One of my favorite things about the festive season are the holiday-themed movies. I love both old classics that have long become an annual tradition for me, and the newly released ones. Over the past few years, I’ve written a couple of Christmas films lists of different genre. This year I decided to make a post for animated films, because there are many really great ones, some of which I keep rewatching almost every year. So, let’s start.

1. The Polar Express (2004).

This is one of my favorite Christmas films ever. It tells about a boy who stops believing in Santa and the Christmas magic. But throughout his trip to the North Pole, he slowly changes his mind. This is such a touching story about the importance of believing in magic and miracles, especially in this season. Only belief will keep you going through your life. Also, this film has some of the best festive songs that have become an integral part of my Christmas playlist. And, of course, lots of beautiful sceneries to enjoy.

2. Klaus (2019)

Christmas is all about good, selfless deeds – that’s basically what this film is about. It teaches us how a single small nice thing we do can create a chain reaction of positive changes. After that movie you really want to become the biggest philanthropist in this world cause you realize the impact of your actions on others’ lives. For me, “Klaus” deserves to be called one of the best meaningful films ever, and not only for Christmas.

3. Arthur Christmas (2011)

A very light animated comedy that will cheer you up no matter how old you are. It’s about the grandson of Santa Claus Arthur, who realizes that his grandfather left a present behind on Christmas Eve, and decides to save the big day. It brings up the topic of the constant conflict between the modern and the traditional values or ways of living and how important it is to find the perfect balance between those two.

4. A Christmas Carol (2009)

There are various adaptations of Charles Dickens’s famous work, and this one is my favorite cause it’s really inspiring. I guess you know what’s the story about – the Christmas hater named Scrooge was living wrong his whole life. He was egoistic and didn’t care about anyone else. But one day he understood his mistakes and decided to become good. I think this story is a great reminder that it’s never too late to change, start doing good things and fixing your mistakes, even if you’ve made a lot of them. Also, since I’m a big fan of film soundtracks, I must say that this one has a great OST by Alan Silvestri. His music always manages to get you in a better mood.

5. The Grinch (2018)

Just like the previous one, this film also has a few adaptations. Some people love the old 1966 one, others are hardcore fans of the movie with Jim Carrey, but I think I actually like the new animation the most. There’s no specific reason tbh, I just really enjoyed watching it. Plus, in here the Grinch is kinder and even funnier, so it was more pleasant to watch.

6. Winnie the Pooh: Seasons of Giving (1999)

Winnie the Pooh is the ultimate comfort film. It was my most favorite story as a child, and even after growing up, I still enjoy watching the sweet and meaningful films of the cute bear and his friends. There are a few Christmas specials, but I particularly remember this one from my childhood. Actually, I haven’t watched this for a long time, so maybe it’s a great reminder for me to please my inner child with the coziest film ever.

7. That Christmas (2024)

Okay, imagine this: a cute little English town, with cobblestone streets and colorful buildings, all beautifully decorated for Christmas, and a huge snowstorm that cancels all the plans for the holidays. What will be able to save Christmas for all the characters? Some magic, belief and kindness, of course. This was one of the best films I’ve seen this year, and I’ll definitely want to rewatch it again cause the story was fun, heartwarming and enlightening at the same time.

Apart from that I think it’s my duty to mention the Christmas specials of some famous animated films, like Shrek, Ice Age, Frozen, Madagascar etc. They’re really fun, and sometimes when you’re not in the mood of watching a 90 minutes long movies, the short ones come to the rescue. I wrote an article about them a couple of years ago, so you can check it out for more detailed information. I really hope you’ll enjoy watching or rewatching these films. Remember, cartoons aren’t just for kids. They have very wise and philosophical ideas and life lessons that only adults will be able to understand.