Culture and Lifestyle Activities and Entertainment TV and Movies 10 Books Your Favorite Christmas Movies Are Based On By Southern Living Editors Published on August 18, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Photography: Brooke Fornea Styling: Kendra Surface When the holiday season arrives, we want to celebrate as much as possible. That means queuing up Christmas movies on our television screens and pulling favorite festive and wintry books from the shelves. Many classic Christmas movies are based on books, which makes it easy to double the holiday fun. From long-loved stories like A Christmas Carol to newer stories like Skipping Christmas and The Christmas Train, you'll find plenty of ways to get your screens and shelves in the holiday spirit this year. Plus, there are some family-friendly ones that will help get everyone in on the celebrations. Add some festivity to your reading lists and movie nights with our picks. 01 of 10 A Christmas Story amazon.com Based on: In God We Trust: All Others Pay Cash by Jean Shepherd A funny Christmas classic that has annual marathons during the holiday season, the movie A Christmas Story is based on stories written by Jean Shepherd. 02 of 10 Christmas with the Kranks amazon.com Based on: Skipping Christmas by John Grisham This jolly movie is based on John Grisham's holiday farce about what happens when a couple decides to forgo holiday celebrations and upsets friends and neighbors in the process. 03 of 10 The Christmas Train amazon.com Based on: The Christmas Train by David Baldacci David Baldacci's 2002 book The Christmas Train was adapted into a 2017 Hallmark movie of the same name starring Kimberly Williams-Paisley and Dermot Mulroney. 04 of 10 Eloise at Christmastime amazon.com Based on: Eloise at Christmastime by Kay Thompson, illustrated by Hilary Knight Indomitable Eloise who lives at the plaza has a festive holiday season (and makes some mischief) in this delightful book-turned-film. 05 of 10 The Grinch Based on: How the Grinch Stole Christmas! by Dr. Seuss There have been several adaptations of Dr. Seuss's How the Grinch Stole Christmas!, including animated and live-action versions. 06 of 10 It's a Wonderful Life Archive Photos / Stringer / Getty Images Based on: The Greatest Gift by Philip Van Doren Stern Perhaps the most classic of classic holiday movies, It's a Wonderful Life is based on the story "The Greatest Gift" by Philip Van Doren Stern, which was published in 1943. 07 of 10 The Muppet Christmas Carol Based on: A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens The Muppets take on Charles Dickens' holiday classic in The Muppet Christmas Carol, which sees furry friends take on well-known characters like Ebenezer Scrooge and Bob Cratchit. 08 of 10 The Nutcracker and the Four Realms amazon.com Based on: The Nutcracker and the Mouse King by E.T.A. Hoffmann The popular holiday ballet is based on the story in E.T.A. Hoffmann's The Nutcracker and the Mouse King and was adapted into the recent film The Nutcracker and the Four Realms. 09 of 10 The Polar Express amazon.com Based on: The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg The magical journey of Chris Van Allsburg's book The Polar Express came to the big screen in 2004 directed by Robert Zemeckis and starring Tom Hanks. 10 of 10 Scrooged amazon.com Based on: A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens Charles Dickens' classic Christmas story gets a contemporary update in Scrooged, a story about coming to terms with life and gaining new perspective during the holiday season. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit