Top 35 Christmas Movies

Christmas is approaching, a time of joy, food, fun and more. Watching movies with a holiday theme is part of the deal at this time of year.

Here is our top list of 35 Christmas movies to enjoy right now during this season. Some of these are available on Netflix and other streaming platforms but not in every country.

But don’t panic!

In the following section, I’ll explain how you can watch no matter where in the world you are.

Time to get your Santa hat on and ready to binge these festive favorites!

How to watch all these movies on Netflix

As you will see, some of the movies on this list are only available in certain countries. The solution is easy: a VPN app.

With a VPN, you can unblock the Netflix libraries, Disney Plus regions and more and watch them from where you are. They’re super-easy to use and you can hop between different regions with your standard account.

There are lots of VPN apps to choose from.

In general terms, we recommend ExpressVPN because is overall the best service. Still, sometimes you’d like to shop around so check out NordVPN and Surfshark, the final choice is yours!

The final choice is yours.

1. This Christmas (2007)

Comedy, Drama, Romance – 119 min.

The Whitfield family is a big clan consisting of both parents and six children. For four years, they have been apart, scattered in different places busy with their lives.

But, on this Christmas, they reunite again.

2. Three Days of Christmas (2019)

Drama – 3 episodes/ 60 min. approx. each one

Although not a movie, this Spanish mini-series only lasts three episodes covering three Christmas instances in the lives of four sisters.

The first episode is set in their teenage years, the second in their adulthood, and the third one in their old age. The cast includes Anna Moliner (Cable Girls), Victoria Abril (Átame!), and Ángela Molina (The Things of Love).

3. The Christmas Trap (2018)

Family – 112 min.

Two teenage girls meet on their flying visit to their grandparents for Christmas. They’ve never met them before, so they decide to switch places to experience each other’s lives.

4. Magic Snowflake (2013)

Animation – 82 min.

In this French animated movie for all families, Santa is retiring and a boy named Nicholas is his successor.

But before he can succeed in his new role, he must confront a crisis that’s putting the whole Christmas world at risk.

5. A Christmas Prince Trilogy (2017)

Comedy, Family, Romance – 92 min.

If you’re in the mood for cheesy Christmas movies, Netflix has given us a whole trilogy around a reporter who is sent to the kingdom of Aldovia to get the scoop about a playboy prince.

As you might guess, the reporter and the prince fall in love, and then we have the Royal Wedding (2018) and the Royal Baby (2019) as the following instances of this saga. A guilty pleasure for this season.

6. The Night Before (2015)

Comedy, Fantasy – 101 min.

Christmas is about happiness and love, but it’s a time to celebrate friendship as well.

As these three childhood friends, Ethan (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), Isaac (Seth Rogen), and Chris (Anthony Mackie) decide to get stoned, drunk, and look for the wildest party on Christmas Eve.

7. Klaus (2019)

Animation, Adventure, Comedy – 96 min.

A Netflix Original animated movie, Klaus was nominated for the Oscar for Best Animated Feature this year. This English-language Spanish production retells the legend of Santa Claus in a fictional 19th-century setting.

Jasper is a postman who is sent by his family to work on a remote island in the Far North. There, he convinces Klaus, a reclusive toymaker, to deliver toys to all the children in town.

8. The Polar Express (2004)

Animation, Adventure, Comedy – 100 min.

Based on the children’s book by Chris Van Allsburg, The Polar Express was co-written and directed by Robert Zemeckis.

The film features an animation technique using live-action motion capture. The story revolves around a young boy, who on Christmas Eve is invited aboard a mysterious train heading to the North Pole.

The train is already carrying a lot of children who are embarked on a journey to pay a visit to Santa Claus during Christmas preparations. The movie is starred by Tom Hanks playing different roles.

9. Gremlins (1984)

Comedy, Fantasy, Horror – 106 min.

Who says a Christmas movie couldn’t be a horror one?

Gremlins, a classic from the horror-comedy genre, takes place during the Christmas season. Billy receives a mysterious pet from his father Randall as a Christmas present.

Although he’s warned about three rules regarding the creature, he breaks them anyway, unleashing a horde of evil creatures in the small town where he lives.

10. I’ll be home for Christmas (2016)

Drama, Family, Romance – 84 min.

Jackie (Mena Suvari) is an Assistant District Attorney and single mom who hopes to get her last case wrapped before Christmas so she can stay with her daughter.

But, her plans suffer a little change when her estranged father (James Brolin), a retired police officer, shows up at her door. Now, they must face old wounds.

11. Rise of the Guardians (2012)

Animation, Action, Adventure – 97 min.

Perhaps the most underrated Dreamworks animated movie, and probably one of the best the studio has brought in their career.

Based on the book series The Guardians of Childhood and the short film The Man in the Moon by William Joyce, this movie has a great cast of actors who gave their voices to the characters: Chris Pine, Alec Baldwin, Jude Law, Isla Fisher, and Hugh Jackman.

The movie follows the adventures of the Guardians: Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, the Sandman, and the Tooth Fairy, who enlist Jack Frost to fight Pitch Black, a villain who wants to cover the whole world in darkness.

12. 48 Christmas Wishes (2017)

When three young elves lost all the Christmas wishes from a whole town the day before Christmas Eve by accident, they must come to the human world to retrieve what they lost.

13. How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)

Comedy, Family, Fantasy – 104 min.

Directed by Ron Howard (The Da Vinci Code, Apollo 13) and based on the classic children book by Dr. Seuss, this redemption of the Grinch is played by Jim Carrey.

In Whoville lives a green, revengeful Grinch who hates Christmas and is planning to ruin it for everyone in the town.

14. The Holiday Calendar (2018)

Drama, Fantasy, Romance – 95 min.

A Netflix original movie about a talented photographer stuck with a no-future job who receives an antique Advent calendar from her grandpa.

What she doesn’t know is this calendar has magic powers that can predict the future.

15. Love, Actually (2003)

Comedy, Drama, Romance – 135 min.

A British Christmas romantic comedy with an ensemble cast of mostly British actors.

The movie follows ten different stories revolving around love and relationships which some of which are interlinked, all with London as the setting.

The cast is composed of Hugh Grant, Alan Rickman, Emma Thompson, Keira Knightley, Colin Firth, Liam Neeson, Martin Freeman, Rowan Atkinson, among others.

16. A Bad Moms Christmas (2017)

Comedy – 104 min.

The sequel to the irreverent comedy Bad Moms about three stressed out moms: Amy (Mila Kunis), Carla (Kathryn Hahn), and Kiki (Kristen Bell).

This time, they must face their moms incarnated by Christine Baranski, Susan Sarandon, and Cheryl Hines, who are showing up for a visit during the Christmas season.

17. A Very Murray Christmas (2015)

Comedy, Music, Musical – 56 min.

Available globally

On this Netflix original holiday special written and directed by Sofia Coppola, Bill Murray fears nobody will be on his TV special due to a huge snowstorm in New York.

Several celebrities appear on this show such as Michael Cera, George Clooney, Miley Cyrus, Amy Poehler, and Chris Rock.

18. Christmas Break-In (2018)

Family – 87 min.

Izzy, an energetic 9-year-old gets trapped at school on Christmas Eve because her parents didn’t make it in time to pick her up.

Two bad guys break-in into the school and kidnap the janitor, now, it’s Izzy’s time to have fun while saving the day.

19. Pottersville (2017)

Comedy – 84 min.

A town almost dead suddenly comes to life thanks to Maynard, a local businessman, who gets drunk in a gorilla suit and is mistaken for Bigfoot during the Christmas season.

20. A wish for Christmas (2016)

Drama, Family, Fantasy – 84 min.

A Hallmark movie starred by Lacey Chabert (Mean Girls, Lost in Space).

Sarah prefers to stay on the sidelines at work, but when her idea for a Christmas initiative is stolen, she makes a wish to Santa Claus to have the courage to stand up. Her wish is granted, but she only has 48 hours to accomplish her goal.

21. Christmas Inheritance (2017)

Comedy, Drama, Romance – 104 min.

Ellen Landford is the heiress to an important company, but if she wants to be the CEO, first, she must accomplish the task her father gives her.

Going to his hometown and learning about hard work, friendship, and the value of helping. Although, it seems easy, for a socialite like Ellen, it could mean a challenging task.

22. The Holiday (2006)

Comedy, Romance – 136 min.

Iris Simpkins (Kate Winslet), a wedding columnist for a British newspaper who is still in love with her co-worker Jasper, finds out he’s engaged to another woman. This finding makes her feel depressed and wanting a change of air.

Amanda Woods (Cameron Diaz), a workaholic movie trailer maker living in Los Angeles, has split with her unfaithful boyfriend Ethan, and she wants to forget about him. On a whim, she decides to exchange her mansion through a website for Iris’ cottage in Surrey.

With the house exchange, a new opportunity for love opens for both women meeting new people and having new experiences. A romantic comedy with a top-notch cast that is completed by Jude Law and Jack Black among others.

23. Jack Frost (1998)

Comedy, Drama, Family – 101 min.

Jack Frost is always busy travelling with his band and barely spending time with his wife and son. He dies in a car accident, and one year later he returns as a snowman.

Now, he has a chance to mend things with his son before disappearing forever.

24. Four Christmases (2008)

Comedy, Drama, Romance – 88 min.

Brad (Vince Vaughn) and Kate (Reese Witherspoon) are a dating couple forced to spend their first Christmas together visiting each of their four divorced parents in a single day.

The cast is completed by Robert Duvall, Sissy Spacek, Jon Voight, Jon Favreau, and Kristin Chenoweth.

25. New Year’s Eve (2011)

Comedy, Romance – 118 min.

An ensemble movie directed by Garry Marshall and set in New York during New Year’s Eve. The lives of several people and couples are all intertwined through drama, romance, and comedy.

26. Santa’s Apprentice (2010)

Animation, Comedy – 80 min.

Santa Claus doesn’t want to retire, but someday he must do it. First, he needs to find a successor.

The rules are clear: his name must be Nicholas, he must be an orphan, and his heart must be pure.

27. Bad Santa (2003)

Comedy, Crime, Drama – 92 min.

Two criminals, Willie and Marcus, disguised as Santa Claus and an elf are working at major department stores to rob. But things got complicated when Willie befriends a troubled kid.

28. White Christmas (1954)

Comedy, Musical, Romance – 120 min.

This is a classic of classics starring Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney, and Vera-Ellen.

Bob Wallace (Crosby) and Phil Davis (Kaye) are a successful song-and-dance team, who also are war buddies. They fall for two sisters and the four of them team up to save the Vermont inn owned by their former commanding officer.

29. Dr Seuss’ The Grinch (2018)

Animation, Comedy, Family – 85 min.

From Illumination Studios, the creators of Despicable Me, Minions, The Secret Life of Pets, comes this redemption of The Grinch based on Dr Seuss’ classic book.

A grumpy Grinch plans to ruin Christmas for the village of Whoville, but his attempts are put at risk when he meets a young girl with a big holiday spirit.

30. Christmas with the Kranks (2004)

Comedy, Family – 99 min.

The Kranks are a very traditional family who are known in the neighbourhood for celebrating Christmas in significant fashion. But, when their only daughter, Blair, is leaving home during the holiday season, Luther and Nora decide to skip Christmas.

31. Krampus (2015)

Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, Horror – 98 min.

After a Christmas full of family fights, a boy gives up on Christmas and ends up summoning a festive demon to his home. Based on the legendary creature from Alpine folklore.

32. The Tower (2012)

Action, Drama, Thriller – 121 min.

A Korean catastrophe movie taking place during Christmas Eve. A Christmas party in a luxury high-rise in Seoul turns into a tragedy when a fire breaks out.

33. Office Christmas Party (2016)

Comedy – 105 min.

Clay (T.J. Miller) is a branch manager whose sister Carol (Jennifer Aniston) is the CEO.

To stop her from closing his division, Clay hosts a wild Christmas party to win a big client and save the day. But the party gets out of hand very soon.

34. Die Hard (1988)

Action, Thriller – 132 min.

Probably, you must remember Die Hard as the action flick that launched Bruce Willis to stardom, but, this movie takes place in Los Angeles during Christmas Eve.

Although not your average Christmas movie, it’s a good choice if you want to enjoy some action. John McClane (Willis) is going to see his wife at her office which is located at the Nakatomi Plaza in Los Angeles when a group of German terrorists overtakes the building.

35. Ben is back (2018)

Drama – 103 min.

On Christmas Eve, Ben, a drug-addicted teenage boy, unexpectedly arrives at his family’s home. His return puts his whole family in danger, and his mother (Julia Roberts) desperately tries to keep him safe.

Summary

When it comes to binge Christmas movies, streaming is the best place. And you don’t have to stay tied only to the library of your country.

With the help of a VPN, you can unblock several Netflix catalogs and other services around the world, and enjoy more movies just from your regular account.

We recommend ExpressVPN, but some countries are unblocked by NordVPN and others by Surfshark. So, the final choice is in your hands.

Now, it’s time to relax and immerse in the holiday’s spirit with these 35 films.