10 Christmas Movies That Were Nominated For Oscars

2024 may be drawing to a close, but this means that movie lovers are entering one of the most exciting times of the year. On one hand, Christmas and the holidays are right around the corner, meaning that now is the optimal time to get inside from the cold and watch some of your favorite holiday films with loved ones. The other reason movie buffs are excited comes a little bit after Christmas. In the middle of January, this year’s Oscar nominees will finally be announced, celebrating all the greatest achievements in the world of film this year.

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Needless to say, plenty of people are currently very excited, both about the upcoming holiday and the impending announcement of the nominations. Fortunately, there are a handful of movies that perfectly combine these two sources of excitement. Over the years, some of the best Christmas movies have gone on to be recognized by the coveted Academy Awards, receiving nominations in a wide range of categories, with some even being nominated for their perfect Christmas carol needle drops and songs. Although you certainly don’t have to be a cinema expert to love them, these Oscar-nominated Christmas movies prove that the holiday season can be an incredible time for film.

10 The Polar Express (2004)

Nominated For Best Sound Editing, Best Sound Mixing, Best Original Song

imagery-from-The-Polar-Express- Custom Image by Yailin Chacon

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When it comes to animated Christmas movies, one of the most popular options is easily the 2004 film, The Polar Express. Based on Jumanji author Chris Van Allsburg’s 1985 children’s story, The Polar Express follows the journey of a young boy who meets several new friends while traveling on a magical train to the North Pole one Christmas Eve. Backed by the direction of Robert Zemeckis and the vocal talents of Tom Hanks, the film went on to be a major success, soon earning true “holiday classic” status.

The success of The Polar Express extended into the awards season as well, with the film going on to secure three nominations at the 2005 Oscars. The Polar Express was nominated for Best Sound Editing, Best Sound Mixing, and Best Original Song, specifically for “Believe,” which was performed by Josh Groban during the film’s end credits. Although it failed to win any Oscars, “Believe” did manage to take home the Grammy for Best Song Written for a Motion Picture, Television, or Other Visual Media.

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9 The Holdovers (2023)

Nominated For Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actress, And More

Paul Giamatti as Paul Hunham and Dominic Sessa as Angus Tully in The Holdovers

The most recent Christmas movie to be nominated for an Oscar is The Holdovers, a 2023 comedy-drama directed by Alexander Payne. This heartwarming film stars Paul Giamatti as Paul Hunham, a no-nonsense history teacher who finds himself spending the holidays alongside the school’s grieving cafeteria manager and a lone student with nowhere to go. Through the unlikely bond that forms between the trio, the audience is shown a touching story of togetherness that feels perfect for the holiday season.

The Holdovers is not only the most recent Christmas film to be honored at the Academy Awards, but it is also one of the most successful holiday films in the history of the ceremony. The film raked in an impressive five nominations, including major awards like Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay. The Holdovers would eventually take home the prize for Best Supporting Actress, thanks to Da’Vine Joy Randolph’s emotional portrayal of Mary Lamb, a character who bravely managed to find joy in the holidays even after the death of her son.

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8 It’s A Wonderful Life (1946)

Nominated For Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, And More

Harry Bailey giving a toast to George in It's a Wonderful Life

For almost eighty years, It’s a Wonderful Life has been captivating viewers with its emotional story and heartwarming message. This 1946 Frank Capra classic tells the life story of George Bailey, a generous man who finds himself struggling to continue living on one fateful Christmas Eve. Fortunately, George’s guardian angel arrives to show him what the world would have been like if he had never existed, giving George a rejuvenated perspective and a new gratitude for his life.

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It’s a Wonderful Life proved to be rather successful when the annual Academy Awards celebration rolled around. Although it did not take home any of the standard awards, it received five nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director (Capra) and Best Actor (James Stewart). However, this does not mean that the team behind It’s a Wonderful Life went home empty-handed. The film was honored with a special Technical Achievement Award for its innovative method of simulating snowfall on a film set.

7 How The Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)

Nominated For Best Art Direction, Best Costume Design, Best Makeup

Jim Carrey as The Grinch in How The Grinch Stole Christmas

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Ron Howard’s 2000 adaptation of Dr. Seuss’s classic story, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, may not seem like the kind of film that typically does well at awards shows, but that didn’t stop it from defying expectations and nabbing multiple nominations. This humorous holiday film stars Jim Carrey as the titular Grinch, a grouchy creature who despises the residents of Whoville and their love of Christmas, ultimately plotting to ruin the holiday for them once and for all. While the film does contain plenty of heartfelt moments, it certainly leans more into the comedic side than most Christmas movies.

While the story of How the Grinch Stole Christmas had been around for years, many of the artistic elements used to bring the film to life were rather new and exciting for the time the film was released. These elements helped propel the film to three Oscar nominations, spread across the categories of Best Art Direction, Best Costume Design, and Best Makeup. The nominations were certainly well-deserved, as bringing the zany worlds of Dr. Seuss to life is no easy feat.

6 Klaus (2019)

Nominated For Best Animated Feature

Klaus and Jesper in the forest in Klaus, 2019
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Soon after its release in 2019, the animated holiday feature, Klaus, became the first animated Netflix original movie to be nominated for an Academy Award. Directed by Sergio Pablos, this charming film offers a unique origin story for Christmas’s most iconic figure, following a privileged postman as he forms an unlikely friendship with an isolated toymaker named Klaus. With a stellar voice cast including Jason Schwartzman, J.K. Simmons, and Norm Macdonald (in one of his final roles), Klaus offers a clever, heartwarming story the whole family can enjoy.

Klaus may not have ended up winning, but it did secure a historic Oscar nomination for Netflix in the category of Best Animated Feature (which was won by Toy Story 4 that year). It did, however, take home the BAFTA Award in that same category. Klaus is not only the first animated Netflix movie to be nominated for an Oscar, but it is also the only Christmas movie to be nominated for Best Animated Feature.

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5 Meet Me In St. Louis (1944)

Nominated For Best Screenplay, Best Song, And More

Judy Garland singing in Meet Me in St. Louis.

Meet Me in St. Louis may not be strictly a Christmas film, but it has surely spent many years as a holiday staple for numerous audiences. Starring The Wizard of Oz‘s Judy Garland, this 1944 film presents a collection of vignettes following the lives of a Missouri family during the year leading up to the 1904 World’s Fair. The film is full of stories about love and togetherness, all packed with beautiful music, made even more delightful by Garland’s incredible vocals.

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Meet Me In St. Louis was nominated for several Academy Awards, being recognized across a variety of categories. While many musical numbers from the film dazzled audiences, “The Trolley Song” proved to be the favorite among critics, earning a nomination for Best Song. The film also received nods in the categories of Best Screenplay, Best Cinematography (Color), and Best Scoring of a Musical Picture. Additionally, Margaret O’Brien, who played Tootie, the youngest member of the family, won a Special Award naming her the “outstanding child actress of 1944” (https://www.academymuseum.org/en/programs/detail/meet-me-in-st-louis-0181268b-896a-9680-13ac-ad83c70ecb81).

4 Home Alone (1990)

Nominated For Best Original Score And Best Original Song

Collage of Kevin (Macaulay Culkin) and the cast of Angels with Filthy Souls in Home Alone. Custom Image by Zach Moser

In 1990, Chris Columbus and John Hughes teamed up to make Home Alone, a comedic Christmas film that would soon become an all-time classic. The film served as the breakout role for Macaulay Culkin, who starred as Kevin McCallister, a young boy who is accidentally left at home by himself when his family leaves to celebrate Christmas in Paris. Kevin ends up having to take matters into his own hands when a duo of bandits (played by Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern) start plotting to rob his family’s home.

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In addition to being a massive commercial success, Home Alone was quite well-received critically, even earning two Oscar nominations. The film’s score, created by legendary composer, John Williams, as well as the original song, “Somewhere in My Memory,” were both nominated individually. Although it won neither Best Original Score nor Best Original Song, Home Alone remains a beloved Christmas film for audiences new and old.

3 The Bishop’s Wife (1947)

Nominated For Best Picture, Best Director, Best Sound Recording, And More

Dudley and Henry look on in The Bishop's Wife

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The 1940s proved to be an exciting era for Christmas movies. Following the success of It’s a Wonderful Life and Meet Me in St. Louis, the next major holiday feature came in the form of The Bishop’s Wife, directed by Henry Koster. The unique movie stars Cary Grant as Dudley, an angel who arrives to help answer the prayers of a struggling bishop, but soon finds himself embroiled in the lives of the man’s family as well. Though it is not the first Christmas movie to feature an angel, The Bishop’s Wife definitely takes the idea in a new direction.

The Bishop’s Wife was highly praised by critics, even going on to receive five Academy Award nominations, including a win for Best Sound Recording. The other nominations were in the categories of Best Motion Picture, Best Director, Best Film Editing, and Best Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture. The Bishop’s Wife is one of very few Christmas movies to be considered for Best Picture, although none have managed to take home the prestigious award (unless one counts The Apartment, which does partially occur at Christmas).

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2 The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)

Nominated For Best Visual Effects

The Nightmare Before Christmas Sally and Jack Custom image by Katarina Cimbaljevic.

For those who love Christmas but aren’t quite ready to be done with Halloween, there is no better option than The Nightmare Before Christmas. This spooky holiday film uses stop-motion animation to tell the story of Jack Skellington, the leader of Halloween Town, who decides he wants to run Christmas for a change. Thanks to the creative collaboration between Henry Selick and Tim Burton, The Nightmare Before Christmas has become a fan-favorite film, with many admiring it for its unique visual style and inventive story.

The Nightmare Before Christmas may have only managed to secure one Oscar nomination, but it was actually a rather historic one. Being released in 1993, the film became the first animated film to ever be nominated for Best Visual Effects. No other animated movie managed to achieve this feat until Kubo and the Two Strings did over two decades later. The outlandish characters and settings of The Nightmare Before Christmas truly make it a spectacle to behold.

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1 Miracle On 34th Street (1947)

Nominated For Best Picture, Best Actor In A Supporting Role, And More

Three scenes from Miracle on 34th street - with the iconic Santa Claus in the center.

By now, the Academy Awards have been recognizing excellence in filmmaking for nearly a century. In that time, only one movie has ever managed to win three of the coveted awards in the same year. That impressive achievement was performed by Miracle on 34th Street in 1947. Written and directed by George Seaton, the film focuses on the events surrounding a department store Santa who claims to be the real Santa Claus himself. The film was received very positively, with praise being given to its charming story and heartwarming message.

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Miracle on 34th Street had a very triumphant Oscar night, taking home the awards for Best Actor in a Supporting Role, Best Writing (Original Story), and Best Writing (Original Screenplay). In addition, the film was also nominated for Best Picture, although Gentleman’s Agreement emerged victorious in that category. While it is unknown what kinds of success the Christmas movies of the future will experience, Miracle on 34th Street currently has more Oscar wins than any other holiday film in history.

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