Christmas Movie Party

Host a Christmas movie party and watch a marathon of holiday themed films. Set up an indoor picnic with food and drinks that are easy and delicious. See my list of Christmas movies for kids or grownups. 

television with White Christmas movie playing on it.

I have a big affection for Christmas movies, and watching the same ones year after year never gets old. In fact it’s as much a part of the season for me as Christmas music is.

Having a Christmas movie day or night is a fantastic holiday party theme too. You can make it a family friendly occasion or a holiday girls night in.

Indoor Picnic Style

This is a great daytime party idea, although you can just as effectively set it up for the evening. I think a Christmas movie marathon on a Sunday afternoon, with snacks served picnic style is ideal for the beginner or casual hostess.

man sitting on floor with food and Christmas tree in background.

Get cozy on the floor. Place large pillows and throws in front of the tv so you can get comfortable while watching your favorite movies.

party food platters on red plaid blanket.

Snacks

Set up an indoor picnic on your coffee table, cocktail ottoman, or the floor. One thing’s for sure, there must be food at your party, and if this is a marathon event then it needs to be hearty and filling. Serve easy cold appetizers that don’t need to stay warm.

Offer crunchy snacks like Chex mix or sweet Muddy Buddies with red and green M&M’s added. You can also set up a popcorn bar and let everyone make their own combinations.

Desserts

Serve mini desserts that are easy to pick up with one hand and eat. Here’s what we usually serve.

table set up with a drink bar for Christmas.

Set up a beverage table nearby so you don’t miss a scene. Use one end of a tv console for a convenient serving space. Serve a pitcher of juice and let guests add tasty additions like vodka, ginger liqueur, or spiced coconut rum.

Christmas Movie List

These are some tried and true movies to watch, plus a few TV specials that are classic!

Classic TV Specials

  • Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer
  • Santa Claus is Coming to Town
  • Frosty the Snowman
  • How The Grinch Stole Christmas

Vintage Movies

  • Christmas in Connecticut
  • A Christmas Carol
  • Miracle On 34th Street
  • The Bishop’s Wife

Popular Modern Picks

  • Elf
  • Home Alone
  • A Christmas Story
  • Love Actually
  • The Polar Express
  • The Family Stone
  • The Holiday
  • Scrooged

My Favorites

These are some of my top picks that I watch year after year. It’s a pretty eclectic list.

  • Christmas Vacation – It’s our tradition to watch this every year. It never gets old, and my husband even dressed up like cousin Eddie (“sh*ter was full!” scene) for Halloween a couple of years ago!
  • White Christmas – I love classic movies, especially musicals, and Bing Crosby is one of my favorites. Ergo White Christmas is at the top of my list. I’ve already watched it twice this year!
  • Holiday Inn – Pretty much echoes what I said about White Christmas, but add in Fred Astaire!
  • It’s a Wonderful Life – The classic tear-jerker. This was my husband’s favorite for a long time…until we discovered Christmas Vacation together. If you don’t cry or feel choked up during the last scene in the movie then you don’t have a soul.
  • A Charlie Brown Christmas – This pick stands alone in a couple of ways. First of all it’s more of a tv show than a movie. Secondly, it’s pure nostalgia as it takes me back to my childhood. Thirdly, the jazz musical score is reason enough to hit the ‘play’ button. Let it play in the background during intermission between movies if you like.
  • Bad Santa – Because we can’t live on snowflakes and good cheer alone, shake things up a bit with this dark comedy. You definitely want to put the kids to bed before watching this one.
Host a Christmas movie party day and serve up an indoor picnic style buffet while you watch. See my top six Christmas movie picks for grown-ups, too.

Have fun planning your Christmas movie marathon this season!

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