Your favorite Christmas movies that aren't really Christmas movies

On the recent Bombcast they were talking about Die Hard and whether it is a Christmas movie or not. I could see both arguments, I would probably call it a Christmas movie as it's set at Christmas but if someone were to argue, I wouldn't disagree with them.

So my Question, what are some of your favorites movies to watch during the holidays that for the most part aren't Christmas movies.

My Christmas Eve movie list is as it currently stands

The Karate Kid

The Karate Kid 2

Planes, Trains and Automobiles

ELF

Christmas Vacation

Lethal Weapon/Die hard are also required viewing in December.

3 movies out of 5 that aren't Christmas movies but somehow I still watch them on the 24th.

There are still plenty of movies like Gremlins, Jingle all the way and Home Alone etc that I will watch but usually just catch them on TV at some point as they are always guaranteed to be on.

The Time Machine (1960) is my favorite Christmas movie. It tends to show up on TV around Christmas time, for whatever reason, so that's probably why I associate it with Christmas even though it has nothing to do with it. Batman Returns is another one I think about on Christmas (I think it takes place on/around Christmas).

Child's Play and Gremlins

My family tends to watch a handful of James Bond movies while I'm home for the break. I'd say we've probably watched at least 5 of them in each of the last 4 years. I don't even think we intend it but we always wind up watching at least one with a snow scene/setting like On Her Majesty's Secret Service, The World Is Not Enough, For Your Eyes Only, The Living Daylights, The Spy Who Loved Me, A View to a Kill, etc.

But of all of the Bonds I'm pretty sure the only one we haven't watched in that time period was Die Another Day.

There's loads I love to watch but I catch so many of them randomly during Decemebr I end up not watching staples like Home Alone on the 24th.

Die Hard.

Batman Returns

Meet Me in St. Louis always comes to mind. It's not really a Christmas movie, but it's where Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas came from (and it's, like, crushingly sad). Plus, old musicals are rad.

Shane Black stuff is always good for a Christmas setting, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang and the aforementioned Lethal Weapon and whatnot. I had never really thought of this one before but there was a recent AV Club article that pointed out In Bruges as a potential pick as well.

Edit: Oh, and this isn't really on topic as it's very directly a Christmas movie, but Arthur Christmas is a recent overlooked gem.

Die Hard definitely. Lethal Weapon, kind of.

The Princess Bride and Star Wars: A New Hope.

The Ref.

Caroline: I had this dream...

Lloyd: Do we have to do dreams?

Caroline: I'm in this restaurant, and the waiter brings me my entree. It was a salad. It was Lloyd's head on a plate of spinach with his penis sticking out of his ear. And I said, "I didn't order this." And the waiter said, "Oh you must try it, it's a delicacy. But don't eat the penis, it's just garnish."

Dr. Wong: Lloyd, what do you think about the dream?

Lloyd: I think she should stop telling it at dinner parties to all our friends.

Iron Man 3, The Long Kiss Goodnight,….... actually, pretty much any Shane Black movie.

I'm fond of Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, The Family Man, and The Holiday. Shaddup.

The LOtR movies and the first 3 Star Wars movies. I'm honestly not sure why....

P2 its technically a new years movie but there is a lot of Christmas stuff in there.

Elf is totally a christmas movie.

I just saw first blood for the, er, first time. I think that may count.

The ones that were always on at Christmas, and were subsequently taped from the TV by my Dad were, the original Star Wars Trilogy and the original Indiana Jones Trilogy.

@davidh219 said:

Batman Returns.

@moldiver said:

How the funk is that NOT a christmas movie? (EDIT: Okay, read your OP wrong, sorry)

But to answer the Question, i usually watch the Wallace and Gromit shorts (namely "The Wrong Trousers", "A Close Shave" and since recent years "A Matter of Loaf and Death") 'round Christmas Time, as well as Musicals like Little Shop of Horrors, Rocky Horror Picture Show and perhaps Across The Universe and Les Miserables.

(EDIT 2: Also, thinking about making "A Winter's Tale" required watching at Christmas. It's a bad awful movie, but the way it WEAPONIZES kitschy sentimental schlock is absolutely amazing (Also Will Smith as Satan who was so bored playing the role that he couldn't even bother to wear a costume and "HE FOUND THE DAMN HORSE!"))

Groundhog Day

Platoon (1986)
When they are all smoking out in their hooch it is Christmas, right?

The Godfather

Trading Places & Scrooged

For Christmas I tend to stick with "Christmas" movies, my favorite being It's a Wonderful Life and my husband loves National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. The only other movie I can think of that actually applies as a not-Christmas-Christmas movie that I watch is The Wizard of Oz.

Batman Returns is my favorite movie that takes place around Christmas but isn't really about Christmas.

@moldiver: On the topic of Die Hard being a Christmas movie or not, America has spoken(WRONGLY) and 62% say no. There are some weird details in the cross tabs:

Even on this, boomers manage to be the worst.

Same....and same.....

American Psycho and yes Die Hard.

Uncle Buck is just one of these films that I end up watching around this time of year. For whatever reason a lot of John Candy films fit into being things to watch at Christmas time for me.

I haven't seen it in a while so I can't really say how well it holds up, but The Terminal had nothing to do with Christmas yet really felt like a Christmas movie.

Both Gremlins and Die Hard are two of mt favorites.

For some reason I seem to watch Dredd 2012

I too seem to watch most of those around the holidays - i mostly leave them playing in the back ground though :/

Need to add another 2 movies as I'm off in the afternoon now, thinking Gremlins and Home Alone as I've not actually caught them yet this Christmas.

It's a Wonderful Life.

The Big Lebowski

Home alone 1, 2 and Die hard... I know, I'm boring. I also like to watch Planes, trains and automobiles around this time of year. Sometimes that falls on thanksgiving and sometimes on Christmas.

It can sometimes jump between Thanksgiving and Christmas, but the Harry Potter films are something I usually make a point to watch whenever that time comes around.

And Die Hard is absolutely a Christmas movie. Now, Die Hard 2? That's a lot more iffy.

this might be because I'm British but the big 3 that are always on TV without fail at Christmas

The great escape

The Italian job

And James bond its either goldfinger or thunderball

My list of movies I like to watch during the holidays would probably be :

Die Hard

Lethal Weapon

Edward Scissorhands

Batman Returns

Beverly Hills Cop ( I like to think of it as a Vacation Movie )

Die Hard and Die Hard 2

I don't know, I still don't see why for example Home Alone is a Christmas movie if Die Hard isn't. They essentially have the same plot and amount of violence, only Die Hard is actually good.

Die Hard´and Batman Returns are my Christmas movies. I could maybe say Nirvana and Strange Days too, but they're more new years-y.

I love Die Another Day. It's ridiculous, corny and stupid but it was a suitable end to that era of Bond. I usually watch those films because that's what's on, this Christmas it's Quantom of Solace. Yeah. ;(

For some reason I associate the Star Wars Trilogy and Honey I Shrunk the Kids with Christmas.

They were probably on TV around Christmas time in the 90s.

Well, its a stretch, but I'll allow it.

Jingle All the Way.

Harry potter movies, especially the early ones.

On Her Majesty's Secret Service actually is a Christmas movie though.

GREMLINS.

Has anyone mentioned Eyes Wide Shut? I dig it...

@monkeyking1969: I would argue that It's a Wonderful Life is not a very Christmas movie at all. To me it's a story about a man trying to work out his personal and family life that just happens to take place during Christmas. However, thanks for the pass. Great movie with some extremely dark themes.