If essays and exams are stopping you from embracing the seasonal joviality, then take a look at this list of classic Christmas movies which are guaranteed to dispel those study blues and fill you with seasonal merriment.

10. Trading Places

John Landis’ Trading Places starring Eddie Murphy and Dan Ackroyd is a film which is guaranteed to have even the crabbiest of scrooges rolling in the aisles laughing. Christmas is more of a back drop than a key plot device in this role reversal comedy and yet it contains one of the funniest Santa sequences on celluloid when Ackroyd – deranged and dishevelled in a shoddy Santa costume – pulls a salmon out of his beard and starts tucking in.

9. The Nightmare Before Christmas

Perhaps the most original film on the list, Tim Burton’s stop-motion animation The Nightmare Before Christmas has become a cult classic since its release in 1993. The movie’s success lies in the way in which it manages to feature all of the classic elements of a family film– songs, laughs and a great story, whilst never forgetting its strange, gothic origins.

8. Die Hard

Nothing says Christmas like guns, explosions, and Bruce Willis in a sweaty vest top. In many ways Die Hard is the anti-Christmas film for those who are fed up with twee family fun and singing Elves (see Elf below). The film truly established Bruce Willis as an action star and features one of the least jovial but most memorable Christmas greetings of all time: "Now I have a machine gun. Ho ho ho".

7. The Muppet Christmas Carol

Michael Caine makes for a terrific Scrooge in this entertaining adaptation of Dickens' A Christmas Carol, and the combination of his great acting ability and the fun and charm of the Muppet characters is really what makes this film work. The songs are also a lot better than you might expect especially the catchy ‘It Feels Like Christmas’.

6. Love Actually

Perhaps the most popular Christmas film of recent years , Richard Curtis’ tale of interconnected love stories is a very British Christmas film. Rom-com lovers will relish in this feast of festive romance but even the most cynical movie goer is likely to be moved by some of the stories featured in the film– particularly Emma Thompson’s story of the bleaker side of marriage and Andrew Lincoln’s tale of unrequited love.

5. Home Alone

The perfect example of a Christmas film that appeals to all of the family, Home Alone stars Macauley Culkin as Kevin – a young kid who is left to fend for himself when his family go on holiday and accidentally leave him behind. Children will be entertained by the abundance of slapstick comedy in the film, whilst adults will find enjoyment in the more tender scenes such as those between Kevin and his mysterious neighbour played by Roberts Blossom.

4. It’s a Wonderful Life

It is rare for a Christmas film to begin with the main protagonist contemplating suicide but then again It’s a Wonderful Life is no ordinary Christmas film. Frank Capra’s masterpiece is a movie which is not afraid to visit some dark and bleak places and at times you may be wondering if the film’s name is a rather misleading one. The film’s ending, however, is one of the most touching and inspirational endings in cinema history. A true classic, It’s a Wonderful Life, is a Christmas film that really makes you think.

3. Miracle on 34th Street (1947)

This classic Christmas film stars Edmund Gwenn as Kris Kringle – a department store Santa who is forced to go to court to prove that he is in fact the real Father Christmas. It is a simple story which is beautifully told and the performance by 8 year old Natalie Wood as Susan is nothing short of extraordinary.

2. Elf

If you are looking for a thought-provoking film that pushes the boundaries of cinema then you should look elsewhere. But if you are after some pure, unadulterated Christmas joy then this is the film for you. The zany comedy comes thick and fast in this tale of a human raised by Elves who comes to New York to find his real family. The comedy is infectious, the romance as sweet as syrup; you may not want to give in to the film’s relentless cheer and optimism but you will. Resistance is futile.

1. White Christmas

The reason why White Christmas is the best Christmas movie of all time is simple: it just has it all. The film tells the story of two army veterans who attempt to put on a show to save their old Major’s hotel from closure. With its humour, fabulous songs and fine performances from its four leads, White Christmas is simply Christmas film perfection.