Finding your favorite festive films for family movie night just got easier with this streaming guide.
Adorning your home with festive decor, building delectable gingerbread houses, scoring the best Black Friday deals and participating in a fun game night with loved ones are just a few highlights of the holiday season. But maybe one of the best traditions of this time of year is setting in with the fam to rewatch iconic and timeless Christmas movies.
Christmas movies not only make us feel holly and jolly, but they also give us a dose of nostalgia by bringing back fond memories of the past from when we were little and the holidays were filled with magic. You can reminisce about your younger years with sentimental holiday films like Miracle on 34th Street or It's a Wonderful Life. Shared belly laughs from classics like Home Alone and Elf mirror the merriment of this festive season. And you won't want to miss the new releases this year like Genie, starring Melissa McCarthy, or Dashing Through the Snow starring Lil Rel Howery, Ludacris and Tyonah Parris.
You've got the popcorn and holiday treats ready to settle in for a holiday movie night, but now just one question remains: Where can you watch all these festive films? With all the streaming platforms out there, it can seem like more time is spent searching for the movie you want than watching the feature itself.
We won't make you scroll through all the streaming services this year because we've already done it. (Consider it one of our holiday gifts to you!) Below, we've found where to watch the Christmas classics, new holiday films, spooky holiday horror films, and even the more controversial, non-traditional Christmas films like Die Hard.
Where to Watch Classic Christmas Movies
Home Alone
Forgotten at home during the holidays, Kevin McCallister has to protect his house from The Wet Bandits. You can watch this beloved movie again and again on Disney+, along with Home Alone 2: Lost in New York.
Elf
Will Ferrell plays Buddy the Elf, a man raised by elves in the North Pole who embarks on a journey to NYC to find his real dad. Watch this instant hit on Max and add it to your holiday movie rotation.
The Santa Clause
Tim Allen unknowingly becomes Santa Claus when he puts on Santa's suit on Christmas Eve. Watch what hilariousness ensues when the reluctant businessman has to take on his unwanted role as Santa Claus on Disney+ this season. The subsequent movies and series are also on the platform.
A Christmas Story
All Ralphie wants is a Red Ryder Range 200 Shot BB gun, but will he get his Christmas wish? Watch this classic movie on Max.
Miracle on 34th Street (1994)
A little girl must prove Santa's existence to a judge and jury in this timeless film. The 1994 movie and the original 1947 version of Miracle on 34th Street are both available to watch on Disney+.
The Muppet Christmas Carol
There are a lot of takes on Dickens' classic A Christmas Carol, but few are better than this one from the Muppets featuring Academy Award-winner Michael Caine as Ebenezer Scrooge. You can watch The Muppet Christmas Carol on Disney+.
A Charlie Brown Christmas
What's the true meaning of Christmas? Find out along with Charlie Brown by watching the iconic Peanuts holiday movie on Apple TV+.
It's a Wonderful Life
A heartwarming story about how a single life impacts those around them for the better, It's a Wonderful Life brings meaning to the holidays. The classic film is available on Prime Video.
Jingle All the Way
Thank goodness for online shopping these days, or we all may be fighting over that one toy in the store like in Jingle All the Way. Watch Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sinbad in this hilarious holiday comedy on Disney+.
How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)
Watch the troubling antics of the Grinch as he steals Christmas away from the town of Whoville. The Dr. Seuss story has been adapted a few times, but the live-action movie starring Jim Carry is always a hit.
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
Released in the late '80s, this Christmas comedy shows everything that can go wrong during the holiday season spent with extended family. You can stream the film starring Chevy Chase and Juliette Lewis on Max.
Love Actually
Complicated love lives get even more complex during the holiday season in the feature film Love Actually. The movie hits differently these days, but the film is still considered a classic and is available to rent on Apple TV+ or Prime Video.
Frosty the Snowman (1969)
Before Olaf, there was Frosty, the original talking snowman. Share this children's classic, available to rent on Apple TV+ and Prime Video, with your little ones so they can discover the magic of the holidays.
The Polar Express
One boy's life is changed forever by taking a train to the North Pole on Christmas Eve. The film based on the beloved book is available to watch on Max.
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964)
Santa needs the help of an outcast deer in Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer to give the children their Christmas presents. Watch how Rudolph saves the day by renting the film on Apple TV+ or Prime Video.
Where to Watch New Holiday Movie Favorites
Dashing Through the Snow
Not only does this Disney+ film look like the perfect Christmas movie to watch with the family, but it's also got major star power. In the film featuring Lil Rel Howery, Chris "Ludacris" Bridges, Teyonah Parris and Oscar Nuñez, a "non-believer" (Bridges) and his daughter must help Santa Claus (Howery) escape those chasing him.
Genie
A man (Paapa Essiedu) who is down on his luck has his life turned upside down when a jewelry box he finds unleashes a magical genie (Melissa McCarthy). After being trapped for 2,000 years, the genie and man form an unlikely friendship. The holiday film is streaming on Peacock.
Best. Christmas. Ever!
Charlotte (Heather Graham) takes a surprise trip with her husband (Jason Biggs) and son to prove that her friend Jackie's (Brandy) life isn't as good as it seems in her holiday newsletter. See what hijinks unfold by streaming this new film on Netflix.
Hannah Waddingham: Home for Christmas
Emmy-winner Hannah Waddingham, best known for her role as Rebecca in Apple TV+'s Ted Lasso, is returning to the streaming platform with a new Christmas special. Along with mesmerizing performances from Waddingham, viewers can look forward to special guests, including Luke Evans, Leslie Odom Jr. and Sam Ryder.
Matt Rogers: Have You Heard of Christmas?
The mixture of standup comedy and holiday pop music makes this holiday special from Matt Rogers stand out from the rest. You can stream this festive and funny special on Showtime via Paramount+.
Spirited
Watch this fabulous take on A Christmas Carol starring Will Ferrell and Ryan Reynolds, who are just as hilarious as ever in this 2022 film. You'll definitely want to dedicate a night to watching this uplifting movie on Apple TV+.
Happiest Season
Exploring family dynamics, Happiest Season is about the complexities of a young woman coming out to her family over the holidays. Released in 2020, the film — which you can watch on Hulu — has an impressive cast, including Kristen Stewart, Alison Brie, Aubrey Plaza, Dan Levy and Victor Garber.
Where to Watch Holiday Horror Films
Violent Night
If you're getting cabin fever, watch the disturbing feature film Violent Night, starring David Harbour on Prime Video. When a group of mercenaries goes after a wealthy family, only Santa is equipped to stop them.
Krampus
Basically the antithesis of Santa Claus, Krampus is a movie about the festive demon who only appears during the holiday season. You can watch the horror film starring Adam Scott and Toni Collette on Peacock.
Better Watch Out
While babysitting during the holidays, a teen and the child in her care are terrorized when someone breaks in. Nothing goes as expected in this holiday horror film streaming on Peacock.
Gremlins
While you may not consider Gremlins a festive film, the movie begins with a father giving a Christmas gift to his son. Rewatch this classic with holiday eyes by renting it on Apple TV+ or Prime Video.
Where to Watch Non-Traditional Christmas Movies
Die Hard
Your holidays should definitely be spent watching the iconic Die Hard film starring Bruce Willis as John McClane. Kick back and enjoy this suspenseful movie on Hulu.
Edward Scissorhands
Deciding if Edward Scissorhands is a holiday movie can stir up quite the debate, but if you're someone who considers it a festive film you can now watch it on Max.
Trading Places
Taking place at Christmastime, Trading Places stars the comedy-dream team Eddie Murphy and Dan Aykroyd. Rent the amusing story of two men – who are the complete opposite of one another – switching lives on Apple TV+ or Prime Video.
You've Got Mail
Is there a rom-com more iconic than You've Got Mail? You can watch the inspired comedy that takes place during the holidays by renting it on Apple TV+ or Prime Video.
The Nightmare Before Christmas
A mix of Halloween and Christmas, Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas is a cult-favorite film. You can watch the one-of-a-kind movie on Disney+.
RELATED CONTENT: