Christmas is almost here, and with it comes that holiday spirit everyone loves to feel at the end of the year. That usually means people start getting ready by watching all the classic favorites and even some new Christmas movies. But let’s be real: there’s way more out there than the predictable hits. Tons of forgotten films deserve to be rediscovered this year (and some of them might even be completely new to you). Some hit that emotional sweet spot everyone wants, others surprise completely, and a few are perfect if you’re looking for something totally different in a holiday-themed story.

Here are 4 Christmas movies that have been completely forgotten among all the other seasonal releases. And trust us, watching them could totally change your year-end movie marathon.

4) The Muppet Christmas Carol

Let’s start with the obvious: The Muppet Christmas Carol is, yes, a Muppets version of the classic, and yes, everyone’s heard of it. But the truth is that a lot of people completely forget this movie exists when they think about Christmas. The story? Scrooge (Michael Caine), the famously grumpy old man, gets visited by the ghosts of Christmas past, present, and future, and has to rethink his life before it’s too late. Caine is absolutely perfect here, handling all the drama while the Muppets’ chaos goes on around him.

And the movie doesn’t try to be overly serious, but it’s not a dumb kids’ cartoon either — it lands in this sweet spot between the two and really shines. The charm comes from how the Muppets make this classic story totally accessible without losing its emotional core. People talk about it if you specifically ask for forgotten holiday movies, but otherwise, it’s easily overlooked. The Muppet Christmas Carol is completely worth a watch if you want to laugh and feel something. And by the end, you’ll leave wondering, “Why don’t I watch this every year?” It’s a Christmas movie that definitely deserves to be remembered.

3) Klaus

It’s hard to hear about Klaus, simply because it’s one of those movies people probably caught when it dropped on streaming, but it never got popular enough for anyone to actually recommend it. The story centers on a selfish postman sent to an isolated village, who ends up teaming up with Klaus, a toy-making carpenter, to revive the tradition of gift-giving and bring the community together. The animation is gorgeous, modern, but it still has that classic Christmas feel that almost no one manages to pull off these days (and that’s exactly what people are looking for during the holidays).

But it’s not just pretty — it’s funny, heartfelt, and somehow manages to tell a story of redemption without diving into the over-the-top melodrama that plagues most Christmas movies. What it does is show the holiday spirit without relying on flashy effects or the same tired formula everyone keeps recycling. It’s about small acts that actually change people. Klaus is for anyone looking to feel something during the holidays, no matter your age, but in a way that’s refreshingly different from what you’re used to.

2) The Holdovers

The Holdovers doesn’t exactly look like a Christmas movie at first glance — and that’s exactly why it deserves attention. Basically, it takes what could’ve been a kind of dumb school comedy and turns it into something full of dark humor, loneliness, and real human relationships that actually hit hard (in a good way). It’s a more realistic, more human kind of Christmas, with way less cozy fireplaces and cheesy carols. The plot follows the cynical teacher Paul (Paul Giamatti), stuck at a boarding school with students who have nowhere to go for the holidays. Honestly, that premise alone is enough to grab your attention, right?

And from there, the forced time together sets up everything you’d want: tension, laughs, and surprisingly heartfelt moments that really stick with you. But make no mistake: The Holdovers isn’t the kind of movie you watch just to feel warm and done. It makes you think about loneliness, connection, and the fact that Christmas isn’t always magical. Sure, you can watch a nostalgic or chill holiday flick, but sometimes the real gems are the ones that surprise you when you dare to go off the beaten path — and this one is pure gold (no wonder it was nominated for an Oscar in 2024)

1) The Ref

If you’re in the mood for a Christmas movie that’s realistic and completely chaotic, The Ref is your pick. This is dark comedy at its best, taking that classic tense family gathering and throwing a full-blown hostage situation on top. Don’t expect predictability or clichés, because chaos rules here, and the dialogue cuts deep. It’s sharp, funny, and painfully honest about family and conflict. The plot? A thief (Denis Leary) takes the dysfunctional couple Caroline (Judy Davis) and Lloyd (Kevin Spacey) hostage on Christmas Eve, resulting in a hilarious disaster full of tension and sarcasm. And the best part? The movie doesn’t try to be cute at all; it fully embraces dysfunction and turns it into comedy.

If you’re looking to break away from the usual holiday formula, this one is surprising and ridiculously fun. Beyond the very specific humor, it also works as a subtle critique of holiday idealization: nothing is perfect, no one is genuinely nice, and everyone’s one step away from snapping. That tension keeps you hooked from start to finish, while the characters (flawed as they are) slowly become oddly human. It’s a movie that doesn’t just entertain; it makes you face the fact that the “perfect family celebration” in other Christmas films is a convenient lie. And honestly, that’s exactly what makes it worth watching during the holidays.

Have you seen any of these movies? Which one’s already on your watchlist this year? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!