The 1990s were a magical time for Hollywood holidays, bringing moviegoers beloved Christmas classics like Home alone and Santa. In the decade, the world was introduced to the cunning antics of the then-young “It Boy” actor, Macaulay Culkin’s unruly Kevin McCallister, watched Tim Allen don Saint Nick’s beard and belly and transform into Santa Claus himself, and laughed as Arnold Schwarzenegger dukes it out against Sinbad in search of a coveted action figure on Christmas Eve.
Some of the most enduring and celebrated films debuted in the ’90s, and some of the most popular movie stars tried their hand at this salubrious holiday genre, with big names like Michael Caine, Joe Pesci, Michael Keaton and Tim Burton headlining the films. With the miraculous holidays just around the corner, let’s take a look at some of the best Christmas movies of the 1990s.
9/9 Jack Frost
Actor extraordinaire Michael Keaton helmed the 1998 fantasy film Jack Frost, in which the seasoned star portrays a neglectful but kind-hearted father and rock band musician who is tragically killed in a car accident during a snow storm, devastating his wife and young son.
Keaton’s eponymous character gets a second chance when he is brought back to life as a snowman with the help of a magical harmonica and sets out to make amends with his beloved son. Jack Frost was notorious for its questionable snowman design that many found more creepy than fun, but it nonetheless remains a heartfelt ’90s movie.
8/9 Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmas
Disney’s 1999 anthology fantasy Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmas is an underrated holiday gem featuring three different festive stories featuring cherished characters like Donald Duck, Goofy, Scrooge McDuck and Mickey himself. Kelsey Grammer narrates the charming Christmas movie, with each segment inspired by short stories like O. Henry’s “The Gift of the Magi” and William Dean Howells’ “Christmas Every Day.”
Wayne Allwine and Russi Taylor famously voiced the iconic couple Mickey and Minnie Mouse, with the voice artists becoming known for also being married as the iconic Disney characters for much of their tenure (to the delight of audiences everywhere) .
7/9 Jingle all the way
Action legend Arnold Schwarzenegger is a man on a toy mission in the 1996 family comedy Jingle all the way, with the cinema superstar appearing as a workaholic salesman who goes up against a fellow father (Sinbad) in a search for a coveted action figure on Christmas Eve.
The blockbuster is inspired by real toy mania and sold out items like Mighty Morphin Power Rangers and Cabbage Patch Kids as well as the overall commercialization of the merry holiday, portraying the often aggressive nature of shoppers. While the holiday shot failed to catch on with critics, moviegoers thoroughly enjoyed the Christmas comedy and awarded it a B+ CinemaScore.
6/9 Miracle on 34th Street
In the 1994 remake of the critically acclaimed 1940s classic Miracle on 34th Streetsensational child actress Mara Wilson (Matilda) plays six-year-old Christmas skeptic Susan Walker, who begins to wonder if old Saint Nick really exists after meeting a mall Santa who claims to be Kris Kringle himself.
On her mission to prove that the man is, in fact, Santa Claus, Susan teams up with her mom’s boyfriend, the lawyer, to silence the naysayers once and for all. The thrilling film may not fully live up to the legacy of the 1947 film, but it holds a special place in audiences’ hearts and is an endearing reinvention of the timeless tale.
5/9 Home Alone 2: Lost in New York
.jpg)
The delightfully crafty Kevin McCallister is at it again in the 1992 comedy Home Alone 2: Lost in New Yorkwhich follows the rowdy 10-year-old as he gets separated from his family again over Christmas and encounters the vengeful Wet Bandits in New York City.
Macaulay Culkin is in all his mischievous glory as the eternally abandoned Kevin, who uses his creative mind to concoct inventions that protect him from dishonorable thieves Harry and Marv (Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern) while staying in a lavish Plaza Hotel suite . Home Alone 2: Lost in New York earned mixed reviews from critics but immense love from moviegoers; 30 years later, like its predecessor, the sequel has become a much-loved Christmas chapter.
4/9 Santa
Tim Allen is a reluctant Saint Nick in the 1994 Christmas comedy Santa, about toy salesman Scott Calvin’s efforts to deliver Kris Kringle’s toys to boys and girls around the world after accidentally causing the real Santa Claus to fall off his roof. After Scott and his son Charlie complete the monumental task, he realizes that he is now required to become permanent Santa Claus and must move to the North Pole.
The fun and festive picture was a critical and commercial hit and launched a popular and lucrative one Santa franchise that Christmas lovers revisit every year and can’t get enough of. A limited series titled The Santas was released on Disney+ in November 2022 and became a streaming success.
3/9 The Muppet Christmas Carol
The great Michael Caine is fantastic as the grumpy, cold-hearted Charles Dickens miser in the 1992 musical drama The Muppet Christmas Carol, centering on the selfish Ebenezer Scrooge as he is visited by the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future. The quirky and charming Muppets help tell the celebrated holiday story, with the characters taking on iconic roles including Kermit the Frog as Scrooge’s loyal co-worker Bob Cratchit and the cantankerous duo Statler Waldorf as Jacob and Robert Marley. The Muppet Christmas Carol has become a much-loved fan-favorite with toe-tapping musical numbers such as ‘Scrooge’, ‘Good King Wenceslas’ and ‘Thankful Heart’.
2/9 The nightmare Before Christmas
.jpg)
From the genius mind of filmmaker Henry Selick (with a story by Tim Burton) comes the critically acclaimed 1993 stop-motion musical fantasy. The nightmare Before Christmas. The Disney classic tells the thrilling story of “Halloween Town” king Jack Skellington as he tries to shake up his community’s monotonous spooky rituals by stealing the Christmas holiday. The Oscar-nominated cult classic is a go-to for fans of both Christmas and Halloween, often inspiring an ongoing debate about which holiday it rightfully belongs to.
The 1990s juggernaut was praised by critics and audiences alike, with Burton receiving high praise; the Philadelphia investigator wrote in their glowing review, “Burton, the man who gave us Batman, Beetlejuice and Edward Scissorhands, is incapable of a conventional idea. His take on the holiday fairy tale is delightful off the wall.”
1/9 Home alone
Arguably the most enduring and cherished Christmas classic of the 1990s is Chris Columbus’ 1990 Christmas Spectacular Home alone, in which the exceptional Macaulay Culkin plays the dashing misfit Kevin McCallister, an 8-year-old boy who is accidentally left behind by his parents and must fend off his Chicago home from devious burglars. Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern are absolutely hilarious as bumbling thieves Harry and Marv (who aren’t so affectionately known as the Wet Bandits), who target people’s homes on holiday vacations.
The criminals bite off more than they can chew when they decide to hit the McCallister mansion, and are taken aback when they fall victim to Kevin’s wacky and detrimental inventions. Home alone turned Culkin into a bona fide child superstar and became the highest-grossing live-action comedy in over two decades, earning $476.7 million worldwide. Touted as one of the best christmas movies of all timeit is a beloved film that is loved by all generations and remains frightened to this day.