19 Fun Christmas Film Facts You Probably Don’t Know

If you’re a Christmas film facts fanatic, you’re in the right place.

From the surprising truth about how long Jim Carrey spent in make-up for The Grinch to the real English village that became a Hollywood film set overnight, there are some genuinely brilliant stories behind the most-watched Christmas films of all time.

Whether you’re a Love Actually devotee, a Home Alone loyalist or a Muppet Christmas Carol traditionalist, we guarantee at least a few of these will catch you off guard. Go on then — how many did you already know?

Love Actually (2003)

Despite being one of the most beloved Christmas films ever made, Love Actually has no original Christmas songs on its soundtrack — every festive track used was pre-existing. If that’s sent you straight back to the sofa, you can grab it on Amazon UK here.

Home Alone (1990)

The first Muppet film made after Jim Henson died in 1990, dedicated to both Henson and Richard Hunt, who also died in 1991. Michael Caine has said it remains one of his all-time favourite films. Watch it again on Amazon UK — it genuinely gets better every year.

The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)

Despite being directed by Henry Selick, Tim Burton’s name is so prominent in the marketing that many people still believe Burton directed it. He wrote the original story and produced the film. Add it to your Christmas watchlist on Amazon UK.

Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992)

Donald Trump appears briefly in the lobby of the Plaza Hotel, which he owned at the time. Director Chris Columbus has said Trump insisted on the cameo as a condition of filming there. Relive the moment on Amazon UK.

Elf (2003)

Will Ferrell ate so many cotton balls during filming that he made himself genuinely ill, consuming approximately 30 during the department store scene alone. Still one of the funniest Christmas films ever made — get it on Amazon UK.

How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)

Jim Carrey spent three hours in make-up every single day to become the Grinch — a total of 92 days across the entire shoot. He had to undergo psychological training used by the CIA to cope with the discomfort. Watch it on Amazon UK and appreciate just how much effort went into every scene.

The Holiday (2006)

The fictional English village in the film is actually the real Surrey village of Shere, which still draws thousands of visitors every Christmas. Add The Holiday to your watchlist on Amazon UK — the perfect Christmas night in.

A Christmas Carol (2009)

Jim Carrey played not only Ebenezer Scrooge in the motion-capture version but also all three of the ghosts — the Ghost of Christmas Past, Present and Yet to Come. Stream or buy on Amazon UK.

It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)

The film was considered a box office failure when first released, only becoming a Christmas classic after its copyright accidentally lapsed in 1974, allowing TV stations to air it for free every Christmas. Grab the restored edition on Amazon UK.

Die Hard (1988)

The debate about whether Die Hard is a Christmas film has become so culturally significant that the American Film Institute officially addressed it — they concluded it is not a Christmas film, but acknowledged it is set at Christmas. Make your own mind up on Amazon UK.

Gremlins (1984)

Gremlins is set on Christmas Eve and was deliberately designed as a dark Christmas film — director Joe Dante has confirmed the Christmas setting was intentional to subvert festive expectations. Watch it on Amazon UK if you dare.

The Polar Express (2004)

Tom Hanks voiced five different characters in the film — the Conductor, the Father, the Hobo, the Narrator and Santa Claus — all through motion-capture performance. Get it on Amazon UK before the kids ask for it.

Klaus (2019)

The Netflix Christmas animation took six years to make and required the team to invent entirely new proprietary software to achieve its unique hand-drawn lighting effect. Watch it on Netflix — genuinely one of the best Christmas films of the last decade.

Arthur Christmas (2011)

The animation contains a hidden reindeer in almost every single scene — a deliberate Easter egg the Aardman animators included throughout the entire production. Spot them all on Amazon UK.

The Muppet Christmas Carol — The Missing Song

The song “When Love Is Gone” was cut from the original theatrical release because studio executives felt it was too slow. It was restored for home video and has since become one of the film’s most beloved moments. Watch the restored version on Amazon UK to hear it in full.

National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989)

The Griswold family Christmas tree contained 25,000 individual lights — a number so iconic it inspired millions of real-life households to replicate the look. Add it to your Christmas film list on Amazon UK.

White Christmas (1954)

“White Christmas” sung by Bing Crosby is still the best-selling physical single of all time globally, with estimated sales of over 50 million copies. Watch the film it came from on Amazon UK — a genuine classic.

Miracle on 34th Street (1947)

The original film was released in June rather than at Christmas — the studio believed summer releases performed better commercially. It went on to become one of the most enduringly popular Christmas films ever made. Watch it on Amazon UK and see exactly why.

There you have it, 19 Christmas film facts that prove there’s always something new to discover about the films you’ve watched a hundred times.

Whether it’s Jim Carrey’s 92 days of torture in Grinch make-up or the Surrey village that became one of the most visited spots in England every December, the stories behind our favourite Christmas films are every bit as magical as the films themselves.

Now go pick one off the list and watch it tonight. You’ve earned it.

👉 Think you know your Christmas films inside out? See if you pass our 30 signs you’re Christmas obsessed test — Christmas film knowledge is definitely on the list.

👉 Ready to watch the Polar Express for real? See our Polar Express train ride UK 2026 guide and book before it sells out.