15 Worst Christmas Movies, Ranked According to Letterboxd

Christmas movies have always been a staple of the holiday season, joyfully recreating the genuine feelings and emotional highs that come from the holiday season. However, not every Christmas film can effectively recreate these holly jolly moments; in some instances, they can be as enjoyable to watch as a glass of spoiled eggnog. While there have been many films that have been holiday misfires over the years, it takes a special type of mediocrity to be considered one of the worst Christmas movies of all time.

As the premiere modern platform for film fans to discuss and talk about their latest watches, Letterboxd is the best place to see the consensus and opinions of modern film fans. With its distinct taste and varied opinions compared to other film communities, Letterboxd’s choices for the worst Christmas films are fascinating. It’s an interesting balance between infamous films from the past that have massive negative reputations and recent offenders that received massive amounts of flack upon release.

15 ‘A Fairly Odd Christmas’ (2012)

Letterboxd Average Rating: 1.8/5

The second in a complete trilogy of live-action Fairly OddParents films, A Fairly Odd Christmas may be the best of this lackluster trilogy, yet still far from a passable Christmas film. The film sees Timmy Turner having to become the new Santa Claus after he accidentally gives him amnesia, forcing his North Pole workshop to shut down. However, to become Santa, Timmy must travel to an Elder Elf so that he can be taken off the naughty list.

Each of these live-action specials already has an inherent disconnect from transforming its animated characters into adult live-action actors like Drake Bell. Even if these films weren’t jarring to look at, the humor and charm that made the original animated series great are also missing from them, replaced with an array of unfunny gags and lackluster performances. The film manages to be underwhelming even when compared to cartoon Christmas episodes, making its decision to be near-feature length that much more egregious.

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14 ‘The Yummy Gummy Search for Santa’ (2012)

Letterboxd Average Rating: 1.8/5

One of the most notorious and largely forgotten fragments from the early days of YouTube and internet videos was Gummibär, a German Eurodance musician whose musical video “I’m a Gummy Bear” became a massive hit on early YouTube. As was the overwhelming trend for early-internet phenomena like this, Gummibär was given a film to capitalize on this massive popularity. The Yummy Gummy Search for Santa attempts to create a plot around this music video character, having him and his friends traveling to the North Pole in search of a missing Santa.

It’s blatantly obvious that The Yummy Gummy Search for Santa only exists to cash in on a fad that had already long since faded when it was released. As the actual film is concerned, it has little merit to its own name, being filled with jarring and uncomfortable character designs, shoddy animation, and a deeply annoying main character that quickly becomes unbearable. This would thankfully end up being the only cinematic outing for Gummibär, as he would soon return to obscurity as a fragment of the early internet.

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13 ‘Best. Christmas. Ever!’ (2023)

Letterboxd Average Rating: 1.7/5

Netflix has made a name for itself by releasing numerous low-quality Christmas films every year, beginning to rival the likes of Hallmark in notorious low quality, with one of the most notorious of recent memory being Best. Christmas. Ever!. The film sees a duo of former best friends Charlotte and Jackie miraculously reconnecting and spending the Christmas holiday together with their families. However, Charlotte is severely jealous of Jackie’s seemingly perfect life, so she sets out to prove that Jackie’s life is actually too good to be true and not entirely perfect.

It’s not particularly difficult to create a low-effort, schmaltzy Christmas film that accomplishes the simple goals of holiday cheer and wholesome energy, yet Best. Christmas. Ever! manages to fail in this regard. The central plot is needlessly complicated and confusing to follow, made worse by the fact that the seemingly only thing that it accomplishes is making its main character as unlikable as possible.

12 ‘A Christmas Story 2’ (2012)

Letterboxd Average Rating: 1.7/5

Needlessly unwarranted sequels to all-time classic films released decades after the original is a trend that has been continuously prevalent throughout the 21st century, with one of the most notorious Christmas film examples being A Christmas Story 2. Following up five years after the original A Christmas Story, Ralphie now has his eyes fixed upon the perfect Christmas present, a car. However, just like before, trouble is right behind him in his attempts to convince his parents to get him this top-notch gift.

A Christmas Story 2 falls into a lot of the same pitfalls and issues that plague the worst legacy sequels out there, overly reliant on the whims and iconic status of the original film and not having anything new to offer. It’s about as soulless and underwhelming as Christmas films get, acting as a drastic downgrade to the original in just about every conceivable way. It managed to be so bad that they completely ignored its existence and simply made another legacy sequel 10 years later with A Christmas Story Christmas.

11 ‘I Believe in Santa’ (2022)

Letterboxd Average Rating: 1.7/5

A strange Christmas-themed romantic comedy, I Believe in Santa follows Lisa and Tom, who seem as if they may be the perfect match for one another. However, one small hiccup proves too strange for Lisa to handle — Tom not only has an obsession with all things Christmas but, as a grown adult, still believes in Santa Claus. Lisa now finds herself completely reevaluating the relationship, deciding to herself if it is worth staying with Tom despite this strange obsession.

I Believe in Santa is as cheesy, basic, and lazy as Christmas romantic comedies get. The basic plot is bad enough — adults believing in Santa are nothing new. However, none of the characters are particularly likable, as both Tom and Lisa are unbearable and unlikable. Thus, I Believe in Santa is an unenjoyable romcom experience where both halves of the couple aren’t fun to watch on-screen.

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10 ‘Krampus: The Christmas Devil’ (2013)

Letterboxd Average Rating: 1.6/5

Not to be confused with the actually enjoyable Krampus film from director Michael Dougherty, Krampus: The Christmas Devil takes a more action thriller approach to the iconic Christmas monster. The film follows local police officer Jeremy, who is on the case after a high number of children go missing during the holiday season. He soon realizes the culprit may just be the ancient yuletide demon Krampus, the brother of St. Nick, and it’s up to Jeremy to put a stop to Krampus’s onslaught.

While being a low-budget, cheaply made horror movie is already bad enough for Krampus: The Christmas Devil, the fact that it was quickly one-upped by Dougherty’s film 2 years later only makes it stick out even more. The movie spends too much time meandering around and failing to do anything interesting for the majority of its runtime, making the viewing experience a massive slog. Once it finally gets to its promised action, Krampus: The Christmas Devil coats them in layers of uncomfortable shock value, turning the entire experience sour.

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9 ‘Santa and the Ice Cream Bunny’ (1972)

Letterboxd Average Rating: 1.6/5

A musical fantasy film that is often in consideration of being one of the worst movies of all time, Santa and the Ice Cream Bunny is an infamous fever dream of chaotic, low-budget proportions. The film sees Santa getting his sleigh stuck on the sands of a Florida beach with only days remaining until Christmas Eve. He enlists the help of several children in able to help his sleigh get unstuck, eventually getting additional help from the titular Ice Cream Bunny.

Santa and the Ice Cream Bunny‘s array of lackluster visuals and chaotic, unpredictable plot points makes the act of watching the film the complete opposite of its intended purpose, being a nightmare of disturbing proportions. The film quickly becomes a test of endurance, between its slow-moving and uneventful plot, bottom-of-the-barrel visuals, and a plot that is so lackluster that it pauses partway through to play two completely different films that the producer made previously.

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8 ‘Jaws: The Revenge’ (1987)

Letterboxd Average Rating: 1.6/5

The fourth and widely considered worst film in the Jaws franchise, Jaws: The Revenge sees Ellen Brody and her family deciding to leave Amity Island for good after another deadly shark attack occurs. However, the deadly killer shark has some sort of grudge against the family and follows them all the way to their new home in the Caribbean. It’s soon up to the Brody family to put a stop to this killer shark’s killing spree once and for all.

While it may not seem like it at first, Jaws: The Revenge is an unexpected Christmas film featuring a great deal of holiday decor and festivities. However, instead of being treated as an unexpected Christmas classic in the vein of a film like Die Hard, Jaws: The Revenge has a legacy as one of the worst movies of all time. However, the film does have its defenders, who love the more comedic and nonsensical antics of this non-serious sequel.

7 ‘Home Alone: The Holiday Heist’ (2012)

Letterboxd Average Rating: 1.5/5

The fifth film in the Home Alone series, Home Alone: The Holiday Heist, follows 8-year-old Finn Baxter, who is terrified to learn that his family is moving from sunny California to a scary new house in Maine. Convinced that his new house is haunted, Finn sets up elaborate traps to catch the ghost. After being left home alone with his sister while his parents are in town, Finn’s traps work, but instead of ghosts, they catch a group of thieves planning to steal from his new home.

Home Alone: The Holiday Heist is just one of the many examples of why the Home Alone franchise should have stopped after the first two films. By the fifth entry, the series had completely lost all the charm and heart of the original, transformed into a shameless cash-grab that only attempts to bank off of success and name recognition. While not the lowest point in this once beloved franchise, Home Alone: The Holiday Heist has little to no positive aspects, acting as a hollow husk of what the series used to be.

6 ‘Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch Musical’ (2020)

Letterboxd Average Rating: 1.5/5

A musical adaptation of the classic, Dr Seuss’ The Grinch Musical reinterprets the story of the mean-spirited Grinch and his nefarious scheme to steal Christmas from Whoville. The entire story is narrated by The Grinch’s dog, Max, as he relays the iconic tale from beginning to end, including a variety of musical numbers.

There have been many adaptations of The Grinch over the years, ranging from the highly iconic to the forgettable. However, The Grinch Musical stands out as arguably the worst version of the material. This live recording doesn’t do the original Broadway play any service, as it’s completely phoned in by an over-the-top lead performance from Matthew Morrison combined with a highly uncomfortable design for the character. Especially with so many better and more fleshed-out versions of the story released over the years, there’s simply no reason to give this musical the time of day.

5 ‘Christmas Vacation 2: Cousin Eddie’s Island Adventure’ (2003)

Letterboxd Average Rating: 1.5/5

An unfortunate and unwarranted sequel to one of the best Christmas movies of all time, Christmas Vacation 2: Cousin Eddie’s Island Adventure shifts the focus to the side character Cousin Eddie. The film follows Eddie, who, despite being fired right at Christmastime, is sent with his family on a South Pacific vacation by his boss in hopes that he won’t sue after being bitten by a lab monkey. However, the vacation fails to be the tropical paradise that they’d hoped for, as they end up getting trapped on the island, forcing Eddie to provide for everyone and prove his worth.

Christmas Vacation 2 is the premiere example of a legacy sequel nobody asked for. It only exists to squeeze potential profits from a tried and true Christmas classic. From the title alone, it’s easy to tell the level of quality being produced, as the film feels and looks cheap and uninspired, a complete disgrace when compared to the original. The greatest crime that the film commits, however, is its complete failure at being a worthwhile comedy, as it is as unfunny as it is undeserving of attention.

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4 ‘The Star Wars Holiday Special’ (1978)

Letterboxd Average Rating: 1.4/5

The most infamous piece of Star Wars media ever created, The Star Wars Holiday Special sees Luke Skywalker and Han Solo battling against the Empire to help Chewbacca return home in time for Life Day. As the premiere holiday celebrated across the galaxies of the Star Wars universe, Life Day provides a great deal of celebratory customs, including musical numbers and a variety of fun and games. The film provides a glimpse into the various Life Day festivities and how they are celebrated by Chewbacca’s family, patiently awaiting his arrival.

The Star Wars Holiday Special was created only a year after the original Star Wars was released and well before the franchise understood how to make effective world-building material for its universe. The result is strangely confusing, a mind-numbing experience filled with celebrity appearances, annoying original characters, and the overall complete opposite of the original Star Wars film. Infamous and embarrassing, The Star Wars Holiday Special even received a documentary detailing the behind-the-scenes story of how the dumpster fire came to be.

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3 ‘Home Sweet Home Alone’ (2021)

Letterboxd Average Rating: 1.4/5

The most recent modern-day reboot of the Home Alone franchise, Home Sweet Home Alone follows 10-year-old Max Mercer, who has been left at home by himself for the holidays. While initially enjoying his time by himself, his solitude is soon interrupted by several attempted break-ins by a married couple attempting to retrieve a valuable heirloom from Max’s home. Max now must do all that he can to defend his home from these dreadful criminals.

While initially perceived to have more potential and promise than the other Home Alone sequels, Home Sweet Home Alone managed to still only provide mediocrity, just in its special way. The film is a blatant copy of the first film story-wise, except it misses all the charm and wit that made the original so great, replacing it with cheap toilet jokes. Hopefully, with the negative reception surrounding this film, this will finally mark the end of the Home Alone franchise once and for all, and the audience can be spared from any more dire sequels.

2 ‘Home Alone 4’ (2002)

Letterboxd Average Rating: 1.3/5

Home Alone 4 continues the story of Kevin McCallister. With his parents divorcing, Kevin decides to spend Christmas with his dad and future stepmother’s massive mansion. However, right on Kevin’s tail is the notorious bandit Marv, joined by a new partner in crime named Vera, as they attempt to hit the mansion for a possible massive payout. It once again becomes up to Kevin to defend his domain from intruders by any means necessary.

While all the Home Alone sequels are bad in their own right, Home Alone 4 is the crowning king of just how terrible the franchise can get. Even when compared to all the other sequels, Home Alone 4 feels muted and underwhelming even with the lowest possible bar, with the weakest traps in the Home Alone series, and an overall feeling of missed potential. The movie also does a disservice to the characters of Kevin McCallister and Marv, with these new portrayals having nowhere near the energy and screen presence of Macaulay Culkin and Oscar-winner Joe Pesci.

1 ‘Saving Christmas’ (2014)

Letterboxd Average Rating: 1.2/5

Saving Christmas follows Kirk Cameron, who is enjoying his annual Christmas party extravaganza and relishing all the glory that comes from the holiday season as a Christian. However, he soon realizes that he has to help his brother-in-law out of a predicament, as he is having doubts about the state of Christmas, worrying it is far removed from its pure origins. Kirk is there to prove, however, that Christmas is as Christian as ever and that there should be no worries about the modern state of the holiday.

The fictional plot of Saving Christmas frankly doesn’t really matter all too much, as the film is more or less just a jumping-off point for Cameron to monologue about how Christmas is still a Christian holiday. Even outside of Letterboxd’s inherent bias that they have against more right-leaning faith-based films, Saving Christmas is simply too preachy, sanctimonious, and outright boring to watch under normal circumstances. The film has more in common with an extended historical lecture than an actual Christmas adventure, which wouldn’t be a problem if it didn’t present itself as a high-octane fantasy comedy.

NEXT: The Best Christmas Movies of the Past 5 Years, Ranked