Some completely missed the mark
You might remember Cross from the heartwarming Christmas movie 'Jack Frost' (1998).
The actress starred in the original 1947 Christmas classic 'Miracle on 34th Street.'
The actress starred in 'All I Want for Christmas' (1991).
Remember him playing Charlie in the 1994 Christmas classic 'The Santa Clause'?
The actor played the adorable Sam in 'Love Actually' (2003).
Lloyd played Jamie in 'Jingle All the Way' (1996), opposite Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Mara Wilson was such an adorable child star. She starred in the 1994 remake of 'Miracle on 34th Street.'
Kevin from 'Home Alone' (1990) and 1992's 'Home Alone 2: Lost in New York' is probably the most recognizable Christmas-movie kid in the world.
You probably remember Daniel Tay as Michael in 'Elf' (2003).
The actor continued to work in film and TV. More recently, he starred in the movie 'Madness in the Method' (2019).
Sources: (IMDb) (Zimbio)
See also: 30 of the best alternative Christmas movies.
Wood became a very successful actress, starring in movies such as 'Rebel Without a Cause' (1955) and 'West Side Story' (1961). She passed away in 1981 at just 43 years of age.
Birch has had a successful career since then, starring in hit movies and shows, including 'Hocus Pocus' (1993), 'American Beauty' (1999), and 'The Walking Dead' (2019-2020).
The actor continued his career and has more recently starred in hit shows such as 'Big Little Lies' (2017) and 'Mindhunter' (2017). He made his directorial debut in 2019 with the movie 'Summer Night.'
Remember her singing in 'Love Actually' (2003)?
Tay appeared in a few more lesser-known movies before stepping back from acting in 2009. He graduated from Yale in 2014 and has reportedly been working as a research associate at Columbia University Irving Medical Center since 2020.
Thomas Brodie-Sangster went on to play Jojen Reed in 'Game of Thrones' between 2013 and 2014, as well as Newt in the 'Maze Runner' movies. More recently, he appeared in the hit Netflix series 'The Queen's Gambit.' In 2024, he married actress Talulah Riley, who was previously married to Elon Musk.
Billingsley eventually became a successful Hollywood producer, with movies such as 'Iron Man' (2008) on his resume. However, he took his spot in front of the camera once again in 2022 for a long-awaited sequel to the classic movie: 'A Christmas Story Christmas.' He reprised his role as Ralphie, now a father hoping to create a magical Christmas for his own children.
She continued to use her amazing voice in numerous TV series and animated shows like 'Phineas and Ferb' and 'Adventure Time.'
Shortly after, he landed the role of Anakin Skywalker in 'Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace' (1999). He took a step back from acting in 2002 and experienced some challenging times as he grew into adulthood. He was arrested for reckless driving in 2015 and was later diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia.
After hits such as 'Matilda' (1996), Wilson has appeared on a number of TV shows throughout the years. She published the memoir 'Where Am I Now? True Stories of Girlhood and Accidental Fame' in 2016.
Of course, the English heartthrob became a successful actor as an adult, starring in the 'X-Men' franchise, 'Mad Max: Fury Road' (2015), 'The Menu' (2022), and 'Nosferatu' (2024).
Who can forget him playing the quirky Marcus Brewer in 2002's 'About a Boy'? But is it a Christmas movie? Plenty of fans seem to think so.
The actor played Ralphie in the classic holiday movie 'A Christmas Story' (1983).
The actress played Cindy Lou Who in 'How the Grinch Stole Christmas' (2000).
Galligan was the kid from Steven Spielberg's 1984 movie 'Gremlins.' Again, it may not be the obvious choice as far as Christmas movies go, but fans love it.
The holidays wouldn't be the holidays without a good Christmas movie, right? And, of course, most of these movies include kids in the cast. In fact, many holiday films actually have kids as the protagonist. Have you ever wondered what ever happened to Kevin from 'Home Alone,' for instance? Well, in this gallery you'll discover what the kids from Christmas movies are up to these days.
Click through the following gallery and check out the then and now photos.
The actor went on to star in the following three 'Santa Clause' movies opposite Tim Allen. In recent years, he is working behind the scenes in sound design.
Momsen starred in a few more movies and TV shows, notably 'Gossip Girl,' but eventually pursued a musical career with her band The Pretty Reckless.
Culkin struggled for a few years, partly due to a legal battle with his parents. He eventually bounced back and made an appearance in 'American Horror Story,' earning his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2023. He has welcomed two children with fiancé Brenda Song.
Kids from Christmas movies: Where are they now?
Find out who kept acting and who left the spotlight
MOVIES Holidays
The holidays wouldn't be the holidays without a good Christmas movie, right? And, of course, most of these movies include kids in the cast. In fact, many holiday films actually have kids as the protagonist. Have you ever wondered what ever happened to Kevin from 'Home Alone,' for instance? Well, in this gallery you'll discover what the kids from Christmas movies are up to these days.
Click through the following gallery and check out the then and now photos.