Movies Holly-jolly holiday movie superlatives From jolliest Santa Claus to the sweetest snowman, these are the cream of the Christmas crop. By Mary Sollosi Mary Sollosi Mary Sollosi is the former assistant features editor at Entertainment Weekly. She left EW in 2022. EW's editorial guidelines Updated on December 15, 2021 06:21PM EST Close 01 of 20 And the winners are... Everett Collection We've been counting down the days until Christmas, and now that it's almost here, we've finally figured out the best of the best. Who is the absolute jolliest Santa? What is the all-time saddest Christmas ballad? And who across the entire yuletide cinematic tradition has the most wonderful life? Read on for the honorees in our Christmas superlatives. This story was originally published Dec. 21, 2018, and most recently updated Dec. 15, 2021. 02 of 20 MOST TANTALIZING CHRISTMAS FEAST: The roast beast, How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1966) Everett Collection The Grinch himself carved it, for crying out loud! RUNNER-UP: The Cratchit family's prize turkey, A Christmas Carol 03 of 20 MOST ROMANTIC CHRISTMAS: Love Actually (2003) Peter Mountain/Universal Studios Honestly, we tried to avoid this. There's just no way around it. You can't even listen to 30 seconds of the Love Actually score and deny that it is the most romantic movie Christmas ever, period. 04 of 20 MOST EXTRA HOLIDAY DÉCOR: A Bad Moms Christmas (2017) Everett Collection Only a yuletide battle of the Bad Moms could result in an ice-blue winter wonderland of such tacky grandeur. RUNNERS-UP: All movie Whovilles 05 of 20 STINGIEST MISER: Ebenezer Scrooge Everett Collection Nice try, Heat Miser, Snow Miser, whatever other misers — no one can compete with this squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous old sinner. Bah, humbug! 06 of 20 MOST FESTIVE WARDROBE: Martha May Whovier, How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000) Everett Collection Just look at that dress! 07 of 20 MOST COVETED INVITATION: The Nutcracker Ball, The Night Before (2015) Sarah Shatz/Columbia Pictures No amount of drugs or lost phones or creepy encounters with a mysterious Christmas Michael Shannon should be enough to keep you from this party. 08 of 20 MOST WONDERFUL LIFE: George Bailey, It's a Wonderful Life (1946) Everett Collection When he isn't around, he leaves an awful hole, doesn't he? 09 of 20 JOLLIEST SANTA CLAUS: The Santa Clause (1994) Tim Allen to reprise 'Santa Clause' role in Disney+ limited series. Everett Collection Miracle on 34th Street gave him a good run for his money, but Tim Allen's reluctant Kris Kringle takes the top prize, if only for being most improved. 10 of 20 MERRIEST ELF: Buddy the Elf, Elf (2003) Will Ferrell as Buddy the Elf in 'Elf'. Everett Collection Obviously. 11 of 20 SWEETEST SNOWMAN: Frosty, Frosty the Snowman (1969) 'Frosty the Snowman'. Everett Collection Who can resist a snowman who hangs out among ice cream cakes and greets every person, on any day, with "Happy Birthday?" RUNNER-UP: Sorry, Olaf. 12 of 20 SHINIEST-NOSED REINDEER: Zero, The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) Everett Collection Take that, Rudolph! Jack's ghostly stand-in for the red-nosed icon gets extra points for all-over glow. 13 of 20 SISTERLIEST CHRISTMAS: Little Women (1994) Everett Collection If only every December could be this March! RUNNER UP: Ladies and gentlemen, the Haynes Sisters! 14 of 20 WHITEST CHRISTMAS: Amanda's English holiday, The Holiday (2006) Everett Collection This one's a white Christmas in every sense of the word. 15 of 20 SADDEST CHRISTMAS BALLAD: "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," Meet Me In St. Louis (1944) Margaret O'Brien and Judy Garland in 'Meet Me in St. Louis'. MGM No subsequent version of this song has ever been quite so heartbreaking as the original in Judy Garland's velvety contralto. 16 of 20 DRUNKEST GRINCH: Billy Bob Thornton in Bad Santa (2003) Everett Collection It's not called Good Santa. 17 of 20 MOST WISTFUL WHAT-MIGHT-HAVE-BEEN: Riley, Happiest Season (2020) Lacey Terrell/Hulu Kristen Stewart and Mackenzie Davis play the couple you're supposed to root for, I guess. But when Stewart's Abby meets Aubrey Plaza's Riley? That's when the real sparks fly. 18 of 20 BEST CHRISTMAS SWAP: The Princess Switch (2018) Netflix Stealing The Holiday's crown! 19 of 20 FROZENEST POLE: A Christmas Story (1983) Everett Collection We triple-dog dare you to challenge this winner. 20 of 20 YIPPEE-KI-YAY-EST MOTHERF---ER: John McClane, Die Hard (1988) Peter Sorel/Fox Happy trails, everyone else.