Top 10 favourite Christmas films and TV shows, according to festive Brits

19 December 2023 , 13:58

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Brits will spend over 28 hours in December watching their favourite Christmas films and TV shows (Image: Dan Brownsword/Getty Images)

Home Alone and Elf have topped a list of the favourite festive films to watch at Christmas – while the Only Fools And Horses Christmas specials were named the best things on the box.

Macaulay Culkin's popular sequel, Home Alone 2: Lost In New York, also made the top 10 list of movies, along with animated favourites The Polar Express, and the 2018 adaptation of The Grinch.

And when it comes to seasonal TV, Brits can't get enough of classics such as The Morecambe & Wise Christmas Show, the Gavin & Stacey Christmas specials – and even the King's Christmas Message.

In fact, the survey of 2,000 adults found that, in the run-up to the big day, they will watch almost an hour of festive films or TV shows each day – adding up to a total of more than 28 hours over the month of December.

Those polled admit they dedicate three-and-a-half hours a week to their favourite festive films, and 14 hours to their preferred TV shows across the month. And seven in 10 go as far as to say such content is what really “makes Christmas” for them.

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Top 10 favourite Christmas films and TV shows, according to festive Brits

Will Ferrell's 2003 festive flick, Elf, is one of the top favourite films to watch in the run-up to Christmas (James Devaney/Getty Images)

The research was commissioned by Sky, whose spokesman said: “Brits love to kick off Christmas with their favourite festive films and TV – and this year is no different. There’s no doubt the genre is as popular as ever, and it really helps to get people in the mood.

“With more content than ever to choose from, and with so many hours spent watching a variety of TV shows and films, having a big range of choice is so important to viewers.”

The study also revealed the nation’s favourite, and least favourite, Santa of all time – with Richard Attenborough’s portrayal of the big man in Miracle on 34th Street reigning supreme as the best.

However, Hulk Hogan’s 1996 flop, Santa with Muscles, was said to be the biggest stinker when it comes to a Father Christmas on screen. Billy Bob Thornton’s turn as Willie T. Stokes in Bad Santa, and Jim Carrey’s The Grinch, were the next most-disliked festive portrayals.

The research, carried out via OnePoll, also found 53% are bored of watching “repeats” at Christmas, with 40% needing some inspiration on new festive content to watch this year.

The spokesman from Sky, which allows you to order Sky Stream for next-day delivery ahead of Christmas, and has more than 1,000 films available through Sky Cinema, as well as 12,000 hours of entertainment telly, added: “The research has shown that, while there’s a real love for the old classics when it comes to repeated TV shows and films, there’s also a desire to freshen it up.

“It has never been easier to do so with the emergence of content you can stream, which allows the viewer to try something new, as well as soak up the old classics.

“There’s no need to be simply stuck with repeats in the schedule any longer – you can now watch what you want, whenever you want.”

TOP 10 MOST WATCHED FILMS IN DECEMBER: