Editor’s note: This post comes courtesy of an old colleague from our early days blogging the cineweb. Dan Stephens is the founder and editor of Top 10 Films, one of the UK’s longest-running movie sites.
From festive fun to heartfelt moments, these Top 10 Christmas Movie Sequels bring holiday magic with humor, nostalgia, and fresh twists.
Christmas movies hold a special place in our hearts because they blend the warmth of the holiday spirit with humor, family, and tradition. Whether it’s the joy of seeing our most beloved characters or the thrill of festive adventures, these films create memories we love to revisit year after year. While original Christmas classics are often irreplaceable, there are many sequels that manage to capture the same magic with new storylines, comic invention, and holiday cheer. Here we celebrate some of the best Christmas movie sequels, each offering its own spin on the season’s joy, chaos, and fun.
From Home Sweet Home Alone, which gives a modern twist to a timeless tale, to the outrageousness of A Very Harold and Kumar 3D Christmas, these sequels remind us that the holiday spirit can be both nostalgic and innovative. Whether it’s the heartwarming journey of Ralphie Parker in A Christmas Story Christmas or the outrageous comedy of Bad Santa 2, these films delightfully mix wit, heart, and holiday magic, and prove that sequels aren’t always inferior.
- Home Sweet Home Alone
Home Sweet Home Alone breathes fresh, if slightly chaotic, life into the franchise with a modern twist on the classic premise. Max Mercer (Archie Yates), left behind while his family vacations in Tokyo, finds himself facing off not against hardened criminals but a desperate married couple (Rob Delaney and Ellie Kemper) trying to retrieve a valuable doll they believe Max has stolen. The comedy leans into the absurdity of the situation, with a mix of slapstick chaos and sharp dialogue that keeps the tone light and entertaining.
What elevates the film is its self-awareness, aided by a witty script from Saturday Night Live writers Mikey Day and Streeter Seidell and a talented cast embracing the silliness. Kemper shines with her exaggerated earnestness, and there’s a playful acknowledgment of the outlandishness of Home Alone’s signature booby-trap violence. While not as visually festive or memorable as the original, it delivers enough laughs to charm a modern audience.
- The Princess Switch: Switched Again
In The Princess Switch: Switched Again, Vanessa Hudgens triples the fun with a third character, Fiona, a mischievous and flamboyant cousin scheming to impersonate Margaret for financial gain. With Margaret preparing for her coronation as Montenaro’s queen and trying to rekindle her romance with Kevin, chaos ensues when Fiona kidnaps Margaret and takes her place. Amid the mistaken identities and hijinks, the film delivers a winning combination of lighthearted drama and festive charm, staying true to the holiday spirit with a sprinkle of royal intrigue.
Hudgens’s charisma shines as she navigates three distinct roles, bringing humor and energy to this whimsical sequel. The over-the-top plot, complete with Fiona’s comically bad accent and flamboyant schemes, embraces the absurdity of holiday movies, offering escapist joy. While it lacks the magical baking competitions of the original, Switched Again compensates with its playful tone, making it a delightful, if slightly wacky, Christmas treat.
- The Christmas Chronicles 2
The Christmas Chronicles 2 sees siblings Kate (Darby Camp) and Teddy (Judah Lewis) reunite with Santa Claus (Kurt Russell) for another festive adventure, this time at the North Pole. Kate, feeling disconnected after her mother starts dating someone new, stumbles into trouble when she and her soon-to-be stepbrother Jack (Jahzir Bruno) are lured into a portal by the mischievous Belsnickel, an ex-elf-turned-human with a grudge against Santa.
Together, they must save the North Pole and Christmas itself from Belsnickel’s destructive plans, including sabotaging the Christmas Star that powers Santa’s Village. The sequel boasts a more expansive North Pole setting and a larger role for Goldie Hawn as the warm and witty Mrs. Claus. Packed with imaginative twists like gingerbread grenade battles and a heartfelt message about family, the film blends holiday charm with over-the-top fun, even if it leans on spectacle more than heart.
- A Very Harold and Kumar 3D Christmas
A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas takes the stoner comedy duo into the chaos of the holiday season with an outrageous, R-rated twist. Reuniting after years apart, Harold (John Cho) and Kumar (Kal Penn) are forced to embark on a frantic Christmas Eve quest through New York City to replace a prized Douglas fir accidentally destroyed by a wayward joint. Along the way, the pair encounters a string of absurd misadventures involving a Claymation hallucination, corrupt tree vendors, and an unforgettable cameo from Neil Patrick Harris. The irreverent gags and over-the-top scenarios offer a festive blend of nostalgia and new insanity.
What makes this sequel so entertaining is its unapologetically outrageous approach to holiday tropes, flipping traditional Christmas movie sentimentality on its head. From clever genre parodies to moments of genuine friendship between the leads, the film delivers a rollercoaster of laughs and shocks. Though it’s not for everyone, it’s a hilariously unorthodox addition to holiday viewing.
- The Santa Clause 2
In The Santa Clause 2, Tim Allen returns as Scott Calvin, who faces an entirely new challenge: to keep his role as Santa Claus, he must find a wife before Christmas Eve. As Scott navigates the awkward world of holiday romance, a malfunctioning toy Santa wreaks havoc at the North Pole, taking over in dictator-like fashion. With both heartfelt moments and absurd comedy, the film dives into family bonds, personal growth, and the lengths one will go to protect the magic of Christmas.
The sequel charms with its playful absurdity, from the over-the-top antics of Robo-Santa to the warm chemistry between Allen and Elizabeth Mitchell as his potential Mrs. Claus. Despite some clunky moments in the final act, the film shines with quirky humor, surprising emotional depth, and a nostalgic throwback to simpler times. It’s a festive treat that balances whimsy with an unexpected sincerity, perfect for the holiday season.
- A Christmas Story Christmas
In A Christmas Story Christmas, Ralphie Parker (Peter Billingsley) returns to Hohman, Indiana, as an adult facing a bittersweet holiday after his father’s passing. Now a struggling writer and dad, Ralphie aims to create a magical Christmas for his family while honoring his late father’s traditions. With plenty of heart and wit, the film balances the chaos of mishaps – like a disastrous gift exchange and a hilariously mismanaged Christmas dinner – with touching reflections on family and nostalgia.
Its mix of old and new is where this holiday sequel works best. Familiar faces from the 1983 classic reappear, creating a sense of warm continuity, while Ralphie’s bumbling attempts to step into his father’s shoes add heartfelt depth. Though it doesn’t capture the same magic as the original, the episodic structure and comedic moments feel like a loving tribute to the charm of holiday imperfection, making it a delightful watch for longtime fans and newcomers alike.
- Bad Santa 2
Bad Santa 2 plunges us back into the sordid world of Willie Soke (Billy Bob Thornton), the perpetually drunk, foul-mouthed conman in a Santa suit. Life hasn’t improved for Willie since the first film and his downward spiral halts only when former partner-in-crime Marcus (Tony Cox) ropes him into a new heist: robbing a Chicago charity on Christmas Eve. Adding chaos to the plan is Willie’s estranged, equally despicable mother, Sunny (Kathy Bates), whose sharp tongue and criminal cunning make for a hilariously toxic trio.
Though not as groundbreaking as the original, the sequel revels in its bleakly irreverent wit. Thornton is pitch-perfect as the cynical antihero, while Bates steals the show with her unapologetic, outrageous performance. Fans of Bad Santa will appreciate the returning chemistry between Thornton and Cox, as well as the tragicomic inclusion of Brett Kelly’s now-grown Thurman Merman. Crass, chaotic, and darkly funny, it’s a guilty pleasure for the holidays.
- Home Alone 2: Lost in New York
Home Alone 2: Lost in New York raises the stakes with a grander setting and more elaborate traps than its much-loved predecessor. Its blend of slapstick comedy, heartfelt moments, and Culkin’s charm make it irresistibly entertaining. This time Kevin McCallister (Macaulay Culkin) accidentally boards the wrong plane, landing him in the bustling streets of Manhattan while his family heads to Florida.
Armed with his dad’s credit card, Kevin enjoys a lavish stay at the Plaza Hotel, but trouble soon finds him. The Sticky Bandits (Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern) resurface with a scheme to rob a toy store, prompting Kevin to use an under-renovation townhouse as the ultimate booby-trapped battleground. Amid the hilarity, Kevin bonds with a kindhearted pigeon lady and learns the importance of generosity during the holiday season. With New York City as its backdrop, inventive stunts, and a delightful nod to the original’s winning formula, Home Alone 2: Lost in New York is a Christmas sequel that doesn’t just echo its predecessor – it soars above it.
- National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, the second sequel to Harold Ramis’ cross-country road trip of 1982, sees Clark Griswold dreaming of the perfect family Christmas, but once again reality has other plans. Instead of a serene holiday, Clark faces chaotic in-laws, bizarre relatives like Cousin Eddie, and hilariously catastrophic mishaps – whether it’s a power surge from 25,000 festive lights or a cat with a deadly encounter involving tree decorations. With his relentless optimism, Clark becomes a festive Everyman whose misfortunes remind us of the joys and absurdities of holiday gatherings.
One of Chevy Chase’s best films, this delightful comedy from 1989 blends outrageous humor with relatable family dynamics, and Chase’s sparkling wit. Packed with iconic moments – from Aunt Bethany’s eccentricity to the infamous “squirrel scene” – it captures the unpredictability of the season with warmth and comic charm. Beneath the chaos lies a heartfelt message: no matter how disastrous, the spirit of Christmas shines through, even if it’s powered by sheer determination and a whole lot of lights.
- Die Hard 2
Bruce Willis returns as John McClane in Die Hard 2, an explosive sequel that doubles down on action and tension. Set during Christmas Eve at Washington Dulles Airport, McClane finds himself battling a group of mercenaries who take over the airport’s systems to free a captured drug lord.
With planes circling dangerously low on fuel, including the one carrying his wife, McClane is forced into a relentless battle to save lives. From fistfights in baggage areas to a jaw-dropping showdown on the wing of a moving plane, the film keeps audiences on the edge of their seats.
Like McClane’s heroics in Die Hard, the sequel is relentlessly paced and once again features Willis’ everyman charm. The actor embodies a resourceful underdog, facing insurmountable odds with grit and dry wit. Director Renny Harlin amps up the suspense with clever twists and blockbuster visuals, crafting memorable set pieces including the film’s brilliant shootout in a church. It’s thrilling, over-the-top holiday escapism at its best.
Thanks to Dan for this festive list! What do you think of his picks, and what are yours?? From all of us to all of you, Merry Christmas, ya filthy film fans!
