Christmas movies without the existence/otherwise of Santa as plot device

[ecuse]

OBVIOUSLY this is a ridiculous PFB question.

Can anyone recommend good Christmas movies for families that don't touch on the existence or otherwise of Father Christmas?

My PFB is just young enough (5.5) that, to my knowledge, the question of whether or not you believe in Father Christmas hasn't yet arisen. I'm sure other kids will start telling her FC doesn't exist soon enough but I don't want to be the one to sow the seeds of doubt .

I know lots of Christmas movies do the whole "some cynical kids don't believe in Santa but WE KNOW he really exists" thing. But I don't really think the fact that he might not be real has occurred to her yet and I just want to preserve the magic of unquestioning belief for a little longer....

So - any good fun family Christmas movies which just take Santa as a given?

The Muppets Christmas Carol is my fave Christmas film.

Santa is in ROTG as traviata said, it's a slightly alternative Santa with naughty and nice tattoos, along with the Tooth Fairy, Jack Frost and the Easter Bunny.

I don't think santa features in home alone 2.

Jack Frost is such a sad film....

The Snow Queen
Nativity 3 - Dude wheres my donkey
Christmas carol
It's a wonderful life
Beyond Tomorrow / Beyond Christmas
Holiday Inn
White Christmas
Christmas in Connecticut
Mr Magoo's christmas carol
Frosty the snowman
It happened one Christmas
the Nativity
Nutcracker
Deck the Halls
Gremlins
Snow
Hogfather
Four holidays
Little drummer boy

In the opening credit scenes of Arthur Christmas Arthur reads a letter from a girl questioning Santa's existence, detailing how impossible it is for him to visit so many houses and how the reindeer would burn up if they travelled so fast. You could skip that scene though, I guess.

Santa Claus the Movie is actually pretty good. The opening half hour is all about Santa's beginnings and then it moves to 'modern day,' ie the mid-80s. At the start of that section there is a homeless boy called Joe who sees a fake Santa rip-off the charity collection he's making, which is a bit hmmmm. Then when Joe meets Santa a few minutes later he is extremely skeptical for about a minute but Santa's overt show of magic convinces him immediately. BZ (the villain) doesn't immediately believe that Patch is an elf and we learn he never got any gifts from Santa as a child because he was so naughty but he very quickly accepts that. Overall, Santa's existence is just treated as a given.

Whatever you do don't watch Mickey Mouse's Once Upon a Christmas as the middle section A Very Goofy Christmas has Goofy's son Max very extensively question Santa's existence. We watched it last night and my 4 year old was clearly very caught up in it. (A pity because the other two sections are lovely.) Mickey Mouse's Twice Upon a Christmas is fine and has lots and lots of Santa in it, though the early CGI animation is poor compared to the lovely 90s animation in the first. Mickey's Magical Christmas is fine too.

Miracle on 34th street questions father xmas,but of ciurse he is real in the end

Saw someone mention Gremlins up thread - what age is that for? I love it but think it might be a bit scary?

I think there's a Disney 'buddies' film about Santa where in the end the dogs fly the sleigh instead of reindeer, but it's been a looong time since I've had to watch any of that crap sort of stuff so can't be sure of the whole storyline.

Nations Lampoon Christmas Vacation

Gremlins is an absolute no no for kids who believe in Santa. As mid movie Phoebe Cates tells a devastating story about how she found out Santa wasn't real.

Gremlins is a 15 rating and not suitable at all for children young enough to believe in Santa

Barbie, A Perfect Christmas is a lot better than you would imagine. Or how about The Polar Express

Arthur Christmas is my favourite, as others have said Santa just gets more high spec!

What about the Santa clause trilogy, I know the first and second talk about not believing but I think the 3rd one might be ok...if I remember rightly that one focuses on Santas fight with Jack Frost, might have remembered it wrong though.

I think films in which they believe in Santa at the end are ok...doesn't this sort of reinforce that not everyone believes but that it's ok to believe yourself? That's the attitude I've always taken with my kids anyway.

"Gremlins is an absolute no no for kids who believe in Santa"

Oh my God, imagine your dc finding out that way . Gremlins is off the list for at least 4 years!

I was going to say Polar Express too. Especially in 3D.

Is the Santa Clause too old?

Mr Poppers Penguins

Home Alone is Father Christmas free.

Home Alone 2 Lost in New York is the one with the smoking Father Christmas.

have not watched both today

Snow Dogs - not really an Xmas movie but snowy and one of the best dog movies ever.

No. the smoking santa is in home alone. Kevin goes to see him to ask for his family back.

Santa isn't in home alone 2 but lots of presents do get delivered to the hotel suite so they wake up to an awesome Christmas (courtesy of the toy shop owner).

Gremlins is pretty dark (hence the 15 certificate).

Muppets Christmas Carol is my all time Favourite, followed by The Snowman.

Jingle all the way is a favourite here and no Santa, just Arnie and a superhero

What about the Raymond Briggs Father Christmas movie? IIRC it's all about FC going on holiday then getting back in time for Christmas (caveat - I have a 14 y/o so it's a long time since I've watched that sort of movie!)

Or of course The Snowman (but maybe too sad?)

Ive just bought the box set of The Santa Clause films.

It involves Santa falling off the roof and Tim Allen putting Santa's clothes on and then becoming Santa, so not sure if that would be what you want.

I paid £6.99 for the three films on Amazon and my 5yr old is just watching the first one now.

They are my all time favourite Christmas films and I really bought them for me

Hey

I'm watching Arthur Christmas right now ( 2 sick kids off school....) And it's lovely!