It’s not too late to gather with your family, some friends, a special someone, or even just your favorite blanket and a cup of cocoa to take in some holiday movies.
With so many classics to choose from, plus new festive movies coming out every year, it can be hard to choose! Here are our favorite picks by category:
- Classic holiday movies
- Funniest holiday movies
- Holiday movies for kids and families
- Holiday movies for couples
We’ll also tell you where to stream these festive flicks. Note that, of course, most streaming services charge subscription fees. You’ll find special discounts and offers from ID.me partners if you’re ready to add a new streaming service to your roundup!
Best Classic Holiday Movies
It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)
Rated PG
Frank Capra produced and directed what is probably the quintessential holiday movie. No holiday movie list would be complete without it! James Stewart plays George Bailey, a family man who finds himself unhappy with where he’s ended up and is on the brink of a scandal. As George contemplates ending it all on Christmas Eve, he meets his guardian angel, Clarence. Clarence shows him what would have happened to the people and town he cares about had he never been born.
Note: Although treated carefully, this movie deals with someone contemplating suicide.
Where to watch: Amazon Prime
The Bishop’s Wife (1947)
Not Rated
Another holiday movie with fantasy elements, The Bishop’s Wife stars Cary Grant as an angel sent down to Earth to help a bishop, played by David Niven. The bishop has been praying for assistance to bring his dream of a new cathedral to life. But what he really needs is something else – to rediscover his love for his family and his wife, played by Loretta Young. This movie is magical, fun, and touching, with a wonderful score by the brilliant Hugo Friedhofer.
Where to watch: Amazon Prime
White Christmas (1954)
Not Rated
Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney, and Vera-Ellen star in this classic that takes place during the holidays in 1944. They play entertainers who travel north to Vermont for the holiday. When Crosby and Kaye realize the innkeeper, their now-retired Army colonel, is on the verge of losing his inn due to a peculiar lack of snow that winter, they decide to put on a show. The film features great songs by Irving Berlin, including his classic “White Christmas,” which was originally written for the 1942 film Holiday Inn, also starring Bing Crosby.
Where to watch: Netflix
Scrooge (1970)
Rated G
This is one of many (many) retellings of the Charles Dickens tale A Christmas Carol, and one of the most beloved. Albert Finney stars as the miserly Ebenezer Scrooge, whose outlook on life changes overnight when he’s visited by the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Yet to Come. So what sets this version apart from all the others? It’s a musical! (A friendly word of warning: This film is loaded with earworms – songs that will live rent-free in your head for a long, long time – like “Thank You Very Much.”)
Where to watch: Paramount+
Best Funny Holiday Movies
A Christmas Story (1983)
Rated PG
“Quirky” is the word for this holiday movie based on the novel In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash by humorist Jean Shepherd. Set in 1940s America, it centers around 9-year-old Ralphie Parker (Peter Billingsley) and his desire for a Red Ryder BB gun for Christmas. The leg lamp (It’s a major award!), the tongue stuck to the frozen flagpole, the pink bunny pajamas, and the phrase “You’ll shoot your eye out!” have become cultural touchpoints, famous even beyond the movie itself.
Where to watch: HBO Max, plus TBS famously screens the movie for 24 hours over Christmas Eve and Christmas
Elf (2003)
Rated PG
Will Ferrell plays Buddy, a human raised as an elf in the North Pole. After discovering the truth about his origins, Buddy travels to New York City where he searches for his biological father (James Caan), falls in love with a coworker (Zooey Deschanel), and rekindles the Christmas spirit of jaded city dwellers. Ferrell is hilarious in this fish-out-of-water story that became an instant classic upon its release.
Where to watch: HBO Max
Spirited (2022)
Rated PG-13
Will Ferrell (again!) and Ryan Reynolds star in this brand-new musical adaptation of A Christmas Carol by Dickens. The twist this time is that it’s told from the perspective of the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Yet to Come. Each year, the trio redeems a new soul, but the subject this year – Clint Briggs (Reynolds) – may be an unredeemable case. The leads do their own singing and dancing in the film that’s a funny and fun new version of a classic.
Where to watch: Apple TV+, in theaters
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989)
Rated PG-13
Watch Clark Griswold (Chevy Chase) slowly lose his cool as he deals with snooty neighbors and frustrating family members (including Randy Quaid as Cousin Eddie) while trying to create a picture-perfect Christmas experience. As in the first two installments in the franchise, Clark gets himself into outrageous situations that lead to plenty of laugh-out-loud moments, with a strong message about home and family at its core.
Where to watch: HBO Max
Eight Crazy Nights (2002)
Rated PG-13
This animated Adam Sandler movie is one of the few high-profile Hanukkah-themed holiday movies. It follows a ne’er-do-well (voiced by Sandler) who breaks the law and is given a chance to redeem himself over the holidays or face a stiff prison sentence. This somewhat raunchy musical comedy is a nice alternative to all the Christmas-centered holiday movies, especially if you like Adam Sandler’s brand of humor.
Where to watch: SHOWTIME
Best Holiday Movies for Kids & Families
Many other movies on this list are age-appropriate for children based on their rating (G, PG, or PG-13 for older kids), but the movies below were made with kids and families in mind.
The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)
Rated G
Join Kermit, Miss Piggy, Fonzie, Gonzo, and all your other favorites, along with Michael Caine as a very affecting Ebenezer Scrooge, in this Muppet version of the Dickens classic. It packs in fun, silliness, and songs, but it also has a lot of heart and pathos, making this movie exceptionally rewatchable.
Where to watch: Disney+
Santa Buddies (2009)
Rated G
We’ll be honest, the critics didn’t fall in love with this golden retriever puppy-filled holiday movie about the true meaning of Christmas from the Air Bud franchise. But with plenty of cute puppies and a G rating, parents like it because it’s appropriate for even the youngest children and has a family-friendly message about generosity, friendship, and the Christmas spirit.
Where to watch: Disney+
Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey (2020)
Rated PG
This Netflix original is full of charm and magic. A famous toymaker (Forest Whitaker) must rely on his young granddaughter (Madalen Mills) to make things right when his apprentice (Keegan-Michael Key) runs off with one his newest creations and his book of inventions. Featuring songs by John Legend and Philip Lawrence, this musical is also full of fanciful toys and wonderous sets to keep kids delighted.
Where to watch: Netflix
The Santa Clause (1994)
Rated PG
Tim Allen stars as a divorced dad who finds himself turning into the jolly red man against his wishes after he accidentally causes Santa to fall off his roof. This film was a hit when it came out and spawned two sequels in the early 2000s, plus a mini-series that debuted just this year.
Where to watch: Disney+
Home Alone (1990)
Rated: PG
Macaulay Culkin plays Kevin McCallister, an 8-year-old boy accidentally left behind at his Chicago home when the rest of his family flies off to Paris for the holiday. This movie follows Kevin as he figures out how to take care of himself, defends the house from would-be thieves (played by Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern), and learns a lesson about the value of family, too.
Note: Although it’s comedic, Home Alone might be scary for young children or a child with anxiety about someone potentially breaking into their home.
Where to watch: Disney+
Bonus: Shorts for shorter attention spans
Even the best kid-friendly holiday movies are tough for little ones to sit all the way through. Here are some shorter Christmas shows – an hour or less – that hit the spot.
- A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965)
- Rated G, 25 min.
- Where to watch: Apple TV+
- How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1966)
- Rated PG, 26 min.
- Where to watch: Peacock
- Mickey’s Christmas Carol (1983)
- Rated G, 26 min.
- Where to watch: Disney+
- Shaun the Sheep: The Flight Before Christmas (2021)
- Rated G, 30 min.
- Where to watch: Netflix
Best Holiday Movies for Couples
Love Actually (2003)
Rated R
Many other movies have tried to imitate the format of an ensemble holiday film where multiple stories intertwine, but none have captured the magic of this modern British classic. Its humor, heart, and, of course, great love stories make it an ideal Christmas movie for couples to watch together.
Where to watch: Peacock
The Best Man Holiday (2013)
Rated R
This is another ensemble holiday film. It centers on a group of college friends reconnecting years later, and their complicated histories, relationships, and romances. Taye Diggs, Regina Hall, Sanaa Lathan, Terrence Howard, and Nia Long lead the cast in this holiday sequel to the 1999 romantic drama The Best Man.
Where to watch: Peacock
Falling for Christmas (2022)
At this point, cheesy, made-for-TV holiday movies are as much a part of the holidays as It’s a Wonderful Life. While there are lots to choose from, this new Netflix original is a fun choice, starring Lindsay Lohan as a spoiled heiress to a hotel magnate who loses her memory in a skiing accident. She waits for her memory to return at a cozy ski lodge owned by a cute widower, and you can guess what happens next. It’s got all the Christmas cheer, comic relief, and cliché plot points (in a good way!) that you need to get into the holiday spirit.
Rated TV-PG
Where to watch: Netflix
Bad Santa (2003)
Rated R
Not all couples are the lovey-dovey type – maybe you and your partner prefer a raunchy dark comedy to a sweet love story. If so, this one’s for you. Billy Bob Thornton stars as a low-level criminal who scores a gig as a store Santa as cover for a robbery then gets tangled up with a young kid who (kind of) teaches him a lesson about the value of kindness. Bernie Mac, Lauren Graham, and Tony Cox costar.
Where to watch: Paramount+ Showtime
