10 Christmas Movies ’90s Kids Love, Ranked According To IMDb

Some of the best holiday movies in Christmas history are relics of the 1990s. Home Alone is a favorite among generations, The Santa Clause made Santa a real person with real problems, and the classics of yesteryear became cable mainstays for the first time. It was an exciting era to live through.

There are so many wonderful Christmas movies out there, and ’90s kids got lucky with such great choices. Here are ten of their best, ranked in increasing order of IMDb score.

10 Jack Frost: 5.4

Not to be confused with the 1997 horror movie, Jack Frost (1998) is a ’90s family movie starring Michael Keaton, Kelly Preston, and Joseph Cross. Keaton plays a father and musician named Jack Frost who tragically dies in a car accident on Christmas day.

One year later, his son, Charlie (Joseph Cross) plays his dad’s harmonica and then finds the dad reincarnated as a snowman in the front yard. Its premise is melancholy, but many ’90s kids at least remember the film’s poignant commercials.

9 Jingle All The Way: 5.6

Howard Langston (Arnold Schwarzenegger) is a workaholic dad who wants to keep the spirit of Christmas alive. In 1996, he turns to retail to make that desire a reality. Howard promises to get his son, Jamie, the hottest new Turbo-Man action figure. The sold-out toy drives the entire movie as Howard meets another dad (played by Sinbad) who wants to purchase it for his kid just as badly.

SCREENRANT VIDEO OF THE DAY

8 To Grandmother’s House We Go: 5.8

Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen were absolutely everywhere in the 1990s. The Full House stars were just beginning their successful video franchise when they starred in To Grandmother’s House We Go in 1992. The pint-sized celebrities go on a dangerous journey to grandma’s house. It’s scary to watch kids their age run around unsupervised (and then with a delivery man, and then with kidnappers). However, they are reunited with their mother and get to spend Christmas at grandma’s in the end.

7 Miracle On 34th Street (1994): 6.5

As special as the original Miracle on 34 Street is, its 1994 remake is the one that ’90s kids have a real attachment to. Mara Wilson makes a wonderful Susan, and her single mother (played by Elizabeth Perkins) works very hard to provide for her. The mom has trouble believing in Santa, but Susan is enamored with the Santa from her mother’s department store. The movie takes on a deeper, sadder tone when Kris Kringle gets in trouble for claiming to be the real Santa, but it all works out beautifully in the end. This one is great to watch on Thanksgiving in preparation for the remaining special occasions of the holidays.

6 The Santa Clause: 6.5

While the entire The Santa Clause trilogy is great, many children of the ’90s would argue that the first movie is the best. Scott Calvin (Tim Allen) is a divorced dad with a chip on his shoulder. He gets to spend some time over the holidays with his son, Charlie. Things take a weird turn when Santa falls off the roof and dies, leaving Scott to take his place. There are some adult themes in the movie, like the visitation proceedings and the accusations that Scott is delusional, but the standout picture is that of the improved bond between a father and his young son. It’s pretty cool that the dad just happens to become Santa Claus.

5 Home Alone 2: Lost In New York: 6.8

The second Home Alone film came out in 1992, and Kevin is still a kid who gets left behind at Christmas. This time, he departs the McCallister house and makes it all the way to the airport but gets lost in the crowd and mistakes the wrong man for his dad from afar, thereby running onto the wrong airplane. The difference in airport security is astounding, but Kevin’s story is no less compelling. He is met with his nemeses (Marv and Harry) in New York City, and once again, he’s ready to stop them from ruining Christmas.

4 Frosty The Snowman: 7.3

Rudolph and Santa Claus is Coming to Town were fun etiologies for Santa and reindeer, but ’90s kids also have a soft spot for Frosty the Snowman (1969). The animated Christmas film famously brought a snowman to life and popularized Frosty’s theme song. There is just enough angst with the evil magician to keep kid viewers in suspense, but it’s not too scary and maintains a mostly lighthearted tone as Frosty plays with the children before he melts away. Knowing Frosty would come back always made that part easier.

3 Home Alone: 7.6

It goes without saying that most ’90s kids love Home Alone. The 1990 Chris Columbus masterpiece made Macaulay Culkin a superstar, and it let people wonder what a clever kid might get into in an empty house over the holidays.

Culkin’s Kevin McCallister realizes how much he loves his family when he has to fend for himself on Christmas break, eating copious amounts of ice cream and plotting to protect himself and his house from burglars Marv and Harry. Some people watch this movie all the time, even when it’s not Christmas.

2 Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer: 8.1

Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964) was a staple for ’90s kids. With the rise of cable television, Rudolph was no longer just a broadcast tradition. ABC Family (now Freeform) started its “25 Days of Christmas” lineup in 1996 back when it was The Family Channel, and stop-motion Rankin/Bass specials like Rudolph filled the screen for a new generation of children. Kids grew up learning the song with the names of the reindeer, watching them move about onscreen, and cherishing special memories of the television event.

1 How The Grinch Stole Christmas! (1966): 8.3

Some ’90s kids continued to grow up in the 2000s and have fond memories of the Jim Carrey live-action Grinch that came out in 2000. Others are partial to the animated film that brought the Dr. Seuss story to the screen for the first time. Children of the 1990s loved watching yet another classic that their parents grew up with, too. It was easy to get the message of The Grinch, which is to let one’s heart grow with love, kindness, and generosity to others.

NextHarry Styles: 8 Movie Roles The Singer Was Considered For

About The Author

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *