Five Perfect Holiday Movies for Wizards

The holidays are a magical time for Muggles and wizards alike. Maybe it’s the snow, the cheerful music, or the delicious smells of foods that you only get to eat during the holidays. There’s just something in the air this time of year that makes everyone, even the most skeptical Muggles, want to believe in magic. This holiday season, try something different and check out these Muggle holiday movies. There’s something for every wizard!

The Nightmare Before Christmas

This is the ultimate holiday movie, primarily because you can watch it on multiple holidays. Watch it once in October and again in December, and you’ll get to appreciate it in different ways. Jack Skellington, who leads Halloweentown in preparing for their favorite (and only) holiday, becomes obsessed with Christmas. He wants his town to feel that wonderful Christmas cheer he keeps hearing about. Of course, his plans go awry when the residents of Halloweentown can’t exactly grasp what Christmas is all about because all they know is how to bring the Halloween thrills and chills. This movie is filled with fantastical animations, songs, and characters and is sure to fill your heart with cheer, no matter what holiday you celebrate.

You’ll like this movie if: You enjoy long walks down Knockturn Alley.

Love Actually

As most wizards know, love is one of the purest, most powerful forms of magic. It can make us brave and inspire us to do things we would never have imagined for our loved ones. That’s what Love Actually is all about. From different points of view, like a school-boy in love for the first time and a married couple struggling to connect, this holiday movie shows us that love can help us conquer any obstacle. When the world seems bleak, the power of love can bring us together. Watch this movie with your favorite people because you’ll want to hug them as soon as it’s over. Don’t be surprised if it becomes an annual tradition. (You might recognize a couple of Hogwarts professors and a Minister of Magic throughout the movie.)

You’ll like this movie if: You keep trying to slip Amortentia into your crush’s pumpkin juice.

Elf

Out of all the movies on this list, this might be the easiest one for wizards to relate to. Buddy has lived his entire life among Santa’s elves, until one day he finds out that he’s actually a human. He goes back to the human world to meet his real father, who has no time for Buddy’s Christmas antics. At first, it’s hard for Buddy to understand the cynicism of the human world, and the humans can’t relate to his childlike sense of wonder. In true holiday movie fashion, Buddy eventually finds love and helps save Christmas by getting his father to believe in magic.

You’ll like this movie if: You’re a Muggle-born wizard and struggle to fit in with your family when you’re on holiday from Hogwarts.

The Polar Express

Children have always been more likely to believe in magic. Maybe it’s because they’re not yet concerned with all the silly things that adult Muggles worry about, like car insurance or cell phone bills. The Polar Express follows the journey of a group of children who travel to the North Pole and experience the magic of Christmas first-hand. Between sipping hot chocolate and singing songs, they learn that you can only see magic if you’re willing to open your eyes and truly believe. Make sure you’re wearing your coziest PJs and have plenty of cocoa before you settle in for this one.

You’ll like this movie if: You can’t wait until September 1 so you can ride the Hogwarts Express.

Die Hard

Sure, this movie is essentially about a man trying to defeat a group of terrorists, but it’s also about a man trying to spend Christmas with his family. The combination of gunfights and holiday jingles might seem strange, but somehow this ’80s classic makes it work. If you get to spend your holidays watching movies with your family, consider yourself lucky. At least you didn’t have to defeat Hans Gruber (who might resemble a certain Potions Master) to get there.

You’ll like this movie if: You love a good wizarding duel.