The 50 Best Christmas Movies to Watch Right Now
The holidays are the perfect time to curl up on the couch and watch a classic Christmas movie or 12. Streaming services have made virtually any of them available at your fingertips, from traditional classics like “Miracle on 34th Street ” to potential future classics like “Hot Frost.”
However, choosing a movie to watch (and finding where it’s available) can be a daunting task, so I’ve compiled a list of the 50 best Christmas movies and specials, listed alphabetically. Revisit a favorite or watch a classic you’ve never seen before (preferably with a cup of cocoa handy).
Bad Santa (2003)
Lighten up the holiday spirit with this classic Christmas dark comedy starring Billy Bob Thornton as a very bad Santa. This comedy might have been intentionally “offensive,” but a festive redemption arc elevates it above its nastiness.
Where to stream : HBO Max
Best Friend’s Day (2013)
When a movie gets a Christmas sequel, it’s usually a bad sign, but “The Best Man Vacation” is better than the original. The charismatic cast and relaxed atmosphere of this comedy transform Christmas cliches into something new.
Where to stream : Hulu , Peacock
Carol (2015)
This soft, beautiful, and multi-layered film proves that holiday movies don’t have to be frivolous fluff. Based on Patricia Highsmith’s seminal lesbian novel , The Price of Salt , Carol tells a story of love and loneliness perfect for thoughtful holiday viewing.
Where to stream : HBO Max
A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965)
“A Charlie Brown Christmas” is a timeless classic because it’s unafraid of genuine pathos. The film doesn’t try to shield its children from the sadder, darker side of life, making its festive, redemptive ending truly worth watching.
Where to stream : Apple TV+
A Christmas Carol (many)
There are too many “traditional” retellings of Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol to list them individually, and everyone has their own personal favorite, but I’ve watched every single one and ranked them .
Where to stream : Miscellaneous
Christmas Evil (1980)
“Christmas Evil” is a strange, sordid tale of an unstable man’s murderous obsession with Christmas. It’s better than it could have been, boasting the greatest plot twist in cinematic history. It’s also one of John Waters’s favorite Christmas films, and that’s good enough for me.
Where to stream : Prime , Tubi
Christmas in Connecticut (1945)
Hollywood’s vision of Christmas in the 1940s reaches its pinnacle in Christmas in Connecticut , a romantic comedy starring Barbara Stanwyck that can be watched over and over again without ever losing its charm.
Where to stream : Digital rental
A Christmas Carol (1983)
Full of quotes and unforgettable moments, “A Christmas Carol” rivals “It’s a Wonderful Life” for the title of the most iconic American Christmas movie of all time. I’m sure you’ve seen it before, and of course, watch it in its entirety when it’s on.
Where to watch: HBO Max , Hulu
Christmas with the Kranks (2004)
In the film “Christmas with the Kranks, ” a family throws a last-minute Christmas party for their adult child. It’s incredibly silly, and critics raged, but it seems to get better and better every year.
Where to stream : Netflix , Philo
Christmas Installation (2020)
Lifetime’s first LGBTQ+ Christmas movie has an 85% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and stars Fran Drescher—both positive ratings, so if you’re looking for a lighthearted movie to watch while wrapping presents, give this one a try.
Where to stream : Philo
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989)
It’s not profound. It’s not important. But “Christmas Vacation” is funny enough to watch and light enough to ignore while wrapping presents. It’s like a cozy old movie, perfect for a leisurely holiday mood.
Where to watch: HBO Max
Die Hard (1988)
Die Hard is a Christmas movie, no question about it. It’s also the most action-packed film in the entire genre. Bruce Willis is superb, and the “average Joe caught in a tough situation” plot flows like clockwork.
Where to watch : Hulu , Disney+ , Prime
Eight Crazy Nights (2002)
There aren’t many Hanukkah movies, so this Adam Sandler animated vehicle is almost certainly a classic. But it’s a fun little film nonetheless.
Where to watch : Hulu , Disney+
Elf (2003)
Suitable for both children and adults, Elf is hilariously funny. If you’re looking for a holiday comedy, look no further. Will Ferrell is superb as Buddy, the fish-out-of-water elf at the center of this story. His boundless optimism and unwavering faith will melt even the coldest heart.
Where to watch: HBO Max
Christmas with the Emmett Otter Jazz Band (1977)
The fact that the Riverbottom Nightmare Band got robbed at a battle of the bands can’t ruin this doll Christmas .
Where to stream : Xumo , Tubi , Prime Video
Ernest Saves Christmas (1988)
Time, oddly enough, has been kind to Ernest films (it turns out slapstick ages better than any other comedy). If you haven’t seen this film yet, be sure to check it out. It’s a delightfully silly Christmas treat.
Where to stream : Disney+
Friday After Next (2002)
Friday After Next isn’t typically thought of as a Christmas movie, but the holiday is integral to the plot: the third film in Ice Cube’s Friday series begins with Craig and Day-Day’s apartment being robbed by a guy dressed as Santa, setting off a whole series of Friday- themed antics centered around Christmas.
Where to stream: Tubi
Frosty the Snowman (1969)
“Morozko” aired at a time when there were only three channels, so kids liked what was on TV because that was all there was. But the series far exceeds this low bar thanks to the realistic performances of the child actors, a rarity at the time.
Where to watch : Hulu , Peacock , Disney+
Gremlins (1984)
Joe Dante’s comedy horror isn’t afraid to poke fun at Christmas movies and Christmas itself, and sometimes that’s what’s needed during the holidays.
Where to stream : HBO Max
Happiest Season (2020)
“Happiest Season” breathes new life into the high-flown holiday romantic comedy genre, stripping away the heterosexuality while still retaining the Christmas magic. A future classic, my pick.
Where to watch: Hulu , Disney+
The Holiday (2006)
Like the best Christmas movies, this lighthearted, feel-good romantic comedy will charm you even if you’re desperately trying not to be charmed.
Where to stream : Digital rental
A Holiday Romance (1949)
Robert Mitchum defies stereotypes without being creepy in this lighthearted romantic comedy from Hollywood’s golden age.
Where to stream : Digital rental
Home Alone (1990)
The story of eight-year-old Kevin McCallister, abandoned by his parents and pursued by hardened criminals, could easily have been the basis for a horror film, but instead it became a Christmas classic. Movies can be so crazy.
Where to stream : Disney+
Hot Frost (2024)
This Netflix original holiday romantic comedy asks the question, “What if Frosty the Snowman was hot?” I expected it to be so bad it’s good, but it’s just that good. Lacey Chabert is brilliant as a widow who misses the Christmas magic, and the jokes are genuinely funny.
Where to watch: Netflix
How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1966)
I love all the Christmas movies that acknowledge the existence of misanthropes, and the Grinch is so vile that his name has become synonymous with contempt for the holidays. It’s a shame he has to atone for his sins in the end, but hey, it’s Christmas.
Where to stream : Peacock
It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)
Everything has been said about It’s a Wonderful Life —the best Christmas movie ever. You know you’re going to see it, so just give in to the temptation.
Where to stream : Prime
Jack Frost (1998)
Holiday classics become such either because they’re great films or because you just happened to see them at the right time. I think “Jack Frost” is more of the latter, but it’s a sentimental Christmas movie that many people enjoy, so who am I to argue?
Where to stream : Digital rental
Jingle-Out All the Way (1996)
Arnold Schwarzenegger gives up his action hero role in this fast-paced farce comedy about consumerism and the holidays. It won’t change anyone’s life, but it’s a perfectly crafted and seamless masterpiece of ’90s Hollywood.
Where to stream : Tubi , Disney+
Klaus (2019)
Christmas stories about “how Christmas got that way” seem very much a 1960s staple, but this wonderful Netflix animated film brings the genre back to life with a tale of Santa’s partnership with his unlikely ally.
Where to watch: Netflix
Last Vacation (2006)
This Christmas film, featuring an all-star cast including Queen Latifah, LL Cool J, and Timothy Hutton, extols the virtues of living in the present. Queen Latifah’s performance as a woman who, upon receiving a terminal diagnosis, exclaims, “I think I’ll have fun until the day I die,” is simply stunning.
Where to watch: Hulu , Paramount+
Let It Snow (2019)
This film breaks stereotypes by blending the teen romance genre with the tropes of Christmas movies, full of snow and tinsel. It was surprisingly successful, thanks in large part to its talented young cast.
Where to watch: Netflix
Love Actually (2003)
Despite their superficial appeal, good holiday films and romantic comedies must be subtle, otherwise they descend into cheap sentimentality. “Love Actually” walks the fine line between sentimentality and heartfelt emotion as well as any film.
Where to stream : Hulu , Peacock ,
Meet Me in St. Louis (1944)
Before her descent into alcoholism, Judy Garland was a true star, and here she is, at the height of her fame. “Meet Me in St. Louis” is a festive show full of song and dance.
Where to stream : Tubi
Miracle on 34th Street (1947)
Miracle on 34th Street’s tale of Santa Claus’s reality being brought to justice is sentimental, saccharine nonsense, but so is Christmas, so just relax and embrace it. (But don’t watch the 1990s version. There’s a limit .)
Where to stream : Disney+ , Prime Video
The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)
Like Bill Murray’s Scrooge , The Muppet Christmas Carol is different enough from other Dickens adaptations to be considered a stand-in, primarily because most of the characters are made of felt. Otherwise, the film is fairly straightforward, but if you have kids, they’ll enjoy it more than some dusty old black-and-white Dickens adaptation.
Where to stream : Disney+
The Night Before Christmas in Wonderland (2024)
Combining Santa Claus and Alice in Wonderland traditions, this animated film features charming animation and a heartfelt, gentle style. It rivals such Christmas classics as Rudolph and How the Grinch Stole Christmas .
Where to stream: Prime
The Night of the Hunter (1955)
The “classic Christmas movie” genre is so broad that it encompasses everything from Jingle All the Way to The Night of the Hunter , the disturbing tale of a murderous preacher with “love” tattooed on one arm and “hate” on the other. Hunter’s depiction of Christmas as a brief moment of joy and imagination in the lives of joyless children makes it one of the most honest holiday films of all time.
Where to stream : Tubi , Prime
The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
Two holidays for the price of one in this stop-motion classic, where Jack Skellington, the king of Halloween Town, tries to take over Christmas to bring some much-needed spookiness to the holiday. (Too bad he doesn’t succeed.)
Where to stream : Disney+
The Polar Express (2004)
“The Polar Express” adds a new dimension to the ancient legend of Santa Claus, introducing a ghost train that carries children to the North Pole to meet him in person. The film’s eerie animation and overabundance of detail create a sense of mystery and otherworldliness that’s just as unsettling as Santa Claus himself.
Where to stream : HBO Max
Prancer (1989)
Prancer , a film about a little girl who saves Christmas by nursing a wounded reindeer back to health, could easily have become a forgotten children’s flick, but it’s better than it needs to be. It maintains a realism and reveals a deeper story about the nature of faith without descending into sentimentality.
The Preacher’s Wife (1996)
Denzel Washington and Whitney Houston’s pitch-perfect performances transform “The Preacher’s Wife” from a cheesy holiday romantic comedy into a comfort movie worth watching every year.
Where to stream : Sling
Rare Export: A Christmas Carol (2010)
Rare Exports may be a timeless holiday classic only in my house, but this horror take on the nature of Santa is pure cinematic ingenuity and a delightful mockery of Christmas mythology—but don’t watch it with kids.
Where to stream : Xumo , Tubi , Plex
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964)
Rudolph the Little Mermaid is unrivaled when it comes to perfect Christmas entertainment. The animation is stunning, the songs unforgettable, and the story possesses the power usually reserved for myths—it’s Christmas compressed into 55 minutes.
Where to stream : Digital purchase
Santa Claus Conquers the Martians (1964)
Christmas is for everyone, even the weirdos who enjoy watching trashy movies the rest of the world ignores. For them (or rather, for us), the annual viewing of ” Santa Claus Conquers the Martians” is as much a holiday tradition as “It’s a Wonderful Life” is for ordinary people.
The Santa Claus (1994)
Tim Allen stars in this story about a grumpy man who kills Santa and is forced to take over the reins. He learns new things about himself, strengthens his bond with his family, and succumbs to the holiday magic—you know how it goes.
Where to stream : Disney+
Scrooge (1988)
Bill Murray truly sells this adaptation of Dickens’s ” A Christmas Carol” masterfully, perfectly portraying the cynical ’80s TV presenter’s capitulation to Christmas traditions. The film isn’t better than Dickens, but it’s close.
Where to stream: PlutoTV , Paramount+ , Prime
Shop Around the Corner (1940)
There’s something special about Jimmy Stewart and Christmas movies. Like It’s a Wonderful Life , The Shop Around the Corner isn’t exactly a Christmas movie, but its climax takes place during the holidays, so it’s close enough.
Where to stream : Digital rental
A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas (2011)
Some Christmas movies are taken way too seriously. This one isn’t. It’s hilariously funny from start to finish, and Neil Patrick Harris is a national treasure. Stoners need Christmas movies too, right?
Where to stream : Digital rental
Cruel Night (2022)
In this not-for-kids Christmas movie, a mercenary squad takes a family hostage on Christmas Eve, and Santa Claus comes to the rescue. From the producers of John Wick and Nobody , Violent Night promises “seasonal mayhem” and delivers.
Where to stream: Peacock
White Christmas (1954)
Rounding out the list is White Christmas , a timeless holiday classic starring Bing Crosby and Rosemary Clooney, who sing their songs in a lighthearted musical perfect for escaping the holiday spirit.