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- The holiday season has officially begun, and with it comes an onslaught of Christmas-themed romantic movies. Netflix started early this year with the release of Lindsay Lohan's Falling For Christmas. And while it's cute and delivers on the Christmas spirit, fans aren't ready to add it to the list of best holiday romantic comedies, at least not the ones over at IMDb. Thankfully, though, there are a handful of Christmas rom-coms that IMDb users have declared classics that are perfect to stream this holiday season.
The holidays are the most wonderful time of the year, but also the most romantic. There's something about snow, fairy lights, and festive cheer that just makes people want to fall in love – both on and off-screen.
Countless romantic comedies have been set at Christmas over the years. Even when they're cheesy, it's hard not to get sucked into the holiday magic. These are the ones that have enchanted IMDb audiences the most.
Updated on November 26th, 2022, by Danielle Bruncati:
The holiday season has officially begun, and with it comes an onslaught of Christmas-themed romantic movies. Netflix started early this year with the release of Lindsay Lohan's Falling For Christmas. And while it's cute and delivers on the Christmas spirit, fans aren't ready to add it to the list of best holiday romantic comedies, at least not the ones over at IMDb. Thankfully, though, there are a handful of Christmas rom-coms that IMDb users have declared classics that are perfect to stream this holiday season.
11 The Princess Switch (2018) – 6.1
Stream On Netflix
In the first entry in Netflix's iconic trilogy, Vanessa Hudgens plays Stacy, a young baker from Chicago who enters a baking competition in Belgravia. When she's there, things take an interesting twist: she runs into her doppelgänger, Lady Margaret – AKA the Duchess of Montenaro – and they decide to switch places for a few days.
Along the way, Stacy falls in love with Edward, Crown Prince of Belgravia. Margaret falls in love with Stacy's best friend, Kevin. While the film never takes itself too seriously, it's still a surprisingly earnest romantic tale. And, of course, it's spawned two equally quirky sequels (although audiences don't rate those as highly).
10 Holidate (2020) – 6.1
Stream On Netflix
This movie is slightly more cynical than most of Netflix's holiday romances. Both Sloane (Emma Roberts) and Jackson (Luke Bracey) hate the holidays, so when they meet, they decide to be each other's plus-ones for every holiday throughout the year. No strings attached.
Of course, that's not true for long. The pair gradually fall in love, with a big romantic finale set over Christmas. It might be predictable, but the electric chemistry between both leads gives this film an edge.
9 Single All The Way (2021) – 6.1
Stream On Netflix
Like a lot of holiday movies, the crux of Single All The Way is its main character returning to his hometown for Christmas. Having told his family he has a new boyfriend, Peter (Michael Urie) brings his roommate Nick (Philemon Chambers) back to New Hampshire – despite them being strictly platonic.
It packs in every Christmas movie trope under the sun, including a grand friends-to-lovers reveal. However, it still manages to feel fresh and heartwarming, thanks largely to Urie's boundless charm.
8 Holiday In The Wild (2019) – 6.1
Stream On Netflix
When Kate's (Kristin Davis) husband reveals he no longer loves her, she decides to take their second honeymoon alone to Zambia. There she meets Derek (Rob Lowe), an elephant conservationist who also seems to moonlight as a pilot and handyman.
Festive romances usually focus on couples in their twenties and thirties, so it's refreshing to see a more mature relationship take the spotlight. Their bond feels organic and real, and the cinematography is beautiful, making this a unique holiday standout.
7 Love Hard (2021) – 6.3
Stream On Netflix
Catfishing is rarely conducive to a successful relationship, yet Love Hard somehow manages to make it just another quirky detail in Natalie (Nina Dobrev) and Josh's (Jimmy O. Yang) romance.
When Natalie goes to surprise him for the holidays, she discovers he's been using his former friend Tag's pictures. She agrees to pretend to be his girlfriend for Christmas – if he sets her up with Tag. It's pretty obvious where this plot will lead, but it's still a warm hilarious watch, with plenty of funny quotes.
6 Last Christmas (2019) – 6.5
Stream On Hulu
Based on the iconic Wham! song of the same name, Last Christmas has an ambitious concept. A year after a lifesaving operation, Kate (Emilia Clarke) meets handsome stranger Tom (Henry Golding). But not everything is as it seems.
As compelling as the mystery and their dynamic is, what solidifies this movie as a holiday rom-com classic is the setting. London at Christmastime is pure magic, elevating every romantic moment Kate and Tom share in the city's streets all the more special.
5 Last Holiday (2016) - 6.5
Stream On Paramount+
After being diagnosed with a terminal brain condition, Georgia (Queen Latifah) decides to pack up and spend her entire life savings on a luxury European vacation. She lives it up for a while until the hotel's manager convinces her to go home to spend her last few days with her loved ones. Meanwhile, her longtime crush is on his way to Europe to convince his feeling for her.
Though Last Holiday doesn't exude Christmas vibes, it does deliver on the rom-com elements. From unrequited crushes turning into requited ones to miscommunication (and misdiagnosis), Last Holiday leaves no trope unturned. And don't worry, it ends with a happy ending.
4 Happiest Season (2020) – 6.6
Stream On Hulu
Upon its release in 2020, Happiest Season became the first LGBTQ+ Christmas movie from a major Hollywood studio. It was a long time coming, and it definitely delivered on the romance front.
The plot follows Abby (Kristen Stewart), who plans to propose to her girlfriend Harper (Mackenzie Davis) in front of Harper's family. However, she's shocked to learn that Harper hasn't come out to her parents yet. Unsurprisingly, there's a fair share of drama, but it pays off with countless heartwarming moments and some top-notch witty repertoire.
3 Serendipity (2001) – 6.8
Stream On Hulu
This 2001 rom-com is just as charming today as it was 20 years ago. Set in New York, it focuses on Jonathan (John Cusack) and Sara (Kate Beckinsale) who have a surprise encounter and decide to let fate take the wheel to decide if they're meant to be together.
It's just as pure and heartwarming as it sounds. With a rose-tinted, snow-dusted Manhattan as the backdrop, it practically feels like a modern-day fairytale.
2 The Holiday (2006) – 6.9
Stream On Hulu
When Amanda (Cameron Diaz) and Iris (Kate Winslet) are both slighted by the men in their lives, they meet online and agree to swap homes for the holidays. Amanda flies to Surrey, Iris hits Los Angeles, and both anticipate a men-free Christmas.
Obviously, that doesn't really work out for either woman. Both women's romances are equally compelling, but it's Amanda and Graham's (Jude Law) storyline that makes the whole film. Diaz and Law have incredible chemistry, and their dynamic's mid-movie twist gives it more depth than what's found in a lot of holiday rom-coms.
1 Love Actually (2003) – 7.6
Stream On Peacock
Nearly 30 years after its release, audiences are still enchanted by Love Actually's ten separate relationship dynamics and how they all overlap and combine in the run-up to Christmas.
Some are tragic, some are romantic, but all know how to push a viewer's emotional buttons. Highlights are the painfully awkward burgeoning romance between two adult film actors and Harry's (Alan Rickman) gut-wrenching betrayal of his wife Karen (Emma Thompson). This helps balance out some of the cheesier moments – namely the cue card love declaration – but doesn't detract from how just life-affirming this movie is.