The Top 76 Christmas Movies of All Time

Lauren Matthews, Cameron Jenkins
1

Dashing Through The Snow (2023)

A social worker (Chris “Ludacris” Bridges) who no longer believes in the spirit of Christmas has his world turned upside down when he and his daughter meet a man dressed in a red suit (Lil Rel Howery), who he believes to be delusional.

DISNEY +

2

Violent Night (2023)

If you’ve ever wondered “What if Santa was a ruthless action hero?” then this is the Christmas movie for you. David Harbour plays the man in the big red suit, who stumbles upon a hostage situation while making his Christmas Eve rounds. Save this bloody action comedy for after the kids have gone to bed!

AMAZON PRIME MAX

Advertisement – Continue Reading Below

3

Falling for Christmas (2022)

The breakout hit of Netflix’s 2022 holiday programming lineup, Lindsay Lohan stars as the entitled daughter of a rich hotelier. But after she takes a nasty fall down the side of a ski slope, she finds herself spending Christmas at a struggling family-run inn — with amnesia. Luckily, the hunky inn owner (Chord Overstreet) is ready to help her find her identity … and love.

NETFLIX

4

Spirited (2022)

A welcome musical addition to the long lineup of A Christmas Carol adaptations, Spirited stars Will Ferrell as the Ghost of Christmas Present and Ryan Reynolds as the “unredeemable soul” he’s determined to redeem.

APPLE TV+

Advertisement – Continue Reading Below

5

8-Bit Christmas (2021)

If you love A Christmas Story, then you’ll want to give 8-Bit Christmas a try. It’s set in the late 1980s, so in lieu of a Red Ryder BB gun, the hot toy that 10-year-old Jake Doyle is dying to get his hands on is a Nintendo Entertainment System. Told in flashbacks from the POV of adult Jake (played by Neil Patrick Harris), it’s a sweet and goofy film the whole family can enjoy.

MAX AMAZON PRIME

6

A Boy Called Christmas (2021)

A young boy sets out on a quest to find a mysterious town inhabited by elves in the hopes of discovering his long-lost father and bringing hope back to his village.

NETFLIX

Advertisement – Continue Reading Below

7

Happiest Season (2020)

Abby and Harper are heading to Harper’s family home for the holidays, and Abby is planning on proposing — until she realizes that Harper hasn’t been honest with her family about their relationship. It’ll make you laugh, cry and realize the best gift is being yourself.

HULU

8

Jingle Jangle (2020)

In this fantastical holiday tale, an aging toymaker, betrayed years earlier by his trusted apprentice, finds renewed interest in his work when his granddaughter shows up on his doorstep.

NETFLIX

Advertisement – Continue Reading Below

9

Let It Snow (2019)

Based on the best-selling novel by John Green, a group of high schoolers navigates love and friendship after a snowstorm blankets their small town on Christmas Eve. Think of it as the perfect holiday teen rom-com.

NETFLIX

10

Noelle (2019)

Noelle must come to the rescue when her brother Nick gets cold feet about taking over the family business, which just happens to be the business of being Santa. Chaos ensues when Nick doesn’t return from a break, and Noelle must try to save the day.

DISNEY+

Advertisement – Continue Reading Below

11

Last Christmas (2019)

Nothing seems to be going right in Kate’s life — until she meets a mysterious and handsome stranger. Starring Emilia Clarke and Henry Golding, this heartwarming film has a twist ending that you won’t see coming.

AMAZON PRIME

12

Klaus (2019)

This Netflix original was nominated for for Best Animated Feature at the 92nd Academy Awards, and it’s easy to see why. Featuring beautiful animation that will leave you feeling the holiday magic, this family Christmas film tells the tale of a postman who befriends a reclusive toymaker.

NETFLIX

Advertisement – Continue Reading Below

13

The Princess Switch (2018)

Vanessa Hudgens stars as a woman who travels to the kingdom of Belgravia to enter a famous baking competition, only to run into the Prince of Belgravia’s fiancée, who looks exactly like … Vanessa Hudgens. The two decide to switch places, and things get complicated. Keep the silly Christmas rom-com fun going with this film’s two sequels, The Princess Switch: Switched Again and The Princess Switch 3: Romancing the Star.

NETFLIX

14

The Christmas Chronicles (2018)

Starring Kurt Russell as Santa Claus, this jolly Netflix original follows two kids who encounter Santa in their own home — and find themselves on a magical adventure to help him save Christmas. If you’re a fan, add The Christmas Chronicles: Part Two to your watchlist, as well.

NETFLIX

Advertisement – Continue Reading Below

15

Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch (2018)

Animation traditionalists will go for 1966’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas!, but this modern take deserves a place in the holiday movie canon too, thanks to Benedict Cumberbatch’s memorable rendition of everyone’s favorite green holiday grump.

AMAZON PRIME

16

A Christmas Prince (2017)

Advertisement – Continue Reading Below

17

A Bad Moms Christmas (2017)

In this follow-up to 2016’s Bad Moms, the moms (Mila Kunis, Kristen Bell and Kathryn Hahn) have to deal with their own mothers for the holidays.

NETFLIX

18

The Man Who Invented Christmas (2017)

This story behind how Charles Dickens wrote A Christmas Carol stars Dan Stevens (of Downton Abbey fame) and is a delight for all ages. Trust us: This film can jump-start joy in any Scrooge.

AMAZON PRIME

Advertisement – Continue Reading Below

19

Office Christmas Party (2016)

Jason Bateman and Jennifer Aniston star in this comedy about a high-stakes (you guessed it) office Christmas party.

APPLE TV+

20

Almost Christmas (2016)

Danny Glover is a retired widower who only wants one thing for Christmas: His grown children and their families to get along for the holidays. The performances from this talented ensemble cast will make you grateful for your folks this December.

AMAZON PRIME

Lauren (she/her) is the executive digital content director of the Hearst Lifestyle Group, where she oversees online content and strategy for Good Housekeeping, Woman’s Day and other Hearst titles, including SEO, video, social media and e-commerce efforts. She has almost 20 years of experience writing and editing beauty, lifestyle, home, health, entertainment and product review content. She graduated from NYU with a degree in journalism and history.

Headshot of Cameron Jenkins

Cameron (she/her) is a staff writer for Good Housekeeping, where she covers everything from holidays to food. She is a graduate of Syracuse University, where she received a B.A. in magazine journalism. In her spare-time she can be found scrolling TikTok for the latest cleaning hacks and restaurant openings, binge-watching seasons of Project Runway or online shopping.

Watch Next
 
preview for Good Housekeeping US Section: Holidays

Advertisement – Continue Reading Below

Advertisement – Continue Reading Below

Advertisement – Continue Reading Below

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *