I love all things Christmas and especially all the Christmas movies. Today I wanted to do a post sharing what Christmas movies we watch and where we watch them (as of 2023).
Disney+
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
Narnia is one of my favorite movies to watch after Halloween but before we officially start Christmas. It has the Santa section and feels wintery but isn't truly a Christmas movie.
Miracle on 34th Street
Miracle on 34th Street is such a classic and for good reason. I love both the older version and the newer version (on Google Play) for different reasons, but I think this older version is my favorite because of the post office part of the plot.
Olaf's Frozen Adventure
Olaf's Frozen Adventure is a cute and short video about Christmas traditions, prominently featuring Olaf. I love that we get to see more of Anna and Elsa coming together as a family and the sweet ending.
Once Upon a Snowman
Once Upon a Snowman is Olaf's origin story. It's a very short and perfect for cuddling up to watch on a winter night.
Home Alone
Home Alone is one of my kids' absolute favorite movies. It is about a boy who accidentally gets left home alone as his family goes on vacation at Christmas time. As his family is frantically trying to get home to him, he defends their home against two robbers. The kids find the end, when the boy sets traps for the robbers, hilarious. I like the movie, though there are a few things I don't like (there's a little humor I don't appreciate, a couple of swear words, and the family does not act kindly toward each other at the beginning. We also usually watch Home Alone 2, though we've never watched any of the other Home Alone movies.
The Santa Clause
The Santa Clause is a fun movie and I remember watching it each year growing up, but I am actually torn about it now as a parent. Because it has Tim Allen in it, the humor isn't always my kind of thing, but we watch it occasionally.
A Muppets Christmas Carol
A Muppets Christmas Carol is such a classic. We love watching Muppets and this story is perfect for the Muppet format.
Nutcracker of the Four Realms
Nutcracker of the Four Realms is a newer favorite in our family. We watched it for the first time last year and my two oldest wanted to watch it again before the Christmas season was over. It is a more serious movie with some scarier elements, so it is a good one for older children.
Mickey's Christmas Carol
Mickey's Christmas Carol might be my favorite version of a Christmas Carol. I love Mickey Mouse and I think it's the perfect introduction of the story for kids.
Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas
Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas is a cute collection of videos featuring the different characters of Mickey's gang. There's one with Goofy and his son that I especially like, and I also love the one with Mickey and Minnie that retells the Gift of the Magi. We also usually watch Mickey's Twice Upon a Christmas, but I prefer the Once Upon a Christmas. We also like the short, 6-minute video Pluto's Christmas Tree. I noticed there are some other Mickey mouse ones we might try, like Mickey Saves Christmas and Mickey and Minnie Wish Upon a Christmas.
Belle's Enchanted Christmas
Belle's Enchanted Christmas was a movie I loved as a child! As an adult, I'm less impressed, but my kids love it now so I let them watch it each year.
Winnie the Pooh, A Very Merry Pooh Year
A Very Merry Pooh Year is a cute Winnie the Pooh collection of movies about Christmas and the New Year. We love Winnie the Pooh at our house, so this is always a big hit.
Prep and Landing
Prep and Landing is a short little movie about high-tech elf team who prepares the houses for Santa on Christmas. There is more than one movie, and my kids think they are fun.
New movies this year I want to try on Disney Plus include the Lego Star Wars Holiday Special and Ice Age: A Mammoth Christmas. We also like to watch the Disney Junior Episodes featured in the holiday section.
While You Were Sleeping
While You Were Sleeping is not a movie I watch with the kids. I usually watch it on my own each year as I'm wrapping presents. It has some jokes or moments that aren't the cleanest, but I have a nostalgia of watching it with my mom and I love the characters and the story.
Netflix
Klaus
I love the story and message of Klaus. We get Netflix at Christmas time basically for this movie. The song at the end is my favorite.
Spirit Riding Free: Spirit of Christmas
Spirit Riding Free is a really well done, cute movie about the characters of the Spirit Riding Free at Christmastime. My kids and I both love the show and this movie.
Angela's Christmas
Angela's Christmas is a little bit of a sadder Christmas movie, but it has a sweet message.
Llama Llama Christmas episodes
Llama Llama is a super cute show and I love the Christmas episodes!
White Christmas
White Christmas is such a cute movie, but it is pretty long. Usually, my kids start watching it with me, but get bored before the end and I end up finishing it by myself.
Dash and Lilly
Dash and Lilly is a fun and adorable series that my husband and I love to watch. It's very Christmasy and good to watch together when the kids are in bed.
I also want to try watching Shaun the Sheep: The Flight Before Christmas and An Elf's Story on Netflix this year.
Amazon Prime Video
Annie (1999) $
Annie is not a Christmas movie, but so much of it takes place at Christmas, it gives a Christmasy feel. It's perfect to watch before Christmas officially starts when I'm wanting to start watching some Christmas movies.
Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer $
Rudolph is such a favorite with the kids that we always end up watching it multiple times each Christmas season. I've also found this one on YouTube before we owned it/when it was unavailable digitally.
The Little Drummer Boy $
The Little Drummer Boy is such a strange movie, but it's a classic with a sweet message and we watch it each year. We've watched this one on YouTube as well, when we didn't own it.
Santa Claus is Coming to Town $
Santa Claus is Coming to Town is another classic, centered on Santa Claus. Our kids love it, they think it's so funny. This DVD seems to be a little harder to find than the other classics, but you can still find it at most stores. We've also watched this one on YouTube before.
Frosty the Snowman $
Frosty the Snowman is another movie that my kids love to watch over and over again throughout the Christmas season. It's a cute one and it's nice and short. My kids always want to watch the sequels (especially Winter Wonderland, where Frosty gets a wife) and we watch them occasionally, but they aren't my favorite.
Franklin's Magical Christmas Special $
Franklin's Magical Christmas Special is a movie that we stumbled upon on YouTube once because of autoplay and we've watched it every year since. It is a cute story about family and the magic of Christmas, and my kids love it.
If You Give a Mouse a Christmas Cookie
If You Give a Mouse a Christmas Cookie is a short movie with a fun story. It's definitely a movie for kids, but it's cute enough.
The Ultimate Gift
The Ultimate Gift is not technically a Christmas movie, but the fact that some of it takes pace over Thanksgiving/Christmas and the theme of the movie give it a Christmasy feel. This is one that I watch without the kids. It is included with Prime.
It's a Wonderful Life
Growing up, my family watched It's a Wonderful Life every year on Thanksgiving. We don't have that tradition with my own kids, but I still love this classic.
Google Play
Over the years, we've collected quite a few videos on Google Play for Christmas. Some of them might not be available to buy digitally anymore, but most of those are still available to buy on DVD.
A Charlie Brown Christmas
A Charlie Brown Christmas is one of the first movies I bought for our family, because I love it. I managed to buy it and the Thanksgiving one before they were unavailable digitally, but had to buy the DVD of the Great Pumpkin movie. It looks like you can get the DVD at most stores and it's available on Appe TV.
Tom and Jerry: A Nutcracker Tale
A Nutcracker Tale is a fun movie with extras in it. Tom and Jerry is just fun for kids and I like this Christmas version.
The Swan Princess Christmas
The Swan Princess Christmas is not the most well-done movie, I have to admit. I usually wait to turn this one on for my kids until I am busy in my room or something because it can be a little cringy to watch. My kids love the Swan Princess though, and really love having a Christmas version to watch.
The Polar Express
The Polar Express is a little bit of a creepier movie, because of the way they did the animation, but it's a fun one with a cute message and great music. We always do a movie night party to watch it in pajamas with hot chocolate.
How the Grinch Stole Christmas
How the Grinch Stole Christmas cartoon is one of my favorite Christmas movies. Everything from the animations to the music is so cute!
The Grinch
I've never been a fan of the live action Grinch movie, but I loved the animated Grinch when we saw it and we've watched it every year since!
Elf
Elf is a movie that I didn't grow up watching, but I watched it with my kids one year and they've loved it ever since. There are a couple of jokes in it that I don't appreciate it, but I don't mind the movie overall.
Christmas in Connecticut
Christmas in Connecticut is an old Christmas romcom that I absolutely love. I usually watch it with some girlfriends or my husband rather than my kids, until they're older and can appreciate it more. It is so funny and Christmasy!
Barbie in the Nutcracker
Barbie in the Nutcracker is another movie that holds a lot of nostalgia for me and since my girls love Barbie movies, this is a must watch each year.
Barbie: A Perfect Christmas
Because my girls love the Barbie movies so much, we bought the other two Barbie Christmas movies. This one is about Barbie and her family trying to have a good Christmas despite a change in their plans for a perfect Christmas.
Barbie in a Christmas Carol
Barbie in a Christmas Carol is my least favorite of the Barbie Christmas movies, but it's not a bad one and my girls like it. There are simply a lot of Christmas Carol movies and this one is not as good as some of the others in my opinion.
YouTube
The Christ Child
The Christ Child is my favorite thing to watch with the kids for Christmas. It is an enactment of the Christmas story and brings the Spirit every time I watch it.
The Nutcracker Prince
The Nutcracker Prince was one of my favorite Christmas movies growing up and I love being able to share it with my kids. It's really hard to find, it's not available to buy digitally. I ended up buying a DVD of it off of eBay, but until then we watched it on YouTube.
The Nutcracker Ballet
The Nutcracker Ballet is so fun, but since we live in a small town where it isn't easy to attend in person, we watch it on YouTube.
I love filling our home with Christmas movies and music this time of year! What are your favorite Christmas movies to watch? I'd love to hear about them in the comments below!
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