My tradition this time of year is rewatching my favorite holiday movies. Not all of them are technically about the holidays, but they fit this season perfectly.
These are the films I return to again and again. Some feel playful. Some lean whimsical or magical. Others hold sadness, awkwardness, or longing. But every one of them leaves me lighter than when I started. When the credits roll, I feel renewed, hopeful, and happy.
Over time, my relationship with Christmas has shifted. While I don’t personally connect with the religious framing of Christmas, I deeply appreciate the meaning it holds for others and the joy it brings them. For me, this season represents family, love, generosity, connection, and gratitude. Those feelings intensify this time of year; they feel amplified, close to the surface. I feel emotionally charged and so achingly grateful.
That perspective shapes the movies I’m drawn to this time of year. My list might feel a little unexpected. But they offer comfort, perspective, and a sense of renewal. And they always get to the heart of what matters, however silly or serious movies present them.
There’s also science behind why these familiar movies work so well. We aren’t imagining it when we say we feel better after watching them. Favorite movies light us up with happy endorphins, setting off a firework of satisfying emotional joy that makes us feel, well, happy.
Feeling happy, it turns out, is healthy.
Psychologists have found that rewatching films we know and love can genuinely help us feel better. Familiar stories demand less mental effort, which lowers stress and allows the mind to relax. Anticipating scenes we love can release dopamine—the feel-good chemical connected to pleasure and motivation. Familiar stories offer steadiness and emotional reassurance, especially welcome during a full, busy, emotionally-charged season.
So yes, I rewatch these movies intentionally. They’re part of my holiday rhythm. And truthfully, when I need a lift at other times of the year, I return to them then too. Endorphins, you know. But they mostly resonate now.
Here’s my list—and why each one earns its place.