When it comes to entertainment, holiday movies and shows can’t come any sooner in the year. Fans have been petitioning to bring the Charlie Brown holiday specials back to broadcast television and many people are already watching some of their regular holiday favorites from the 1990s and earlier classics.
Now, if for Netflix subscribers, the good news is that there are a lot of holiday movies that fans of the festive season can stream all year round.
Updated on December 20th, 2021 by Danielle Bruncati: The best Christmas movies on Netflix have enough talent and charm to warm up even the most frosty days, and their catalog of holiday favorites only gets bigger and bigger as time goes on.
Single All The Way (2021)
After last year saw an increase in LGTBQ+ inclusive Christmas movies, Netflix decided to join in on the festive fun with the release of Single All The Way. The movie follows Peter as he travels back to his hometown with his best friend Nick who he hopes will act as his boyfriend. However, that plan is quickly out the window when Peter's mother sets him on a blind date that goes surprisingly well.
With a slew of hilarious characters, including Jennifer Coolidge, and a swoon-worthy romantic gesture at the end, Single All The Way is as cozy as a Christmas movie can get without physically cuddling the audience.
Let It Snow (2019)
There aren't a lot of Christmas-themed movies out there for teenagers and young adults which is what makes Netflix's Let It Snow so special and worth the stream. Based on the young adult novel of the same name, the movie follows 3 different teenagers as their stories intertwine while navigating a snowstorm on Christmas Eve.
Let It Snow has something for everyone from heartwarming friendships where someone is harboring feelings for the other to strangers in love and even a cute lesbian love story.
A Christmas Prince (2017)
A Christmas Prince was one of Netflix's first Christmas movies back in 2017 and it did not disappoint. In fact, it helped kick off a successful trilogy of Christmas movies and made Netflix a viable competitor to Hallmark and Lifetime.
The first in the trilogy, A Christmas Prince centers on Amber, a young journalist, who has been tasked with covering the passing of the crown to Prince Richard, a playboy who is rumored to be abdicating the throne. However, Amber quickly realizes that every story she's read about Prince Richard is wrong and he's actually quite charming.
Love Hard (2021)
Netflix kicked off the holiday season in 2021 with the release of the romantic comedy Love Hard. Nina Dobrev plays Natalie, a young woman unlucky in love who believes she has finally met the one after expanding her online dating attempts. Not wanting to waste any time she hops on a plane to surprise her crush for the holidays only to learn that she has been the victim of catfishing.
While the initial premise of Love Hard doesn't sound that cozy since it involves deception, the rest of the movie is full of the warm and fuzzy feelings all the great Christmas movies have.
Holiday Rush (2019)
Holiday Rush is one of Netflix's most underrated Christmas movies which is a shame because it has a lot to offer. The movie centers on Rashon, a newly widowed father who ends up losing his radio DJ job during the holidays. With the job hunt not going well, Rashon decides it's time for him and his privileged kids to scale back their lifestyles and move in with Aunt Jo.
The movie is full of laughter and heartfelt moments that ultimately remind everyone that the spirit of Christmas is all about spending time with loved ones.
Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey (2020)
After the success of the zany, The Christmas Chronicles Netflix decided to lean into the magical and unique Christmas-themed stories. Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey even though the project was originally supposed to be a stage play. The move ended up paying off though since it received 10 nominations at the NAACP Image Awards.
The instant Christmas classic tells the story of a toymaker who was wronged by his apprentice and has lost his passion. That is until his young granddaughter finds him and reminds him just how special and unique his job is.
The Holiday Calendar (2018)
A lot of holiday films come with a dash of magic and in this 2018 Netflix film, there is an antique advent calendar that seems to be capable of predicting things, more specifically, the future of Abby Sutton, a talented photographer who’s been struggling lately.
With the calendar’s help though, it seems that Abby may just find love just in time for the holidays. The film stars Kat Graham as Abby. She is also joined by actor Quincy Brown, who happens to be P. Diddy’s stepson. While speaking with People, Graham revealed that the famous rapper attended the film’s screening.
Santa Girl (2019)
Santa has a daughter, and she is quite magical, too. In this film, however, it seems Santa’s daughter wants nothing to do with the family business, as she has decided to pursue college instead.
Santa Girl stars Jennifer Stone as Cassie Claus and Barry Bostwick as Santa Claus. Meanwhile, for those wanting to check out other films revolving around Santa’s daughter, there's Disney’s Noelle, which casts actress Anna Kendrick as Santa’s daughter. That film is available to stream on Disney+.
Holiday In The Wild (2019)
This Netflix film is about a woman who finds herself going on her second honeymoon alone after her marriage ends unexpectedly. That honeymoon involves an African safari, where Kristin Davis’ Kate encounters elephants and a handsome love interest in the form of Rob Lowe’s Derek.
As it turns out, the majestic beasts were never coached for the cameras. Instead, Davis, Lowe, and the rest of the production crew “worked around them.” Lowe told Collider, “It was pretty spectacular to be sitting there going, ‘Is that them? Are they coming? Wait, I think I hear them. Roll camera!’”
The Christmas Chronicles (2018)
In this film, there are kids determined to catch Santa in the act and this leads to a holiday adventure of a lifetime. The film stars Kurt Russell as Santa, and while speaking with Global News, the actor explained, “I was just excited about playing a guy who wasn’t just a jolly old myth or just an illusion …”
Meanwhile, the cast also includes Russell’s real-life partner, Goldie Hawn, who plays Mrs. Claus, and the couple returned for Christmas Chronicles 2, with even more Mrs. Claus.
A New York Christmas Wedding (2020)
This 2020 film centers on a bride-to-be, who gets visited by an angel just as her wedding draws near and gets a glimpse of what could have happened if she had acted on her feelings for her childhood best friend.
Written and directed by Otoja Abit, the film celebrates LGBTQ+ romance, which doesn’t often figure in holiday films. The film’s cast also includes Chris Noth as a priest who is also an advocate for same-sex marriage. While speaking with The Credits, Abit revealed that Noth’s character is based on a priest he knew.
Hometown Holiday (2018)
In this 2018 film, an entertainment lawyer makes his way to a small town to sign a future music star. In the process, he falls in love. Although it features a relatively unknown cast, Hometown Holiday features everything most people are looking for in a holiday movie.
There's some holiday fun and a romance that develops throughout the story. Not to mention, the audience also gets treated to some incredible country music. Overall, this is a feel-good holiday film that viewers can enjoy with family and friends.
Operation Christmas Drop (2020)
Those whose idea of a perfect holiday film is one with both romance and adventure should check out Operation Christmas Drop. In this 2020 film, a political aide is looking to shut down an airbase, which would essentially cancel a special holiday tradition. The situation also becomes further complicated when the determined political aide ends up falling for a charming Air Force pilot.
This Netflix film brings back The Holiday Calendar’s Kat Graham. She is joined by Alexander Ludwig and Oscar-nominated actress Virginia Madsen.
Midnight At The Magnolia (2020)
This holiday film centers around two radio hosts and longtime friends who decide to fake it as a couple for the sake of their families and fans. It doesn’t hurt that their fake relationship may result in the syndication of their show, too.
Midnight at Magnolia stars Natalie Hall, who may be familiar to television viewers. Over the years, Hall has starred in All My Children, Pretty Little Liars, Drop Dead Diva, Star-Crossed, True Blood, Shades of Blue, UnREAL, and Charmed. Meanwhile, Hall’s co-star, Evan Williams, previously appeared in Awkward.
Holidate (2020)
In this recently released Netflix holiday film, two strangers agree to be each other’s plus-ones for an entire year. They agreed to keep their relationship platonic, but real feelings start to develop.
The film stars Emma Roberts and Luke Bracey as the faux couple. According to Bracey, the two of them worked well together even during the film’s initial production stages. This was especially evident when they did a chemistry read. Bracey told AJC, “It was like meeting an old friend. That made it so easy. That’s what the film is about.”