Top 10 Movies for Romantics this Christmas

Nora Ephron was ahead of the curve when she wrote and directed this ‘90s gem. Hailing from an era before Internet dating was a common practice, this comedy-drama sees America’s sweethearts, Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks, fall in love over e-mail without knowing each other’s true identity first. What follows is an unforgettable romance filled with meaningful conversation, misunderstandings, and a great twist on the concept that love is blind. While Christmas comes and goes, the scenes included do a wonderful job of capturing just how lonely yet hopeful the holiday can be without a family or significant other to celebrate with. And it makes viewers want to snuggle closer to their loved ones in return!

Arguably one of the best movies of all time, it’s definitely a go-to for the holiday romantic. Based on the short story, “The Greatest Gift,” the film follows George Bailey, a down-on-his-luck family man. Played by James Stewart, Bailey contemplates ending his life on Christmas Eve due to his financial struggles. George gets a second chance at life when his guardian angel shows him how his town would be affected if he were never born. Thought-provoking and warm, the fantasy drama does a great job at illustrating how interconnected we all are, even when we don’t feel or are aware of it. It’s a beautiful message that will fill anyone watching with love.

You’re never too old to fall in love and this movie proves it. In this rom-com, Cher plays Loretta, a 37-year-old widow who’s given up on love, but agrees to marry a man she doesn’t love so she won’t be alone. Fate intervenes, and she’s given a second chance at true love when she meets his younger brother, Ronny, an eccentric weirdo portrayed by Nicolas Cage. The two understand each other, and there’s a real spark that develops into something deeper as she resists falling in love with him. It plays on the theme of the importance of family and accepting one another, which makes for a great holiday message. For her role, Cher took home the Oscar for Best Actress.

Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks are at it again in this Nora Ephron classic. A year and a half after Hanks’ character loses his wife to cancer, his young son calls into a radio talk show asking for help in the search for a new wife for his father. Through a series of events, Tom and Meg begin a complicated courtship that is helped along by his son. This movie is the epitome of what it means to make a grand romantic gesture and the couple’s eventual meeting on the top of the Empire State Building is enough to make anyone swoon. It’s a heartfelt story that brings together two lovers against all odds and will make anyone believe in a little magic.

If you’re a hopeless romantic, then this one’s for you. Jonathan and Sara, played by John Cusack and Kate Beckinsale, meet during a chance encounter while they’re both Christmas shopping for their significant others. Sparks fly and the duo hits it off, but they’re both in committed relationships. As fate would have it, this isn’t the only time they will meet, as Jonathan and Sara keep turning up in each other’s lives in the most unexpected of ways. Full of love and whimsy, the movie leaves every viewer with the feeling that magic really is in the air, especially during the holiday season.

A true Hollywood classic; they don’t make ‘em like this anymore! Starring Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney, and Vera-Ellen, this Technicolor masterpiece tells the story of two ex-soldiers and entertainers who fall in love with two sisters while trying to save a lodge from closing. The foursome teams up to put on a show that gives us some amazing song and dance numbers, including the titular “White Christmas.” Over the course of the rom-com, their songs not only entertain and delight but also remind us all what we have to be thankful for. The end result makes for a movie that’s both sentimental and charming, which makes it a great selection for the holiday season.

Set around Christmas, this is a unique tale of a good deed gone wrong. On Christmas day, Lucy, played by Sandra Bullock, saves a handsome businessman named Peter Callaghan from being hit by a train after a set of muggers push him onto the tracks. Like the saying goes, “no good deed goes unpunished,” and Lucy’s assumed to be Peter’s fiancée while he’s in a coma. She goes along with the assumption to comfort his family, but her life gets even more complicated after she falls in love with Peter’s brother. Full of laughs and will-they-or-won’t-they moments, this movie proves that love comes in the most mysterious ways and when you’re least expecting it.

Bridget is the quintessential rom-com girl, and this movie is a must for the season. Renee Zellweger is perfect as Bridget, a 32-year-old woman who feels like life is passing her by. Home for the holidays, her parents try to play matchmaker and set her up with Mark Darcy, a stuffy lawyer she seems incredibly ill-suited for. So instead, she goes after her playboy boss, Daniel Cleaver. What follows is a wonderfully funny love triangle that’s one of the most up-and-down roller coaster rides of a relationship with both men. And neither choice seems particularly bad since they are portrayed by the ever charming and dashing actors, Colin Firth and Hugh Grant.

We all dream of getting away from our problems and falling in love on holiday, but when that’s not possible, this movie serves as the perfect substitute. Kate Winslet and Cameron Diaz decide to swap houses to escape their current situations. Each location is gorgeous, with one being a giant mansion in Los Angeles, and the other a cozy cottage in the English countryside. In the process of healing, they find new love with unlikely suitors as played by Jack Black and Jude Law. Watching the couples fall in love gives viewers all the feels, since we realize that both couples are so well suited for each other. They don’t shy away from hard conversations and it makes their relationships feel real and earned.
Before we unveil our number one pick, here are a few honorable mentions:

“Four Christmases” (2008)

“Meet Me in St. Louis” (1944)

“The Family Stone” (2005)

Was there really another choice for number one? Of course not! You can’t go wrong watching one of the many couples fall in and out of love over the course of this film, which follows an ensemble cast that includes Hugh Grant, Keira Knightley, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Colin Firth, to name a few. The movie is one of the most heartwarming and relatable rom-coms, especially given the slew of romantic mishaps that occur among the multiple couples, including long-distance relationships, unrequited love, and everyone’s favorite, a good love triangle. There have been other copycat films that have tried to replicate the magic of this one, but nothing comes close; packed with feel-good moments, it has more than earned a spot as a Christmas staple and at the top of our list.

Do you agree with our list? Which romantic movie do you love? For more cheerful Top 10s published daily, be sure to subscribe to MsMojo.