Movies are an essential part of the Thanksgiving holiday. When family and friends gather, movies make the perfect buffer for the time between—and after—the festive meal. (And, of course, they’re a great alternative to football.)
Thanksgiving movies are a tradition for many families, who often return to the same favorites each year. People on Reddit shared the films they love most, offering ideas for new additions to your holiday lineup.
Here are 26 movies that people love to watch:
“Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987). Watching it every Thanksgiving is an annual tradition.” – MaboRamen
“Addams Family Values.” – legsjohnson
“Home for the Holidays. So much fun stuff in this movie. Young Claire Danes. RDJ in heavy addiction period, Jodie Foster basically had to babysit him and coax him out of his trailer. Charles Durning doing insane dad, trying to wash peoples cars. Good seething resentment between sisters scene with Holly Hunter and Cynthia Stevenson. Steve Gutenberg?!?!” – Bright_Respect_1279, Giantandre
“I recently added Dutch to the mix the last couple years from a recommendation (never saw it, forgot it existed).” – Independent-Win9088
“Pieces of April. Cliche but like the turn of the century NYC vibes and family dysfunction. Don’t come at me.”
– Spitethedevil
“Being an elder Millennial, the formative 90s Thanksgivings seemed to be punctuated by special movies. In ’91 ET was on CBS as a huuuuge event (which also helped me get over being deathly afraid of ET). Then 93, Home Alone became a tradition on TV. I remember Jurassic Park and Jumanji as the decade moved on. Out of this, watching Home Alone on Thanksgiving night became the ‘official’ start of the Christmas season to my family. Even to this day, when everyone leaves around halftime of the Cowboys game, we clean up, dim the lights, and put Home Alone on to get in that Christmas spirit. When my wife and I moved into our house, we began the tradition of decorating on the Saturday after Thanksgiving while watching Gremlins.” – Kjeldorthunder
“I always watch Miracle on 34th Street (original black and white version) on Thanksgiving because the movie starts on Thanksgiving day.” – _TalkingIsHard_
“My dad (born in the 50s) says their definitive thanksgiving day movie on tv was Laurel and Hardy’s Babes in ToylandA Charlie Brown Thanksgiving].” – Agile_Cash_4249
“Every November I have to watch Planes, Trains and Automobiles, Dutch and Son-in-Law. It’s a necessity.” – ButterscotchAware402
“Best in Show is our tradition. Centers on a dog show and there’s always one airing on Thanksgiving. After that, if we’re up for it, we watch Home Alone.” – Maleficent-Sleep-346
“You’ve Got Mail and Big Night! Always.” – jasonn256
“When Harry Met Sally and While You Were Sleeping.” – obstreperous_1
“Myth of Fingerprints, The Daytrippers, The Big Chill, Hannah and Her Sisters.” – solidnandz
“Silver Linings Playbook is my Thanksgiving go to.” – mizchief_mayhem
