When it comes to Christmas songs, Jingle Bells is perhaps the most iconic, with it being one of the most widely used carols to sing and also to be used in movies. Popular renditions of the song have been recorded by artists including Bing Crosby & The Andrews Sisters, Barbra Streisand, Dolly Parton, and Michael Buble.
Jingle Bells was first written by James Lord Pierpont and first published in 1857. 100 years later, Bobby Helms released Jingle Bells Rock in 1957, directly inspired by the original but with a modern twist. Since then, both songs have become iconic and a part of Christmas across the world, featuring in many Christmas movies, TV shows, and commercials.
Here are five of the best movies that used Jingle Bells and Jingle Bells Rock as part of their soundtrack.
5. Home Alone 2: Lost In New York
The first two Home Alone movies are two of the most popular and iconic Christmas movies of all time, featuring a young Macaulay Culkin becoming separated from his parents, the first with him being left at home while they vacation, and the second with him boarding the wrong flight. The score for the film is handled by the legendary John Williams, but there are some classic Christmas songs added in too. Jingle Bells Rock features in the classic pool scene of Home Alone 2, which sees Culkin go for a swim in the hotel’s pool and spa area, accidentally losing his swimming shorts in the process.
You can check out the hilarious pool scene from Home Alone 2 below.
4. Lethal Weapon
Although Lethal Weapon isn’t a traditional Christmas movie, like other movies such as Die Hard, it takes place during the holiday period, which means Christmas songs are featured in it. Lethal Weapon opens with the tune of Jingle Bell Rock as Amanda Hunsaker (Jackie Swanson) is seen snorting cocaine before jumping off a balcony to her death while under the influence, a rather dark scene to go along with the backdrop of a happy Christmas song.
3. Jingle All The Way
When it comes to Christmas movies, Jingle All The Way might just be my favorite. Jingle All The Way stars Arnold Schwarzenegger as the work-obsessed Howard Langston, that unintentionally puts work before his wife and son, often disappointing them when he fails to turn up to events, such as Jamie’s (Jake Lloyd) karate class. The movie centers around something most parents are all too aware of and the stress it causes, the must-have toy that year.
This year it is all about Turbo Man, the latest action figure from the fictional TV show of the same name. Schwarzenegger spends his Christmas Eve frantically trying to hunt down a Turbo Man toy after forgetting to purchase it earlier. The song Jingle Bells Rock appears in the opening moments of Jingle All The Way during the office Christmas party that Langston is attending in between doing work, forgetting to attend his son earning his latest karate belt.
2. Die Hard
If Die Hard is a Christmas movie due to it taking place at Christmas, wouldn’t that also make Lethal Weapon a Christmas movie? There’s something to think about. Regardless of which side of the fence you’re on, Die Hard had to be on this list. While the song isn’t prominently featured like in other movies, Jingle Bells is present in Die Hard.
As John McClane (Bruce Willis) enters Nakatomi Plaza, he can be heard whistling the song. Jingle Bells was also featured in promotional material for the movie, such as this trailer for Die Hard that you can watch below.
1. A Christmas Story
The 1983 Christmas comedy movie A Christmas Story takes the top spot on this list. Like Die Hard, A Christmas Story features the song being sung by the cast rather than simply being background music which made it stand out more than other entries on the list.
While the Parker family are driving in their car, Mrs. Parker (Melinda Dillon) and the two children (Peter Billingsley and Ian Petrella) can be seen singing Jingle Bells as loud as they can, topped out by Mrs. Parker blowing a raspberry, much to the annoyance of Mr. Parker (Darren McGavin). He was probably the only person in history to be happy to have a tire blow out because it meant he could leave the vehicle and get away from his family singing out of key.
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