The 9 Best Holiday Movies to Watch on Netflix
There are few feelings more satisfying than curling up on a dark winter night with a cup of something tasty and a holiday movie. If you are with family, a movie break might just be the thing you need to ease the tension of a gift exchange gone awry or simmering resentments about who messed up the gravy. So here are some of the best holiday offerings that Netflix has to offer. Peruse and enjoy!
White Christmas (1954)
White Christmas is a classic for a reason, folks. Bing Crosby! Rosemary Clooney! World War II soldiers who become successful Broadway producers! Musical numbers! Rosemary Clooney’s stunning collection of outfits! This is perfect family crowdpleaser, and let’s be honest, no one sings “White Christmas” like Bing.
How The Grinch Stole Christmas (2001)
Look, I know that nothing holds a candle to the original, but this live-action remake actually gets remarkably close. Jim Carrey is giving his all in only the way that Jim Carrey can, the set design of Whoville is stunning, and no one has ever been a better slutty Who than Christine Baranski. Your teenage cousins will roll their eyes but they will be charmed in the end, I promise.
Mariah Carey’s Merriest Christmas (2015)
Is it bold of me to categorize this as a classic? Perhaps. But it is an undisputed fact that Mariah is the queen of Christmas, thus making this holiday spectacular a classic. The conceit is simple: Mariah invites us to celebrate Christmas with her and her friends, and performs some classic Christmas songs. Who are her friends, you ask? Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds and Lacey Chabert, to name a few! This is probably best watched with a glass of something bubbly—and your snarkiest aunts.
A Very Murray Christmas (2015)
Bill Murray’s A Very Murray Christmas is a delightful, old-school gathering of the Hollywood elite, including George Clooney, Amy Poehler, Rashida Jones, Maya Rudolph, and many more. It is set at classic New York landmark hotel, The Carlyle, directed by Sofia Coppola, and filled with enough old-fashioned charm to get even your crankiest uncle to stop complaining.
The Christmas Prince Trilogy (2017, 2018, 2019)
In order to really celebrate the joy of the holiday season, you have to find it in yourself to lean into some very silly romances, and to my mind there is nothing sillier than the Christmas Prince universe. Journalist Amber Moore is sent to Aldovia (just go with it) to cover the Prince’s ascension to the throne following his father’s death. Amber ends up acting as the tutor to the Prince’s sister, and guess what? She and the Prince fall in love! A Christmas Prince: The Royal Wedding and A Christmas Prince: A Royal Baby are just as silly. You can either take the snarky route or just fall into the ridiculousness: It’s up to you.
Holiday in The Wild (2019)
Kristin Davis and Rob Lowe in a holiday movie set in Zambia? You simply love to see it. Davis stars as Kate, a woman whose attempt to surprise her husband with a second honeymoon is foiled when he announces that he is no longer in love with her. She takes off for Zambia on her own and meets Derek (Lowe). There are hijinks and elephants galore, but mostly, it’s nice to watch people over the age of 50 fall in love.
The Princess Switch (2018)
No list of Netflix holiday films would be complete without our new Christmas Movie Queen, Vanessa Hudgens. But it gets better: In this whirlwind romance, we get two Vanessas! She stars as both Stacy DeNovo, a Chicago baker, and Lady Margaret Delacourt, fiancée to the King of Belgravia (Netflix has confirmed that this country is actually near to Aldovia, but we are still waiting for confirmation on where Genovia fits in). You will absolutely guess the beats this film will hit around 10 seconds in, but that’s part of the fun, okay?
Let It Snow (2019)
Based on the 2008 book of the same name by Maureen Johnson, John Green, and Lauren Myracle, Let It Snow is a delightful Christmas young adult romp that actually might be one of my new favorites of the many (many) original Netflix offerings. A snowstorm hits a small town on Christmas Eve and brings together a group of high school students. Sparks fly, a party is had, AND there is a queer love story that will bring warmth to any cold heart. Turn this one on when the sappy Christmas feelings hit.
The Knight Before Christmas (2019)
Vanessa Hudgens is back again, this time as a high school science teacher who falls for a man who she thinks is suffering from amnesia. Turns out, he’s a knight (get it??) from the 14th century! With a plot this silly, there is only one thing to do: Ignore the plot holes and inconsistencies, pour a Christmas cocktail, and have yourself a merry little Christmas.
Originally Appeared on Vogue
