Christmas is a time to be with family, enjoy some good food, and get ready for the holidays. If you’re looking for some great Christmas movies and specials to watch this year, here are a few suggestions.
- “The Christmas Story” This classic story of a family’s search for Christmas is sure to keep you entertained from start to finish.
- “A Christmas Carol” This story of a man who has to find joy in the holiday season is sure to make you smile.
- “The Nutcracker and the Four Realms” This ballet tells the story of a young girl who has to go through different adventures in order to find her way back home during the holidays.
- “Elf” This movie follows Elf as she goes on an adventure with her friends Elf and Grinch in order to find Santa Claus.
Netflix
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In the last few years, Netflix ($8.99+ per month) has really made an effort to become the go-to streaming service for original Christmas content, with its own franchises like The Princess Switch, The Christmas Chronicles, and A Christmas Prince. Netflix specializes in high-concept, family-friendly Christmas movies as well as cozy Christmas-themed romances.
There are also a few classic Christmas movies and specials available on Netflix, alongside the ever-growing selection of originals. Here are some other popular options:
Klaus Shaun the Sheep: The Flight Before Christmas White Christmas Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey
Hulu
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Hulu made a big impression in 2020 with its first original Christmas movie Happiest Season, starring Kristen Stewart, but the overall Christmas content on Hulu ($6.99+ per month) is a little less extensive than on other services. Still, you can find Christmas favorites like the animated Arthur Christmas and Arnold Schwarzenegger disasterpiece Jingle All the Way.
If you subscribe to Hulu + Live TV ($64.99+ per month after a seven-day free trial), you’ll have access to additional Christmas programming from a variety of channels.
Here are a few more of Hulu’s Christmas viewing options:
A Christmas Movie Christmas Trolls: Holiday in Harmony Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale
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Prime Video is also home to Christmas TV specials, as well as some offbeat film choices to shake up your holiday viewing. Here are a few more options to consider:
Better Watch Out (with ads) Elvira’s Movie Macabre Presents Santa Claus Conquers the Martians (with ads) If You Give a Mouse a Christmas Cookie Christmas Cartoons: 14 Christmas Cartoon Classics
HBO Max
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With its extensive selection of films from a variety of genres and eras, HBO Max ($9.99+ per month) is one of the best places to find classic Christmas movies. Here’s where you can watch some of the most beloved Christmas movies of all time, including A Christmas Story, Elf, and Miracle on 34th Street. In 2021, HBO Max got into the original Christmas movie market with the 1980s-set, nostalgia-fueled 8-Bit Christmas.
Here are some more HBO Max selections for the Christmas season:
The Polar Express National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation Gremlins Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas
Disney+
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Disney has been creating Christmas magic onscreen for decades, and Disney+ ($7.99+ per month or $109.99 per year) collects many of the studio’s classic holiday movies and specials, plus Christmas content from various other brands in the Disney corporate family.
That means you can watch perennial Christmas favorites like Home Alone and The Nightmare Before Christmas, as well as the Disney+ original movie Noelle, starring Anna Kendrick and Bill Hader, which was one of the first-ever original productions on the services when it launched.
If Disney is what gets you in the holiday spirit, then there are tons of Christmas favorites to pick from:
Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmas Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas The Santa Clause The Muppet Christmas Carol
RELATED: How Much Does Disney+ Cost?
Hallmark Movies Now
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Some people love the cheesy Hallmark movies, and if that’s you, then Hallmark Movies Now ($4.99 per month after a seven-day free trial) will get you all that and more. From A Christmas Melody to Christmas in Evergreen, there’s tons of fun, small-town love to fill your heart this season.
Cheesy Hallmark movies are a great way to get into the holiday season, so here are a few more options you can watch with Hallmark Movies Now:
Christmas: Festival of Ice Christmas at Dollywood One Christmas Eve Angel of Christmas
Roku Channel
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If your Christmas budget doesn’t include paying for a streaming service, you can still watch plenty of Christmas content for free with ads on the Roku Channel. You don’t need to own a Roku device to watch holiday favorites like the George C. Scott-starring version of A Christmas Carol, The Bells of St. Mary’s, and The Bishop’s Wife. Roku even has its own original holiday programming, with the TV musical spin-off Zoey’s Extraordinary Christmas.
Here’s more Christmas programming available for free on the Roku Channel:
Noel Rise of the Guardians Black Christmas Die Hard
RELATED: Is ‘Die Hard’ a Christmas Movie?
Paramount+
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As a relatively new streaming service, Paramount+ ($4.99+ per month after a 30-day free trial) hasn’t quite built up an extensive library of Christmas programming yet. In 2021, the service debuted two original Christmas movies from sister network CBS, A Christmas Proposal and Christmas Takes Flight, along with the live-action special A Loud House Christmas, based on the popular animated series.
Here are a few other holiday offerings on Paramount+:
Bad Santa Ernest Saves Christmas A Christmas Carol
Peacock
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Thanks to corporate sibling NBC, Peacock ($4.99+ per month or free with ads) is home to multiple takes on the classic Dr. Seuss character the Grinch, including the animated special How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (only on the premium tier) and the theatrical production The Grinch Musical.
In 2021, Peacock entered the world of original Christmas content with the movie The Housewives of the North Pole and the Days of Our Lives spin-off A Very Salem Christmas, both exclusive to Peacock Premium.
There’s plenty more Christmas content on Peacock:
Mixed Nuts Miracle on 34th Street Fatman Krampus
With all the ways to watch your favorite Christmas movies, you’ll be able to find every movie you want to watch this season. It truly is the most wonderful time of the year.
