25 Best Christmas Movies To Watch This Holiday Season 2022

Traditionally, Christmas is a season of gift-giving, hot cocoa, snowmen, and fairy lights. But what could be better than snuggling up in a blanket with some popcorn, sugar cookies, and mulled wine to enjoy a classic Christmas movie? If watching Hallmark Christmas movies isn't a holiday tradition, I'd say you're not doing the holidays right. 

Since it's the season for holiday-themed TV movies, every streaming platform is currently flooded with a plethora of new and old films. I've put together a list of movies to watch this holiday season. So grab your sugar cookies and hot cocoa—and cuddle up under a blanket to watch some of these movies.

1. Love Actually (2003)

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This is most likely one of the most popular Christmas romantic comedies. The plot of nine intertwined stories about various characters, including the Prime Minister of England and his staff, captivates everyone.  If this film doesn't convince you that "Love Actually" is still all around, nothing will.

Watch on: Prime Video, YouTube, Apple TV

2. The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)

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The story of Jack Skellington, the pumpkin king of Halloween Town, who is tired of scaring people every Halloween decides to oust Santa Claus to take control over Christmas Town.  This unique film combines two of the most wonderful holidays: Halloween and Christmas.

Watch on: Disney+

3. Home Alone (1990)

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There aren't many Americans who don't watch this movie Christmas classic every year. When Kevin (Macaulay Culkin), an 8-year-old brat, is left at home alone after his family leave for the airport without him, two con men appear to rob his house. But Kevin takes care of the situation in a way you would never expect!

Watch on: Disney+

4. The Polar Express (2004)

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The story of a young boy who doubts the existence of Santa Claus until The Polar Express arrives. The Christmas story teaches a valuable lesson about leadership, self-discovery, friendship, and the fact that you are never truly alone. 

Watch on: HBO Max

5. The Noel Diary (2022)

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The story of a man who discovers a diary that may contain secrets from his own past as well as that of a beautiful young woman searching for her birth mother. It's a perfect, traditional Christmas rom-com. Laughter, tears, romance, and infidelity. It has everything.

Watch on: Netflix, HBO Max

6. How The Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)

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This live-action adaptation of the classic children's story, The Grinch, takes place in the magical land of Whoville where everyone loves Christmas and Grinch decides to ruin it by robbing the citizens of Whoville of their Christmas gifts and decorations. 

Watch on: Amazon Video

7. The Holiday (2006)

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Two women who have never met and actually live on different continents decide to switch places in the story. The complex and relatable characters in the story can give you an inside look at the various kinds of love that people may encounter.

Watch on: Prime Video, Netflix

8. Carol (2015)

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Carol is a holiday romance drama film that is also widely regarded as the best LGBT drama of all time. Carol is the story of two very different women, played by Rooney Mara and Cate Blanchett who quickly become friends that develop into love with complicated repercussions in 1950s New York. 

Watch on: Netflix, Amazon Prime

9. Notting Hill (1999)

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A timeless classic, the story of Anna (Julia Roberts), a famous American actress who falls for William (Hugh Grant), a London bookstore owner. Their world is turned upside down when a kiss develops into an intimate relationship as they struggle to compromise their wildly dissimilar lifestyles for the sake of love.  

Watch on: Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu+

10. Falling For Christmas (2022)

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What else do you need when you have Lindsay Lohan playing a spoilt heiress on screen? This movie has everything that you want in a Christmas rom-com including a skiing accident after which the previously engaged heiress suffers amnesia and ends up in the care of a down-on-his-luck widower and his daughter.

Watch on: Netflix

11. Jingle All The Way (1996)

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The plot revolves around a workaholic father who was supposed to get his son an action figure for Christmas. It's an American holiday family comedy starring Sinbad and Arnold Schwarzenegger as rival fathers. The moral compass of both fathers is put to the test as time runs out as they begin to understand the true meaning of Christmas.

Watch on: Hulu, Disney+, and ESPN+

12. A Snow Globe Christmas (2013)

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After receiving a blow to the head, a jaded, overworked TV executive (Alicia Witt) awakens in a picture-perfect, snow-covered town where she finds herself married to a local woodsman and learns it isn't all a dream. It is one of those holiday movies that we watch for the content rather than the story. This film's best feature is its cast.

Watch on: Amazon Prime

13. Let It Snow (2019)

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On Christmas Eve, a snowstorm hits the town, bringing together a group of high schoolers who don't get along. By Christmas morning, they have all learned to accept each other despite their previous clashes between friendship and love. One of the best hallmark Christmas movies and is perfect for any young adult as it hits a lot of issues that youngsters face daily in the real world.

Watch on: Netflix

14. A Christmas Story (1983)

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This is a Christmas comedy film based on Jean Shepherd's humorous writings. The movie depicts the antics of young Ralphie (Peter Billingsley), who spends most of his time avoiding his bully and daydreaming about getting a "Red Ryder air rifle" for Christmas. Ralphie struggles to make it to Christmas Day as his mother rejects his wish. This film has a lot of fun and good humor in it and is regarded as the most uplifting family movie ever.

Watch on: HBO Max

15. Klaus (2019)

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Jesper becomes friends with toymaker Klaus when he is sent to a frozen town in the North after proving to be the worst student at the academy. An age-old feud is put to rest and new holiday traditions are brought on, all thanks to their small act of kindness. One of the best Netflix Christmas movies of love, loss, redemption, and peace today.

Watch on: Netflix

16. Scrooge (1970)

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This is the first and best musical adaption of "A Christmas Carol". Albert Finney portrayed Ebenezer Scrooge, a wealthy man who exploits the goodwill of his staff members. What happens when the ghost of his old business partner visits him on Christmas Eve and informs him about the visit of two other ghosts, Christmas Past and Christmas Present? 

Watch on: Prime Video

17. A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas (2011)

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Six years after their last adventure, stoner pals, Harold and Kumar have grown apart and found new friends. While everyone is busy preparing for the holidays, a tussle caused by a mysterious package ends up burning down Harold's father-in-law's Christmas tree, and ends up finding a replacement tree that poses a threat to ruin Christmas Eve.

Watch on: Prime Video

18. I Am Santa Claus (2014)

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This is a Christmas documentary about five men throughout the year to depict what their lives are like as professional Santa Clauses. Impersonation of Santa Claus has ingrained itself in their personalities to the point where they year-round maintain the festive mood of Christmas.

Watch on: Pluto or Tubi

19. The Secret Santa (2014)

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Speaking of Christmas documentaries this is another one where an eager journalist digs deeper into the numerous reports of Christmas miracles and conducts some research to explain those unexplainable events of the holiday season.

Watch on: Youtube

20. The Princess Switch (2018)

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One week before Christmas, a duchess (Vanessa Hudgens) who wants to experience life as a "normal person" before marrying the Crown Prince, switches places with an ordinary woman, Stacy from Chicago, who looks exactly like her. It is one of the most watched NetFlix Christmas movies to watch with family. If you like Hallmark Christmas movies, you will enjoy this one for sure.

Watch on: Netflix

21. Last Holiday (2006)

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On a Christmas evening, this is a perfect cozy tale to watch. In this classic Christmas story, Queen Latifah plays Georgia, who decided to quit her job after being diagnosed with a terminal neurological disorder to embark on her dream vacation before it's too late. 

Watch on: Prime Video

22. Single All The Way (2021)

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On a trip home for the holidays, a gay man (Michael Urie) convinces his best friend (Philemon Chambers) to pretend to be his boyfriend in order to avoid his family's disapproval of his single status. However, his mother (Kathy Najimy) sets him up on a blind date instead. This is one of those holiday rom-com that respects its characters and stays away from painting anyone as the bad guy.

Watch on: Netflix

23. The Lodge (2019)

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If you prefer horror genre, then here you go. The Lodge is an engrossing film to watch. Its plot follows Grace and her stepchildren, trapped by a blizzard during a family Christmas retreat in a cabin. The specters of Grace's dark past emerge as terrifying events take place.

Watch on: Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, and ESPN+

24. The Christmas Chronicles (2018)

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The plot revolves around two children, Kate and Teddy, who devise a plan to capture Santa Claus on Christmas Eve. However, the scheme falls apart, the sleigh crashes, and the gifts are lost. As Christmas Eve approaches, the kids and Santa must team up to save the holiday before it's too late.

Watch on: Netflix

25. A Boy Called Christmas (2021)

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A Boy Called Christmas is a fantasy film about a young boy who sets out on an extraordinary journey to find his father,  accompanied by a faithful pet mouse and a reindeer. Parts of this film may come off as heartbreaking, especially for those who have lost a parent or a loved one.

Watch on: Netflix

Going out for a few drinks on a chilly winter night is a bad idea since the temperature keeps falling. Why not stay in with your family or friends and watch a movie while sipping your favorite wine? I'm sure the movies above are enough to get you in the holiday spirit after a day of holiday shopping and preparation.