Calling All Cinephiles — Celebrate the Holidays With Christmas Movie Trivia!
Updated Dec. 21 2022, 2:40 p.m. ET
'Tis the season to pour a hot cup of cocoa, steal a few of Santa's cookies, and settle down for a holiday movie marathon.
But before you queue up your favorites, we suggest you take a peek at this collection of Christmas trivia and fun facts because it's sure to make you appreciate the classics even more.
With that said, are you for some Christmas movie trivia? If so, prepare to be surprised!
And are there any fun trivia facts you'd add to the list?
Will Ferrell and his costume caused minor traffic accidents while filming 'Elf.'
Yes, you read that right — when Will Ferrell walked through the Lincoln Tunnel in Elf, many were so surprised to see him donning an elf outfit that it distracted them from their driving and resulted in a few minor accidents. OK, we can relate; however, don't take your eyes off the road ... ever!
Melinda Dillon’s reaction to the roasted duck in ‘A Christmas Story’ was real.
When it came time to film the final scene in A Christmas Story, director Bob Clark wanted to get a real reaction from actress Melinda Dillon (aka Ralphie's mom). So, he gave her the wrong script, and when it came time for the waiter at the Chinese restaurant to chop the roasted duck's head off, Melina was genuinely startled.
Tim Burton didn't actually direct 'The Nightmare Before Christmas.'
American filmmaker Tim Burton may have come up with the concept, story, and characters for the creepily animated classic, but he's mistakenly cited as the director. In a shocking turn of events, the actual director is Henry Selick, who also directed Coraline and Tim's James and the Giant Peach.
Jack Skellington has two voice actors, and 'The Princess Bride' fans will recognize his speaking voice.
Composer Danny Elfman lent his voice to Jack for his songs, but Jack's speaking voice is none other than Chris Sarandon, who played the evil Prince Humperdinck in The Princess Bride.
'It's a Wonderful Life' flopping is what made it a holiday classic.
When It's a Wonderful Life released in 1947, it did so badly at the box office that Republic Pictures decided not to bother renewing its rights to the film in 1974. Once it became free content, American TV stations started playing it on repeat throughout the holiday season — that repetition helped instill it in our minds as a holiday classic, making it one of the most popular Christmas films ever.
The toothpaste scene in ‘Just Friends’ came together at that moment.
In a 2014 interview with Cosmopolitan, director Roger Kumble revealed that the hilarious toothpaste scene was a last-minute addition to Just Friends. "I remember when Ryan comes back to the house and she's drugged up, I said, 'Let's give her the Bugs Bunny headache thing and just shove toothpaste in her mouth,'" he recalled to the outlet.
In 2020, Anna Faris shared that it was real toothpaste — gross!
That Thanksgiving parade scene from 'Miracle on 34th Street' was real.
Edmund Gwenn played Santa Claus in the 1947 version of Miracle on 34th Street, but many people don't know that he also played Santa in the 1946 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. As it turns out, Edmund dressed as Santa for the end of the parade, which was filmed and then cut to be included in the movie.
Chris Columbus was asked to direct 'National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation' but Chevy Chase stopped him.
Chris Columbus, who later directed Home Alone, was originally asked to direct National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. However, after two meetings with Chevy Chase, he told the film's writer John Hughes, "There’s no way I can do this movie. I know I need to work, but I can’t do it with this guy."
Joe Pesci bit Macaulay Culkin in a rehearsal for 'Home Alone.'
Joe Pesci is often a method actor and his role in Home Alone was no exception. He avoided Macaulay Culkin on set and Macaulay became more than a little afraid of him. In the film, Joe hung him on a coat hook and said that he was going to bite his fingers off one at a time. But in the rehearsal, Joe actually did bite him. It broke the skin and Macaulay has the scar to prove it.
Lindsay Lohan honored ‘Mean Girls’ by singing this song in ‘Falling for Christmas.’
'Tis the season of the Lindsay Lohanassaince!
In her 2022 holiday rom-rom Falling for Christmas, the actress paid tribute to the 2004 cult classic Mean Girls by covering "Jingle Bell Rock" for the Netflix film's soundtrack — wow, that's truly an iconic full-circle moment that we can’t resist.
Jim Carrey auditioned for 'How the Grinch Stole Christmas' while in character as Andy Kaufman.
Jim Carrey is, rather famously, a method actor, so much so that he refused to get out of character as comedian Andy Kaufman for the 1999 biographical dramedy Man on the Moon.
When Dr. Seuss's wife Audrey Geisel came to meet Jim to see if he was the right fit for the Grinch, she was told that she wouldn't be meeting Jim. She would be meeting Andy. She was greeted by Jim doing an impression of Andy doing an impression of Jim doing an impression of the Grinch. Sounds a little convoluted, but, hey, it worked.
Tom Hanks did voice and motion capture work for six characters in 'The Polar Express.'
If you're wondering whose voice your hearing in The Polar Express, it's a safe bet that it's Tom Hanks. He voiced and provided the motion capture for six characters: Hero Boy as an adult, Hero Boy's father, the hobo, the conductor, Scrooge, and Santa Claus.