What to Stream: 3 Christmas Shopping Movies to Get You in the Mood

Will Lerner
·Producer, Yahoo Entertainment

Thanksgiving is behind us, which means it’s now the season of giving — or better yet, shopping. And with all that holiday shopping you’re doing, why not watch others do it too, but in movies? Here are three Christmas shopping movies you can stream right now.

Jingle All the Way

Sinbad and Arnold Schwarzenegger in
The greatest comedic pairing in cinematic history. (Photo: 20th Century Fox/Courtesy Everett Collection)

Let’s start off with the quintessential movie of this very specific genre. In 1996, we were gifted the greatest comedic pairing in cinematic history when a young upstart Austrian actor named Arnold Schwarzenegger joined forces with a young upstart American actor named Sinbad. The two go head to head as they try to get their kids a Turbo-Man for Christmas. This one also stars the late, great Phil Hartman and ever-delightful Rita Wilson. Jingle all the Way is available on iTunes.

A Christmas Story

Peter Billingsley as Ralphie in
All Ralphie wanted was a Red Ryder air rifle. (Photo: MGM/courtesy Everett Collection)

If one was implored to name the best Christmas movie of all time, this one might win the popular vote. All little Ralphie Parker wants for the big day is a Red Ryder air rifle, and that’s pretty much the entire focus of this movie, but it somehow works. It had modest box office success at the time, but now this Bob Clark-directed film has become so important to so many, it was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry. A Christmas Story is available on YouTube.

Gremlins

Stripe bares his fangs in
It’s not an obvious choice, but Gremlins was about a Christmas present. (Photo: Warner Bros./Courtesy of Everett Collection)

And finally, let’s pick a less likely film for this category, but a proper one nonetheless. This comedy horror was produced by Steven Spielberg and written by Christopher Columbus and is actually about a Christmas present that goes bad when Billy’s dumb friend Pete ruins everything and spills water on Gizmo. C’mon Pete, what gives? Gremlins is available on Amazon.

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