santa’s place that year. When Santa takes it out for a spin, he gets caught in the crossfire between the feuding Snow Miser and Heat Miser Brothers and his sleigh comes crashing down. North Wind frames the Miser Brothers for Santa’s accident and, with Santa stuck in bed with a bad back, everything falls into place for North Wind to slyly come to the rescue as a temporary Santa. But much to his chagrin, Mother Nature punishes the Miser Brothers by forcing them to put their differences aside and fill in for Santa. In between comedic squabbles, the Brothers rediscover what it means to be family and, along the way, save Christmas for everyone!”

“The Winterbolt is trying to make North Pole his evil wonderland, and it is up to Frosty the Snowman, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and other icons to stop him.”

The Santa Clause 2 vs The Santa Clause 3

“Scott Calvin has been a humble Santa Claus for nearly ten years, but it might come to an end if he doesn’t find a Mrs. Claus.”

“Santa, aka Scott Calvin, is faced with double-duty: how to keep his new family happy, and how to stop Jack Frost from taking over Christmas.”

The Grinch (2018) vs How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1966)

“A grumpy Grinch (Benedict Cumberbatch) plots to ruin Christmas for the village of Whoville.”

“A grumpy hermit hatches a plan to steal Christmas from the Whos of Whoville.”

Jack Frost (1979) vs Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer

The Groundhog tells the story of how, for once, Jack Frost became human, and helped a knight win his lady love.

“A misfit reindeer and his friends look for a place that will accept them.”

Jingle Jangle vs Christmas Chronicles

“An imaginary world comes to life in a holiday tale of an eccentric toymaker, his adventurous granddaughter, and a magical invention that has the power to change their lives forever.”

“The story of sister and brother, Kate and Teddy Pierce, whose Christmas Eve plan to catch Santa Claus on camera turns into an unexpected journey that most kids could only dream about.”

The Star vs Angela’s Christmas

“A small but brave donkey and his animal friends become the unsung heroes of the first Christmas.”

“Set in Ireland in the 1910s, ‘Angela’s Christmas’ is a funny, heart-warming and poignant story about the power of family and the innocent desire of a child to ensure everyone is safe, warm and loved at Christmas time.”

The Star Wars Holiday Special vs The Leprechaun’s Christmas Gold

“Chewbacca and Han Solo try to get to the Wookiee homeworld of Kashyyyk to celebrate Life Day, but are impeded by an Imperial blockade. Chewie’s family passes the time with various forms of entertainment.”

“An Irish sailor is stranded on an island full of Leprechauns and soon finds himself aiding them in protecting their gold from a greedy Hag.”

A Charlie Brown Christmas vs The Polar Express

“Depressed at the commercialism he sees around him, Charlie Brown tries to find a deeper meaning to Christmas.”

“On Christmas Eve, a young boy embarks on a magical adventure to the North Pole on the Polar Express, while learning about friendship, bravery, and the spirit of Christmas.”

The Little Drummer Boy vs Nestor the Long Eared Christmas Donkey

“An orphan drummer boy who hated humanity finds his life changed forever when he meets three wise men on route to Bethlehem.”

“An outcast donkey in Roman era Judea with overlong ears finds his destiny on the way to Bethlehem.”

I can’t wait to see what movie ends up on top!

10 thoughts on “The Ultimate Christmas Movie Showdown”

  1. Well, I have kinda of a different set of movies I hope to see over the Holidays.

    1. A Christmas Carol (George C. Scott)- that is actually a family tradition
    2. Man Who Invented Christmas- now that it is out (actually exciting for me to watch because I am writing books)
    3. Home Alone
    4. Home Alone II
    5. Santa Claus
    5. Santa Claus II
    6. Santa Claus III
    7. White Christmas
    8. Charlie Brown Christmas

    Now, below are some I hope to get to, but not part of the main list

    1. Polar Express
    2. Grinch Who Stole Christmas

    Polar Express is higher up on that list

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