Fortunately, this year, it seems like even more of the classic holiday movies and specials are available on streaming services—so you can catch your must-see Christmas TV whenever you feel like it. You still have to time your Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer or Frosty the Snowman viewing to the whims of the schedulers (they’re a double feature on CBS on December 10th, FYI), but here’s a guide to what holiday movies and specials each streaming service has on offer this season.
The Santa Clause: The one where Tim Allen becomes the next Santa (and its sundry sequels—including the newest, The Santa Clauses).Home Alone: Macaulay Culkin gets left home alone and protects his house from the most incompetent burglars on the planet.Nightmare Before Christmas: Halloween + Christmas = spooky good fun.Prep & Landing: This decade-old special offers a clever take on how Santa gets gifts to all the kids around the world.Miracle on 34th Street: Is Santa real? Disney+ has both the classic and the updated version so you can figure it out. Sound of Music: Not exactly a Christmas movie, but this one was broadcast on Christmas so many times, it feels like it is.Mickey’s Christmas Carol: Start your kids on the classic Dickens tale early with this Disney-fied retelling.Muppet Christmas Carol: Michael Caine is Scrooge in this far more irreverent version of the classic tale.
Elf: It isn’t Christmas if you don’t get to see Will Ferrell scream “Santa!“National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation: If you have to get together with weird family members every year, this movie definitely makes you feel seen.A Christmas Story: Sure, it shows for 24 hours on TBS and TNT every Christmas Eve, but if you want to watch it earlier, here you go.The Polar Express: The modern “Is Santa real?” movie to show your skeptic child.A Christmas Carol: If you want the really classic Carol, it’s right here.
A Christmas Carol: Hulu has the 2019 darker miniseries for your viewing pleasure.George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker: The ballet classic from 1993—with Macaulay Culkin, too.
White Christmas: The source of everyone’s “white Christmas” dreams.A Bad Mom’s Christmas: For when you need a break from the baking, shopping, and merry-making.Fireplace for Your Home: Three different options of a crackling fire to enjoy and play.
Die Hard: Is Die Hard a Christmas movie? If your answer is yes, watch it here.Love Actually: Britain’s best actors falling in and out of loveHow the Grinch Stole Christmas: The original version with Boris Karloff as the Grinch (AKA the best version).
