Shane’s Ultimate Guide to Christmas Movies

It truly is the most wonderful time of year! A Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to each and every one of you dear readers. This is going to be my composite list of Christmas films that you can partake in this holiday season. Now as with any genre, there is an endless list of Christmas films, so I have no doubt I’ve excluded some. This list mostly consists of movies I’ve personally watched or am at least savvy to. If I missed one of your favorites, please shoot me a message to let me know! I’m breaking these films down into 12 (appropriate number) sub-categories, which will hopefully make it easier to navigate. Some films fit into multiple categories so I just put them where I felt was most appropriate. Also, full disclosure, I tried to put where the film could be streamed, but that may not be 100% up to date as I’m writing this article about a month before it will be released. If you’re curious how many of these films you’ve seen, I added them all to a list on Letterboxd that you can find here: https://boxd.it/zSdPq. Along with streaming options I’ll highlight some other fast facts (director, year of release, & notable actors) about the film and opposed to me writing over 200 synopses (some for movies I haven’t seen), I sourced the summaries from Letterboxd. Gotta cite my sources. Final note whenever I say ‘can be rented on the usual services’ I’m referring to YouTube, Google Play, Amazon Prime, Apple TV, & Fandango at Home. Finally, before we get into the list I want to let you know this is by far my longest article, so if you’re reading on mobile I would highly recommend moving over to laptop or desktop for easier navigation. I’m not sure how much of a ‘sit and read’ kind of article this is, maybe more of a skimmer.

Category #1- Comedy: By far the densest category featured, just about every Christmas movie falls under the comedy umbrella because they’re usually meant to be lighthearted and fun.

• ‘8-Bit Christmas’ directed by Michael Dowse (2021) ‘In suburban Chicago during the late 1980s, ten-year-old Jake Doyle embarks on a herculean quest to get the latest and greatest video game system for Christmas.’ Starring Neil Patrick Harris & Steve Zahn. Stream it on Max.

• ‘Almost Christmas’ directed by David E. Talbert (2016) ‘A dysfunctional family gathers together for their first Christmas since the death of their matriarch.’ Starring Omar Epps, Danny Glover, Mo’Nique, J.B. Smoove, & Gabrielle Union. Can be rented from the usual services.

• ‘A Bad Moms Christmas’ directed by Scott Moore & Jon Lucas (2017) ‘Amy, Kiki and Carla – three under-appreciated and over-burdened women – rebel against the challenges and expectations of the Super Bowl for mothers: Christmas. And if creating a more perfect holiday for their families wasn’t hard enough, they have to do all of that while hosting and entertaining their own mothers.’ Starring Mila Kunis, Kristen Bell, Kathryn Hahn, Christine Baranski, Susan Sarandon, & Justin Hartley. Can be streamed on Netflix.

• ‘Bad Santa’ directed by Terry Zwigoff (2003) ‘A miserable conman and his partner pose as Santa and his Little Helper to rob department stores on Christmas Eve. But they run into problems when the conman befriends a troubled kid.’ Starring Billy Bob Thornton, Tony Cox, Lauren Graham, & Bernie Mac. Can be streamed free on Pluto TV.

• ‘Bad Santa 2’ directed by Mark Waters (2016) ‘Fueled by cheap whiskey, greed and hatred, Willie Soke teams up with his angry little sidekick, Marcus, to knock off a Chicago charity on Christmas Eve. Along for the ride is chubby and cheery Thurman Merman, a 250-pound ray of sunshine who brings out Willie’s sliver of humanity. Issues arise when the pair are joined by Willie’s horror story of a mother, who raises the bar for the gang’s ambitions, while somehow lowering the standards of criminal behavior.’ Starring Billy Bob Thornton, Kathy Bates, & Tony Cox. Can be streamed free on Pluto TV.

• ‘Candy Cane Lane’ directed by Reginald Hudlin (2023) ‘A man, determined to win the neighborhood’s annual Christmas decorating contest, makes a pact with an elf to help him win. However, the elf casts a spell bringing the twelve days of Christmas to life, bringing chaos to the small, unsuspecting town.’ Starring Eddie Murphy & Tracee Ellis Ross. Can be streamed on Prime.

• ‘The Christmas Chronicles’ directed by Clay Kaytis (2018) ‘Siblings Kate and Teddy try to prove Santa Claus is real, but when they accidentally cause his sleigh to crash, they have to save Christmas.’ Starring Kurt Russell, Darby Camp, & Judah Lewis. Stream it on Netflix.

• ‘The Christmas Chronicles: Part Two’ directed by Chris Columbus (2020) ‘Kate Pierce is reluctantly spending Christmas with her mom’s new boyfriend and his son Jack. But when the North Pole and Christmas are threatened to be destroyed, Kate and Jack are unexpectedly pulled into a new adventure with Santa Claus.’ Starring Kurt Russell, Goldie Hawn, Darby Camp, Julian Dennison, & Tyrese Gibson. Stream it on Netflix.

• ‘A Christmas Story’ directed by Bob Clark (1983) ‘The comic mishaps and adventures of a young boy named Ralph, trying to convince his parents, teachers, and Santa that a Red Ryder B.B. gun really is the perfect Christmas gift for the 1940s.’ Starring Peter Billingsley, Melinda Dillon, & Darren McGavin. Rent it on the usual services.

• ‘A Christmas Story 2’ directed by Brian Levant (2012) ‘The original traditional one-hundred-percent red-blooded two-fisted all-American Christmas continues five years later with Ralphie, Randy, mom and the old man. This time Ralphie has his eyes fixed on a car. But trouble is sure to follow.’ Starring Daniel Stern & Braeden Lamasters. Rent it on the usual services. Note that this is a direct sequel to the 1983 film, though it features an entirely new cast.

• ‘A Christmas Story Christmas’ directed by Clay Kaytis (2022) ‘Ralphie is now all grown up and must deal with Christmas and all that comes with it… as a dad.’ Starring Peter Billingsley & Erinn Hayes. Stream it on Max. Note that this is a ‘legacy sequel’ taking place many years after the original, but with many of the original cast members returning.

• ‘Christmas with the Kranks’ directed by Joe Roth (2004) ‘When their only daughter Blair leaves the family nest, Luther and Nora Krank decide to book an island cruise to beat the yuletide blues and just skip the holidays. But their decision to boycott tradition has the whole neighborhood in an uproar, and when Blair calls on Christmas Eve to announce a surprise visit with her new fiancée, the Kranks have just twelve hours to perform a miracle and pull themselves and their neighbors together to throw the best celebration ever!’ Starring Tim Allen, Jamie Lee Curtis, & Dan Aykroyd. Stream it on Sling TV or rent it on the usual services.

• ‘Daddy’s Home 2’ directed by Sean Anders (2017) ‘Brad and Dusty must deal with their intrusive fathers during the holidays.’ Starring Will Ferrell, Mark Wahlberg, Mel Gibson, John Lithgow, Linda Cardellini, & John Cena. Stream it on Paramount+ or free on Pluto TV.

• ‘Dashing Through the Snow’ directed by Tim Story (2023) ‘Eddie Garrick is a good-hearted man who has lost his belief in the wonder of Christmas. While spending time with his nine-year-old daughter Charlotte on Christmas Eve, he befriends a mysterious man in a red suit named Nick.’ Starring Lil Rel Howery & Ludacris. Stream it on Disney+.

• ‘Deck the Halls’ directed by John Whitesell (2006) ‘Determined to unseat Steve Finch’s reign as the town’s holiday season king, Buddy Hall plasters his house with so many decorative lights that it’ll be visible from space! When their wives bond, and their kids follow suit, the two men only escalate their rivalry - and their decorating.’ Starring Danny DeVito, Matthew Broderick, Kristin Davis, & Kristin Chenoweth. Stream it on Starz or rent on the usual platforms.

• ‘Dr Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas’ directed by Ron Howard (2000) ‘The Grinch decides to rob Whoville of Christmas - but a dash of kindness from little Cindy Lou Who and her family may be enough to melt his heart…’ Starring Jim Carrey, Taylor Momsen, Jeffrey Tambor, Christine Baranski, & Molly Shannon. Rent it on the usual platforms.

• ‘Elf’ directed by Jon Favreau (2003) ‘When young Buddy falls into Santa’s gift sack on Christmas Eve, he’s transported back to the North Pole and raised as a toy-making elf by Santa’s helpers. But as he grows into adulthood, he can’t shake the nagging feeling that he doesn’t belong. Buddy vows to visit Manhattan and find his real dad, a workaholic.’ Starring Will Ferrell, James Caan, Ed Asner, Bob Newhart, Mary Steenburgen, Zooey Deschanel, & Peter Dinklage. Stream it on Max.

• ‘Eloise at Christmastime’ directed by Kevin Lima (2003) ‘Eloise is a precocious but lovable six-year-old girl who lives in New York’s Plaza Hotel. The owner’s daughter is getting married, but Eloise discovers that the fiance has devious plans to defraud kind Rachel! When her true love is revealed to be none other than Eloise’s best friend Bill who works in the kitchen, Eloise goes on a mission to bring about a Christmas miracle and get the starcrossed lovers back together.. will things work out in time for a happy holiday ending?’ Starring Sofia Vassilieva, Julie Andrews, Jeffrey Tambor, & Christine Baranski. Stream it on Prime.

• ‘Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas’ directed by Jim Henson (1977) ‘A poor otter family risks everything for the chance to win the cash prize of a talent contest for Christmas.’ Starring Jerry Nelson, Frank Oz, & Jim Henson. Stream it on Peacock, Prime, or free on Tubi, Sling TV, or Plex.

• ‘Ernest Saves Christmas’ directed by John Cherry (1988) ‘When Santa Claus decides to retire and pass on his magic bag of Christmas surprises to a new Saint Nick, he enlists the aid of a hilarious assortment of characters. A perky teen runaway and hapless taxi driver Ernest P. Worrell must convince a skeptical kiddie-show host to take over the post of Father Christmas.’ Starring Jim Varney. Stream it on Disney+.

• ‘Fred Claus’ directed by David Dobkin (2007) ‘Fred Claus and Santa Claus have been estranged brothers for many years. Now Fred must reconcile his differences with his brother whom he believes overshadows him. When an efficiency expert assesses the workings at the North Pole and threatens to shut Santa down, Fred must help his brother to save Christmas.’ Starring Vince Vaughn, Paul Giamatti, John Michael Higgins, Miranda Richardson, Elizabeth Banks, Rachel Weisz, Kathy Bates, & Ludacris. Rent it on the usual services.

• ‘Get Santa’ directed by Christopher Smith (2004) ‘A father and son must team up to save Christmas when they discover Santa Claus sleeping in their garage, having crashed his sleigh and found himself on the run from the police.’ Starring Jim Broadbent, Rafe Spall, Jodie Whittaker, Kit Connor, & Warwick Davis. Stream it free on Plex.

• ‘Good Luck Charlie, It’s Christmas!’ directed by Arlene Sanford (2011) ‘Teddy Duncan’s middle-class family embarks on a road trip from their home in Denver to visit Mrs. Duncans Parents, the Blankenhoopers, in Palm Springs. When they find themselves stranded between Denver and Utah, they try to hitch a ride to Las Vegas with a seemingly normal older couple in a station wagon from Roswell, New Mexico. It turns out that the couple believes they are the victims of alien abduction. The Duncan’s must resort to purchasing a clunker Yugo to get to Utah, have their luggage stolen in Las Vegas, and survive a zany Christmas with Grandpa and Grandma Blankenhooper.’ Starring Bridgit Mendler, Leigh-Allyn Baker, Jason Dolley, Eric Allan Kramer, Bradley Steven Perry, & Mia Talerico. Stream it on Disney+.

• ‘The Holdovers’ directed by Alexander Payne (2023) ‘A curmudgeonly instructor at a New England prep school is forced to remain on campus during Christmas break to babysit the handful of students with nowhere to go. Eventually, he forms an unlikely bond with one of them — a damaged, brainy troublemaker — and with the school’s head cook, who has just lost a son in Vietnam.’ Starring Paul Giamatti, Dominic Sessa, & Da’Vine Joy Randolph. Stream it on Prime.

• ‘Home Alone’ directed by Chris Columbus (1990) ‘Eight-year-old Kevin McCallister makes the most of the situation after his family unwittingly leaves him behind when they go on Christmas vacation. But when a pair of bungling burglars set their sights on Kevin’s house, the plucky kid stands ready to defend his territory. By planting booby traps galore, adorably mischievous Kevin stands his ground as his frantic mother attempts to race home before Christmas Day.’ Starring Macaulay Culkin, Joe Pesci, Daniel Stern, Catherine O’Hara, & John Heard. Stream it on Disney+.

• ‘Home Alone 2: Lost in New York’ directed Chris Columbus (1992) ‘Instead of flying to Florida with his folks, Kevin ends up alone in New York, where he gets a hotel room with his dad’s credit card—despite problems from a clerk and meddling bellboy. But when Kevin runs into his old nemeses, the Wet Bandits, he’s determined to foil their plans to rob a toy store on Christmas Eve.’ Starring Macaulay Culkin, Joe Pesci, Daniel Stern, Catherine O’Hara, John Heard, & Tim Curry. Stream it on Disney+.

• ‘Home Alone 3’ directed by Raja Gosnell (1997) ‘9-year-old Alex Pruitt is home alone with the chicken pox. Turns out, due to a mix-up among nefarious spies, Alex was given a toy car concealing a top-secret microchip. Now Alex must fend off the spies as they try to break into his house to get it back.’ Starring Alex D. Linz, Haviland Morris, Kevin Kilner, & Scarlett Johansson. Stream it on Disney+. Despite it’s title, this fil is not a sequel to the first two, but is actually a spinoff with entirely new characters, just a similar plot.

• ‘Home Alone 4’ directed by Rod Daniel (2002) ‘Kevin McCallister’s parents have split up. Now living with his mom, he decides to spend Christmas with his dad at the mansion of his father’s rich girlfriend, Natalie. Meanwhile robber Marv Merchants, one of the villains from the first two movies, partners up with a new criminal named Vera to hit Natalie’s mansion.’ Starring Mike Weinberg, French Stewart, & Missi Pyle. Stream it on Disney+. Make note that this is meant to serve as a sequel to the first two films, though it features an entirely new cast.

• ‘Home Alone: The Holiday Heist’ directed by Peter Hewitt (2012) ‘10-year-old Finn is terrified to learn his family is relocating from sunny California to Maine in the scariest house he has ever seen! Convinced that his new house is haunted, Finn sets up a series of elaborate traps to catch the “ghost” in action. Left home alone with his sister while their parents are stranded across town, Finn’s traps catch a new target – a group of thieves who have targeted Finn’s house.’ Starring Christian Martyn & Malcolm McDowell. Stream it on Disney+. Another spinoff, featuring a similar plot, but all new characters.

• ‘Home Sweet Home Alone’ directed by Dan Mazer (2021) ‘After being left at home by himself for the holidays, 10-year-old Max Mercer must work to defend his home from a married couple who tries to steal back a valuable heirloom.’ Starring Archie Yates, Ellie Kemper, Rob Delaney, Andy Daly, & Kenan Thompson. Stream it on Disney+. The film is another spinoff, but features a cameo from actor Devin Ratray, reprising his role as Buzz McCallister from the first two films.

• ‘I’ll Be Home for Christmas’ directed by Arlene Sanford (1998) ‘Estranged from his father, college student Jake is lured home to New York for Christmas with the promise of receiving a classic Porsche as a gift. When the bullying football team dumps him in the desert in a Santa suit, Jake is left without identification or money to help him make the journey. Meanwhile, his girlfriend, Allie, does not know where he is, and accepts a cross-country ride from Jake’s rival, Eddie.’ Starring Jonathan Taylor Thomas & Jessica Biel. Stream it on Disney+.

• ‘It’s a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie’ directed by Kirk R. Thatcher (2002) ‘The owner of a bank (Miss Bitterman) wants to own the Muppet Theatre so she can build a nightclub over it. After she tricks Pepe into giving her the only copy of the contract between her father and the Muppets, she changes it so the Muppets have very little time to pay a debt they owe. Meanwhile, the Muppets are trying to put on a Christmas show. After the Muppets are confronted by Bitterman, they make a lot of sacrifices to save up so they can keep the Theatre.’ Starring David Arquette, Joan Cusack, Matthew Lillard, Whoopi Goldberg, William H. Macy, Mel Brooks & The Muppets. Stream it on Prime.

• ‘Jingle All the Way’ directed by Brian Levant (1996) ‘Howard Langston, a salesman for a mattress company, is constantly kept busy at his job, disappointing his son. After he misses his son’s karate exposition, Howard vows to make it up to him by buying an action figure of his son’s favorite television hero for Christmas. Unfortunately for Howard, it is Christmas Eve, and every store is sold out of Turbo Man. Now, Howard must travel all over town and compete with everybody else to find a Turbo Man action figure.’ Starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Rita Wilson, Phil Hartman, Jake Lloyd, & Sinbad. Stream it on Disney+.

• ‘Last Holiday’ directed by Wayne Wang (2006) ‘The discovery that she has a terminal illness prompts introverted department store saleswoman Georgia Byrd to reflect on what she realizes has been an overly cautious life. With weeks to live, she withdraws her life savings, sells all her possessions and jets off to Europe where she lives it up at a posh hotel. Upbeat and passionate, Georgia charms everybody she meets, including renowned Chef Didier. The only one missing from her new life is her longtime crush Sean Matthews.’ Starring Queen Latifah, LL Cool J, Timothy Hutton, Alicia Witt, Giancarlo Esposito, & Gérard Depardieu. Stream it on Prime, Paramount+, or free on Pluto TV.

• ‘Love the Coopers’ directed by Jessie Nelson (2015) ‘When four generations of the Cooper clan come together for their annual Christmas Eve celebration, a series of unexpected visitors and unlikely events turn the night upside down, leading them all toward a surprising rediscovery of family bonds and the spirit of the holiday.’ Starring Steve Martin, Diane Keaton, John Goodman, Alan Arkin, Ed Helms, Amanda Seyfried, Marisa Tomei, Olivia Wilde, Jake Lacy, June Squibb, Anthony Mackie, & Timothée Chalamet. Stream it with a primetime subscription on YouTube, Hulu, Sling TV, Prime, or Paramount+, or rent it from any of the usual services.

• ‘A Madea Christmas’ directed by Tyler Perry (2013) ‘Madea dispenses her unique form of holiday spirit on a rural town when she’s coaxed into helping a friend pay her daughter a surprise visit in the country for Christmas.’ Starring Tyler Perry, Kathy Najimy, Chad Michael Murray, & Larry the Cable Guy. Stream it free on The Roku Channel.

• ‘Merry Christmas, Drake & Josh’ directed by Michael Grossman (2008) ‘Step brothers Drake and Josh must give a foster family the best Christmas ever or face years in jail for a Christmas party gone wrong.’ Starring Drake Bell & Josh Peck. Rent it on the usual services.

• ‘Mixed Nuts’ directed by Nora Eprhon (1994) ‘The events of a crisis hotline business on one crazy night during the Christmas holidays.’ Starring Steve Martin, Rita Wilson, Juliette Lewis, Rob Reiner, & Adam Sandler. Stream it free on the Roku Channel.

• ‘National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation’ directed by Jeremiah S. Chechik (1989) ‘It’s Christmastime, and the Griswolds are preparing for a family seasonal celebration. But things never run smoothly for Clark, his wife Ellen, and their two kids. Clark’s continual bad luck is worsened by his obnoxious family guests, but he manages to keep going, knowing that his Christmas bonus is due soon.’ Starring Chevy Chase, Beverly D’Angelo, Juliette Lewis, Johnny Galecki, & Randy Quaid. Rent it from the usual services.

• ‘Christmas Vacation 2: Cousin Eddie’s Island Adventure’ directed by Nick Marck (2003) ‘Though Eddie’s fired right at Christmastime, his boss sends him and his family on a South Pacific vacation, hoping Eddie won’t sue him after being bitten by a lab monkey. When the Tuttle family winds up trapped on a tropical island, however, Eddie manages to provide for everyone and prove himself a real man.’ Starring Randy Quaid & Ed Asner.

• ‘The Night Before’ directed by Jonathan Levine (2015) ‘In New York City for their annual tradition of Christmas Eve debauchery, three lifelong best friends set out to find the Holy Grail of Christmas parties since their yearly reunion might be coming to an end.’ Starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Seth Rogen, & Anthony Mackie. Stream is on Starz.

• ‘Noelle’ directed by Marc Lawrence (2019) ‘Kris Kringle’s daughter, Noelle, sets off on a mission to find and bring back her brother, after he gets cold feet when it’s his turn to take over as Santa.’ Starring Anna Kendrick, Bill Hader, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Billy Eichner, & Shirley MacLaine. Stream it on Disney+ or fubo.

• ‘Office Christmas Party’ directed by Josh Gordon & Will Speck (2016) ‘When Carol Vanstone, CEO of the technology company Zenotek, expresses her intention to close the Chicago branch, run by her brother Clay, he and his co-workers organize a Christmas party in an effort to impress a potential client and save their jobs. But the party gets out of control…’ Starring Jason Bateman, Olivia Munn, T.J. Miller, Jennifer Aniston, & Kate McKinnon. Rent it from the usual services.

• ‘Santa Buddies’ directed by Robert Vince (2009) ‘When Puppy Paws, the fun-loving son of Santa Paws, gets bored, he finds Budderball on Santa’s naughty list and figures he’s just the dog to show him how to be an ordinary pup. When the magical Christmas Icicle starts to melt however, and the world begins to forget the true meaning of the season, it’s up to Puppy Paws and his newfound Buddies to journey back to the North Pole and save Christmas.’ Starring Zachary Gordon, George Wendt, & Christopher Lloyd. Stream it on Disney+.

• ‘The Search for Santa Paws’ directed by Robert Vince (2010) ‘When Santa and his new best friend, Paws, discover that the boys and girls of the world have lost the spirit of the season, they take a trip to New York City. But after Santa loses his memory, it’s up to Paws, a faithful orphan named Quinn, her new friend Will, and a wonderful group of magical talking dogs to save St. Nick and show the world what Christmas is really all about.’ Starring Zachary Gordon & Madison Pettis. Stream it on Disney+.

• ‘The Santa Clause’ directed by John Pasquin (1994) ‘On Christmas Eve, divorced dad Scott Calvin and his son discover Santa Claus has fallen off their roof. When Scott takes the reins of the magical sleigh, he finds he is now the new Santa, and must convince a world of disbelievers, including himself.’ Starring Tim Allen, Judge Reinhold, & Eric Lloyd. Stream it on Disney+.

• ‘The Santa Clause 2’ directed by Michael Limbeck (2002) ‘Better watch out! The big guy in red is coming to town once again. This time, Scott Calvin – also known as Santa Claus – finds out there’s an obscure clause in his contract requiring him to take on a wife. He has to leave the North Pole to fulfill his obligations, or else he’ll be forced to give up his Yuletide gig.’ Starring Tim Allen, Elizabeth Mitchell, Judge Reinhold, & Eric Lloyd. Stream it on Disney+.

• ‘The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause’ directed by Michael Limbeck (2006) ‘Now that Santa and Mrs. Claus have the North Pole running smoothly, the Counsel of Legendary Figures has called an emergency meeting on Christmas Eve! The evil Jack Frost has been making trouble, looking to take over the holiday! So he launches a plan to sabotage the toy factory and compel Scott to invoke the little-known Escape Clause and wish he’d never become Santa.’ Starring Tim Allen, Elizabeth Mitchell, Judge Reinhold, Eric Lloyd, Alan Arkin, Ann-Margret, & Martin Short. Stream it on Disney+. And if you’re looking for a Christmas series to watch, there’s a two season follow up series ‘The Santa Clauses’ that can be streamed on Disney+.

• ‘This Christmas’ directed by Preston A. Whitmore II (2007) ‘This year Christmas with the Whitfields promises to be one they will never forget. All the siblings have come home for the first time in years and they’ve brought plenty of baggage with them. As the Christmas tree is trimmed and the lights are hung, secrets are revealed and family bonds are tested. As their lives converge, they join together and help each other discover the true meaning of family.’ Starring Loretta Devine, Delroy Lindo, Idris Elba, Regina King, Laz Alonso, & Chris Brown. Stream it on Starz.

• ‘'Twas the Night’ directed by Nick Castle (2001) ‘A mischievous 14-year-old boy and his irresponsible uncle almost ruin Christmas when they decide to take Santa’s new high-tech sleigh for a joyride.’ Starring Bryan Cranston. Stream it on Disney+.

• ‘Unaccompanied Minors’ directed by Paul Feig (2006) ‘Six disparate kids snowed in at the airport on Christmas Eve learn some lessons about friendship when they launch a bid to get back to their families and outsmart a disgruntled airport official who wants to keep them grounded.’ Starring Lewis Black, Wilder Valderrama, & Tyler James Williams. Rent it from the usual services.

• ‘A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas’ directed by Todd Strauss-Schulson (2011) ‘Six years have elapsed since Guantanamo Bay, leaving Harold and Kumar estranged from one another with very different families, friends and lives. But when Kumar arrives on Harold’s doorstep during the holiday season with a mysterious package in hand, he inadvertently burns down Harold’s father-in-law’s beloved Christmas tree. To fix the problem, Harold and Kumar embark on a mission through New York City to find the perfect Christmas tree, once again stumbling into trouble at every single turn.’ Starring John Cho, Kal Penn, & Neil Patrick Harris. Rent it from the usual services.

• ‘A Very Murray Christmas’ directed by Sofia Coppola (2015) ‘Bill Murray worries no one will show up to his TV show due to a massive snowstorm in New York City. Through luck and perseverance, guests arrive at Gotham’s Carlyle Hotel to help him — dancing and singing in holiday spirit.’ Starring Bill Murray. Stream it on Netflix.

  Category #2- Drama: The spiritual opposite of comedy is drama, which is a surprisingly under represented genre, mostly because most of the films fall into a later category. Featuring a more dramatic storyline that is meant to play on our more sensitive emotions, a lot of these films feature a familial dynamic.

• ‘A Boy Called Christmas’ directed by Gil Kenan (2021) ‘An ordinary young boy called Nikolas sets out on an extraordinary adventure into the snowy north in search of his father who is on a quest to discover the fabled village of the elves, Elfhelm. Taking with him a headstrong reindeer called Blitzen and a loyal pet mouse, Nikolas soon meets his destiny in this magical and endearing story that proves nothing is impossible…’ Starring Henry Lawfull, Toby Jones, Sally Hawkins, Kristen Wiig, Michiel Huisman, Stephen Merchant, Jim Broadbent, & Maggie Smith. Stream it on Netflix.

• ‘The Christmas Shoes’ directed by Andy Wolk (2002) ‘Two separate stories mesh - in the first, a young music teacher, Maggie Andrews, begins dying of a heart condition and her son Nathan tries to get a pair of Christmas shoes for her before she dies. In the second, lawyer Robert Layton and his wife Kate are slowly drifting apart and the matter comes to a head during Christmas when Kate takes over for Maggie for the school choir.’ Starring Rob Lowe. As of right now, the film doesn’t seem to be available on digital or streaming.

• ‘The Family Man’ directed by Brett Ratner (2000) ‘Jack’s lavish, fast-paced lifestyle changes one Christmas night when he stumbles into a grocery store holdup and disarms the gunman. The next morning he wakes up in bed lying next to Kate, his college sweetheart he left in order to pursue his career, and to the horrifying discovery that his former life no longer exists. As he stumbles through this alternate suburban universe, Jack finds himself at a crossroad where he must choose between his high-power career and the woman he loves.’ Starring Nicolas Cage & Don Cheadle. Stream it on Netflix.

• ‘The Family Stone’ directed by Thomas Bezucha (2005) ‘An uptight, conservative businesswoman accompanies her boyfriend to his eccentric and outgoing family’s annual Christmas celebration and finds that she’s a fish out of water in their free-spirited way of life.’ Starring Dermot Mulroney, Sarah Jessica Parker, Diane Keaton, Claire Danes, Luke Wilson, Rachel McAdams, & Craig T. Nelson. Stream it on Hulu.

• ‘Jack Frost’ directed by Troy Miller (1998) ‘A father, who can’t keep his promises, dies in a car accident. One year later, he returns as a snowman, who has the final chance to put things right with his son before he is gone forever.’ Starring Michael Keaton, Kelly Preston, & Mark Addy. Stream it with a premium subscription on Sling TV, or rent from the usual services.

• ‘Jingle Jangle’ directed by David E. Talbert (2020) ‘An imaginary world comes to life in a holiday tale of an eccentric toymaker, his adventurous granddaughter, and a magical invention that has the power to change their lives forever.’ Starring Forest Whitaker, Keegan-Michael Key, Hugh Bonneville, Anika Noni Rose, Madalen Mills, Phylicia Rashad, & Ricky Martin. Stream it on Netflix.

• ‘Prancer’ directed by John D. Hancock (1989) ‘Jessica, the daughter of an impoverished apple farmer, still believes in Santa Claus. So when she comes across a reindeer with an injured leg, it makes perfect sense to her to assume that it is Prancer, who had fallen from a Christmas display in town. She hides the reindeer in her barn and feeds it cookies, until she can return it to Santa. Her father finds the reindeer an decides to sell it to the butcher, not for venison chops, but as an advertising display.’ Starring Rebecca Harrell Tickell, Sam Elliott, & Cloris Leachman. Stream it free on Pluto TV.

• ‘Santa Claus: The Movie’ directed by Jeannot Szwarc (1985) ‘In ancient times, a man named Claus, who delivers toys in his small village, fulfils his destiny to become Santa Claus after meeting an expert toy-making elf, Patch, in the North Pole. In the present day, Santa Claus has become overwhelmed by his workload, and the disgruntled Patch flees the workshop to New York City. There, Patch unknowingly threatens the fate of Christmas by taking a job at a failing toy company run by a scheming businessman.’ Starring Dudley Moore, John Lithgow, & David Huddleston. Stream it on Prime.

  Category #3- Romance: This is kind of a combination as it is made up of both romantic dramas and romantic comedies. So if you felt like any notable films were missing from those categories and they feature a romance at the center of the plot they landed here.

• ‘12 Dates of Christmas’ directed by James Hayman (2011) ‘In an attempt to win back her ex-boyfriend Jack on Christmas Eve, Kate ends up ruining her blind date with Miles, a handsome guy she’s been set up with. In a strange twist of fate, Kate is magically given the chance to re-live Christmas Eve twelve times!’ Starring Amy Smart & Mark-Paul Gosselaar. Rent it on Prime.

• ‘Carol’ directed by Todd Haynes (2015) ‘In 1950s New York, a department-store clerk who dreams of a better life falls for an older, married woman.’ Starring Cate Blanchett, Rooney Mara, Kyle Chandler, Jake Lacy, & Sarah Paulson. Stream it on Netflix.

• ‘A Christmas Prince’ directed by Alex Zamm (2017) ‘When a reporter goes undercover as a nanny to get the inside scoop on a playboy prince, she gets tangled in some royal intrigue and ends up finding love - but will she be able to keep up her lie?’ Starring Rose McIver & Ben Lamb. Stream it on Netflix.

• ‘EXmas’ directed by Jonah Feingold (2023) ‘When Graham decides to surprise his family by traveling home for Christmas, he is shocked to discover them already celebrating with an unexpected guest of honor, his ex-fiancée, Ali. The two exes battle it out to see who the family will pick to stay through Christmas Day and who must go.’ Starring Leighton Meester & Robbie Amell. Stream it on Prime or free on Freevee.

• ‘Falling for Christmas’ directed by Janeen Damian (2022) ‘An engaged, spoiled hotel heiress finds herself in the care of a handsome, blue-collar lodge owner and his precocious daughter after getting amnesia in a skiing accident.’ Starring Lindsay Lohan & Chord Overstreet. Stream it on Netflix.

• ‘Four Christmases’ directed by Seth Gordon (2008) ‘Brad and Kate have made something of an art form out of avoiding their families during the holidays, but this year their foolproof plan is about go bust – big time. Stuck at the city airport after all departing flights are canceled, the couple is embarrassed to see their ruse exposed to the world by an overzealous television reporter. Now, Brad and Kate are left with precious little choice other than to swallow their pride and suffer the rounds.’ Starring Vince Vaughn, Reese Witherspoon, Robert Duvall, Sissy Spacek, Mary Steenburgen, Jon Voight, Kristin Chenoweth, Jon Favreau, & Tim McGraw. Stream it on Max.

• ‘Holidate’ directed by John Whitesell (2020) ‘Fed up with being single on holidays, two strangers agree to be each other’s platonic plus-ones all year long, only to catch real feelings along the way.’ Starring Emma Roberts, Luke Bracey, & Kristin Chenoweth. Stream it on Netflix.

• ‘The Holiday’ directed by Nancy Myers (2006) ‘Two women, one from the United States and one from the United Kingdom, swap homes at Christmas time after bad breakups with their boyfriends. Each woman finds romance with a local man but realizes that the imminent return home may end the relationship.’ Starring Cameron Diaz, Kate Winslet, Jude Law, Jack Black, & Eli Wallach. Rent it on the usual platforms.

• ‘Just Friends’ directed by Roger Kumble (2005) ‘While visiting his hometown during Christmas, a man comes face-to-face with his old high school crush whom he was best friends with – a woman whose rejection of him turned him into a ferocious womanizer.’ Starring Ryan Reynolds & Amy Smart. Stream it on the usual platforms.

• ‘Last Christmas’ directed by Paul Feig (2019) ‘Kate is a young woman who has a habit of making bad decisions, and her last date with disaster occurs after she accepts work as Santa’s elf for a department store. However, after she meets Tom there, her life takes a new turn.’ Starring Emilia Clarke, Henry Golding, Michelle Yeoh, & Emma Thompson. Stream it on Max.

• ‘Love Actually’ directed by Richard Curtis (2003) ‘Eight London couples try to deal with their relationships in different ways. Their tryst with love makes them discover how complicated relationships can be.’ Starring Hugh Grant, Alan Rickman, Emma Thompson, Liam Neeson, Martine McCutcheon, Colin Firth, Bill Nighy, Laura Linney, Lúcia Moniz, Andrew Lincoln, Keira Knightley, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Martin Freeman, & Thomas Brodie-Sangster. Stream it on Prime.

• ‘The Princess Switch’ directed by Mike Rohl (2018) ‘When a down-to-earth Chicago baker and a soon-to-be princess discover they look like twins, they hatch a Christmastime plan to trade places.’ Starring Vanessa Hudgens. Stream it on Netflix.

• ‘Serendipity’ directed by Peter Chelsom (2001) ‘Although strangers Sara and Jonathan are both already in relationships, they realize they have genuine chemistry after a chance encounter – but part company soon after. Years later, they each yearn to reunite, despite being destined for the altar. But to give true love a chance, they have to find one another again.’ Starring John Cusack & Kate Beckinsale. Stream it on Max.

• ‘Single All the Way’ directed by Michael Mayer (2021) ‘Desperate to avoid his family’s judgment about his perpetual single status, Peter convinces his best friend Nick to join him for the holidays and pretend that they’re now in a relationship. But when Peter’s mother sets him up on a blind date with her handsome trainer James, the plan goes awry.’ Starring Michael Urie, Philemon Chambers, Luke Macfarlane, Jennifer Coolidge, & Kathy Najimy. Stream it on Netflix.

• ‘Something from Tiffany’s’ directed by Daryl Wein (2022) ‘Doesn’t every girl dream of getting… something from Tiffany’s? On 5th Avenue in New York City, where nothing compares to the magic and excitement of the holidays, where the streets blaze with lights, and windows dazzle, a special box from Tiffany could change the course of a person’s life. Or several lives. Rachel and Gary are happy enough but not quite ready for that big commitment. Ethan and Vanessa, the perfect picture, are just about to make it official. When a simple mix-up of gifts causes all of their paths to cross, it sets off a series of twists and unexpected discoveries that lead them where they’re truly meant to be. Because love – like life – is full of surprises.’ Starring Zoey Deutch, Kendrick Sampson, Ray Nicholson, Leah Sava Jeffries, & Shay Mitchell. Stream it on Prime.

• ‘While You Were Sleeping’ directed by Jon Turteltaub (1995) ‘A transit worker pulls commuter Peter off railway tracks after he’s mugged, but—while he’s in a coma—his family mistakenly thinks she’s Peter’s fiancée, and she doesn’t correct them. Things get more complicated when she falls for his brother, who’s not quite sure that she’s who she claims to be.’ Starring Sandra Bullock, Bill Pullman, & Peter Gallagher. Stream it on Disney+.

• ‘Why Him?’ directed by John Hamburg (2016) ‘A dad forms a bitter rivalry with his daughter’s young rich boyfriend.’ Starring Bryan Cranston, Zoey Deutch, & James Franco. Stream it on Fubo.

  I’m going to designate this as a sub-category of romance, and that is Hallmark Christmas movies. While there is a countless number of these, I’m going to include 10 that were added to Netflix November 1st! If you were an avid watched of Hallmark Christmas movies, I’d love to know which ones you consider some of the best.

• ‘A Biltmore Christmas’ directed by John Putch (2023) ‘Lucy is hired to write the script for a remake of a holiday movie. She joins a tour of the grounds and when she knocks an hourglass over, she finds herself transported back in time to 1946.’ Starring Bethany Joy Lenz & Kristoffer Polaha. This, like all of these films can be streamed on Netflix.

• ‘Christmas in Notting Hill’ directed by Ali Liebert (2023) ‘Football star, Graham Savoy, has always been too busy for love, but when he comes home to Notting Hill for Christmas, he changes his mind after meeting the one person who has no idea who he is.’ Starring Sarah Ramos & William Moseley.

• ‘Christmas Island’ directed by David Weaver (2023) ‘When a snowstorm diverts Kate’s first private flight bound for Switzerland, to Christmas Island in Nova Scotia, she must team up with an air traffic controller to secure her dream job as the family’s pilot.’ Starring Rachel Skarsten & Andrew W. Walker.

• ‘Christmas on Cherry Lane’ directed by Gail Harvey (2023) ‘Three couples at different parts of life navigate big turning points in their lives over the holidays.’ Starring Catherine Bell & Jonathan Bennett.

• ‘Christmas with a Kiss’ directed by Roger M. Bobb (2023) ‘This Mahogany film follows a woman who returns home for her family’s Christmas Carnival, unexpectedly meeting a photo journalist.’ Starring Mishael Morgan & Ronnie Rowe.

• ‘Haul Out the Holly’ directed by Maclain Nelson (2022) ‘Emily arrives home, hoping to visit her parents, only to discover that they are leaving on a trip of their own. As she stays at their house for the holidays, their HOA is determined to get Emily to participate in the neighborhood’s many Christmas festivities.’ Starring Lacey Chabert & Wes Brown.

• ‘Haul Out the Holly: Lit Up’ directed by Maclain Nelson (2023) ‘As the holidays approach, Emily and Jared are looking forward to celebrating the holidays together again, this time as a couple. Emily, now embracing Evergreen Lane’s uniquely festive spirit, is ready to work with Jared, Ned, Mary Louise and Pamela to make this year’s Christmas celebrations the best yet – even if being the HOA president’s girlfriend doesn’t stop those dreaded decorating citations. When a house on the block goes up for sale, it causes quite a stir with residents.’ Starring Lacey Chabert & Wes Brown.

• ‘A Heidelberg Holiday’ directed by Maclain Nelson (2023) ‘Heidi heads to the Heidelberg Christmas market to sell her hand-painted ornaments. While there, she falls for a local artisan who helps her reconnect with her lost heritage.’ Starring Ginna Claire & Frédéric Brossier.

• ‘A Merry Scottish Christmas’ directed by Dustin Rikert (2023) ‘When estranged siblings Lindsay and Brad travel to Scotland at Christmas to reunite with their mother Jo, a big family secret is revealed.’ Starring Lacey Chabert & Scott Wolf.

• ‘Miracle in Bethlehem, PA’ directed by Jeff Beesley (2023) ‘In this new DaySpring movie, successful Mary Ann Brubeck adopts a daughter right before Christmas. When bad weather lands her and her new baby stranded in Bethlehem, PA, their only option is to stay with the innkeeper’s brother Joe, a quintessential bachelor.’ Starring Laura Vandervoort & Benjamin Ayres.

  Category #4- Animated: This category features full length feature films that use a variety of animation styles opposed to live action. I personally love animated films and am a big advocate of animation not being a ‘kid-only’ genre.

• ‘Arthur Christmas’ directed by Sarah Smith (2011) ‘Each Christmas, Santa and his vast army of highly trained elves produce gifts and distribute them around the world in one night. However, when one of 600 million children to receive a gift from Santa on Christmas Eve is missed, it is deemed ‘acceptable’ to all but one—Arthur. Arthur Claus is Santa’s misfit son who executes an unauthorised rookie mission to get the last present half way around the globe before dawn on Christmas morning.’ Starring James McAvoy, Hugh Laurie, Bill Nighy, Jim Broadbent, Ashley Jensen, & Imelda Staunton. Rent it from all the usual services.

• ‘Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas’ directed by Andrew Knight (1997) ‘Astonished to find the Beast has a deep-seeded hatred for the Christmas season, Belle endeavors to change his mind on the matter.’ Starring Paige O’Hara & Robby Benson. Stream it on Disney+.

• ‘Diary of a Wimpy Kid Christmas: Cabin Fever’ directed by Luke Cormican (2023) ‘A hilarious and heartfelt holiday tale centered around everyone’s favorite disaster-prone middle school student, Greg Heffley, which finds him desperately fighting to stay off Santa’s naughty list as the family prepares for a major winter snowstorm.’ Starring Wesley Kimmel & Chris Diamantopoulos. Stream it on Disney+.

• ‘Elliot: The Littlest Reindeer’ directed by Jennifer Westcott (2018) ‘When Blitzen announces his retirement on December 21st, a miniature horse has 3 days to fulfill his lifelong dream of earning a spot on Santa’s team at the North Pole try-outs.’ Starring Josh Hutcherson, Samantha Bee, Martin Short, Morena Baccarin, Jeff Dunham & John Cleese. Stream it on Peacock or free on Tubi, Pluto TV, Xumo Play, The Roku Channel, Crackle, or Redbox.

• ‘The Grinch’ directed by Scott Mosier & Yarrow Cheney (2018) ‘The Grinch hatches a scheme to ruin Christmas when the residents of Whoville plan their annual holiday celebration.’ Starring Benedict Cumberbatch, Rashida Jones, Kenan Thompson, Pharrell Williams, & Angela Lansbury. Stream it with a premium subscription on Hulu, or rent from the typical services.

• ‘Klaus’ directed by Sergio Pablos (2019) ‘When Jesper distinguishes himself as the Postal Academy’s worst student, he is sent to Smeerensburg, a small village located on an icy island above the Arctic Circle, where grumpy inhabitants barely exchange words, let alone letters. Jesper is about to give up and abandon his duty as a postman when he meets local teacher Alva and Klaus, a mysterious carpenter who lives alone in a cabin full of handmade toys.’ Starring Jason Schwartzman, J.K. Simmons, Rashida Jones, Joan Cusack, & Norm MacDonald. Stream it on Netflix.

• ‘Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmas’ directed by various director (1999) ‘Mickey, Minnie, and their famous friends Goofy, Donald, Daisy and Pluto gather together to reminisce about the love, magic and surprises in three wonder-filled stories of Christmas past.’ Starring Kelsey Grammer, Wayne Allwine, Russi Taylor, Tony Anselmo, Diana Michele, & Bill Farmer. Stream it on Disney+.

• ‘Mickey’s Twice Upon a Christmas’ directed by various directors (2004) ‘Santa Claus, Mickey Mouse and all his Disney pals star in an original movie about the importance of opening your heart to the true spirit of Christmas. Stubborn old Donald tries in vain to resist the joys of the season, and Mickey and Pluto learn a great lesson about the power of friendship.’ Starring Wayne Allwine, Russi Taylor, Tony Anselmo, Bill Farmer, Tress MacNeille, Jason Marsden, & Jim Cummings. Stream it on Disney+.

• ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’ directed by Henry Selick (1993) ‘Tired of scaring humans every October 31 with the same old bag of tricks, Jack Skellington, the spindly king of Halloween Town, kidnaps Santa Claus and plans to deliver shrunken heads and other ghoulish gifts to children on Christmas morning. But as Christmas approaches, Jack’s rag-doll girlfriend, Sally, tries to foil his misguided plans.’ Starring Chris Sarandon, Danny Elfman, & Catherine O’Hara. Stream it on Disney+.

• ‘The Polar Express’ directed by Robert Zemeckis (2004) ‘When a doubting young boy takes an extraordinary train ride to the North Pole, he embarks on a journey of self-discovery that shows him that the wonder of life never fades for those who believe.’ Starring Tom Hanks. Stream it on Max.

• ‘Rise of the Guardians’ directed by Peter Ramsey (2012) ‘When an evil spirit known as Pitch lays down the gauntlet to take over the world, the immortal Guardians must join forces for the first time to protect the hopes, beliefs and imagination of children all over the world.’ Starring Chris Pine, Alec Baldwin, Jude Law, Isla Fisher, & Hugh Jackman. Rent it on the usual services.

• ‘Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Movie’ directed by William R. Kowalchuk Jr. (1998) ‘Young Rudolph suffers a childhood accident that sees his nose turn from the publicly accepted norm of black to a glowing red colour. His parents worry about him getting teased, and indeed he does in the end. When he is beaten in the reindeer games by his rival for a doe he fancies, Rudolph runs away and moves into a cave with Slyly the Fox. However can he overcome his fear and reach his true potential?’ Starring Eric Pospisil, Kathleen Barr, John Goodman, Whoopi Goldberg, Debbie Reynolds, & Bob Newhart. As of now, it doesn’t appear to be available to stream or rent digitally.

  Category #5- Classic: I almost just called this genre ‘Old,’ but that feels disrespectful. So I’ll go with classic. Nostalgic. Vintage. All of these movies take place before the year 1961, with most of them coming from the 40s.

• ‘Holiday Inn’ directed by Mark Sandrich (1942) ‘Lovely Linda Mason has crooner Jim Hardy head over heels, but suave stepper Ted Hanover wants her for his new dance partner after fickle Lila Dixon gives him the brush. Jim’s supper club, Holiday Inn, is the setting for the chase by Hanover and his manager.’ Starring Bing Crosby & Fred Astaire. Stream it on Prime.

• ‘Meet Me in St. Louis’ directed by Vincente Minnelli (1944) ‘Young love and childish fears highlight a year in the life of a turn-of-the-century family up to the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair.’ Starring Judy Garland. Stream it free on Tubi.

• ‘Going My Way’ directed by Leo McCarey (1944) ‘Youthful Father Chuck O’Malley led a colorful life of sports, song, and romance before joining the Roman Catholic clergy. After being appointed to a run-down New York parish, O’Malley’s worldly knowledge helps him connect with a gang of boys looking for direction, eventually winning over the aging, conventional Parish priest.’ Starring Bing Crosby & Barry Fitzgerald. Stream it on Prime.

• ‘The Bells of St. Mary’s’ directed by Leo McCarey (1945) ‘Father O’Malley is sent to St. Mary’s, a run-down parochial school on the verge of condemnation. He and Sister Benedict work together in an attempt to save the school, though their differing methods often lead to good-natured disagreements.’ Starring Bing Crosby & Ingrid Bergman. Stream it free on Tubi & The Roku Channel.

• ‘Christmas in Connecticut’ directed by Peter Godfrey (1945) ‘While recovering in a hospital, war hero Jefferson Jones grows familiar with the “Diary of a Housewife” column written by Elizabeth Lane. Jeff’s nurse arranges with Elizabeth’s publisher, Alexander Yardley, for Jeff to spend the holiday at Elizabeth’s bucolic Connecticut farm with her husband and child. But the column is a sham, so Elizabeth and her editor, Dudley Beecham, in fear of losing their jobs, hasten to set up the single, childless and entirely non-domestic Elizabeth on a country farm.’ Starring Barbara Stanwyck & Dennis Morgan. Rent it on the usual services.

• ‘The Bishop’s Wife’ directed by Henry Koster (1947) ‘An Episcopal Bishop, Henry Brougham, has been working for months on the plans for an elaborate new cathedral which he hopes will be paid for primarily by a wealthy, stubborn widow. He is losing sight of his family and of why he became a churchman in the first place. Enter Dudley, an angel sent to help him. Dudley does help everyone he meets, but not necessarily in the way they would have preferred. With the exception of Henry, everyone loves him, but Henry begins to believe that Dudley is there to replace him, both at work and in his family’s affections, as Christmas approaches.’ Starring Cary Grant, Loretta Young, & David Niven. Stream it on Peacock, Prime, or free on Tubi, Pluto TV, The Roku Channel, & Plex.

  • The film has had a remake: ‘The Preacher’s Wife’ directed by Penny Marshall (1996) ‘Good-natured Reverend Henry Biggs finds that his marriage to choir mistress Julia is flagging, due to his constant absence caring for the deprived neighborhood they live in. On top of all this, his church is coming under threat from property developer Joe Hamilton. In desperation, Biggs prays to God for help – which arrives in the form of an angel named Dudley.’ Starring Whitney Houston, Courtney B. Vance, & Denzel Washington. Stream with a premium subscription on Starz.

• ‘Miracle on 34th Street’ directed by George Seaton (1947) Kris Kringle, seemingly the embodiment of Santa Claus, is asked to portray the jolly old fellow at Macy’s following his performance in the Thanksgiving Day parade. His portrayal is so complete that many begin to question if he truly is Santa Claus, while others question his sanity.’ Starring Maureen O’Hara, John Payne, Natalie Wood, & Edmund Gwenn. Stream it on Disney+.

  • The film also has a remake: ‘Miracle on 34th Street’ directed by Les Mayfield (1994) ‘Six-year-old Susan Walker has doubts about childhood’s most enduring miracle—Santa Claus. Her mother told her the secret about Santa a long time ago, but, after meeting a special department store Santa who’s convinced he’s the real thing, Susan is given the most precious gift of all—something to believe in.’ Starring Richard Attenborough & Mara Wilson. Stream it on Disney+.

• ‘White Christmas’ directed by Michael Curtiz (1954) ‘Two talented song-and-dance men team up after the war to become one of the hottest acts in show business. In time they befriend and become romantically involved with the beautiful Haynes sisters who comprise a sister act.’ Starring Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Vera-Ellen, & Rosemary Clooney. Stream it on Prime.

• ‘We’re No Angels’ directed by Michael Curtiz (1955) ‘Three convicts escape from prison on Devil’s Island just before Christmas and arrive at a nearby French colonial town. They go to the store of the Ducotels, the only store that gives supplies on credit. They initially intend to take advantage of them but have a change of heart after they find the family is in financial troubles.’ Starring Humphrey Bogart, Aldo Ray, Peter Ustinov, Joan Bennett, & Basil Rathbone. Stream it free on Pluto TV.

  • Another one with a remake: ‘We’re No Angels’ directed by Neil Jordan (1989) ‘Two escaped cons’ only prayer to escape is to pass themselves off as priests and pass by the police blockade at the border into the safety of Canada.’ Starring Robert De Niro, Sean Penn, & Demi Moore. Rent it on the usual platforms.

• ‘Babes in Toyland’ directed by Richard Donahue & Austin Jewell (1961) ‘All roads lead to magical, merry Toyland as Mary Contrary and Tom Piper prepare for their wedding! But villainous Barnaby wants Mary for himself, so he kidnaps Tom, setting off a series of comic chases, searches, and double-crosses! The “March Of The Wooden Soldiers” helps put Barnaby in his place, and ensures a “happily ever after” for Tom and Mary!’ Starring Ray Bolger, Tommy Sands, Annette Funicello, & Ed Wynn. Stream it on Disney+.

  Category #6- A Christmas Carol: Yes this deserved a category of its own and has more entries than some others which is hilarious. If you didn’t connect the dots, all of these films take their roots in Charles Dickens’ classic book. I want to shoutout the 2009 rom com ‘Ghosts of Girlfriends Park’ that features the same story (with Matthew McConaughey playing the Scrooge role) but on a wedding day instead of Christmas.

• ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ directed by Frank Capra (1946) ‘A holiday favourite for generations… George Bailey has spent his entire life giving to the people of Bedford Falls. All that prevents rich skinflint Mr. Potter from taking over the entire town is George’s modest building and loan company. But on Christmas Eve the business’s $8,000 is lost and George’s troubles begin.’ Starring James Stewart, Donna Reed, & Lionel Barrymore. Stream it on Prime or free on Xumo Play, The Roku Channel, & Plex.

• ‘Scrooge’ directed by Brian Desmond Hurst (1951) ‘Ebenezer Scrooge malcontentedly shuffles through life as a cruel, miserly businessman; until he is visited by three spirits on Christmas Eve who show him how his unhappy childhood and adult behavior has left him a selfish, lonely old man.’ Starring Alastair Sim. Stream free on Tubi & Plex.

• ‘Mickey’s Christmas Carol’ directed by Burny Mattison (1983) ‘Ebenezer Scrooge is far too greedy to understand that Christmas is a time for kindness and generosity. But with the guidance of some new found friends, Scrooge learns to embrace the spirit of the season. A retelling of the classic Dickens tale with Disney’s classic characters.’ Starring Wayne Allwine, Clarence Nash, Alan Young, & Hal Smith. Stream it on Disney+.

• ‘A Christmas Carol’ directed by Clive Donner (1984) ‘Miser Ebenezer Scrooge is awakened on Christmas Eve by spirits who reveal to him his own miserable existence, what opportunities he wasted in his youth, his current cruelties, and the dire fate that awaits him if he does not change his ways. Scrooge is faced with his own story of growing bitterness and meanness, and must decide what his own future will hold: death or redemption.’ Starring George C. Scott. Stream it free on Tubi, Xumo Play, Sling TV, The Roku Channel, & Plex.

• ‘Scrooged’ directed by Richard Donner (1988) ‘Frank Cross is a wildly successful television executive whose cold ambition and curmudgeonly nature has driven away the love of his life. But after firing a staff member on Christmas Eve, Frank is visited by a series of ghosts who give him a chance to re-evaluate his actions and right the wrongs of his past.’ Starring Bill Murray & Karen Allen. Stream it on Paramount+.

• ‘The Muppet Christmas Carol’ directed by Brian Henson (1992) ‘A retelling of the classic Dickens tale of Ebenezer Scrooge, miser extraordinaire. He is held accountable for his dastardly ways during night-time visitations by the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future.’ Starring Michael Caine & The Muppets. Stream it on Disney+.

• ‘A Christmas Carol’ directed by Robert Zemeckis (2009) ‘Miser Ebenezer Scrooge is awakened on Christmas Eve by spirits who reveal to him his own miserable existence, what opportunities he wasted in his youth, his current cruelties, and the dire fate that awaits him if he does not change his ways. Scrooge is faced with his own story of growing bitterness and meanness, and must decide what his own future will hold: death or redemption.’ (Yes it is the exact same as the ‘88 version). Starring Jim Carrey, Gary Oldman, Colin Firth, Robin Wright, Cary Elwes, & Bob Hoskins. Stream it on Disney+.

• ‘The Man Who Invented Christmas’ directed by Bharat Nalluri (2017) ‘In 1843, despite the fact that Dickens is a successful writer, the failure of his latest book puts his career at a crossroads, until the moment when, struggling with inspiration and confronting reality with his childhood memories, a new character is born in the depths of his troubled mind; an old, lonely, embittered man, so vivid, so human, that a whole world grows around him, a story so inspiring that changed the meaning of Christmas forever.’ Starring Dan Stevens, Christopher Plummer, & Jonathan Pryce. Stream it on Prime.

• ‘Scrooge: A Christmas Carol’ directed by Stephen Donnelly (2022) ‘On a cold Christmas Eve, selfish miser Ebenezer Scrooge has one night left to face his past — and change the future — before time runs out.’ Starring Luke Evans, Olivia Colman, James Cosmo, Jessie Buckley, & Jonathan Pryce. Stream it on Netflix.

• ‘Spirited’ directed by Sean Anders (2022) ‘Each Christmas Eve, the Ghost of Christmas Present selects one dark soul to be reformed by a visit from three spirits. But this season, he picked the wrong Scrooge. Clint Briggs turns the tables on his ghostly host until Present finds himself reexamining his own past, present and future.’ Starring Will Ferrell, Ryan Reynolds, Octavia Spencer, & Tracy Morgan. Stream it on Apple TV+.

  Category #7- Genre Movies: Isn’t every movie in a genre? Yes dear reader it is. But this just means movies that fall into a more niche genre which in this case are ‘action,’ ‘horror,’ & ‘sci-fi.’ So yes this subcategory has 3 subcategories within it. Boom. You’ll notice I didn’t include ‘fantasy’ though it could fit here. Reason being, most Christmas movies feature fantastical elements (e.g. Santa, Christmas magic, etc.)

Action:

• ‘Fatman’ directed by Eshom & Ian Nelms (2020) ‘A rowdy, unorthodox Santa Claus is fighting to save his declining business. Meanwhile, Billy, a neglected and precocious 12 year old, hires a hit man to kill Santa after receiving a lump of coal in his stocking.’ Starring Mel Gibson & Walton Goggins. Stream it on Peacock.

• ‘Reindeer Games’ directed by John Frankenheimer (2000) ‘After assuming his dead cellmate’s identity to get with his girlfriend, an ex-con finds himself the reluctant participant in a casino heist.’ Starring Ben Affleck, Charlize Theron, & Gary Sinise. Stream it on Paramount+.

• ‘Violent Night’ directed by Tommy Wirkola (2022) ‘When a team of mercenaries breaks into a wealthy family compound on Christmas Eve, taking everyone inside hostage, the team isn’t prepared for a surprise combatant: Santa Claus is on the grounds, and he’s about to show why this Nick is no saint.’ Starring David Harbour, John Leguizamo, & Beverly D’Angelo. Stream it on Starz.

  Horror: There is actually a surprisingly high number (at least to me) number of horror Christmas movies, so I just kept it to some of the more popular ones in recent years. A majority of them find roots another film or Christmas story.

• ‘Better Watch Out’ directed by Chris Peckover (2016) ‘On a quiet suburban street tucked within a ‘safe neighborhood’, a babysitter must defend a twelve-year-old boy from strangers breaking into the house, only to discover that this is far from a normal home invasion.’ Starring Olivia DeJonge & Levi Miller. Stream it on Peacock or free on Tubi, Pluto TV, Sling TV, The Roku Channel, or Plex.

• ‘Black Christmas’ directed by Sophia Takal (2019) ‘A group of sorority pledges are stalked by a stranger during their Christmas break. That is until the young women discover that the killer is part of an underground campus conspiracy.’ Starring Imogen Poots & Cary Elwes. Stream it on Max.

• ‘It’s a Wonderful Knife’ directed by Tyler MacIntyre (2023) ‘Winnie’s life is less than wonderful one year after saving her town from a psychotic killer on Christmas Eve. When she wishes she was never born, she finds herself magically transported to a nightmarish parallel universe. With the murderous maniac now back, she must team up with a misfit to identify the culprit and get back to her own reality.’ Starring Jane Widdop & Joel McHale. Stream it on Hulu.

• ‘Krampus’ directed by Michael Dougherty (2015) ‘When his dysfunctional family clashes over the holidays, young Max is disillusioned and turns his back on Christmas. Little does he know, this lack of festive spirit has unleashed the wrath of Krampus: a force of ancient evil intent on punishing non-believers.’ Starring Emjay Anthony, Adam Scott, Toni Collette, & David Koechner. Stream it on Max.

• ‘The Mean One’ directed by Steven LaMorte (2022) ‘In a sleepy mountain town, Cindy witnesses the murder of her parents by a blood-thirsty green figure in a red Santa suit. Twenty years later, the Christmas-hating monster begins to terrorize the town once more. Cindy finds new purpose in stopping the creature and saving the holiday.’ Starring David Howard Thornton & Krystle Martin. Stream it on Starz.

• ‘Santa’s Slay’ directed by David Steiman (2005) ‘Santa Claus is actually a demon who lost a bet with an angel, so he became the giver of toys and happiness. But this year the bet is off, and Santa is about to return to his evil ways.’ Starring Bill Goldberg. Stream it on Starz.

  Sci-Fi: technically 3/4 of these are short specials, not feature length films, but oh well.

• ‘A Cosmic Christmas’ directed by Clive A. Smith (1977) ‘Three aliens from an unknown planet, who bear a strong resemblance to the Biblical Magi, visit earth to know the true meaning of Christmas.’ Starring Joey Davidson. Stream it free on Tubi.

• ‘The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special’ directed by James Gunn (2022) ‘On a mission to make Christmas unforgettable for Quill, the Guardians head to Earth in search of the perfect present.’ Starring Chris Pratt, Dave Bautista, Karen Gillan, Pom Klementieff, Sean Gunn, Michael Rooker, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, & Kevin Bacon. Stream it on Disney+.

• ‘Santa Claus Conquers the Martians’ directed by Nicholas Webster (1964) ‘Martians fear their children have become lazy and joyless due to their newfound obsession with Earth TV shows. After ancient Martian leader Chochem suggests that the children of Mars need more fun—including their own Santa Claus—supreme leader Lord Kimar assembles an expedition to Earth. Once there, they kidnap two children who lead them to the North Pole, then capture the real Santa Claus, taking all three back to Mars in an attempt to bring the Martian children happiness.’ Starring John Call. Stream it on Prime, MGM+, or free on Tubi, Pluto TV, Xumo Play, Sling TV, Fandango at Home, & Plex. Yes this really exists.

• ‘The Star Wars Holiday Special’ directed by Steve Binder & David Acomba (1978) ‘Luke Skywalker and Han Solo battle evil Imperial forces to help Chewbacca reach his imperiled family on the Wookiee planet - in time for Life Day, their most important day of the year!’ Starring Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Peter Mayhew, Anthony Daniels, & James Earl Jones. This can be found on YouTube at varying qualities (though I admittedly don’t know the legality of this). I will be writing an article summarizing this and highlighting the infamy of it, so stay tuned for that.

  Category #8- Non-Christmas: This category contains all the movie that are up for debate as Christmas movies because most of them just take place during Christmas. After the first entry you’ll get the gist. Most of them could probably fit into the previous ‘genre’ category, but are more debatable on their yuletide status.

• ‘Die Hard’ directed by John McTiernan (1988) ‘NYPD cop John McClane’s plan to reconcile with his estranged wife is thrown for a serious loop when, minutes after he arrives at her office, the entire building is overtaken by a group of terrorists. With little help from the LAPD, wisecracking McClane sets out to single-handedly rescue the hostages and bring the bad guys down.’ Starring Bruce Willis, Bonnie Bedelia, Reginald VelJohnson & Alan Rickman. Stream it on Hulu or Disney+. I honestly debated not putting here because of how vehemently I believe it is a Christmas movie. But, it is kind of the poster child for this category. Stay tuned for a full dissertation of my thoughts on why ‘Die Hard’ is a Christmas movie.

• ‘Die Hard 2’ directed by Renny Harlin (1990) ‘One year after his heroics in Los Angeles, John McClane is an off-duty cop who is the wrong guy in the wrong place at the wrong time. On a snowy Christmas Eve, as he waits for his wife’s plane to land at Washington Dulles International Airport, terrorists take over the air traffic control system in a plot to free a South American army general and drug smuggler being flown into the US to face drug charges. It’s now up to McClane to take on the terrorists, while coping with an inept airport police chief, an uncooperative anti-terrorist squad, and the life of his wife and everyone else trapped in planes circling overhead.’ Starring Bruce Willis, Bonnie Bedelia, Reginald VelJohnson, William Atherton, Franco Nero, William Sadler, & John Amos. Stream it on Hulu or Disney+.

• ‘Alvin and the Chipmunks’ directed by Tim Hill (2007) ‘A struggling songwriter named Dave Seville finds success when he comes across a trio of singing chipmunks: mischievous leader Alvin, brainy Simon, and chubby, impressionable Theodore.’ Starring Jason Lee, David Cross, Justin Long, Matthew Gray Gubler, & Jesse McCartney. Rent it on the usual services.

• ‘Edward Scissorhands’ directed by Tim Burton (1990) ‘A small suburban town receives a visit from a castaway unfinished science experiment named Edward.’ Starring Johnny Depp, Winona Ryder, Dianne West, & Anthony Michael Hall. Stream it on Hulu or Disney+.

• ‘Eyes Wide Shut’ directed by Stanley Kubrick (1999) ‘After Dr. Bill Harford’s wife, Alice, admits to having sexual fantasies about a man she met, Bill becomes obsessed with having a sexual encounter. He discovers an underground sexual group and attends one of their meetings – and quickly discovers that he is in over his head.’ Starring Tom Cruise & Nicole Kidman. Stream it on Paramount+.

• ‘First Blood’ directed by Ted Kotcheff (1982) ‘When former Green Beret John Rambo is harassed by local law enforcement and arrested for vagrancy, he is forced to flee into the mountains and wage an escalating one-man war against his pursuers.’ Starring Sylvester Stallone. Stream it on Paramount+ or free on Tubi & Pluto TV.

• ‘Gremlins’ directed by Joe Dante (1984) ‘When Billy Peltzer is given a strange but adorable pet named Gizmo for Christmas, he inadvertently breaks the three important rules of caring for a Mogwai, unleashing a horde of mischievous gremlins on a small town.’ Starring Zach Galligan & Phoebe Cates. Stream it on Max.

• ‘Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone’ directed by Chris Columbus (2001) ‘Harry Potter has lived under the stairs at his aunt and uncle’s house his whole life. But on his 11th birthday, he learns he’s a powerful wizard—with a place waiting for him at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. As he learns to harness his newfound powers with the help of the school’s kindly headmaster, Harry uncovers the truth about his parents’ deaths—and about the villain who’s to blame.’ Starring Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Richard Harris, Tom Felton, Alan Rickman, Robbie Coltrane, & Maggie Smith. Stream it on Peacock or Max.

• ‘In Bruges’ directed by Martin McDonagh (2008) ‘Ray and Ken, two hit men, are in Bruges, Belgium, waiting for their next mission. While they are there they have time to think and discuss their previous assignment. When the mission is revealed to Ken, it is not what he expected.’ Starring Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson, & Ralph Fiennes. Rent it on the usual platforms.

• ‘Jurassic World’ directed by Colin Trevorrow (2015) ‘Twenty-two years after the events of Jurassic Park, Isla Nublar now features a fully functioning dinosaur theme park, Jurassic World, as originally envisioned by John Hammond.’ Starring Chris Pratt & Bryce Dallas Howard. Stream it on Max.

• ‘Kiss Kiss Bang Bang’ directed by Shane Black (2005) ‘A petty thief posing as an actor is brought to Los Angeles for an unlikely audition and finds himself in the middle of a murder investigation along with his high school dream girl and a detective who’s been training him for his upcoming role…’ Starring Robert Downey Jr. & Val Kilmer. Stream it on the usual services.

• ‘Lethal Weapon’ directed by Richard Donner (1987) ‘Veteran buttoned-down LAPD detective Roger Murtaugh is partnered with unhinged cop Martin Riggs, who – distraught after his wife’s death – has a death wish and takes unnecessary risks with criminals at every turn. The odd couple embark on their first homicide investigation as partners, involving a young woman known to Murtaugh with ties to a drug and prostitution ring.’ Starring Mel Gibson & Danny Glover.

• ‘Little Women’ directed by Greta Gerwig (2019) ‘Four sisters come of age in America in the aftermath of the Civil War.’ Starring Saoirse Ronan, Emma Watson, Florence Pugh, Eliza Scanlen, Laura Dern, & Timothée Chalamet. Stream it on Hulu.

• ‘Rocky IV’ directed by Sylvester Stallone (1985) ‘Rocky Balboa proudly holds the world heavyweight boxing championship, but a new challenger has stepped forward: Ivan Drago, a six-foot-four, 261-pound fighter who has the backing of the Soviet Union.’ Starring Sylvester Stallone, Talia Shire, Burt Young, Carl Weathers, & Dolph Lundgren. Rent it from the usual services.

• ‘Rocky V’ directed by John G. Avildsen (1990) ‘A lifetime of taking shots has ended Rocky’s career, and a crooked accountant has left him broke. Inspired by the memory of his trainer, however, Rocky finds glory in training and takes on an up-and-coming boxer.’ Starring Sylvester Stallone, Talia Shire, Burt Young, Richard Gant, & Tommy Morrison. Rent it on the usual services.

  Plus your handful of superhero Christmas movies (shoutout the MCU Disney+ series ‘Hawkeye’ which would totally make this list if it was a film).

• ‘Batman Returns’ directed by Tim Burton (1992) ‘Batman must face The Penguin, a sewer-dwelling gangleader intent on being accepted into Gotham society. Meanwhile, another Gotham resident finds herself transformed into Catwoman and is out for revenge…’ Starring Michael Keaton, Danny DeVito, Michelle Pfeiffer, & Christopher Walken. Stream it on Max.

• ‘Iron Man 3’ directed by Shane Black (2013) ‘When Tony Stark’s world is torn apart by a formidable terrorist called the Mandarin, he starts an odyssey of rebuilding and retribution.’ Stream it on Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Guy Pearce, & Ben Kingsley. Stream it on Disney+.

• ‘Shazam!’ directed by David F. Sandberg (2019) ‘A boy is given the ability to become an adult superhero in times of need with a single magic word.’ Starring Zachary Levi, Mark Strong, Asher Angel, Jack Dylan Grazer, Adam Brody, & Djimon Hounsou. Stream it on Max.

• ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ directed by Jon Watts (2021) ‘Peter Parker is unmasked and no longer able to separate his normal life from the high-stakes of being a super-hero. When he asks for help from Doctor Strange the stakes become even more dangerous, forcing him to discover what it truly means to be Spider-Man.’ Starring Tom Holland, Zendaya, Benedict Cumberbatch, Jamie Foxx, Willem Dafoe, Alfred Molina, Jacob Batalon, Andrew Garfield, & Tobey Maguire. Stream it on Fubo TV.

  Category #9- Animated Shorts: This list is animated shorts that mostly debuted on TV and many of which air annually. They all just feature a short airtime. Shorts. Short.

• ‘A Charlie Brown Christmas’ directed by Bill Melendez (1965) ‘When Charlie Brown complains about the overwhelming materialism that he sees amongst everyone during the Christmas season, Lucy suggests that he become director of the school Christmas pageant. Charlie Brown accepts, but it is a frustrating struggle. When an attempt to restore the proper spirit with a forlorn little fir Christmas tree fails, he needs Linus’ help to learn the meaning of Christmas.’ Starring Peter Robbins. Stream it on Apple TV+.

• ‘Elf: Buddy’s Christmas Musical’ directed by Mark Caballero & Seamus Walsh (2014) ‘Santa narrates the story of Buddy’s travels to New York City to meet the father he never knew he had. Along the way his unrelenting cheer transforms the lives of everyone he meets and opens his father’s eyes to the magic of Christmas.’ Starring Jim Parsons, Mark Hamill, Kate Micucci, & Ed Asner. Rent it on the usual services.

• ‘How the Grinch Stole Christmas!’ directed by Chuck Jones (1966) ‘Bitter and hateful, the Grinch is irritated at the thought of a nearby village having a happy time celebrating Christmas. Disguised as Santa Claus, with his dog made to look like a reindeer, he decides to raid the village to steal all the Christmas things.’ Starring Boris Karloff. Stream it on Peacock.

• ‘O’ Christmas Tree’ directed by Russ Harris & G. Brian Reynolds (1994) ‘Santa has neighbors at the North Pole - two feuding polar bears named Iggy Lou Bear and Edgar Allan Snow. Both want to recapture the warm feelings of Christmas from childhood, so each intends to get a Christmas Tree of his own. The only trouble is, there is only one tree in the whole frozen north! A hilarious battle of will and wit ensues, as the two bears feud to “win” the only tree in the land.’ Starring Russ Harris & G. Brian Reynolds. Stream it on Peacock or free on Tubi or Pluto TV.

• ‘Olive, The Other Reindeer’ directed by Steve Moore (1999) ‘After mis-hearing a radio broadcast about Santa canceling his Christmas trip due to an injured reindeer, Olive the dog decides to travel to the North Pole and volunteer to be a replacement. Unfortunately, Olive must deal with an evil postman who’s tired of handling all the extra Christmas mail. Will Martini the penguin be able to help Olive realize her dream?’ Starring Drew Barrymore, Dan Castellaneta, Joe Panttoliano, & Ed Asner. I don’t see that is currently available on digital.

• ‘Prep & Landing’ directed by Kevin Deters & Stevie Wermers-Skelton (2009) ‘Wayne gets a new rookie partner, Lanny, after his previous partner got the promotion he wanted. Lanny has to remind Wayne of the Spirit of Christmas and the importance of being an elf in Santa’s Prep and Landing elite unit.’ Starring Dave Foley & Derek Richardson. Stream it on Disney+.

• ‘The Snowman’ directed by Dianne Jackson (1982) ‘A young boy makes a snowman one Christmas Eve, which comes to life at midnight and takes him on a magical adventure to the North Pole to meet Santa Claus.’ Stream it free on Pluto TV. I also think it’s worth noting this film received an Oscar nomination for Best Animated Short.

• ‘Ted Lasso: The Missing Christmas Mustache’ (2021) ‘Something very important goes missing.’ Starring Jason Sudeikis, Brett Goldstein, Nick Mohammed, Hannah Waddingham, Phil Dunster, Jeremy Swift, Juno Temple, & Brendan Hunt. Stream it on Apple TV+.

• ‘Toy Story That Time Forgot’ directed by Steve Purcell (2014) ‘During a post-Christmas play date, the gang find themselves in uncharted territory when the coolest set of action figures ever turn out to be dangerously delusional. It’s all up to Trixie, the triceratops, if the gang hopes to return to Bonnie’s room in this Toy Story That Time Forgot.’ Starring Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Kristen Schaal, & Kevin McKidd. Stream it on Disney+.

  You also have some DreamWorks Animation specials like:

• ‘How to Train Your Dragon: Homecoming’ directed by Tim Johnson (2019) ‘It’s been ten years since the dragons moved to the Hidden World, and even though Toothless doesn’t live in New Berk anymore, Hiccup continues the holiday traditions he once shared with his best friend. But the Vikings of New Berk were beginning to forget about their friendship with dragons. Hiccup, Astrid, and Gobber know just what to do to keep the dragons in the villagers’ hearts. And across the sea, the dragons have a plan of their own…’ Starring Jay Baruchel, America Ferrera, & Gerard Butler. Stream it on Hulu.

• ‘Kung Fu Panda Holiday’ directed by Tim Johnson (2010) ‘The Winter Feast is Po’s favorite holiday. Every year he and his father hang decorations, cook together, and serve noodle soup to the villagers. But this year Shifu informs Po that as Dragon Warrior, it is his duty to host the formal Winter Feast at the Jade Palace. Po is caught between his obligations as the Dragon Warrior and his family traditions: between Shifu and Mr. Ping.’ Starring Jack Black, Dustin Hoffman, & Angelina Jolie. Not currently available on digital.

• ‘Merry Madagascar’ directed by David Soren (2009) ‘The Zoosters are back in an all-new holiday adventure. When Santa and his reindeer crash onto the island of Madagascar it’s up to Alex, Marty, Gloria, Melman and those wacky penguins to save Christmas. Get ready for a sleigh full of laughs in this hilarious new holiday classic.’ Starring Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, David Schwimmer, & Jada Pinkett Smith. Not currently available on digital.

• ‘Shrek the Halls’ directed by Gary Trousdale (2007) ‘The Christmas tree isn’t the only thing green in this new holiday classic. Shrek is back and trying to get into the spirit of the season. After promising Fiona and the kids a Christmas they’ll remember, he is forced to take a crash course in the holiday. But just when he thinks he has everything for their quiet family Christmas just right, there is a knock at the door.’ Starring Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, & Antonio Banderas. Not currently available on digital.

• ‘Donkey’s Christmas Shrektacular’ directed by Walt Dohrn (2010) ‘Deck the halls with Donkey’s laughter in this all-new holiday collection. Donkey presents his very own carolling stage show featuring his Far Far Away pals in this merry, musical treat with all the trimmings! Join in the fun as they bring their own Shrektacular spirit to festive holiday songs, a fun Donkey Decoration scramble, and a hilarious virtual Yule Log that’s so funny… it’s on fire.’ Starring Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, & Antonio Banderas. Rentable on the usual services.

• ‘Trolls Holiday’ directed by Joel Crawford (2017) ‘When the eternally optimistic Poppy, queen of the Trolls, learns that the Bergens no longer have any holidays on their calendar, she enlists the help of Branch and the rest of the gang on a delightfully quirky mission to fix something that the Bergens don’t think is broken.’ Starring Anna Kendrick, Justin Timberlake, & Zooey Deschanel. Rent it on. the usual services.

• ‘Trolls: Holiday in Harmony’ directed by Sean Charmatz & Tim Heitz (2021) ‘Queen Poppy plans the first annual Trolls Kingdom Secret Holiday Gift Swap, but things don’t go quite as expected.’ Starring Anna Kendrick, Justin Timberlake, Kenan Thompson, & Travis Scott. Stream it on Hulu.

  And you of course have the countless Rankin/Bass Productions which feature some of the most iconic specials (most of which are still shown on TV & most of which can be found on YouTube):

• ‘Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer’ directed by Larry Roemer (1964) ‘Sam the snowman tells us the story of a young red-nosed reindeer who, after being ousted from the reindeer games because of his glowing nose, teams up with Hermey, an elf who wants to be a dentist, and Yukon Cornelius, the prospector. They run into the Abominable Snowman and find a whole island of misfit toys. Rudolph vows to see if he can get Santa to help the toys, and he goes back to the North Pole on Christmas Eve. But Santa’s sleigh is fogged in. But when Santa looks over Rudolph, he gets a very bright idea…’ Starring Burl Ives. Rent it on the usual services.

• ‘The Little Drummer Boy’ directed by Rankin & Bass (1968) ‘After being kidnapped and escaping, young drummer boy Aaron searches for his camel and finds him in the Nativity of the Baby Jesus. Aaron gives Baby Jesus the only gift he has, a song on his drum.’ Starring Ted Eccles. Stream it on Hulu.

• ‘Frosty the Snowman’ directed by Rankin & Bass (1969) ‘A discarded silk top-hat becomes the focus of a struggle between a washed-up stage magician and a group of schoolchildren, after it magically brings a snowman to life. Realizing that newly-living Frosty will melt in spring unless he takes refuge in a colder climate, Frosty and Karen, a young girl who he befriends, stow away on a freight train headed for the north pole. Little do they know that the magician is following them, and he wants his hat back!’ Starring Jackie Vernon. Stream it on Hulu.

• ‘Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town’ directed by Rankin & Bass (1970) ‘A postman, S.D. Kluger, decides to answer some of the most common questions about Santa Claus, and tells us about a baby named Kris who is raised by a family of elf toymakers named Kringle. When Kris grows up, he wants to deliver toys to the children of Sombertown. But its Mayor is too mean to let that happen. And to make things worse, the Winter Warlock lives between the Kringles and Sombertown.’ Starring Fred Astaire & Mickey Rooney. Stream it on Prime.

• ‘'Twas the Night Before Christmas’ directed by Rankin & Bass (1974) ‘When a town learns that Santa Claus has struck it off his delivery schedule due to an insulting letter, a way must be found to change his mind.’ Starring Joel Grey. Not currently available on digital.

• ‘The Year Without Santa Claus’ directed by Rankin & Bass (1974) ‘Feeling forgotten by the children of the world, old St. Nick decides to skip his gift-giving journey and take a vacation. Mrs. Claus and two spunky little elves, Jingle and Jangle, set out to see to where all the season’s cheer has disappeared. Aided by a magical snowfall, they reawaken the spirit of Christmas in children’s hearts and put Santa back in action.’ Starring Shirley Booth & Mickey Rooney. Rent it on the usual services.

• ‘The First Christmas: The Story of the First Christmas Snow’ directed by Rankin & Bass (1975) ‘A young shepherd, Lucas, is blinded by lightening, and some kindly nuns at a nearby abbey take him in. Sister Catherine describes snow to Lucas, who has never seen it. Lucas gets chosen to play an angel in the abbey’s Christmas pageant, and the Christmas snow that falls during the pageant works a small miracle.’ Starring Angela Lansbury. Not available on digital. Also, what a concise title.

• ‘Frosty’s Winter Wonderland’ directed by Rankin & Bass (1976) ‘Years have passed since Frosty left for the North Pole, but his promise is kept when he hears news of the first snowfall of the season, and decides to return.’ Starring Andy Griffith & Jackie Vernon. Rent it on the usual services.

• ‘Nestor, the Long-Eared Christmas Donkey’ directed by Rankin & Bass (1977) ‘Nestor the donkey is a bit of an oddity–his long ears are enough for six donkeys and stretch all the way to the ground. One night, when Nestor is locked out in the cold, he begins to wander the desert.’ Starring Roger Miller. Available on YouTube.

• ‘The Stingiest Man in Town’ directed by Rankin & Bass (1978) ‘This cartoon version of A Christmas Carol hails from the production house of Arthur Rankin Jr. and Jules Bass–the team that brought you just about every other Christmas special you saw as a kid (including Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer).’ Starring Walter Matthau & Tom Bosley. Not available on digital.

• ‘Jack Frost’ directed by Rankin & Bass (1979) ‘Pardon-me Pete, the official groundhog of Groundhog Day, tells the story of Jack Frost, who falls in love with a beautiful young woman and begs Father Winter to make him human so that she can see him. His request is granted, but only on the condition that by the Spring he has a house, a bag of gold, a horse and a wife. But Jack finds that life as a human is more complicated than he thought.’ Starring Buddy Hackett & Robert Morse. Stream it on Prime or free on Tubi.

• ‘Rudolph and Frosty’s Christmas in July’ directed by Rankin & Bass (1979) ‘Winterbolt is trying to make the North Pole his evil wonderland, and it is up to Frosty the Snowman, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and others to stop him.’ Starring Red Buttons, Mickey Rooney, & Jackie Vernon. Rent it on the usual platforms.

• ‘Pinocchio’s Christmas’ directed by Rankin & Bass (1980) ‘As Geppetto prepares for Christmas, Pinocchio joins a puppet show to earn money for a present. There he meets and elopes with the beautiful girl puppet, Julietta, leaving Geppetto alone and worried.’ Starring Todd Porter. Rent it on the usual platforms.

• ‘The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus’ directed by Rankin & Bass (1985) ‘The Great Ak calls a council of the Immortals to ask that Santa Claus be given immortality. And to justify it, he tells the history of Santa Claus. The Ak found an abandoned baby and gave it to a lioness and a fairy to raise, who named him Claus. When Claus grew up, the Great Ak showed him the evil and hardship in the world and Claus decides to live there and relieve some of the suffering. He decides to make toys for orphans, but King Awgwa, the ruler of the valley where Claus lives doesn’t want the children to be happy, and there is a great battle among Immortals.’ Starring Earl Hammond. Not available on digital.

  Category #10- Variety Specials: This is your typical celebrity hosted (usually musical) special that features a holiday twist. All of the ones listed are more recent, but there are many older ones that I’m sure are worth a watch.

• ‘CMA Country Christmas’ this special actually airs annually on ABC. The 2023 edition was hosted by Trisha Yearwood & Lainey Wilson with the 2024 special yet to be set as of my writing of this article.

• ‘Darci Lynne: My Hometown Christmas’ directed by Michael Simon (2013) ‘Darci Lynne Farmer and her puppet friends Petunia, Oscar, Katie and Edna perform with special musical guests, and visit Farmer’s hometown.’ Also featuring Kristin Chenoweth, Howie Mandel, Heidi Klum, & Simon Cowell. Not available on streaming, originally aired on NBC.

• ‘Hannah Waddingham: Home for Christmas’ directed by Hamish Hamilton (2023) ‘Ring in the holidays with Emmy-winning star Hannah Waddingham as she welcomes special guests for a musical extravaganza at the London Coliseum.’ Also featuring Luke Evans, Leslie Odom Jr., & Waddingham’s ‘Ted Lasso’ co-stars, Jason Sudeikis, Juno Temple, Phil Dunster, Juno Temple, Brendan Hunt, Nick Mohammed, James Lance, Billy Harris, & Brett Goldstein. Stream it on Apple TV+.

• ‘Holidays with the Houghs’ (2019) ‘Star siblings Derek and Julianne Hough host and perform a variety of holiday-themed dance numbers and comedy sketches – sharing some of their favorite traditions and featuring special appearances by popular recording artists and celebrities.’ Not available on digital, originally aired on NBC.

• ‘The Kacey Musgraves Christmas Show’ directed by Chris Howe (2019) ‘Join Kacey Musgraves for a holiday variety show featuring new songs, time-honored classics, and a rotating cast of celebrity friends.’ Also featuring Dan Levy, Troye Sivan, Lana Del Rey, Leon Bridges, Fred Armisen, Zooey Deschanel, Kendall Jenner, Camila Cabello, & James Corden. Stream it on Prime.

• ‘Kelly Clarkson Presents: When Christmas Comes to Town’ directed by Joe Terry (2021) ‘Kelly Clarkson celebrates the holidays with musical performances and special guests, including Brett Eldredge, Ariana Grande, Jay Leno, Melissa McCarthy, Leslie Odom Jr., Amy Poehler and Santa Claus, while giving back to those in need.’ Stream it on Peacock.

• ‘Lady Gaga & the Muppets Holiday Spectacular’ directed by Gregg Gelfand (2013) ‘Thanksgiving special starring Lady Gaga performing songs from ARTPOP and Muppet sketches.’ Also featuring Elton John, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Kristen Bell, & RuPaul. Not available on digital.

• ‘Mariah Carey’s Magical Christmas Special’ directed by Hamish Hamilton & Roman Coppola (2020) ‘Faced with a holiday cheer crisis, the North Pole knows there’s only one person who can save the day: Santa’s great friend Mariah Carey. The Queen of Christmas creates a fabulous and star-studded spectacular to make the whole world merry!’ Also featuring Ariana Grande, Jennifer Hudson, Tiffany Haddish, Billy Eichner, Snoop Dogg, Jermaine Dupri, & Mille Bobby Brown. Stream it on Apple TV+.

• ‘The Wonderful World of Disney Magical Holiday Celebration’ another annual celebration here is the info on the 2023 version, directed by Sam Wrench. ‘Derek Hough and Julianne Hough host and perform holiday music, along with Michael Bolton, Mickey Guyton, Adam Blackstone, Andra Day, Chris Janson, Tori Kelly, Chrissy Metz, The Smashing Pumpkins, Robin Thicke and Iam Tongi.’

  Category #11- Nativity: The reason for the season, there are a handful of films that center on the birth of Jesus, and those films are here.

• ‘Journey to Bethlehem’ directed by Adam Anders (2023) ‘A young woman carrying an unimaginable responsibility. A young man torn between love and honor. A jealous king who will stop at nothing to keep his crown.’ Starring Fionna Palomo, Milo Manheim, Antonio Banderas, & Lecrae. Stream it on Netflix.

• ‘Nativity!’ directed by Debbie Isitt (2009) ‘Paul, charged with directing his school’s Nativity play, falsely boasts that his ex-girlfriend plans to turn the production into a film.’ Starring Martin Freeman & Ashley Jensen. Not currently available on digital. And this one is a little miscategorized, but oh well.

• ‘The Nativity’ directed by Bernard L. Kowalski (1978) ‘The story of the courtship of Joseph and Mary, and of the events leading up to the first Christmas.’ Starring Madeleine Stowe & John Shea. Not currently available on digital.

• ‘The Nativity Story’ directed by Catherine Hardwicke (2006) ‘Mary and Joseph make the hard journey to Bethlehem for a blessed event in this retelling of the Nativity story. This meticulously researched and visually lush adaptation of the biblical tale follows the pair on their arduous path to their arrival in a small village, where they find shelter in a quiet manger and Jesus is born.’ Starring Keisha Castle-Hughes, Oscar Isaac, Hiam Abbass, Shaun Toub, Ciarán Hinds, & Shohreh Aghdashloo. Rent on the usual platforns.

• ‘The Star’ directed by Timothy Reckart (2017) ‘A small but brave donkey and his animal friends become the unsung heroes of the greatest story ever told: the first Christmas.’ Starring Steven Yeun, Gina Rodriguez, Zachary Levi, Keegan-Michael Key, Kelly Clarkson, Anthony Anderson, Kris Kristofferson, Ving Rhames, Gabriel Iglesias, Kristin Chenoweth, Paticia Heaton, Christopher Plummer, Aidy Bryant, Tyler Perry, Tracy Morgan, Mariah Carey, & Oprah Winfrey. Rent it on the usual services.

  Category #12- 2024: The final category features film from all the previous categories with the caveat of them being released this year!

• ‘Terrifier 3’ directed by Damien Leone (October 11) ‘Five years after surviving Art the Clown’s Halloween massacre, Sienna and Jonathan are still struggling to rebuild their shattered lives. As the holiday season approaches, they try to embrace the Christmas spirit and leave the horrors of the past behind. But just when they think they’re safe, Art returns, determined to turn their holiday cheer into a new nightmare. The festive season quickly unravels as Art unleashes his twisted brand of terror, proving that no holiday is safe.’ Starring David Howard Thornton. Released in theaters.

• ‘Christmas on the Ranch’ directed by Danny Budey (November 1) ‘When a talk show host relationship expert with her own romantic hang-ups gets stranded at a ranch before Christmas, the charming rancher reminds her that love is always worth the risk.’ Starring Jade Harlow & Houston Rhines. Released on Hulu.

• ‘Meet Me Next Christmas’ directed by Rusty Cundieff (November 6) ‘On a quest to meet the man of her dreams, a hopeless romantic races across New York City to find a ticket to a sold-out Pentatonix Christmas concert.’ Starring Christina Milian, Devale Ellis, Kofi Siriboe, & Pentatonix. Released on Netflix.

• ‘A Sudden Case of Christmas’ directed by Peter Chelsom (November 7) ‘An American couple bring their 10 year old daughter, Claire, to her grandfather Lawrence’s hotel in The Dolomites, Italy. They usually come for Christmas but this year it’s August. The fact is they are breaking up, and once Claire realizes there’s not going to be a family Christmas this year, she insists on everyone making it out for Christmas in August. Claire, in collusion with her grandfather, plan activities that are designed to re-unite her parents.’ Starring Danny DeVito, Andie MacDowell, & Lucy DeVito. Released on digital.

• ‘The Best Christmas Pageant Ever’ directed by Dallas Jenkins (November 8) ‘The Herdman kids are undeniably the worst kids in the history of the world. They lie, steal, cheat, bully and overall terrorize their small community. But this Christmas, they’re taking over their local church Pageant – and they just might unwittingly teach a shocked little town the true meaning of Christmas.’ Starring Judy Greer. Released in theaters.

• ‘Hot Frosty’ directed by Jerry Ciccoritti (November 13) ‘Widow Cathy magically brings snowman Jack to life, whose innocence helps her to heal and find love again. They bond before the holidays, but he’s doomed to melt.’ Starring Lacey Chabert, Dustin Mulligan, & Craig Robinson. Released on Netflix.

• ‘Christmas Eve in Miller’s Point’ directed by Tyler Taormina (November 15) ‘A rambunctious extended family descends upon their small Long Island hometown for the holidays where hijinks, generational squabbles, and family traditions ensue.’ Starring Matilda Fleming, Michael Cera, Francesca Scorsese, Gregg Turkington, Sawyer Spielberg, & Elsie Fisher. Released in theaters.

• ‘Red One’ directed by Jake Kasdan (November 15) ‘After Santa Claus (codename: Red One) is kidnapped, the North Pole’s Head of Security must team up with the world’s most infamous bounty hunter in a globe-trotting, action-packed mission to save Christmas.’ Starring Dwayne Johnson, Chris Evans, J.K. Simmons, & Lucy Liu. Released in theaters.

• ‘The Merry Gentlemen’ directed by Peter Sullivan (November 20) ‘To save her parents’ small-town nightclub, a Broadway dancer stages an all-male, Christmas-themed revue — and meets a guy with all the right moves.’ Starring Britt Robertson & Chad Michael Murray. Released on Netflix.

• ‘Christmas in the Spotlight’ (November 23) ‘A pop star named Bowyn hasn’t found Mr. Right, until she meets a professional football player backstage at one of her shows. After Drew publicly declares he has a crush on Bowyn, they begin dating.’ Starring Jessica Lord & Laith Wallschelger. Released on the Hallmark Channel.

• ‘Our Little Secret’ directed by Stephen Herek (November 27) ‘After discovering their significant others are siblings, two resentful exes must spend Christmas under one roof — while hiding their romantic history.’ Starring Lindsay Lohan, Ian Harding, & Kristin Chenoweth. Released on Netflix.

• ‘Nutcrackers’ directed by David Gordon Green (Novemeber 29) ‘Work-obsessed Mike must reluctantly travel to rural Ohio to look after his four rambunctious nephews after their parents die in a car accident. What begins as a three-day trip to find foster care turns into weeks of farm-life mayhem - and the realization that he doesn’t need to find them a home, they’ve found one for him.’ Starring Ben Stiller & Linda Cardellini. Released on Hulu.

• ‘Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story’ directed by John Putch (November 30) ‘Alana Higman, a die-hard Kansas City Chiefs fan, and her family are competing to win the team’s Fan of the Year contest, in a process judged by the director of fan engagement Derrick. As the pair spends time together, it’s clear there’s a spark between them. But when her grandfather’s vintage Chiefs good luck winter hat goes missing, Alana begins to doubt everything she believed about fate, destiny and even questions her future with Derrick.’ Starring Hunter King, Tyler Hynes, & Ed Begley Jr. Releasing on the Hallmark Channel. When I showed my wife this trailer she thought it was an SNL skit.

• ‘A Nonsense Christmas with Sabrina Carpenter’ directed by Sam Wrench (December 6) ‘Pop star Sabrina Carpenter jingles all the bells in this old-school variety music special full of holiday hits, unexpected duets and comedic cameos.’ Releasing on Netflix.

• ‘Carry-On’ directed by Jaume Collet-Serra (December 13) ‘A young TSA agent fights to outsmart a mysterious traveler who blackmails him into letting a dangerous package slip onto a Christmas Eve flight.’ Starring Taron Egerton & Jason Bateman. Releasing on Netflix.

  Thank you so much for taking time to read this and I hope it helps on your Christmas movie journey! If you have any additional questions or comments please send them my way, and I want to wish each and every one of you a Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays! Stay tuned for incoming Christmas themed lists & reviews!