When it comes to which movies are the best Christmas movies, people have strong and differing opinions. Fortunately, there are options for nearly every genre and era of film available on today’s streaming platforms. We’ve gathered old, new and obscure favorites and listed where you can currently find each one. Pop some popcorn, hang some mistletoe and try out these favorites this holiday season.
Many people cancel their cable services to save money. Most streaming companies charge far less than cable, especially if you’re okay with a few ads here and there. However, subscribing to too many can put your bill right back up there with cable and satellite. You’ll also need at least a 25 megabyte internet connection to successfully stream movies or live TV.
If you’re one of the millions who stream video content, you probably want to find content already on the services you use. Here is each one with the top holly jolly viewing offerings for that provider broken down. You’ll stay busy watching movies until after the holidays with these best Christmas movies.
Starring Kurt Russell, this Netflix original Christmas series takes a brother and sister on an adventure with Santa as they work together to save Christmas for the world. If you love the first one, you’ll also want to watch The Christmas Chronicles II, which released in 2020.
If you have kids who love Elf on the Shelf, they’ll enjoy following the adventures of a young scout elf as he leaves on an assignment to help a nine-year-old boy who no longer has the Christmas spirit. After watching An Elf’s Story, pull up Elf Pets Santa’s Reindeer Rescue for more fun.
Are you more in the mood for a fun romantic comedy? Holidate stars the always lovely and angsty Emma Roberts as she and a stranger agree to be one another’s plus ones throughout every holiday so their families will stop trying to match them with inappropriate people. As their friendship develops, they grow feelings for one another.
If you need more options:
If you want a Disney Christmas classic in the making, Tim Burton’s animated The Nightmare Before Christmas is filled with heartwarming moments and excellent music. Go on a journey as the Pumpkin King Jack Skellington attempts to hijack Christmas.
Tim Allen brings the character of Scott Calvin to life in this fun 1994 Christmas movie. The character is a divorced single dad with all the wrong priorities. An accident turns him into Santa and throws him into hilarious and precarious positions. Disney+ also has The Santa Clause II and several other sequels, so you can stream them back to back.
The modern retelling of the classic film stars Mara Wilson as little Susan Walker. Other notable names in the 1994 film include Elizabeth Perkins and Dylan Dermont. The movie shows the wonder of Christmas through a child’s eyes as she meets a department store Santa she thinks is really St. Nick. The view is left wondering if he is or isn’t.
The 1947 version of the movie is in black and white and stars Maureen O’Hara, John Payne and Natalie Wood as Susan. The original resulted in Academy Awards for best writing, screenplay and actor in a supporting role.
Additional movies on Disney+ include:
The Christmas classic starring Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye offers singing, dancing and revelry. If you love romance mixed with comedy plus a touch of drama and musical, you’ll adore this one. Released in 1954, it’s set just after World War II, showing a slice of life during that era.
Some of you will scream that this isn’t a Christmas movie. However, the action happens at a Christmas party, so I argue it IS in fact a holiday favorite. If you’re looking for some intense action, Die Hard doesn’t disappoint.
The film was released in 1988, making it a retro favorite. Bruce Willis plays a New York City cop trying to patch a failing marriage back together. He’s in the right place at the right time to save his wife and dozens of her coworkers from the bad guys. Die Hard comes to Prime on November 1, 2024.
If you love Eddie Murphy, this is probably one of your favorite Christmas movies. Murphy plays the role of a man intent on winning his neighborhood Christmas decoration competition. When he runs into an elf, he makes a deal that brings the 12 days of Christmas to life. Hilarity ensues.
Prime has numerous additional options at no additional cost. The movies included with a Prime membership change every year. If something you truly love isn’t on the list or streaming elsewhere, you can also rent it for a small fee.
While the three popular streaming services above are ones most people have, you might also enjoy some of the best Christmas movies of all time on these additional platforms.
If you have this service, you’ll be excited over the number of possibilities. Some favorites include:
Peacock offers dozens of fun Christmas movies from comedies to family favorites. Here are some of the best Christmas tales on their list:
Peacock also features some of the Hallmark Channel’s Christmas romance movies.
The Paramount Plus subscription service offers many Christmas movie options, too.
You’ll also find a lot of television episodes centered around Christmas on the Paramount Plus platform.
While the list above will keep you busy, there are many Christmas classics and modern favorites not listed. Some of the favorites not mentioned included:
Go to your favorite streaming service and see if the movie is included in your plan. Even if your favorite isn’t listed above or streaming for free, you can pay to stream it on Amazon, Google, AppleTV or YouTube. Renting your favorite movie likely won’t cost much, but the memories it brings back of holidays past is priceless. Merry Christmas movie nights to all!
