The Best Holiday Movies on Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, and HBO Max
In the mood for a festive film? Here are the best holiday movies on Netflix, Hulu, and Disney+!
Now that it’s officially December, I am all about holiday movies. I love watching everything – from the super corny/borderline terrible ones to the feel good classics that never get old. And since all of us are watching everything on streaming services instead of DVDs (or VHS tapes!) now, I thought it would be helpful to round up the best holiday movies on Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, HBO Max and Amazon Prime!
The Best Holiday Movies on Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, and HBO Max
Best Holiday Movies on Netflix
White Christmas
If you haven’t seen this classic, change that RIGHT NOW. It’s delightful and sweet and you’ll fall in love with Bing Crosby!
Single All The Way
When I say I loved this movie, I looooooooved this movie. I was expecting it to be ultra cheesy, but it turned out to be a really well done rom com. The cast is amazing (Michael Urie! Jennifer Coolidge!) and the story was adorable and heartwarming. Loved every minute!
Klaus
Adam and I watched this last year and we were so impressed. It’s an animated movie with some major talent in the voiceover cast and lovely lessons for kids. Definitely a new favorite that we’ll watch again.
Love Hard
This is another new rom com that surprised me – in a good way! It’s about journalist in LA who meets a seemingly perfect guy on a dating app. Since he lives on the East Coast, she decides to hop on a flight and surprise him for the holiday… only to discover that she’s been catfished. Hilarity ensues after that as they both continue to lie for each other, but the ending is really really sweet. (Also, Heather. McMahan is in it!)
The Christmas Chronicles
We also loved this new-ish holiday movie – I mean, Kurt Russell as Santa?! And Reese Witherspoon’s daughter from Big Little Lies plays the main character, and she is adorable. Not the best movie in the world, but a fun holiday flick!
Update: we watched the sequel, and it is nowhere NEAR as good as the first one. I don’t think we’ll be re-watching that one!
Dash & Lily
Okay this isn’t actually a movie, but this 8 episode limited series is so cute, I HAD TO include it. It’s about 2 teens in New York City who interact with each other through a notebook… and it’s sweet, quirky, and heartwarming.
Jingle Jangle
This new holiday musical is about a toymaker who was betrayed by his apprentice years ago. His granddaughter starts to learn about his past and wants to help him find inspiration again. The production numbers were my favorite part!
Falling for Christmas
I feel weird including this in a “best of” list because it is really really bad… but I know that millennials read this blog and might want to watch solely for the sake of Li Lo 😉
Christmas With You
I put this on expecting it to be as bad as Falling for Christmas… but it was actually kind of cute! Freddie Prinze Jr plays a widowed Dad and high school music teacher which made me feel old, but he’s also still pretty charming! A famous pop star sees a video that his daughter posts on social media and goes to their town to surprise her, but (of course) they get snowed in. It’s cute!
The Princess Switch 1, 2, and 3
I don’t know who decided Vanessa Hudgens should be the new darling of holiday movies, but I am HERE FOR IT. They are all terribly cheesy (don’t say I didn’t warn you) but perfect for a cozy night in with a big glass of wine.
The Knight Before Christmas
If you liked Vanessa Hudgens in The Princess Switch, add this one to your list, too. A Knight time travels and meets Vanessa Hudgens in 2019… and they may or may not fall in love. I mean, why not, right?!
The Holidate
Two strangers discover that they have a common hatred for the holiday season, so they decide to be each others’ holiday plus ones. No strings attached, no feelings, just a guaranteed date for holiday events. I wanted this one to be a little bit more Christmas-y than it was (it covers all of the holidays throughout the whole year!), but it was still a fun rom com!
A Christmas Prince Series
It all started with A Christmas Prince, but you can also watch A Christmas Prince: The Royal Wedding and A Christmas Prince: The Royal Baby. Based on the first one, I’d recommend watching these with your girlfriends… and maybe finding a drinking game to play while you’re at it? They’re so bad, but they’re fun!
A Bad Moms Christmas
If you enjoyed the original Bad Moms movie, then you’ll love this one. I find that real Moms find it especially hysterical 😉
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Best Holiday Movies on Hulu
The Holiday
I watch The Holiday every year and I never get sick of it! It always makes me laugh how bad Cameron Diaz in contrast to how INCREDIBLE Kate Winslet is in this film – but it doesn’t even matter. It’s adorable and heartwarming and I love it. Nancy Meyers can do no wrong!
Office Christmas Party
Adam and I originally watched this because our friend from high school has a small role in it… but it’s so funny that we rewatch it every year now 😂 It’s really goofy and some parts are really dumb, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t some great laughs in there!
Happiest Season
This original film is new this year – and I loooooved it. It’s about a woman who brings her girlfriend home to her conservative family, but introduces her as her platonic friend since she hasn’t come out to them yet. The cast is incredible, one her sisters had me cackling every time she spoke, and I cried at the end because it was so heartwarming. Such a great holiday movie!!!
Best Holiday Movies on Disney+
Noelle
Out of all the new holiday movies out there, this is definitely the most fun! Anna Kendrick is adorable, Bill Hader is hilarious, and Billy Eichner is in it, too!! I loved every minute of it, and then watched it again with Adam a few days later. Highly recommend!
Home Alone
I mean… duh. This childhood classic has stood the test of time in a major way.
Home Alone 2
Unpopular opinion, but I like Home Alone 2 even better than the first one! Maybe it’s because I lived in New York and I love seeing Central Park and the Upper West Side? No matter which one you like best, we can all agree that they’re both great.
The Santa Clause
This is another favorite of mine! I have distinct memories of watching this Tim Allen movie when I was younger – and Adam and I can both recite a lot of the lines by heart ? So good!
Miracle on 34th Street
I haven’t seen this movie in YEARS, so I’m really excited to watch it again this Christmas!
The Muppet Christmas Carol
Remember when Michael Caine was Scrooge in a version of The Christmas Carol with the muppets?? That happened! Definitely rewatching this over the next few weeks.
Best Holiday Movies on HBO Max
Elf
It’s not Christmas without a viewing of Elf! Will Ferrel and Zooey Deschanel are so adorable in this movie, and year after year, it just never gets old!
A Christmas Story
I’ll admit, A Christmas Story isn’t at the top of my personal list – but I can’t deny that there are some iconic moments. When Schwartz gets his tongue stuck on the frozen pole, Ralphie’s bunny onesie, the leg lamp… it’s pretty funny.
The Family Stone
I’m not sure why HBO labels this as a comedy because I sob every time! That being said, there are lots of funny and sweet moments with this all star cast… just don’t forget your tissues, too!
The Polar Express
This isn’t one of my personal favorite Tom Hanks movies, but it’s a great choice if you have kiddos!
Last Christmas
This cute rom com stars Emilia Clarke from Game of Thrones and Henry Golding from Crazy Rich Asians, so… need I say more?!
Best Holiday Movies on Amazon Prime
Die Hard
In my adult life, I’ve realized that a LOT of people consider Die Hard a Christmas movie – who knew?! I finally watched it again with Adam, and if people want to call it a Christmas movie, that’s fine with me. It’s just not the movie I would choose when I want to get in the holiday spirit 😂 (Available to rent or purchase.)
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation
You can’t help but love the Griswolds and their crazy antics! We just watched this one again recently and it really is hilarious.
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Did I miss any of your favorites?
Let me know in the comments!!
PS. You might also like The Best Holiday Activities in Chicago!
December 19, 2019 @ 8:54 am
Thanks for the list!! Recently, re-watched While You Were Sleeping. I consider it a holiday movie since it’s set at Christmas and the message is so perfect for the season. My 13-year-old watched it with me recently and he loved it! I had forgotten how funny and charming it is.
December 19, 2019 @ 12:10 pm
I need to rewatch it this year! Do you know if it’s available to stream anywhere?
December 19, 2019 @ 5:34 pm
has all the trappings of a cheesy holiday movie. It s about a city girl who gets stuck in small town during a blizzard and somehow ends up falling in love and learning the true meaning of Christmas. And yet I love it!
December 26, 2019 @ 12:37 pm
The plot: Based on the story by Frank McCourt, this animated story of a little girl in 19 Ireland who just wants to make sure everyone has an amazing Christmas is about as heartwarming as you can get.Â
December 3, 2020 @ 1:01 pm
Hey — look, it’s our comments from last year! Thank you for updating this list. There are so many this year! To answer the question from last year, While You Were Sleeping is on Disney + now. My son and I have already done our first watch of it for this year!
December 3, 2020 @ 1:03 pm
Btw, this was supposed to be a reply to your comment above. Sorry, if it’s confusing.