Take your seat and let the magic begin – because the best Christmas film scenes are about to roll. Like chocolates from the tree, pick your favourites: sweet, surprising, and guaranteed to make you smile.
These moments will have you laughing like a hyena, blubbing like a baby, gasping in delight, and sitting slack-jawed at the sheer Christmassy joy of it all. For a joyous ol’ time and a cool Yule, here’s a glittering selection of pure entertainment: comedy gold, heart-warming magic, and iconic scenes from the festive films we love most.
From Buddy’s syrup-soaked spaghetti to Hugh Grant’s disco strut, Gizmo’s pink Corvette to Jack Skellington’s snowy epiphany – these are the scenes that make the festive holidays at the movies unforgettable, so check out Cineworld's Christmas season, and treat yourself to a £2 Christmas Family Film!
Hot Chocolate is Served – The Polar Express (2004)
It’s peak cosiness: the kids are all aboard The Polar Express in their pyjamas, choo-chooing towards the North Pole and Santa’s workshop, ready to steamroll our sceptical hero’s doubts about Father Christmas. The pretend-stern conductor (Tom Hanks in full gruff glory) orders the excitable passengers to sit tight. Then – ta-da! – in whirl the hot-chocolate-bearing waiters, high-kicking to the Hot Chocolate song and doling out mugs of bedtime bliss. And just when you think it’s all froth and fun, there’s a sweet moment of giving: the little girl snaffles an extra drink for the lonely boy at the back. Heart officially warmed.
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Hugh Grant Dancing – Love Actually (2003)
Hugh Grant as Prime Minister? The famously floppy-haired one at 10 Downing Street? Hugh awkwardly wiggling his hips to disco classic Jump by The Pointer Sisters?? Turns out we were all ready for PM-level shoulder shimmies. He struts down that staircase like a disco diva, flings his arms in the air like he just doesn’t care – because in that moment, it’s not about running the country, it’s about Grooving.
One of the most-loved scenes in Love Actually, now totally iconic. But Hugh? He called it ‘irritating.’ On filming day, he was reportedly in a right grump about getting down to the disco beat, hoping the whole thing would be scrapped. And thank goodness it wasn’t – because this scene is pure joy.
The Scrooge Song – The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)
We meet Scrooge. He stomps through town, oblivious, while a chorus of knee-high Muppets belts out his backstory, his character flaws, their opinion of him – and, frankly, sets up the entire film in one gloriously catchy number. Basically, they fill us right in on Scrooge and all his miserly ways, telling us exactly what they – and we – should think of the heartless Mr Cruel.
It all wraps with Michael Caine’s Scrooge dropping the immortal ‘humbug’ in the most understated way ever. Why do we love it? Because the whole Muppet community sings as one – joyful, united, harmonious – while Scrooge trudges on, solitary and sour. Plus, admit it: that song sticks in your head for days.
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Harry and Marv Trapped! – Home Alone (1990)
Setting booby traps is the stuff of every mischievous child’s dreams, right? And the epic scene where Kevin turns his house into a prankster’s paradise is a masterclass. The bungling burglars? They come a cropper – it’s pranks galore.
Skidding on toy cars, smacked in the face by a swinging hot iron, sticky tar on the steps… there’s no end to Kevin’s devious inventions in his bid to outwit the thieves. Honestly, this sequence probably inspired an entire generation of future pranksters –now thriving on YouTube.
Kevin Visits Duncan’s Toy Chest – Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992)
It’s the toy store of every kid’s dreams: lush, plush, stacked high with toy soldiers, dolls, bears – a treasure trove of wonder. Duncan’s Toy Chest is pure magic. Think automated big wheel, toy train chugging along, playhouses, giant sweets… the works.
This is the kind of place that’s an experience in itself – where just visiting is enough (though try telling a small child that!). And Kevin? He rocks up in a stretch limo, no parents in sight, cash in hand. Living the dream.
Imagine going shopping with a wad of your parents’ cash, under your own steam. Kevin splashes out (moderately!) and even donates to the children’s hospital charity Duncan supports. And to top it all, he’s served by Duncan himself – kindly, twinkly-eyed, straight out of a Christmas card.
But it’s not all about the wonder of toys. It’s about giving too – because this is Christmas, after all.
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Gizmo to the Rescue – Gremlins (1984)
He was always the ‘good’ gremlin, but Gizmo really flips the script when he screeches onto the scene in… a pink toy Corvette. Who’d have thought that cute little Gizmo would turn full-on action hero?
Picture it: the department store, Stripe poised to multiply himself at the fountain. Enter Gizmo, tearing round the corner in his bubblegum-pink ride, pulling off a stunt jump up a shovel like a tiny daredevil. Sure, he crashes into a plant in a plume of smoke – but then, the masterstroke. Gizmo spies the blind cord, gives it a yank, and Stripe is blasted by the dreaded ‘bright light, bright light.’ Catastrophe averted.
Gizmo steps up, saves the day, and proves he’s more than just adorable – he’s got courage (and serious style).
Spaghetti Bolognese, Buddy’s Way – Elf (2003)
If you’ve lost your Christmas cheer – or need help revving up for the festivities – Elf is the answer. Will Ferrell’s Buddy, raised in Santa’s North Pole grotto, lands in New York determined to spread joy. Relentlessly cheerful, wide-eyed with wonder, he cuts through humbug like tinsel through a tree.
His mission? Happiness. His fuel? The four main food groups: candy, candy canes, candy corn, and syrup. Never without a sneaky bottle of maple syrup up his sleeve, Buddy even pours it over spaghetti bolognese. For starters, he’s already downed a family-sized bottle of Coke, followed by a super-long, super-loud burp. Breakfast? Spag bol piled high with sweets, a generous drizzle of syrup, and a crumbled Pop-Tart for garnish. He scoops up double handfuls and eats straight from his palms.
Let’s just say his table manners ain’t going to cut it in an uptown restaurant.
Jack Skellington Discovers Christmas – The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
Once you’ve seen the magic of Christmas – the lights, the sparkle, the snow – there’s no going back. And seeing it through Jack Skellington’s eyes? Pure joy. ‘White things in the air,’ he marvels, like a skeleton in a snow globe.
From the darkest celebration on the calendar – Halloween – to the brightest and twinkliest, Christmas, Jack’s leap is a beautiful contrast. We love watching him wrap his bony brain around the concept of stockings, snowflakes, and Santa. He asked for a change… and wow, did he get one!
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Yippee Ki Yay – Die Hard (1988)
In a tense radio exchange, John McClane (Bruce Willis) and Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman) trade barbs. Hans sneers: ‘Do you really think you have a chance against us, Mr Cowboy?’ Cue McClane’s cocksure comeback: ‘Yippee-Ki-Yay.’
That single gutsy line – delivered with wit and swagger – tells us everything. Our hero’s not backing down. Though it only appears once in Die Hard, it became the franchise’s ultimate catchphrase, resurfacing at key moments in the sequels like a battle cry we all cheer for.
The Grinch Receives an Invitation – How The Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)
Oh, Grinchy – how we feel his self-sabotaging pain as he stares at that Whobilation invite, cogs whirring, listing every reason why he cannot possibly go. He’s far too busy thinking dark thoughts and being deliciously nasty. Fun? On his schedule? Unthinkable. Or… could he?
This is the moment temptation creeps in – the lure of wholesomeness, goodness, maybe even joy. Sure, he steals Mayor Maywho’s lederhosen to make it happen, but hey, good intentions count for something.
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Christmas Miracle – It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)
The black-and-white classic that some fans make a pilgrimage to watch every single year. For many, it’s the Christmas number one. The story of George Bailey – struggling with his business during the Great Depression – might not sound like festive fun (but hey, Die Hard people, we’ve stretched the definition before).
Enter Clarence, the bumbling guardian angel, who takes George on a journey through a life where he never existed. The payoff? One of cinema’s most heartwarming moments. Relief floods in, gratitude sparkles, and George sees his world – and his family – with brand-new eyes. Feel the love – this is one of the most fulfilling cinematic payoffs, guaranteed to make your heart feel full.
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Arthur Collects his Award – The Holiday (2006)
We love The Holiday and the swappy love story – swap lives, swap houses. Two women, two continents, two heartbreaks, and a festive gamble that leads to unexpected romance. Amanda finds herself in a picture-perfect English village, Iris in sunny LA, and both discover that sometimes the best gift is a fresh start.
And then there’s Arthur – an elderly, retired Hollywood screenwriter with old-school charm and a heart of gold. He’s Iris’s neighbour and becomes her unexpected friend, offering wisdom, warmth, and a reminder that love isn’t just romantic – it’s about connection and respect too. Watching Arthur collect his award is pure joy: the emotional core of the film, and a heartening narrative strand that makes this story sparkle.
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