Cozy up with the best Christmas movies and shows based on books

Few people realize that the 1946 classic It's a Wonderful Life is based on a short story, which was initially rejected by publishers. Author Philip Van Doren Stern self-published "The Greatest Gift" and distributed it to friends and family as a Christmas gift. It eventually found its way into the hands of Frank Capra, who made the movie that is now beloved in households across America. Inspired by A Christmas Carol, this story is about a man on the verge of taking his own life when he gets the chance to see how the people he loves would be much worse off without him had he never been born. Edward Herrmann narrates, beautifully.

Although not strictly about Christmas, Louisa May Alcott's Little Women begins with the classic line, "Christmas won't be Christmas without any presents!" Thus launches the story of the four March sisters living in Concord, Massachusetts, during the Civil War. Their father is away fighting in the war and they don't have much, but they do have each other. The novel follows the sisters as they come of age during a time of great change. Laura Dern, who starred as Marmie in the acclaimed 2019 adaptation, narrates this audiobook dramatization with a full cast.

The greenest and meanest creature to live north of Whoville, the Grinch absolutely hates Christmas. When he hears the townsfolk getting ready for the holiday, he decides to sneak down—disguised as Santa Claus, complete with a sleigh—and steal all their presents, decorations, and fixings for feasts. Although caught in the act by young Cindy Lou, he manages to pull off his con. But when the people of Whoville celebrate Christmas anyway, the Grinch realizes there is more to the season than its trappings, and his heart grows three sizes. Dr. Seuss's beloved tale has been adapted multiple times, notably in 1966 as an animated TV special and in 2000 as a feature film, starring Jim Carrey. In 2018, a new feature-length animated film called The Grinch was released. But don't skip listening in! The audiobook is narrated by the late, great Walter Matthau.

When hit with the realization that their only daughter won't be home for the holidays, Luther and Nora Krank calculate how much they typically spend on celebrating. Since it adds up to a lot, they decide to skip Christmas and go on a cruise instead. This decision earns them the ire of their neighbors, and all-out war ensues. Luther and Nora think they have won… until their daughter calls with the surprising news she will be able to make it home for Christmas after all—and she can't wait to introduce her new fiancé to their annual festivities. John Grisham's novella was adapted into a 2004 film called Christmas with the Kranks, starring Tim Allen, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Dan Ackroyd. Dennis Boutsikaris narrates this lighthearted reminder that celebrating Christmas with all the trimmings is worth the effort.

One of the early classics of the Christmas story genre, Charles Dickens's novella about a miserly man visited by three spirits of Christmas in an attempt to have him change his ways has been adapted multiple times over the decades for stage, radio, and the screen, including a star-studded modern retelling called Scrooged (1988) and an animated film that's more loyal to the original story, Disney's A Christmas Carol (2009). And Tim Curry is just one of the incredible narrators who captures its iconic characters and enduring holiday spirit.

This short story, written in 1816 by E.T.A. Hoffmann, is best known for the famous Tchaikovsky ballet it inspired, but movie adaptations exist as well, including Disney's 2018 The Nutcracker and the Four Realms. The beloved tale follows a young girl who is gifted a nutcracker by her godfather, a legendary toymaker, and then falls into a fantasy landscape where mice come to life and the Nutcracker must battle the mouse king. Kids will be mesmerized by the BBC Radio full-cast dramatization of the original story, which listeners praise as "a great non-screen treat for Christmas holidays" and "a great deal of fun."

Contemporary romance fans will swoon for this romance that inspired a 2022 Prime Video adaptation starring Zoey Deutch and Kendrick Sampson. Set in the Big Apple during the hustle-and-bustle of the holiday season, this listen follows single father Ethan Greene as he prepares to propose to his beloved girlfriend Vanessa with the perfect ring in that perfect little blue box. A mix-up throws that plan into chaos and changes his life forever, setting him on a collision course with a woman named Rachel.

Can't get enough of holiday movies set in New York City? Then you'll love this listen about two teenagers and their unexpected romance in the city that never sleeps. In this story that inspired a 2020 Netflix adaptation, Lily leaves a notebook containing a series of challenges on a shelf in her favorite bookstore. Dash, feeling lonely during the holidays, picks it up. What follows is a whirlwind romance full of adventures, dares, and dates all over the city as they pass the notebook back and forth.

Valentine Davies was a television producer and writer when she came up with the story for Miracle on 34th Street, a classic film about Christmas magic. Set in the 1940s, it follows a Macy's Department Store Santa who claims to be the real deal and the very sensible little girl who comes to believe in him. The movie came first, but Davies also wrote a novelization of the screenplay, which was adapted into an audiobook narrated by legendary actor Carl Reiner.

Let's just settle this debate once and for all: Die Hard totally counts as a Christmas movie. Both of the inspirations for Die Hard and Die Hard 2 are literary; Nothing Lasts Forever and 58 Minutes, respectively, are thrillers that take place during the Christmas holidays. Die Hard is about what happens when terrorists take a holiday office party hostage, and Die Hard 2 is set at Dulles airport during the height of holiday travel, when terrorists hijack air traffic control. While unconventional picks for Christmas listening, both thrillers incorporate elements of the holiday season in clever ways.

A staple of Christmas day cable marathons, 1983’s A Christmas Story is a fan favorite of folks who prefer their festive flicks with a sharp comedic edge and a more realistic glimpse at family life. The quirky series of endlessly quotable—cue the chorus of “You’ll shoot your eye out!”—1940s-set vignettes are based on the writings of humorist Jean Sheperd, originally housed in In God We Trust: All Others Pay Cash. The stories that build the big screen classic (from Ralphie’s Ovaltine decoder ring to the infamous leg lamp) are all housed in this collection, a delightfully warm and wickedly funny listen drawn from semi-autobiographical recollections, voiced with exquisite dryness by broadcast television legend Dick Cavett.

There’s something uniquely joyous about the holiday season when you’re a teen—school’s out, the snow is mounting, and ice-skating and hot cocoa dates offer a chance at young love. In this contemporary young adult story, three pillars of the genre—Maureen Johnson, Lauren Myracle, and John Green—trace the fates of a cast of characters stuck in their small town on Christmas Eve by a massive storm. As their separate stories begin to intertwine, surprising, heartwarming connections are made, shining a light on the season’s joys. Narrators Rebecca Soler, Brandon Gill, and Ali Ahn bring this story's magic to life for listeners, and a cast of young talent including Kiernan Shipka, Isabela Merced, Shameik Moore, and Liv Hewson do the same for viewers tuning in to its 2019 Netflix adaptation.

When suspense great Patricia Highsmith, the author behind such works as The Talented Mr. Ripley and Strangers on a Train, published The Price of Salt under a pseudonym in 1952, she offered an unprecedented conceit: a lesbian romance novel with a happy ending. During the busy Christmas season, Therese works long, stressful, and repetitive shifts at a New York department store. It's here that she meets Carol, a housewife with wealth and status who is secretly divorcing her husband and engaged in a bitter custody battle for their young daughter. When the two meet, they’re immediately attracted to each other, but their romance has dire consequences. The novel serves as the basis for the critically acclaimed film Carol, starring Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara.

While The Princess Bride also might seem like an unconventional pick for the holidays, it totally counts as well. In the narrative, the story is being told during winter, while the grandfather reads to his grandson who is home sick from school. And it's a feel-good and comfortingly familiar tale of fantasy, romance, and adventure. That all adds up to a great holiday listen, especially if you don't want something too on-the-nose. It's narrated by Rob Reiner, who directed the 1987 fan favorite movie, starring Robin Wright as Buttercup.