While some Christmas films earn their place in the annals of timeless classics, others fade into obscurity, seldom revisited.

The 1946 cinematic gem It’s A Wonderful Life is often lauded as the quintessential Christmas film. It features James Stewart as George Bailey, a despondent businessman contemplating suicide on Christmas Eve. However, his guardian angel steps in, revealing the profound impact he has had on those around him and the bleak world that would exist without him.

Meanwhile, newer offerings like The Holdovers have quickly garnered a devoted following. The narrative centres on a prep school teacher entrusted with caring for students left behind during the Christmas holidays.

The film has been met with critical acclaim, boasting an impressive 97 per cent rating on Rotten Tomatoes, reports the Manchester Evening News.

Reddit users have been debating their picks for the most disappointing Christmas films they’ve ever endured, with choices spanning from the mundane to the outright bizarre.

Despite its title sounding like it was conjured up by artificial intelligence, this film predates the era of Chat GPT. This 1964 oddity spins a tale of Martians who, lacking a suitable gift-giver on their planet, decide to abduct Santa Claus himself.

One Reddit user praised the film, saying: “Santa Claus Conquers the Martians is a classic. This has to be what you’re looking for! Lol,” whilst another viewer took a dimmer view, remarking: “I found it closer to just straight bad than funny bad myself.”

This quirky Christmas offering holds a mere 27 per cent audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Another box office misfire from 1996 was Santa With Muscles. Regardless of scathing critiques, the production boasts recognisable names including Mila Kunis and Hulk Hogan.

The storyline follows Blake (portrayed by Hogan), a fitness mogul who suffers memory loss and genuinely believes himself to be Father Christmas. Armed with his cheerful new persona, he foils the schemes of a villainous scientist determined to seize control of an orphanage.

Intriguingly, the film credits Jordan Belfort—the notorious ex-stockbroker whose exploits formed the basis of The Wolf of Wall Street —as producer. One Reddit critic didn’t mince words, describing it as “abominable, but entertaining.”

This romantic comedy chronicles a waitress who decides to abduct a patron to serve as her festive companion. The picture features Melissa Joan Hart, celebrated for her portrayal of the titular witch in Sabrina the Teenage Witch.

A Reddit enthusiast commented: “Holiday in Handcuffs is a must see for just how insane the plot is. I look forward to watching it every year.”

It appears 1996 was a particularly dire year for festive films, with Jingle All The Way arriving shortly after Santa With Muscles. Arnold Schwarzenegger stars as Howard, a mattress salesman who embarks on an epic quest to obtain his son’s most coveted present: a Turbo Man action figure.

One Reddit user remarked: “I was surprised Jingle All The Way wasn’t already on here. Maybe this falls into the so bad its good category, it does have the great Phil Hartman in it. But Arnie not killing things and Sinbad, well just being Sinbad. Makes for a pretty awful movie.”

Yet views remain divided on whether it deserves its spot on the list, with another fan arguing it represents “the poster boy for so good it’s bad”, adding: “It’s an objectively horrible movie, but it’s so horrible that you have to laugh, which then circles it back to making itself good.”