Movie Night Magic: A Holiday Movie Guide with Food Ideas, Activities, and More!
Christmas is my favorite holiday, and one of my favorite things to do around Christmastime is watch Christmas movies. As soon as December rolls around, in my house, we break out the Christmas movies and start having movie nights every weekend. If you are hoping to have a holiday movie night with friends, your honey, or your kiddos, I’ve got you covered with the list below! And make sure to add in some of the activities and food ideas to make it a special night everyone will love!
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Movie Night for Families with Small Children
A Classic: Santa Claus is Comin' to Town
There are so many great stop-motion animation Christmas classics, and most people always think of Rudolph first, but this one is my personal favorite. It’s such a sweet story, and for me, it ties together so beautifully the fun of Santa with the real meaning of Christmas. If your kids are still young enough to be excited about Santa, this is a must-watch and it’s great for starting conversations about why we give at Christmas. You can get it and other classics on DVD here.
Snacks/Activities:
- Make a Santa Craft: Check out this list from The Spruce Crafts and find one that works for your family. My favorites are the Cork Santas and the Santa Bookmark.
- Write Letters to Santa: This is the one we are going to do this year. I love the idea of watching the movie and then writing your own letters like the kids in the movie do.
- Make a Santa-Themed Treat: Check out this list of treats from All Recipes. I think we are going to make the Strawberry Santas this year, but I also think the chocolate reindeer cupcakes are so cute!
A New Favorite: Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas
It’s no secret I’m a huge Mickey fan, and I love this collection of three sweet Christmas stories featuring your favorite Disney pals. These stories all teach great lessons and spark really important conversations. And kids who love Disney will love it! You can get this one on DVD here or find it on Disney+.
Activities:
- Choose an Opportunity to “Be Santa”: In the first story, Goofy dresses up as Santa to bring food and gifts to a needy family. Decide as a family on a charity you would like to give to, or pack an Operation Christmas Child box, or buy an Angel Tree gift.
- Talk About Your Christmas Traditions: In the second story, Huey, Duey, and Louie learn that it’s the Christmas traditions we have with those we love that mean more than gifts. So use this time to talk about your own traditions and why they matter.
- Make a Christmas List or Go Christmas Shopping: After watching the last story of Mickey and Minnie’s Gift of the Magi, which is based on the famous Christmas story by O’Henry, make a list of what gifts you want to get for the people you love most or go shopping for them.
Movie Night for Families with Older Children
A Well-Known Classic: A Charlie Brown Christmas
Honestly, it’s not really Christmas without this one. It’s the OG of Christmas specials. The questions Charlie grapples with here are so relatable, and watching it can help you bring up important topics with your older children. And it’s just fun! You can get this one on DVD here.
Snacks/Activities:
- Read The Christmas Story: My favorite part is when Linus quotes chapter 2 of Luke and essentially tells Charlie the real story of Christmas. After the movie, read the story from the Bible and talk about it with your kids.
- Decorate your Christmas Tree: The tree is a really important symbol in this story, and I think it would be so fun to make this movie part of the same day you decorate your tree.
- Make a Charlie Brown Treat: Use these fun cookie cutters to make cookies shaped like Snoopy, Woodstock, and Snoopy’s doghouse. Bake and then have a ball decorating with icing and sprinkles.
A Lesser-Known Classic: The Muppet Christmas Carol
I love A Christmas Carol. I love the book, and I’ve probably watched every film adaptation out there. This one is my favorite of them all. It follows the story pretty closely so all the important messages are there, but the Muppets give it so much warmth and heart. And the music is excellent! I enjoy this one just as much as my children do. If you’ve never seen it, you have to watch it this year! You can get it on DVD here or find it on Disney+.
Snacks/Activities:
- Make a Plan to Give: This is a great movie to use to talk about economic disparity with children. Just like Scrooge does at the end, ask your kids how they might like to give this Christmas.
- Roast Chestnuts: In the movie, there is a funny scene where Piggy is roasting chestnuts. I think this would be fun to do with kids. If you want to give it a try, check out this post by Food Network complete with a how-to and some great chestnut recipes!
- Make a Fun Muppet Craft or Try a Muppet-Themed Recipe: This list from Fun Family Crafts has tons of cute Muppet crafts you can do with kids and some tasty recipes too that you can add to your movie night with the Muppets!
Movies for a Perfect Christmas Date Night
A Classic: White Christmas
This is my favorite Christmas movie of all time. Two showbiz sisters join with two army friends turned entertainers to help save a failing inn in Vermont for a lovable general. I love musicals, and this one has it all: great music, a fun story, and brilliant choreography. It will have you laughing and singing along and will leave you with that warm feeling you want during a movie night with your favorite person. You can get this one on DVD here.
Snacks/Activities:
- Make White Christmas Chocolate Party Mix: This mix is so easy to make. Making it would be the perfect activity to do before the movie, and then you could enjoy the snack while you watch. I use this recipe when I make it.
- Dance in the Living Room: In the movie, one song declares “the best things happen while you’re dancing.” So push the couch aside, turn on some music, and dance.
- Count Your Blessings: One number in the movie talks about “counting your blessings” when you feel worried or can’t sleep. So, make a list together of the blessings in your relationship.
A Newer Favorite: The Holiday
Christmas is the season of romantic comedies, and there are so many to choose from. But, my husband and I have probably watched this one more than any other. It’s funny, and warm, and quotable, and so much fun to watch. I especially love the character of Arthur, played by a hilarious and endearing Eli Wallach, and the way he helps Iris through her struggles to really find herself. If you haven’t seen it, it’s worth your time. You can get this one on DVD here.
Activities:
- Make Fettuccini Alfredo: In the movie, there is an important scene where two characters have a dinner of fettuccini at a turning point in their relationship, so it’s the perfect meal to eat as part of a movie night with this film.
- Build a Blanket Fort: Another key scene in the movie takes place in a kids’ blanket fort. I actually think building one of these would be so much fun for a couple to do.
- Play Name that Tune: Music is important in this movie, so playing a music game would be the perfect activity. There are many ways to play this classic game, but you can buy this one on Amazon.
Christmas Movie Night with Friends
A Classic: A Christmas Story
I watch this movie every year, and I think it’s the perfect movie to watch with friends. There are so many great and funny scenes in this movie: the leg lamp, the changing of the tire, the bunny costume…the list goes on. So, if you’re getting together with the people you love to laugh with, this is a great movie to choose. You can get this one on DVD here.
Activities:
- Play the A Christmas Story Game: There are a couple of games that have been made after this movie. This card game is one great option to play with a small group. Or you can check out this strategy board game that is a little more complex. Either way, when movie night and game night come together, it’s bound to be tons of fun.
- Have a Gift Exchange: Gift-giving is a big part of this movie. So, you could draw names and give gifts in a “secret Santa” style gift exchange, or you could have a White Elephant gift exchange, or whatever works for your group.
A Newer Favorite: The Grinch
My best friends growing up were my brothers, and we watched this movie so many times. I love the story of The Grinch in general, and I like the newer animated version and the original classic. But, this version is so funny and so fun to watch with a group. Even though it’s a family movie, I also think it caters more to adults than small kids. If you haven’t watched it, check it out this Christmas! You can get it on DVD here.
Activities:
- Make Some Grinch Punch: This recipe from Delish is the perfect punch to serve at a movie night with your closest friends. You can include the vodka in the recipe for a cocktail, or leave it out if you want to avoid the alcohol. It’s just as good either way.
- Do a Christmas Dessert Tasting or Contest: In the movie, the grinch has to judge Christmas puddings. I think it would be fun to have everyone bring a Christmas dessert and have a potluck with all desserts for your meal. And if your friends are competitive, make it a contest!
What are you watching this Christmas?
So, what is your go-to Christmas movie? What are your favorite things to do for fun during the holiday season? Drop a comment below and let me know!
If you are looking for more ways to make an ordinary night special, check out these posts:
- 5 Easy Ways to Make Date Night Even More Special
- Make Movie Night Memorable with Raya and the Last Dragon
- The Best Board Games for Big Family Fun
- The Perfect Gift Guide for Christmas Shopping This Year!
- Five Helpful Ways to be ‘Santa Paws’ to Furry Friends
I love these ideas. Christmas is my favorite time of year and I love Christmas movies.