Table of ContentsTable of ContentsMeet Me in St. Louis (1944)Its a Wonderful Life (1946)Miracle on 34th Street (1947)The Shop Around the Corner (1940)Trading Places (1983)The Christmas season is filled with tradition. Some people decorate their tree together, others bake something or other. For some, though, the most meaningful part of the season is gathering around to watch a great movie. And no, we dont mean Wicked.Classic movies sometimes get a bad rap, in part because theyre old, and sensibilities were a little different when they were made. Even so, some of the best holiday movies ever made can most neatly be described as classics, and were recommending five of the very best for you to enjoy this holiday season.Recommended VideosWe also have guides to the best movies on Amazon Prime Video, the best movies on Netflix, the best movies on Hulu,the best movies on Max,andthe best movies on Disney+.RelatedMeet Me in St. Louis (1944) Official Trailer - Judy Garland, Margaret O'Brien Movie HDWhen she was great, there were few movie stars better than Judy Garland, and inMeet Me in St. Louis, her talents are on full display. The film focuses on four sisters living in St. Louis ahead of the 1904 Worlds Fair.The entire movie doesnt take place at Christmas time, but the movie does feature a section during the holiday season that includes Garland singing Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, so that alone merits its inclusion here. As a whole, the film is a delightful, wistful look at the way your life can change over the course of a single year, anchored by Garland at her very best.You can watchMeet Me in St. Louison Max.IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE | Official Trailer | Paramount MoviesJimmy Stewart pops up on this list twice, but thats basically unavoidable.Its a Wonderful Lifewas not a hit upon its release, but it is almost without a doubt the greatest Christmas movie ever made. The film tells the story of George Bailey, a small-town guy with big dreams who slowly finds that life will keep getting in the way of those dreams.The whole thing culminates on Christmas Eve as George gets a chance to see what life would be like if hed never been born, and comes to discover just how much he means to those around him, and just as importantly, how much they mean to him. Its maybe the most life-affirming movie ever made.You can watchIts a Wonderful Lifeon Amazon Prime Video.Miracle on 34th Street (1947) Trailer #1 | Movieclips Classic TrailersThe existence of Santa Claus is probably not something that should be decided by a court of law, butMiracle on 34th Streetmakes that scenario seem plausible. The film tells the story of a Macys Santa Claus who begins insisting that he really is the man hes playing in the store.As he wins over children and adults alike, he eventually has to prove who he is in court, with the very magic of Christmas on the line.Miracle on 34th Streetis equal parts silly and delightful, and its endured for decades for a reason.You can watchMiracle on 34th Streeton Peacock.The Shop Around the Corner Official Trailer #1 - James Stewart Movie (1940) HDOne of the most recycled stories ever told, The Shop Around the Cornerhas been translated in various mediums over the course of decades, but this film remains one of the most enduring versions. The film follows two employees (James Stewart and Margaret Sullivan) of a Budapest general store who cant stand each other in person, but find themselves entranced by the letters theyre exchanging anonymously.The joy of the movie is in the dramatic irony of knowing that these two bickering employees are meant for one another, and hoping that they realize it in time for the holiday season. Youve probably seen its 1998 remake, Youve Got Mail, but the original is far better and more romantic.You can watchThe Shop Around the Corneron Max.TRADING PLACES | Trailer | Paramount MoviesOne of the great comedies of the 1980s is also a Christmas parable. The film tells the story of a high-powered financier (Dan Ackroyd) who is forced to trade places with a poor, down-on-his-luck man (Eddie Murphy) as part of a social experiment engineered by two wealthy brothers (Don Ameche and Ralph Bellamy).Filled with jokes that still land and a great supporting turn by future Oscar-winner Jamie Lee Curtis as a hooker with a heart of gold, the film is also a careful parable about who really pulls the strings in most peoples lives, and how unaccountable the wealthiest people in America are to basically anyone.You can watchTrading Places on Paramount+.Editors Recommendations