Elf

“Oh my God! Santa’s coming! I know him!” Santa’s oversized helper Will Ferrell goes to New York to find his real dad, only to discover he’s a mean old grouch in Jon Favreau’s delightful comedy.

The Holiday

Iris is in love with a man who is about to marry another woman. Across the globe, Amanda realises the man she lives with has been unfaithful. Two women who have never met and live 6,000 miles apart, find themselves in the exact same place. They meet online at a home exchange website and impulsively switch homes for the holiday. Come for the cast that includes Kate Winslet, Cameron Diaz and Jude Law. Stay for the pretty interior decor.

Happiest Season

Kristen Stewart and Mackenzie Davis lead a delightful ensemble cast in this feel-good Christmas comedy about acceptance.

Jingle All the Way

Arnie stars in this unlikely festive comedy about Howard, a haggard salesman who promises his son a Turbo Man toy for Christmas – but is forced to fight every parent and travel all over town to get the toy after he forgets to buy it.

Scrooged

Bill Murray plays a horrible TV executive in Richard Donner’s 80s comedy classic. Visited by spirits, will he learn the error of his ways? Whether the answer surprises you or not, Murray has never been so likeably horrid.

Gremlins

Joe Dante’s seminal horror comedy sees a young boy acquire a new pet, under strict instructions to never get it wet or feed it after midnight.

Gremlins 2: The New Batch

Loveable Mogwai Gizmo spawns a new batch of mischievously evil Gremlins who take over a cable network in this playful sequel.

Rise of the Guardians

The Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy and Santa Claus are together at last in this entertaining animated adventure that might be DreamWorks’ most under-appreciated film.

Dr Seuss’ How The Grinch Stole Christmas

Jim Carrey pulls out all the stops for this take on Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch, which manages to be amusing as well as endearing – and boasts one hell of a make-up team.

This Christmas

Idris Elba and Delroy Lindo star in this 2007 comedy about The Whitfields, who celebrate their first family Christmas together for four years. And they’re going to do it in the traditional style: with put-downs and punch-ups.

Miracle on 34th Street (1947)

You may have grown up with the remake starring Richard Attenborough, but this 1947 original – about the legal case to save an old man claiming to be Santa from being institutionalised – has oodles more charm. A film about the importance of fantasy as much as festive spirit, it’s enchanting stuff.

Bad Santa

Billy Bob Thornton is delightfully horrible in this dark, twisted take on the season of goodwill. Moving in uninvited with a home alone boy, will he soften up or stay the alcoholic, womanising loser he already is? For once, all bets are off.

Trading Places

John Landis’ charming Christmas classic sees a con artist and a rich commodities investor effectively swapped as part of a seasonal bet to prove that lowlives and the upper class aren’t that different after all. Watch out for the moment when Dan Aykroyd briefly becomes one of the best on-screen Santas in cinema history.

Sleepless in Seattle

Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan are on charming form in this endearing rom-com from queen of the genre Nora Ephron, which sees a reporter fall for a voice on the radio, even though they live on opposite sides of America.

National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation

Chevy Chase, Beverly D’Angelo, Randy Quaid and more strive to gift-wrap the perfect Christmas for the Griswold family.

The Night Before

Michael Shannon saves Christmas in this shallow male-bonding comedy, which proves enjoyably childish.

Last Train to Christmas

Michael Sheen brings first-class gloss to this familiar time-hopping festive drama.