Who are the best Christmas movie villains?
Christmas is a time for good cheer, but not for everyone
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Christmas season is finally here, which means we’ll be spending the next month or so curled up with a good Christmas movie.
And while Christmas movies are normally about the inherent goodness of man and the hope of the holiday, there are definitely more than a few black hats getting in the way of our protagonists’ joy.
From miserly bankers to bullies both big and small, here’s a look at our favorite Christmas movie villains.
Mr. Potter — "It's A Wonderful Life"
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Lionel Barrymore’s portrayal of the resident robber baron of Bedford Falls is not only one of the best villains in Christmas movie history, it’s one of the best movie villains, period.
Fun fact: Barrymore often acted as the voice of Ebenezer Scrooge during radio versions of “A Christmas Carol.”
Harry and Marv — "Home Alone"
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Daniel Stern and Joe Pesci’s turn as the bumbling burglars who get outsmarted by eight-year-old Kevin McAllister have become iconic. It’s hard to believe a contract dispute almost kept Stern from his part in the “Wet Bandits.”
Scut Farkus — "A Christmas Story"
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God help me, yellow eyes!
It’s always great to see Ralphie give Scut (Zack Ward) what was coming to him.
Ebenezer Scrooge — Various movies
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Christmas movies are filled with characters who are cool to the meaning of Christmas, only to find it one way or another by the end. Ebenezer Scrooge, of course, is the template for all of them.
The Grinch — "How The Grinch Stole Christmas"
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Whether it’s the animated version, the Jim Carrey movie or the latest Benedict Cumberbatch rendition, the Grinch is one of the most compelling Christmas cranks out there.
Granville Sawyer — "Miracle on 34th Street"
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Who hauls Kris Kringle into court, seriously?
Marcus "Elf" Skidmore — "Bad Santa"
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You’d think the convicted con man who plays the title role of “Bad Santa” would be the main villain. But his turn at the end of the movie makes his main “elf” accomplice the most memorable villain of this Christmas classic.
Hans Gruber — "Die Hard"
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How many other bad guys from ’80s action flicks can you name? “Hans Gruber” is a memorable name, sure, but the way Alan Rickman played him made him an all-time movie villain.
Oogie Boogie — "Nightmare Before Christmas"
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Tim Burton’s imagining of the infamous “Boogeyman” had a memorable Halloween to Christmas rivalry with Jack Skellington.
Abominable Snow Monster — "Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer"
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Also known as “The Bumble,” The Abominable Snow Monster hated Christmas and did his best to make sure to ruin the holiday for Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Herbie the Elf and Yukon Cornelius. (He fortunately failed.)
B.Z. — "Santa Claus: The Movie"
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It’s too bad this movie isn’t bigger, because John Lithgow makes a fantastic villain as the unscrupulous owner of a toy company.
Fulton Greenway — "Elf"
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Michael Lerner’s character doesn’t appear long in the film, but he is the antagonist for everything that happens in the film.
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