Christmas-movie purists might scoff at the idea of a festive flick that features nary a reindeer. Nonetheless, some of the best holiday movies—i.e., the non-Christmas Christmas movies we unfailingly return to each year, seasonal traditions as vital as mistletoe kisses and getting mimosa-drunk by 10 AM—aren’t actually about the holidays at all. Nor do they rely on the familiar characters, stories and tropes we ordinarily associate with the festive season. Santa’s out, and so is Jesus. But John McClane? Come on in, sir.

Explosive, fairly violent genre movies like Die Hard and Lethal Weapon would ordinarily seem out of key for a month of family-friendly cheer and goodwill. But they’re both set over Christmas, and are unequivocally Christmas movies, despite the ongoing (and irksome) debate that continues to haunt the former like one of Scrooge’s ghosts. Then there are unconventional festive hits like Carol and Phantom Thread, films you still can’t imagine being set at any other time of the year, even if Christmastime is ultimately just window dressing, the tinsel around the edges of the frame. And then there are other films, like Batman Returns, which have become stocking-stuffer-season go-tos for reasons harder to put your finger on.

Below, our picks for the 10 best holiday movies that aren’t really about Christmas.

The Shop Around the Corner (1940)