Christmas themed page to screen adaptations
our (possibly controversial) list of family favourites
Twixmas can be a strange time of year. I’m currently fighting off the urge to remove all signs of Christmas and am instead choosing to embrace this slow season.
I still have many Christmas books to read; a snowy scene jigsaw to finish and an entire festive themed Brambly Hedge colouring book that I haven’t even had the chance to look at yet.
But what I mostly feel the urge to do is sit in our cosy living room and watch Christmas movies. Whilst I do love Hallmark style Christmas movies, my absolute favourites are page to screen adaptions of my childhood favourites.
This post might be slightly controversial. You might scoff at some of our choices or debate whether the selection is truly ‘Christmassy’. Read on to find the reasons for our favourites.
Little Women - 1994 version
I’m currently re-reading Little Women and in my opinion, the 1994 adaptation is the superior watch.
This might be nostalgia driven, because I vividly remember watching Little Women in the cinema as a 10 year old. As an only child myself, I found the relationship between the four sisters enchanting and the Christmas scenes made me desperately want to time travel to the 1800s .
Where to watch - Amazon Prime (UK)
From Time to Time
From Time to Time is adapted from Lucy M Boston’s children of The Chimneys of Green Knowe and stars Dame Maggy Smith and Dominic West.
Whilst the Children of Green Knowe (first in the series of books) is more linked with a Christmas theme, From Time to Time is a lovely movie with a slightly spooky twist.
Where to watch - Amazon Prime (UK)
The Nutcracker and the Four Realms
Admittedly, the Disney adaptation of The Nutcracker hasn’t got the best of reviews, but that doesn’t seem to matter to my nine year old daughter who has watched this movie many times over.
Where to watch - Disney Plus
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005)
I watched the BBC version of Narnia when I was a child and whilst I’d like to believe that it is still the superior version, the glossy big-budget remains a fantastic Christmas movie almost 20 years after its initial release.
“It is winter in Narnia,” said Mr. Tumnus, “and has been for ever so long…. always winter, but never Christmas.”
A world where it is always but never Christmas really captured my imagination as a child and the arrival of Santa Claus felt magical. My children love to watch this movie, especially after reading the book at bedtime.
Where to watch - Disney Plus
Harry Potter movie series
Many families watch the Harry Potter series as a movie marathon, but since my youngest child is only 6 we often stick to the first two.
In my opinion, the most ‘Christmassy’ of the Harry Potter movies are ‘The Philosopher’s Stone’ - where Harry is fully embraced by the Weasley Family and receives a Weasley jumper - and ‘The Goblet of Fire’ - mostly due to the Yule Ball scenes.
Where to watch - Netflix UK
Ballet Shoes
My daughter loves Noel Streatfeild books. She’s currently reading Ballet Shoes after receiving the hardback version for her birthday. We’re also reading Streatfeild’s Christmas short stories at bedtime.
I remember watching Ballet Shoes (starring Emma Watson), when it was shown on the BBC over Christmas time which is why I decided to download it again as something to watch when we finish reading the books.
Where to watch - pay to view on Amazon UK
Julia Donaldson adaptations
In my list above, I’ve included Stick Man and The Gruffalo’s child, but in reality any Julia Donaldson adaptation is synonymous with Christmas - at least in the UK.
Every Christmas, for around 12 years, the BBC and Magic Light pictures have released a new Donaldson classic. It has become something of a British Christmas tradition and this year it was the turn of Tiddler the fish which premiered on Christmas Day.
Where to watch - BBC iplayer UK (also available to purchase on YouTube and Apple TV)
We’re Going on a Bear Hunt
Again, whilst not technically Christmassy, this adaptation of Michael Rosen and Helen Oxenbury’s classic book was first shown on Christmas Eve in 2016.
There’s something magical about childhood favourites being turned into tv adaptions and We’re Going on a Bear Hunt makes for a wonderfully calming watch after all the chaos of Christmas.
Where to watch - Channel 4 on Demand (UK) and Amazon Prime
The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse
This beautiful tale of friendship and courage does feature plenty of snow but Christmas isn’t the main theme of the movie. When Charlie Mackesy released the book in 2019, it became a hit and the pages are regularly quoted on socials. Adults who we’re looking for comfort during the Covid pandemic particularly resonated with the book.
So the screen adaptation (originally released on Christmas Eve 2022), feels like the perfect choice for those ‘down days’ between Christmas and New Year when it suddenly dawns on you that all the festivities are almost over for another year.
Where to watch - BBC iplayer UK, Amazon Prime and Apple TV
The Man who Invented Christmas
Whilst technically not a page to screen adaption, The Man who Invented Christmas charts the story of Charles Dickens and his creation of A Christmas Carol.
I have something of an obsession with biographical movies of authors (my favourites being Goodbye Christopher Robin and Tolkien), and I love finding out more about the creation of classic stories.
Where to watch - Amazon prime, Apple TV, YouTube (purchase only)
Peter Pan (1953) + Finding Neverland
Peter Pan was originally a stage play, first appearing on the 27th December 1904. Since then, Peter Pan has become intrinsically linked with UK Christmas entertainment.
A family tradition of many British families is to watch a pantomime adaptation of Peter Pan. However, a more accessible way to watch is one of the many screen versions. My personal favourite is the Disney film from 1953 although a special place in my heart will always be reserved for Hook which I remember watching in the cinema as a child.
As I mentioned above, I love biographical movies so I’ve also included Finding Neverland for a small insight into J.M Barrie’s life. In the new year, I will be sharing my favourite autobiographies and biographies of famous children’s authors.
Where to watch Peter Pan - Disney Plus
Where to watch Finding Neverland - YouTube (pay to watch)
The Muppet Christmas Carol
This might be the most controversial inclusion on my list, but please don’t leave yet. The Muppet Christmas Carol is a fantastic introduction to the world of Dickens. Yes, Charles Dickens and many of the characters are Muppets, which is hardly highbrow, however it’s funny and memorable. Michael Caine puts in a stellar performance as Scrooge, and after a while, you stop noticing that he is acting alongside puppets.
I was nine when this movie was first released and my own nine year old daughter recently watched it and found it hysterical. And just like I did, I imagine she will remember the basic story and go on to read the book.
Where to watch - Disney Plus
Mary Poppins + Saving Mr Banks
I have a confession to make, I don’t actually like PL Travers Mary Poppins series but I do love the film adaptation.
Again, originally released over Christmas (December 23rd 1964 - UK), Mary Poppins is something we watch every holiday season.
I’d also recommend a watch of Saving Mr Banks as it details a fascinating insight into how Walt Disney finally persuaded PL Travers to sell him the film rights after 20 years of negotiation.
Where to watch - Disney Plus
Polar Express
I’m including Polar Express, but I much prefer the book. Something about the film characters feel strange to me - the faces have ‘uncanny valley’ vibes. But nevertheless, many families love to have Polar Express themed movie nights complete with printed train tickets over the festive season so I’ve decided to include it regardless.
Just before Christmas, I finished a Polar Express curriculum unit with my students which is perhaps why this film is on my mind this year.
Where to watch - Now Premium Subscription
Mog’s Christmas
I loved the Mog series of books as a child. In fact, any book by Judith Kerr remains a family favourite.
Last Christmas, the whole family - grandparents included - sat down to watch the animated adaption of Mog’s Christmas. It’s a charming, traditional take on Christmases past and again, makes for a lovely relaxing watch after all the excitement.
Where to watch - Channel 4 on Demand
Raymond Briggs Adaptations
The Snowman, The Snowman and the Snowdog and Father Christmas are all adaptations of Raymond Briggs picture books.
The Snowman, which was first screened in 1982, became an instant classic and really changed the landscape for page to screen Christmas adaptations. Really, it’s because of the success of The Snowman and the instant hit ‘we’re walking in the air’ that so many of the other picture book adaptations feature on this list.
Where to watch - Channel 4 on Demand
A note on the films included
I haven’t included age ratings in this list, however Common Sense Media is a great resource for researching movies that are suitable for your children.
I’ve done my best to include a ‘where to watch’ section, but keep in mind that I live in Britain and therefore, the list is only truly accurate for British readers.
Share your Christmas Favourites
What page to screen adaptations are your favourite? Let me know by sharing adding a comment below: