A Very Merry Menu: Food and Drink in Christmas Classics!

I absolutely adore the holiday season—Christmas is truly magical! The twinkling fairy lights, beautifully decorated houses with their unique trees, and the cozy charm of Christmas markets never fail to fill me with festive spirit and joy.

I always find myself watching Christmas movies at this time of year so here’s a list of my 10 go-to movies that I love.. Enjoy!

1. The Santa Clause

The Santa Clause was probably the first Christmas movie I watched when I was young. In this nostalgic Christmas movie from the '90s, there is a scene where Santa drinks a mug of hot cocoa that Judy the Elf prepares for him. She said that she’d been perfecting the recipe for 1,200 years and describes it as “not too hot, extra chocolate, shaken not stirred.” Ever since watching this film, I think of that hot chocolate and the beautiful silver tankard mug it comes in!

2. The Holiday

The ultimate Christmas film for all hopeless romantics! Who can go a year without watching this classic? The soundtrack, composed by Hans Zimmer, is beautiful, and the locations are breathtaking (like the charming cottage in the middle of nowhere, which, to my dismay, was built just for the film). The scene where Cameron Diaz stocks up at the supermarket upon arriving in the quaint English village will have you laughing and craving all the treats she buys! In another scene, Kate Winslet's character, Iris, prepares a Hanukkah brisket for her elderly neighbor at a delightful dinner party. Let’s not forget the Christmas Fettuccine that Kate offers to make Jack Black’s character to cheer him up! Which couple are you cheering for the most?

3. Bridget Jones Diary

Bridget Jones’s Diary is a perfect feel-good film to enjoy while snuggled under a blanket with a hot cup of tea. The opening scene takes place during Christmas, where Bridget encounters the charming Mark at her parents annual turkey curry buffet party. The iconic reindeer sweater comes to mind, along with Pam and Una’s gravy exchange! This scene is later mirrored by Jones and Darcy when Bridget celebrates her new job by preparing a three-course dinner for her friends, featuring blue soup, omelette, and marmalade (if you know, you know!).

The newest installment of the film series is set to release on Valentine’s Day 2025. Who’s getting a ticket??

4. Love Actually

Love Actually is such a must over Christmas with its many romantic and also emotionally driven storylines; however, it fails to showcase real Christmas spirit when it comes to any food scenes! Still, I am always fond of the part where Keira Knightley shows up at her husband’s friend's house carrying a banoffee pie as a peace offering. She is wearing a big goofy hat, which was not a wardrobe department choice but actually to cover a big pimple she had on her forehead that day! Which storyline was your favorite? Let me know in the comments below!

5. The Family Stone

This charming and funny film will have you saving it to your annual watch list instantly! Everyone in this movie is basically living in a polo neck jumper and coming across as the most laid-back, tight-knit family ever. Then Carrie Bradshaw’s character, Meredith, arrives with one of the siblings as his date and is essentially the opposite of them all in character! In order to try and impress the Stone family, Meredith tries to make a Christmas brunch classic—homemade Strata (which is essentially an egg casserole with lots of bread)—but it goes terribly wrong. Watch to find out! Equally charming and uplifting is Dan In Real Life, which I reference in another blog post, featuring an iconic pancake scene and is also fun to watch around Christmas.

6. Elf

If you want pure comedy with lashings of Christmas feels, then look no further than Elf. From Buddy the Elf naming their main ‘food groups,’ which are: candy, candy canes, candy corns, and syrup, to candied spaghetti smothered in lots of maple syrup, you’ll have your festive feast cravings covered in this film! I particularly love the whimsical duet where Will Ferrell’s character, Elf, and Zooey Deschanel’s character, Jovie, sing “Baby, It’s Cold Outside”—which, according to Zooey, was not part of the original script!

7. When Harry Met Sally

When Harry Met Sally is filled with holiday spirit and plenty of fun food scenes. The famous scene in this movie that is set in Katz’s Deli (which has been a New York institution for over 130 years) sees Meg Ryan’s character Sally fake an orgasm to prove a point after eating a pastrami sandwich (“I’ll have what she’s having”). An earlier scene in the movie also has Sally making a very specific order: “I’ll have the chef salad with the oil and vinegar on the side and the apple pie a la mode. But I’d like the pie heated. And I don’t want the ice cream on top, I want it on the side, and I’d like strawberry instead of vanilla, if you have it. If not, then no ice cream, just whipped cream but only if it’s real; if it’s out of the can, then nothing.” Who else orders like this?

8. Home Alone

Home Alone has a bit of everything - Christmas warmth, adventure, and comedy, as well as many food scenes to enjoy! Starting with Kevin McAllister devouring an entire cheese pizza just for himself (Yum) to when he exclaims that he’s ‘eating junk and watching rubbish’ after being accidentally left home alone by his entire family at Christmas. The Plaza ice cream sundae scene is a classic - “Make it 3 scoops, I'm not driving.” Let’s not forget his feast through the minibar snacks - an 8-year-old’s dream!

9. Trading Places

If you haven't watched Trading Places yet, make sure to add it to your holiday movie lineup! This hilarious film, set during Christmas, features a snobbish investor and a clever street con artist who switch places due to a bet made by two ruthless millionaires. Eddie Murphy delivers his usual outstanding performance. The well-known salmon scene is a must-see (caution—it's not appetizing and involves a grubby Santa outfit). Curious!?

10. Serendipity

Serendipity is a 2001 American romantic comedy that is filled with Christmas magic—iconic scenes include the cashmere gloves at the beautifully and festively decorated Bloomingdale’s flagship store in New York and ice skating in Central Park. There is a lovely scene where the two main love interests have frozen hot chocolates at Cafe Serendipity 3, which look truly delicious! The cafe is located in New York, so go check it out when you’re next there (after having watched the movie, of course). In 2004, the cafe introduced its signature dessert to mark its 50th anniversary (listed in the Guinness World Book of Records as the world's most expensive dessert at $1,000)—The Golden Opulence Sundae!

While I know I’ve left out some classics like Die Hard, The Polar Express, It’s a Wonderful Life, and others, I’ve chosen these because they feature the most memorable food and drink scenes for me. Of course, I might be missing a few hidden gems!

What do you think? Did I miss any must-watch holiday movies with iconic food moments?

Happy watching, and may your holiday season be as magical as a Christmas movie!