Christmas is almost upon us which means many of you will soon be surrounded by family, watching basketball, and getting into arguments with your uncle who has some questionable political opinions. Not to mention, you will probably be feasting on some great food that will have you feeling full for an entire week. The closer we get to the 25th, the more we begin to think about our outfits for when we go see our family. When it comes to shoes, this can be a tricky situation. Luckily, some interesting Christmas-themed sneakers have been released over the last few years, albeit many of them have come in the form of basketball shoes.
If you’re looking for something to complement your ugly Christmas sweater, there are definitely some great sneakers for you. Meanwhile, if you simply prefer to rep the traditional colors of the holiday, then there are plenty of great options for you to choose from. With this in mind, we decided to count down some of the best Christmas sneakers of all-time. Whether you prefer basketball shoes or sneaker essentials, there is a little something for everyone on this list.
10. Vans Sk8-Hi “Nightmare Before Christmas Christmastown”
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The Nightmare Before Christmas is one of the greatest animated Christmas-themed movies of all-time and continues to receive critical acclaim, well after its release. It shouldn’t be surprising that the first entry on this list is a shoe that pays homage to the timeless movie. Vans is a classic sneaker brand and the Sk8-Hi is one of those silhouettes that has been owned by almost everyone. With this particular collab, you have a black, red, and blue sneaker that features the protagonist Jack Skellington on the side panel near the back. Upon looking at the shoe, you recognize instantly that it’s centered around The Nightmare Before Christmas, which in turn, immediately makes it a great shoe. If you’re a fan of the movie and also enjoy Vans, these are the kicks for you.
9. Nike KD 6 “Christmas”
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There was a time where almost every single Christmas shoe was a basketball sneaker. This is mostly because the NBA loves to host games on Christmas Day which led to a friendly competition amongst players to see who could have the best Christmas-themed colorway. While this competition still goes on today, it can be said that many of the great Christmas basketball shoes were made earlier this decade. One of the best shoes to drop from this time period was the Nike KD 6 “Christmas.” The upper is made with a glossy red finish with gold accents on the KD logo and Nike swoosh. From there, vibrant light green details are placed on the midsole and the tongue. KD fans still talk about this shoe to this day and it will forever be a Holiday classic.
8. Nike LeBron 10 “Christmas”
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LeBron James might be the King of basketball but he was also the king of Christmas-themed signature shoes. During the early 2010s, LeBron was knocking every single Christmas shoe out of the park and the LeBron 10 “Christmas” is yet another example of this. Just like many other Christmas shoes from this time, the upper is completely red with some green accents. These green highlights are placed on the Nike swoosh, outsole, and laces. Not to mention, the LeBron 10 is one of James’ best Nike silhouettes so when you combine these elements together, you get a pretty amazing sneaker. Perhaps this shoe is aided by the other Christmas models before it. For instance, this was the first time LeBron really went bold with his holiday-themed sneakers and it paid off beautifully. If you love basketball shoes, then you know these are classic.
7. Nike Kobe 9 Elite “Christmas”
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Kobe Bryant’s first entry on this list is easily one of the boldest. The all-red Nike Kobe 9 Elite “Christmas” carries an aesthetic that will immediately make you think of candy canes and everything that is great about the Holidays. One of the more jarring elements of this shoe is just how tall it is. This sneaker looks like some sort of military boot and it makes for one of the most dynamic Kobe sneakers of all-time. Whenever you think of Christmas-themed basketball shoes, this Kobe 9 Elite is probably one of the first that comes to mind. While some of you may feel like this shoe is simply too much, that’s also what makes it perfect for Christmas. The Holiday is all about being extra. With this in mind, you can see how this shoe fits that mold perfectly.
6. Reebok Instapump Fury “Grinch”
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You’re probably looking at this shoe and laughing right now. While this is certainly an appropriate reaction, you also have to realize that the best Christmas shoe doesn’t always mean it’s the most “wearable” shoe. The Reebok Instapump Fury is already a hard sneaker to pull off, but when you add in elements of the Grinch, you’re left with a truly bizarre shoe that lives up to its name. What makes this particular model so great is that it pulls off the concept so well. Furry green textures throughout the upper help complement the red overlays perfectly. Reebok was able to pay homage to an iconic character while also staying true to the holiday. When you combine these elements together, you get a truly unique sneaker that will forever turn people’s heads. Depending on your crankiness around this time of year, this could be the shoe for you.
5. Adidas Crazy 8 “Nightmare Before Christmas”
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Thanks to its chunky and wavy aesthetic, the Adidas Crazy 8 has always been a misunderstood basketball shoe. It might not be incredibly popular but there is no denying how many great colorways there are. Perhaps the best one is the holiday-themed “Nightmare Before Christmas” which is named after the movie. Unlike the Vans model above, this shoe doesn’t feature any of the main characters. Instead, the colorway is based around the tone of the movie which is fairly dark. The upper is completely covered in glossy purple material while overlays are black with white marble spots. It’s a color scheme that encapsulates the aesthetic of the movie quite well and is a nice departure from the other red and green sneakers on this list. When you detach the name of the movie from the shoe, the colorway is still dope.
4. Air Max 90 “Candy Cane Christmas”
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If you’re a big fan of the Nike Air Max series, then you know all about the Nike Air Max 90. This is easily one of the cleanest silhouettes in the Air Max line and fans continue to be mesmerized by brand new colorways. The shoe offers the perfect canvas for patterns and themes so it’s not surprising that it boasts a pretty phenomenal Christmas shoe to its name. With a name like “Candy Cane Christmas,” you can already imagine what the shoe consists of. Candy canes are plastered all throughout the upper while a red sparkly Nike swoosh adds some contrast to the overall aesthetic of the sneaker. From there, the laces are red and have the same consistency as the ribbon you would put on some gifts. Red and white shoes are already extremely popular and wearable which gives this sneaker a leg up on some of its other Christmas-themed competitors. If you enjoy Christmas and fiend for candy canes, these are for you.
3. Nike LeBron 11 “Christmas”
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When you look at all of the Christmas shoes that LeBron James has worn, his Nike LeBron 11 version is easily the best. None of LeBron’s sneakers embody the Christmas spirit better than the shoe you see above. As you can see, the shoe has an all-over light green upper while the Nike swoosh and laces are red. What makes this particular model stand out is the fact that it has a snowflake pattern all throughout the upper. This subtle change makes it stand out amongst some of the other great Christmas shoes that have dropped over the years. Even if you’re not a fan of the LeBron 11, you have to bow down to this shoe’s greatness. If you were forced to cop at least one LeBron Christmas sneaker, it should be this one.
2. Nike SB Dunk High Concepts “Ugly Christmas Sweater”
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One of the biggest fashion staples of the holiday season is the ugly Christmas sweater. For those out of the loop, an ugly Christmas sweater is typically a cable knit pull-over long-sleeve, that features a trademark holiday item, in trademark holiday colours– whether it be a snowman, Santa Claus, reindeer, or a Christmas tree, these sweaters are full of holiday cheer, even though they are a bit tacky (hence “ugly”). The second best entry on this list encapsulates everything that is great about ugly Christmas sweaters. This Nike SB Dunk High has a multicolor upper with a gingerbread man and snowman pattern all the way throughout. There is a blue Nike swoosh on the side which matches the similar-colored laces. These shoes aren’t easy to wear with a regular outfit but they’re not supposed to be. These are perfect for Christmas time and go for a fairly respectable price on the resale market.
1. Nike Kobe 6 “Grinch”
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If you saw the title of this article, then you probably already knew what was going to be number one on the list. In all honesty, there is no other choice. The Nike Kobe 6 “Grinch” was in an instant classic amongst sneakerheads when it comes to Christmas shoes. Outside of the Christmas aesthetic, some make the case that this is the best Kobe basketball shoe of all-time. Whenever you look at it, you immediately think of the classic Dr. Seuss character, The Grinch. The upper is fairly simple as it features a gradient mix of yellow and green. As for details, the upper looks as though it has scales that are consistent with the ugly nature of the infamous creature. From there, a black Nike swoosh and red Kobe logo puts the finishing touches on the sneaker. Overall, it’s one of the most iconic Kobe’s of all-time and continues to thrive outside of the whole Christmas theme. When a basketball shoe is going for over $1,000 on the resale market, you know it’s doing something right.
What’s your favorite Christmas shoe? Let us know in the comments below.
