Films that make us feel festive - but aren't about Christmas

It’s just as much a part of the Christmas celebrations as the tree, the presents and even the turkey – there’s nothing like sitting down to watch a movie at home over Christmas.

Whether it’s a festive classic like Elf, Home Alone, How The Grinch Stole Christmas or even Die Hard (yes, Bitesize is officially declaring it a Christmas film) – cosying up under a blanket to get in the mood for Christmas is a classic family tradition.

But there are plenty of films that seem to get us in the Christmas mood without even a slight ringing of sleigh bells. Whether they were released at Christmas or just seem to be ever-present in the bumper festive Radio Times, BBC Bitesize explores some of the most Christmassy non-Christmas films.

Wallace and Gromit

Take your pick of any of the shorts or feature-films starring Britain’s, nay the world’s favourite plasticine duo.

Whether it’s their original short A Grand Day Out, Oscar-winning The Wrong Trousers or their most recent feature-length Vengeance Most Fowl, watching Wallace and Gromit in action is firmly a Christmas pastime.

The reason for this is most likely down to the schedulers. A Grand Day Out saw its first broadcast on Christmas Eve – then on Channel 4. The pair then moved to the BBC for The Wrong Trousers, which debuted on Boxing Day.

Fast forward to 2024 and their second feature-length film Vengeance Most Fowl, saw the return of the dastardly Feathers McGraw and mass critical acclaim. It was broadcast on BBC One and the iPlayer on Christmas Day – breaking records with more than 21.6 million views within the first 28 days.

So while not explicitly Christmas – we will always associate Wallace and Gromit with this time of year.

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

While an awful villain like The Child Catcher might not be top of the festive wishlist, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang has been a firm Christmas choice for over 50 years.

The film, starring a freshly festive centurion Dick van Dyke, was released on 17 December 1968 in UK cinemas and is the story of an eccentric inventor, his two children and an astonishing, magical flying car.

It was based on a novel by Ian Fleming, creator of James Bond (another character who always seems to be featured in films over Christmas) and the screenplay was co-written by another revered author – Roald Dahl.

And while the plot doesn’t feature Christmas at all – the film has regularly been shown at this time of year.

In fact, research done by The Guardian is 2023 revealed it was the most-shown film over Christmas on terrestrial television between 1973 and 2022 – even beating perennial favourites such as Santa Claus: The Movie.

So it seems a trip to Vulgaria is as much a part of Christmas as anything else.

Mary Poppins

Another permanent fixture at this time of year is Mary Poppins – firmly placing Dick van Dyke as a symbol of Christmas.

The Guardian research places it at number two on the list of films shown over Christmas, and while the film doesn’t take place in December, it clearly shares some of those festive values.

The film has slight parallels with classics such as A Christmas Carol – where someone learns about the true meaning of kindness and the importance of spending time with loved ones.

The eponymous Mary Poppins helps deliver that message with a certain amount of whimsy, encouraging Mr Banks to see that time with his children is more valuable than work – which is certainly in the spirit of Christmas.

Paddington

There’s a similar feeling throughout the Paddington films as well – the central themes of which are kindness and family.

The 2014 live-action release of Paddington hit cinemas in the run-up to Christmas and leant into the time of year with its promotion – with posters placing the bear firmly in a very snowy scene in London.

And while the plot of the film doesn’t involve Christmas at all it again shares those family values which we associate at this time of year – the hospitality to take in someone in need, the kindness displayed by the characters and a general warm feeling at seeing a beloved character brought to life.

All three of the Paddington films have been regular fixtures in the television listings over Christmas – and Marks and Spencer also saw the link, using the bear as part of its 2017 Christmas advertising.

Raiders of the Lost Ark

There’s one other theme that links a lot of the staple non-Christmas Christmas films, and it’s a surprising one.

It seems we can’t get enough of films set in and around World War Two and Nazi Germany.

The Great Escape and The Sound of Music are often shown over the Christmas period and for many, it wouldn’t be a festive time of year without watching them.

Similarly, Indiana Jones’ first adventure on the big screen is often considered to be a Christmas staple.

There’s not much about Raiders of the Lost Ark that screams Christmas – its most iconic scenes are set in the sweltering jungle of Peru or the sandy desert of Egypt, but there is a brief snowy scene when Indy finds himself in Nepal.

That feels like clutching at straws though. What most likely links it to Christmas for many is the fact that it had its UK television premiere on ITV on Christmas Day in 1984.

Throughout the 80s and 90s, before streaming was even an idea, channels would compete to win the rights to screen big blockbuster movies first – and when better to put them on the air than over the Christmas break?

For those of a certain generation, sitting down on Christmas Day to watch Raiders of the Lost Ark has ingrained the film as a festive phenomenon – and some 41 years later, ITV are keeping the tradition alive with another non-Christmassy Christmas Day showing of Indiana Jones’ debut in 2025.

This article was published in December 2025