These 10 Classic Christmas Movies Channel Taylor Swift Songs

From Taylor Swift-inspired Christmas movies on Hallmark and Lifetime to the conclusion of the Eras Tour, ‘tis the (damn) season to be a Swiftie. Even classic holiday movies made well before the musician ever cried on her guitar take on new significance when viewed through a Swiftian lens.

Whether you’re embarking upon your holiday movie marathon or simply want to curate a new seasonal playlist, here are 10 classic titles and their perfectly paired Taylor Swift songs.

Elf: “Welcome To New York”

Buddy’s young, wide-eyed love for New York City isn’t all that different from Swift’s perspective in this 1989 bop, where she sings of finding herself among The Big Apple’s bright lights and bustling crowds.

It’s A Wonderful Life: “The Archer”

Though it ultimately comes to a hopeful and life-affirming conclusion, It’s a Wonderful Life isn’t afraid to be honest about the emotionally fraught journey George Bailey takes to get there. “The Archer” explores similar themes of loss, identity, and self-doubt, from Swift’s lyrics about pacing “like a ghost” in a room with “invisible smoke,” to the cathartic bridge where she sings about others seeing through her — and then, finally, “I see right through me.”

Last Holiday: “Sweeter Than Fiction”

In this joyous 2006 movie, Georgia keeps a “Book of Possibilities,” a collection of things she’d like to have in her life (including her handsome work crush). A terminal diagnosis prompts her to leave her quiet routine and take the trip of a lifetime. But (happy spoiler alert!) the diagnosis was wrong, and she returns home emboldened to make her dream life a reality.

Similarly, Swift’s “Sweeter than Fiction” is an optimistic ode to beating the odds, with someone who loves you cheering you on along the way.

Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer: “Cowboy Like Me”

Rudolph and Hermey — the elf who wants to be a dentist — declare themselves a “couple of misfits” and run away to achieve an independent life in this sweet, stop-motion classic. Very “cowboy like me” of them, no?

Love Actually: “Invisible String”

The beauty of Love Actually is how it weaves together relationships that may seem disparate but are linked in surprisingly sweet ways. As Hugh Grant says of love, “Often it’s not particularly dignified or newsworthy, but it’s always there.” Similarly, “invisible string” is an ode to how a love story can take hold and bloom without you ever realizing it at first.

The Holiday: “King of My Heart”

There’s no shortage of Swiftian love songs that could apply to the house-swapping couples of The Holiday, but “King of My Heart” fits delightfully well. Both Iris and Amanda start their respective journeys reeling from heartbreak but find love across the ocean in a sudden, surprising fashion. “All at once,” as Swift might say. (Asking your beau to “Salute to me, I’m your American queen” is so Graham and Amanda, in particular.)

The Santa Clause: “Never Grow Up”

You can’t help but rewatch The Santa Clause and reflect on your sense of wonder as a kid. It’s a bittersweet trip down memory lane that might make you tear up the same way “Never Grow Up” is always guaranteed to do.

Home Alone: “I Did Something Bad”

Props to Kevin for defending himself, but he took an inordinate amount of delight in hurting Harry and Marv, right? As Swift once said on this Reputation track, “Most fun I ever had / And I’d do it over and over and over again if I could.”

The Family Stone: “Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me?”

Honestly, this movie is too distressing for me to watch during a time of year that’s supposed to be, um, happy. (More power to you, Family Stone stans!) Still, one viewing was enough to convince me that Meredith would absolutely vibe to this Tortured Poets track about lashing out after feeling like the world’s turned against you — especially, “So tell me everything is not about me / But what if it is?”

How The Grinch Stole Christmas: “Mastermind”

The Grinch’s hatred of Christmas and his plot to ruin it began when he endured bullying as a child. Swift gets it, singing in “Mastermind” that “No one wanted to play with me as a little kid / So I’ve been scheming like a criminal ever since.”