The holidays are a time to spend time with family or friends, eat delicious food, and of course, watch holiday-themed movies. Since the 1990s, there have been plenty of movies that have become iconic and traditions for families around the world for one reason or another; but it's not just movies surrounded around one holiday, but several. Directors have taken these holidays and created storylines and characters that will forever be special to movie fans.
The 1990s were a great time for the movie industry, and have since received successful ratings because of the technological advancement and additional options to work with when trying to get that "perfect shot." Of course, there are classics in other decades, but there's nothing like a cheesy and nostalgic 1990s holiday-themed movie to get fans in the mood for their favorite holidays.
Updated On December 7th, 2022 by Danielle Bruncati: The 1990s may be three decades away now, but that hasn't stopped Hollywood and audiences from wanting to relive the "better days." For audiences, that often means rewatching beloved classics, especially around the holidays. While Hollywood has turned it into rebooted beloved movie series and/or writing sequels to movies that maybe didn't need them. Still, it seems like the 90s movies had a magic about them that made everything special, especially the holidays, which is why audiences watch them over and over again.
The Santa Clause (1994) - 6.5
Stream On Disney+
By 1994, Tim Allen was already a household name because of his success in Home Improvement. When he starred as Scott Calvin in The Santa Clause, he brought his charm and comedic side to the iconic movie. In the beginning, Scott Calvin is an overworked and grumpy divorcé who learns that his ex-wife and new husband have told his son that Santa isn't real.
On Christmas Eve, he accidentally scares a visitor on his roof and is left with the starter pack on how to be Santa Clause, complete with a sleigh and all. From there on, Scott is immersed in the magical world of Christmas and is told he's "The Man in Red" now.
Miracle On 34th Street (1994) - 6.6
Stream On Disney+
A remake of the 1947 classic, Miracle on 34th Street is an underrated John Hughes-penned 90s movie. The movie centers on 6-year-old Susan and her mother, who both have an aversion to Christmas -- specifically Santa Claus. However, Susan gets tasked with hiring the department store Santa and hires a man who claims to be the real Santa.
Miracle on 34th Street is already a classic, but the 1994 movie has a special place in the hearts of 90s kids who grew up with it. It has everything a good Christmas movie should have, from Christmas magic skepticism to a heartwarming resolution that'll leave no eyes dry.
Winnie The Pooh: Seasons Of Giving (1999) - 6.7
Available To Rent On Apple TV+
Winnie the Pooh: Seasons of Giving was a special direct-to-video Winnie the Pooh special that included three different Pooh-themed stories. The first centered around Groundhogs Day when Rabbit's calendar gets messed up, making them think its February when its really November. The story is followed by a Thanksgiving-themed one, and the final one takes place on Christmas Eve.
This trio of stories is perfect for families wanting to sit down and enjoy a movie together, especially because it covers such a broad range of winter-time holidays, making it appropriate for any holiday celebration/
The Addams Family (1991) - 6.9
Stream on Netflix
The 1990s were a great decade of beloved Halloween-themed movies for the family. Today, fans still watched movies such as The Addams Family because of the storylines, and the amazing acting. With a cast like Anjelica Huston, Raul Julia, Christopher Lloyd, and Christina Ricci, the movie simply cannot go wrong.
When despicable con artists decide to set their sights on the morbid, but eccentric Addams Family, they decide to play on their weakness and claim that one of the accomplices is Gomez's long-lost brother Uncle Fester. Throughout the film, Gordon Craven, who is impersonating Uncle Fester, realizes this family isn't so bad and starts to wonder if he's on the right side.
Hocus Pocus (1993) - 6.9
Stream On Disney+
Hocus Pocus is one of the most beloved family-friendly Halloween movies ever made. It centers on Max and his younger sister Dani, who decide to explore an abandoned house and accidentally summon three evil witches on Halloween night. They must work together to stop the witches from casting a spell that would leave them immortal.
This zany Halloween has it all. From slight spooks that won't scare anyone too much to fun dance numbers and a powerful sibling bond, Hocus Pocus is the perfect Halloween movie. It also remains timeless despite being nearly 20 years old, so much show it earned a sequel in 2022.
Home Alone 2: Lost In New York (1992) - 7.0
Stream On Disney+
Exactly one year after Kevin McCallister was accidentally left home alone when his family went on a vacation, he's at it again. This time Kevin hops on the wrong plane, and instead of going to Florida with his corny family, he ends up in New York. At first, he's relieved he gets to spend the holidays in a big city, but when the same criminals that were heckling him in the first movie appear, things turn sideways.
With the help of his uncle's unfinished apartment, Kevin plans another swift defensive plan to outsmart The Wet Bandits and get back to his family. Home Alone 2: Lost in New York is arguably one of the best sequels coming out of the 1990s, and better than the original.
Independence Day (1996) - 7.0
Available To Rent On Apple TV
The Fourth of July holiday gets a little thrown under the bus when it comes to films, but when director Roland Emmerich released Independence Day in 1996, it instantly became a classic. When a strange atmospheric interference is caught by communication systems, it's soon learned that something big is making its way to Earth. It turns out that it's a gigantic spaceship with life forces that are unknown to be an enemy or friendlies.
David Levinson, played by Jeff Goldblum, is an ex-scientist that figures out when and where these beings from another universe will be. It's up to him and a handful of other key players to save what's left of the planet. Also starring Will Smith, Bill Pullman, and Randy Quaid, Independence Day is the epidemy of what the 1990s could do with special effects and it remains one of the best alien invasion movies today.
Mickey's Once Upon A Christmas (1999) - 7.0
Stream On Disney+
Mickey Mouse and friends got their own holiday anthology movie in 1999 when Mickey's Once Upon A Christmas was released direct-to-video. The movie consisted of three short stories that center on Donald Duck, Goofy, and Mickey and Minnie, respectively.
From having Christmas happen every day to dealing with Santa skeptics and finding ways to give loved ones gifts when money is hard to come by, Mickey's Once Upon A Christmas is not only entertaining, but it also has some great moral holiday messages. And who doesn't want to get in the holiday spirit with Mickey and his friends?
Batman Returns (1992) - 7.1
Stream On HBO Max
Batman Returns is a little bit of a mixed bag, as it could be considered a Halloween and Christmas movie in one. Directed by Tum Burton and starring Michael Keaton, Danny DeVito, and Michelle Pfeiffer, Batman is back at it again when a man calling himself "The Penguin" is wreaking havoc across Gotham City.
Across town, a female employee that was thrown to her death gets another chance at life and recreates her persona as Catwoman. While Batman Returns surely has dark undertones, the winter setting and holiday mentioned give it a two-for-one deal.
Scream (1996) - 7.4
Stream On Hulu
Directed by horror icon Wes Craven, when Scream was released in December of 1996, it regenerated the slasher genre from earlier decades into a whole new way. Starring Neve Campbell, a year after the murder of her mother, Sidney Prescott, played by Campbell, starts to receive ominous phone calls and realizes there's a killer among her and her friends.
The new killer uses horror movies as a platform while leaving a blood bath behind in the crime scene. Scream was such a success that it became a franchise and has made the quote, "Do you like scary movies?" one of the most iconic in horror history.
Home Alone (1990) - 7.7
Stream On Disney+
When Home Alone was released in 1990, it was the start of holiday traditions for families everywhere. As a young boy, Macaulay Culkin was the poster child of the 1990s and played the part of Kevin McCallister perfectly. Kevin McCallister is the ultimate troublemaker and when he accidentally gets left behind for the holidays, he realizes he has the entire house to himself. After the giddiness subsides, he realizes he might not be as alone as he thought he was.
A pair of burglars have been scoping out the house and plan to rob it, thinking no one is home. It's then that Kevin realizes if he wants to remain unharmed, he needs to protect his home at all costs with an elaborate scheme consisting of slime, nails, and a lot of chicken feathers.
The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992) - 7.7
Stream On Disney+
Directed by Brian Henson and written by Charles Dickens, The Muppet Christmas Carol is everything a family needs when it comes to getting ready for the holiday season. It can be watched at any age while inspiring complete nostalgia for some. This movie is a retelling of the classic Dickens tale of Ebenezer Scrooge and his nighttime visits from the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future.
Michael Caine is the perfect Scrooge, and make the transition between him and the Muppets as flawlessly as possible. This movie should be on everyone's watchlist for the holidays because it's a true classic.
The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) - 7.7
Directed by Henry Selick and written by Tim Burton, The Nightmare Before Christmas says it all the title; it's a movie that disguises itself as a Halloween classic but is totally acceptable to enjoy through the December holidays as well. It tells the story of a skeleton-like character named Jack Skellington, who is dubbed the "King of Halloween Town" by the locals. Every year, the residents throw a big party to celebrate their town, but Jack wants more.
When he stumbles across a new area in the local woods, he falls into a world of snow, elves, and candy canes. He realizes that this is his destiny and takes over the Christmas holiday for Old Saint Nick. In the process, Halloween Town's Boogie Man causes a stir, and life lessons are learned about community, love, and sticking to one's designated holiday.
Edward Scissorhands (1990) - 7.9
Stream On Disney+
When it comes to mashing light and dark together in movies, Tim Burton is one of those directors that does so with ease and grace. In 1990, Tim Burton debuted Edward Scissorhands, a movie about love, acceptance, and the newfound beauty of life. When an artificial man named Edward, played by Johnny Depp, is approached by a suburban Avon lady at his broken-down castle, he is taken in by her and is shown the world he has lived in but never explored.
Even though Edward Scissorhands is the perfect movie for the Halloween season, it's also kind of a Christmas movie too; but whenever viewers watch it, they'll have the pleasure of experiencing a cult classic that will be loved for decades. In fact, Edward Scissorhands remains Tim Burton's best-ranked film.