I’m trying to put together a watch list of the best new Christmas movies from the last few years to stream with my family, but I’m overwhelmed by all the options on Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, and theaters. Which recent holiday films are actually worth watching, and why do you recommend them? Looking for feel‑good, family‑friendly picks with solid reviews and a real Christmas vibe.
Holiday Movies I Ended Up Bingeing (By Accident)
So this started as “I’ll put something on in the background while I answer emails” and turned into “I accidentally watched four Christmas things and now I have Opinions.” If you’re hunting for some seasonal stuff that’s not the same three Hallmark movies on repeat, here’s what I ran into.
A Merry Little Ex-Mas
This one is basically: “What if co‑parenting at Christmas went as badly as you secretly worry it will?”
Kate and Everett are freshly divorced but trying really hard to do the “we’re still a team for the kids” thing. They decide to spend the holidays together so it all still feels normal for the children.
Then Everett shows up with his new girlfriend.
In front of everyone.
At Christmas.
Shockingly, that does not go smoothly.
The twist is that Kate’s got something going on too. She’s catching feelings for a younger guy, and literally nobody in the family saw that coming. So now you’ve got:
- Kids trying to figure out why everyone’s pretending this is fine
- An ex-husband doing the “this is totally reasonable behavior” routine
- A mom who’s trying to hold the holiday together while realizing she also gets to move on
It’s less “saccharine Christmas miracle” and more “yep, this is how messy adulthood actually looks when you try to be decent and still end up hurting people.”
The Family Plan 2
If you watched The Family Plan from 2023 and thought, “This really needs a Christmas vacation and more chaos,” that’s basically what this is.
The Morgan family heads off on a well earned holiday trip to Europe. Snow, lights, touristy stuff, the works. But Dan, played by Mark Wahlberg, still has that tiny issue where he used to be a government assassin and maybe didn’t tie up every loose end.
So while the family is trying to have a normal Christmas abroad, Dan’s old life shows up like “surprise, remember me?”
It turns into this weird mashup of:
- Family trip photos gone wrong
- Dad trying to hide highly illegal skills from his kids
- Holiday spirit colliding with “we might actually be in danger right now”
If you like the “dad has a secret past and is bad at lying about it” genre, this just leans into that, but with Christmas lights and European scenery.
My Secret Santa
This one feels like someone started with a normal holiday movie template, then just kept hitting “complicate” on the outline.
You’ve got a single mom, played by Alexandra Breckenridge (from Virgin River), whose kid wants to go to a pricey snowboarding camp. The kind where the website has drone footage and you already know the tuition is ridiculous.
She can’t afford it. No savings, no magic check in the mail, nothing.
So she grabs a seasonal gig playing Santa to get the extra cash. Except:
- The job requires Santa to be a convincing older man, not herself.
- She has to show up as “him” every day, full costume, full act.
And then she starts to fall for her new boss.
Who thinks she is just some dude in a Santa suit.
So the whole movie becomes this juggling act:
- Keep the job
- Get the money for her daughter
- Not blow the cover
- Try not to catch feelings or accidentally reveal who she actually is
If you like the kind of romcom where you’re yelling “just tell him the truth” at the screen, this will scratch that itch.
A Very Jonas Christmas Movie
This one feels like someone lost a bet and had to say, “Yeah, the Jonas Brothers are the main characters now.”
Setup: after a big concert in London, the Jonas Brothers are supposed to head home in time for Christmas with their families. Simple. Plane, airport, home. Done.
Except obviously, nothing goes as planned.
What follows is basically a chaotic Euro-trip:
- Travel problems spiral into full-on misadventures
- The brothers start sniping at each other in that very specific sibling way
- Random famous faces keep popping up like it’s a holiday version of “spot the cameo”
Aside from Danielle Jonas and Priyanka Chopra Jonas, you also get people like:
- Randall Park
- Jesse Tyler Ferguson
- Billie Lourd
- And a few more you probably didn’t know were in this
It’s less “serious film” and more “extended bit where famous people keep getting stuck in holiday traffic with each other.”
Side Note: If You Watch Downloaded Stuff On A Mac
Completely unrelated, but this might save someone a headache.
If you’ve got a bunch of downloaded files sitting on your Mac and you’re tired of playing codec roulette, I’ve ended up defaulting to Elmedia Player
I’ve been using it long enough that I stopped thinking about it, which is kind of the point. It usually just:
- Opens whatever random file I double click
- Lets me stream from my Mac to the TV over AirPlay or DLNA
- Does all that without forcing me to convert files or drag things onto USB sticks like it’s 2009
Nothing fancy to set up, it just quietly works in the background, which is all I really want when I’m half asleep watching Christmas movies at 1 a.m.
4 Likes
If you’re overwhelmed, same. Streaming menus feel like walking into Costco on Christmas Eve.
I liked a bunch of what @mikeappsreviewer mentioned, but my list skews a bit differently, more “what will actually work with parents + teens + maybe younger kids” and less “accidentally binged at 1 a.m.”
Here’s a tight-ish list from the last few years that’s actually worth tossing on a watchlist:
Family friendly, easy crowd-pleasers
1. Klaus (2019) – Netflix
Animated, gorgeous, and actually original. Starts a little snarky, ends up big-hearted without being syrupy. One of the few “new” Christmas movies that already feels like a classic.
2. Noelle (2019) – Disney+
Anna Kendrick as Santa’s daughter trying to figure out her life. Super safe for kids, still funny enough that adults don’t feel like hostages. Not deep, but that’s kind of the point.
3. The Christmas Chronicles (2018) & Part Two (2020) – Netflix
Kurt Russell as a cool Santa. The first one is stronger, second is still decent. Good if you want “real movie” energy but kid friendly.
For older kids / teens / grown‑ups
4. Spirited (2022) – Apple TV+
Ryan Reynolds + Will Ferrell in a full-on musical riff on A Christmas Carol. Some songs absolutely slap, some are forgettable, but it’s clever and surprisingly emotional by the end. PG-13 vibe.
5. Last Christmas (2019) – various rental/streaming
Romcom set in London with Emilia Clarke and Henry Golding. Light, funny, then punches you in the feelings later. Not really for little kids, but great for teen/adult night.
6. Love Hard (2021) – Netflix
Modern romcom about catfishing at Christmas. More “dating app comedy” than “Hallmark tree farm,” which might be a win if your family is tired of the same old plot.
Goofy, light, snack-level stuff
7. Holidate (2020) – Netflix
Very aware it’s a trashy holiday romcom and leans into it. Language and innuendo, so more older-teens-and-up, but fun background viewing when everyone’s half on their phones.
8. 8-Bit Christmas (2021) – Max
Nostalgia bomb about trying to get a Nintendo for Christmas in the 80s. Plays like “A Christmas Story for gamers.” Good if you’ve got parents who grew up with NES and kids who think old graphics are “so bad they’re funny.”
If you want something new-ish in theaters / “bigger” feeling
9. Violent Night (2022)
Very much not for kids. Santa + Die Hard energy. If your family’s into action and doesn’t mind blood with their candy canes, it’s weirdly fun.
10. The Holdovers (2023, kinda holiday-adjacent)
More “set at Christmas” than “Christmas movie,” but it feels like a future classic. Great acting, bittersweet, slower pace. Good for a quieter night when everyone will actually watch instead of scrolling.
How to not get lost in menus
To avoid endless scrolling, I’d do:
- Pick 1 “anchor” movie per night (like Klaus or Spirited).
- Add 1 silly backup in case people aren’t into the first choice.
- Rotate platforms:
- Netflix night
- Disney+ night
- Theater or rental night
If you share what ages you’re working with (little kids, teens, just adults), folks here can probably narrow this down even more, because “Christmas movie” covers like 20 different moods.
I’m with you on being overwhelmed. The home screen on Netflix starts to feel like a hostage situation in December.
I liked a bunch of what @mikeappsreviewer and @sonhadordobosque tossed out, but I’d build your list a bit differently, especially if you’re trying to keep a whole family vaguely happy instead of pleasing just one age group.
Here’s a recent‑years watchlist broken into “mood buckets,” so you can just pick what fits the night instead of doom‑scrolling menus.
1) Core family night (parents + kids, low stress)
1. Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey (2020, Netflix)
Gorgeous, musical, steampunk‑ish Christmas vibe. Solid for kids, not brutaI for adults. The songs and visuals keep younger ones engaged.
2. Godmothered (2020, Disney+)
Fairy godmother in training at Christmas, very PG. Sweet, goofy, easy to throw on after dinner.
3. The Christmas Chronicles were already mentioned, but I’d actually put A Boy Called Christmas (2021, Netflix) in the same lane. Bit darker fairy-tale tone, so better for like 8+.
2) Teens & adults who roll their eyes at Hallmark stuff
4. Dash & Lily (2020, Netflix, series)
Not a movie, but it’s an 8‑episode YA romcom set at Christmas in NYC. Great for a “binge half now, half tomorrow” vibe. Teens usually latch onto it faster than the standard small‑town tree farm plot.
5. Happiest Season (2020, Hulu)
Holiday romcom, but queer and actually willing to get messy about family expectations. Some cringe, some heart, not super kid‑friendly but good for older teens/20‑somethings.
6. Your Christmas or Mine? (2022, Prime Video)
British, body‑swap‑ish premise but with families instead of magic. Couple accidentally spends Christmas with each other’s families. Light, funny, modern.
3) Stuff that feels a bit “bigger” or unusual
7. The Holdovers (2023, Peacock / rental)
Co‑sign what @sonhadordobosque said: not a classic “holiday” movie, but Christmas is baked into the mood. Feels like something everyone talks about after instead of just scrolling their phones.
8. Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio (2022, Netflix)
Not a Christmas movie, but it has winter / family / faith / loss all running through it. If you like something deeper that still works with older kids, this hits.
9. Fatman (2020, rental)
If @mikeappsreviewer’s “dad is secretly an assassin” lane in The Family Plan 2 made you laugh, this is like its unhinged cousin: Mel Gibson as grumpy Santa targeted by a hitman. Very not for kids, but weirdly entertaining.
4) Cozy background stuff while everyone multitasks
10. Single All the Way (2021, Netflix)
Low‑stakes gay romcom. Predictable in the best “I just want twinkly lights and flirting” way. Good background movie while wrapping presents.
11. A Castle for Christmas (2021, Netflix)
Brooke Shields + Scottish castle. Cheesy, accents wandering all over the map, but if you want something nobody has to fully pay attention to, this is it.
12. Merry Little Batman (2023, Prime Video)
Animated, kid‑leaning, but has enough comic vibes that adults aren’t tortured. Nice “we’re all half on our phones” pick.
5) How to actually survive the choosing part
Instead of everyone arguing in front of the TV for 40 minutes, try:
- Pre‑curate 6–8 titles from the list above across your platforms.
- Make 3 “double features” by mood, like:
- Silly: Single All the Way + A Castle for Christmas
- Family: Jingle Jangle + A Boy Called Christmas
- Edgier: Happiest Season + Fatman
- Each night, let someone pick one of the pairs, then you all vote on which of the two to start.
Cuts the chaos way more than “what does everyone want to watch?”
Short version: you’ve already got a ton of good picks from @sonhadordobosque, @himmelsjager and @mikeappsreviewer, so here’s a different angle: a tight, recent‑ish lineup organized by who’s in the room instead of tone or “vibes.”
1) With little kids in the mix (roughly 6–10)
Try newer stuff that feels big but isn’t homework:
-
Klaus (2019, Netflix)
Animated, gorgeous, actually funny. Parents stay awake, kids get Santa magic. -
The Christmas Chronicles 2 (2020, Netflix)
Sequel is louder and more chaotic than the first, which kids usually like more than adults do. Nice “event” feel, even if the plot is overstuffed. -
Noelle (2019, Disney+)
Anna Kendrick as the over‑cheerful Santa kid. Lightweight but kid‑friendly and colorful.
I slightly disagree with pushing darker fairy‑tale stuff too early like A Boy Called Christmas if you have truly small kids. Save that for when they are 9+ and not asking you if everyone dies every five minutes.
2) Tweens / teens who are “over it”
Stuff that will not feel like a hostage situation to a 13‑year‑old:
-
Spirited (2022, Apple TV+)
Musical riff on A Christmas Carol with Ryan Reynolds and Will Ferrell. The jokes are fast, the songs are catchy, and it’s self‑aware enough for teens. -
Love Hard (2021, Netflix)
Catfishing Christmas romcom. Not for little kids, but teen‑plus crowd usually eats it up. -
Violent Night (2022, Peacock / rental)
R‑rated Die Hard meets Santa. If you have older teens who love action and are fine with gore, this can be the “late‑night after the younger siblings go to bed” pick.
Here I disagree slightly with the heavy focus on traditional romcoms: teens tend to tap out of the pure Hallmark template, so skew action or meta‑humor when possible.
3) Adults who want “actually good” movies, not just comfort noise
When the kids are asleep or at least on headphones:
-
The Holdovers was already name‑checked, so I’ll add:
- Carol (technically 2015, but it plays like a modern holiday classic)
Not cozy, but beautiful, slow and worth an uninterrupted watch. - The Apartment (older, but if you haven’t watched it, it might as well be “new to you”)
Office politics, weirdly Christmassy, and way sharper than most new stuff.
- Carol (technically 2015, but it plays like a modern holiday classic)
-
Silent Night (2021)
Apocalyptic Christmas dark comedy. Extremely not for kids. Great if your family has a pitch‑black sense of humor and arguments about “what would you do” are your love language.
4) Crowd‑pleaser double‑features that minimize bickering
Instead of scrolling for 30 minutes, just pick one of these premade combos:
-
“All‑ages but not brain‑melting”
- Klaus
- Jingle Jangle (yes, backing that rec, it really holds up on rewatch)
-
“Teens are home, no one wants Hallmark”
- Spirited
- Love Hard
-
“Adults only, kids in bed”
- The Holdovers
- Violent Night or Silent Night, depending on your tolerance for blood vs dread
Let one person pick the combo, everyone votes which to start. Done.