The 10 Best Movies to Pair with Holiday Knitting Projects

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As the old song says, the holidays are the most wonderful time of the year. The decorations, the food, the music, the parties, the cookie exchanges—I love it. But all the activity can be overwhelming, and sometimes I need a break from the frenzy. That’s when I queue up my favorite holiday movies and a WIP and get comfy on the couch for a little holiday knitting break. If you need a holiday breather, try one of these movies with holiday knitting projects!

via GIPHY

1. It’s a Wonderful Life

Why I Love It: This is the quintessential holiday movie. Charming, heartwarming, warm-fuzzy feeling giving—it’s a classic for a reason. I like to watch this on a snowy day, curled up on the couch with a mug of cocoa and a cozy blanket.

What to Knit: What’s your favorite holiday knitting project? What pattern gives you the warm fuzzies? Maybe it’s a favorite sock design you’ve used to knit a dozen pairs, or a scarf you’ve made for a loved one. Knit something familiar and comforting while you watch this classic film.

2. How the Grinch Stole Christmas

Why I Love It: This is my very favorite holiday movie. And apologies to all the Jim Carey fans out there, but the animated Boris Karloff version is the only one for me. It’s such a delightful, heartwarming story, and you just can’t beat “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch.”

What to Knit: Make your heart grow three sizes by knitting something for charity. Simple hats and mittens in neutral colors are always a good idea, but check in with local charitable organizations to see if your community has any special needs.

3. White Christmas

Why I Love It: I watched this movie for the first time a few years ago and was utterly charmed. The story of friendship, love, and people pulling together to do a nice thing for an old friend gets me every time.

What to Knit: When I think of snow and skiing and cozy mountain lodges, I think of traditional cabled sweaters. While you listen to the soothing sounds of Bing Crosby and company, cast on for the Winter Wonderland Aran and dream of your own white Christmas.

4. A Charlie Brown Christmas

Why I Love It: This 1965 gem is my husband’s favorite holiday movie. We like to watch it the day we put up our tree, and it never really feels like the holidays until we’ve watched Charlie Brown learn about the meaning of Christmas.

What to Knit: Channel the warm and fuzzy feelings this movie inspires into your own Linus Blanket (I suggest the Wisp Afghan)! A blanket is the perfect holiday knitting project to wrap up in next year while you welcome the season with this classic film.

5. A Christmas Story

Why I Love It: The leg lamp. The tongue-on-the-flagpole scene. The giant scarf wrapped around Randy’s head (“I can’t put my arms down!”). These classic scenes have made this 80s movie a perennial favorite—in fact, it’s so popular that TBS has aired a marathon of the film on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day every year since 1997.

What to Knit: I can think of no better holiday knitting project in the Christmas Story spirit than a giant scarf! Try the Chequers Brioche Scarf or the Caldicott Scarf.

6. The Muppet Christmas Carol

Why I Love It: It just wouldn’t be Christmas without A Christmas Carol. There are plenty of takes on this story out there, but the 1992 Muppet version is my favorite. When all the holiday madness starts to make me grouchy, this movie restores my spirit.

What to Knit: Really lean in to the Christmas Carol thing with the Dickensian Dolls. These dolls are fun to knit while you’re watching the movie and make great holiday decorations.

7. Home Alone

Why I Love It: This movie was one of my favorites as a kid; it has so many great one-liners, and I really admired Kevin’s resourcefulness and bravery. Plus, he got to lounge around eating junk food and watching crappy TV (before the burglars, that is), which is basically every kid’s dream come true.

What to Knit: What better to knit while watching this 90s holiday classic than a red Kevin sweater? Try the Hanne Sweater from knitscene Winter 2014—it keeps the classic elements found in Kevin’s pullover but adds feminine touches for a modern (and grown-up) look.

8. Love Actually

Why I Love It: I know it’s cheesy and goofy and has a lot of faults, but I have a real soft spot for this movie. The depiction of love of all types is so wonderful—romantic love, yes, but also the love between siblings, friends, parents, children, and everyone in between.

What to Knit: Celebrate love this holiday season with the Chivalry Mitts from Interweave Knits Holiday Gifts 2011. Give them to someone close to your heart, or make them for yourself as a reminder that love really is all around (see what I did there?!).

9. Elf

Why I Love It: A relative newcomer to the Christmas canon, Elf is funny, silly, sweet, and the perfect movie to watch with friends: get everyone together, buy some snacks from the four main food groups (candy, candy canes, candy corn, and syrup), and get in the holiday spirit.

What to Knit: Celebrate adorkable love with the Lovebirds Sweater. The darling birds and little heart really capture the sweet spirit of this movie (and the vintage style is totally Zooey Deschanel).

10. Die Hard

Why I Love It: Technically, I don’t—I’ve never seen this movie. But I know a lot of people who say that they don’t really feel like it’s the holidays until they’ve seen Hans Gruber fall off a building, so this is for those folks.

What to Knit: A dirty white tank top? A Santa hat? Honestly, this one might just go best with a cold beer and some chips.

What will you be knitting and watching this holiday season? Did your favorite move make the list? Let us know in the comments!

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Originally posted on December 20, 2018; updated on December 15, 2021.

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More to knit while you watch!