With Christmas in the air, it’s the right time to snuggle up with a cup of hot cocoa and see what Netflix has to offer. Christmas movies come in all varieties, and these nine are the best Christmas movies to stream on Netflix, ranging from the awe-inspiring to the hilarious.
9 A Boy Called Christmas
Santa Claus stories are a dime a dozen these days, with rehashes and new spins on the old tale, but this one seems special. Through this rollercoaster ride, you’ll run into sorrow, loss, betrayal, and surprise, although not in equal measure. Maggie Smith did a wonderful job in this one as the narrator, showing why she was such a master at her craft. If you’ve got kids and want something that’s fun to download from Netflix for a trip to the in-laws, this might just be the ticket.
8 A Castle for Christmas
Christmas romcoms get a bad rap sometimes because they’re so formulaic. I wish I could say this one isn’t, but it is. The thing that saves it as a film is how engaging Brooke Shields is as the protagonist. And there’s a castle, come on, that’s got to count for something. In a typical tale of a city girl meets a country boy and leaves the world behind to spend the rest of her life with him, this is a pretty well-done piece of film. Added props to Cary Elwes for being the guy we start off hating and end up rooting for.
7 Hot Frosty
This is definitely not everyone’s cup of tea, but there seems to be many people into the premise. It’s a modern take on the Frosty the Snowman story, except what if Frosty was a hot guy? It’s supposed to be a romcom, and it hits all the right beats, but there always seems to be something just outside of what we expect. If you need something running in the background during your Christmas family meetups, it’s not bad.
6 Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey
Usually, musicals, especially Christmas musicals, are hit or miss. While some of the music in this one misses, the rest of the film more than makes up for it. This is a heartwarming tale of loss, grief, rediscovery, and magic that would warm any Grinch’s heart. If you’re not getting Netflix in 4K for this one, you should fix that because it’s well worth watching. Everything, from the set design to the characters and even the interactions, is on point. Forrest Whittaker kills it as the main protagonist, tying the whole movie together. It’s a delight, no matter what age you are. There’s a little easter egg in there for Key and Peele fans.
5 Klaus
There are animated movies, and then there’s this animated movie. Lots of people talk about “modern classics” when it comes to cinema, but this deserves to be among them. Another of those “Santa Claus Origin Stories”, this one adds in some flavor with a postman inadvertently leading to the creation of Saint Nick. Everything about this movie is a class act, from the voice acting to the story and the music. It all comes together in what can only be described as one of the greatest Christmas movies on Netflix (or anywhere else, for that matter).
4 The Knight Before Christmas
Romcoms, where a knight in shining armor sweeps you off your feet, are pretty common but for Christmas? In this tale that goes beyond the ages, a medieval knight is transported to the 21st century and has to figure out what his quest is to be transported back to his own time. Naturally, his quest is to fall for the female lead, as is the case in all of these romcoms, but the movie itself is very well done. Vanessa Hudgens is perfectly cast alongside Josh Whitehouse as the knight. It’s a tale that really makes you think that love really is out there, even if you’re disillusioned about its existence.
3 Let it Snow
Christmas movies always have snowstorms in them, and in this case, it brings a group of young people together to figure out crucial things in their lives. It’s not often you get a coming-of-age film with a Christmas backdrop, and despite the contrived circumstances, this one works pretty well. We get to see the small town’s inhabitants slowly come to terms with themselves, their dreams and hopes, and toss in a bit of Christmas magic and it’s a recipe for a great film. This one is also not everyone’s cup of tea, but it has all the right touches to make for a pretty good Christmas film to stream on Netflix.
2 The Noel Diary
Who doesn’t like a good road trip Christmas film? The Noel Diary sees a young woman searching for her biological mother meet a writer who’s dealing with the loss of his mother. A shared history between them sees the young writer take a road trip with the young woman to see his estranged father and discover many things about himself. As far as romcoms go, this one doesn’t follow the tried-and-true formula, and that alone makes it worth a watch. The solid acting from Justin Hartley and Barrett Doss takes this from just another romcom to something worth watching with someone you love.
1 Elf
No matter how many times you see this movie, you always want to see it again. Elf is a movie that defines the idea of a “modern classic” as Will Ferrell’s human-raised-by-elves sets off to see his father and makes a mess of almost everything in the process. From perfect comedic timing to a setup that tugs at the heartstrings, Elf is a rollercoaster of emotions and well worth dedicating some time to. It’s also one of the most popular films for streaming on Netflix, so it’s worth watching again. And if you haven’t watched it yet, what are you waiting for?
Christmas movies have a special place in most of our hearts. From Clark Griswold’s electricity-devouring house lights to classics like Miracle on 34th Street, there’s a magic in Christmas movies we don’t get with titles from other seasons. These offerings from Netflix are a great cross-section of movies that capture the true magic of the Christmas season.