Watching Christmas movies is one of our favorite holiday traditions, right up there with baking treats for “Santa.” We love to watch the holiday movies we watched when we were kids; often, the films you watch with your family as a child become the ones you choose to show your own kids when you’re a parent, after all. But we appreciate older, classic Christmas movies and newer releases, too. Whether you’re rewatching a favorite or trying something new, watching a holiday movie with your kids while you all snuggle up on the couch with hot chocolate might be the true definition of bliss.
But you don’t want to spoil the moment by scrolling, and scrolling, and scrolling through all your various streaming services trying to find the perfect pick. So from the true classics like “It’s a Wonderful Life” to family favorites like “Elf” to newer tales like “Jingle Jangle,” we assembled a list of the best family Christmas movies to watch next. We can guarantee your child’s next favorite movie is in here (and your old favorite might be, too). So splash a few extra marshmallows in your cocoa, and read through for 25 Christmas movies that all kids definitely need to see.
– Additional reporting by Clara Amelia
Related: 12 Holiday Movies and Specials Your Kids Can Find on Hulu Right Now
Everett Collection
Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas
Year: 1999
Rating: NR
Age your child will enjoy it: 3+
What it’s about: This adorable Christmas movie features three different stories: “Donald Duck: Stuck on Christmas”, “A Very Goofy Christmas”, and “Mickey and Minnie’s Gift of Magi.” The beloved Disney gang celebrating the magic of Christmas will surely get your kiddo in the holiday spirit.
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A Charlie Brown Christmas
Year: 1965
Rating: TV-G
Age your child will enjoy it: 3+
What it’s about: Charlie Brown feels dejected at the commercialization of the holidays as he tries to find the meaning of Christmas while looking for a tree for the Christmas play with the rest of the Peanuts gang.
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Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
Year: 1998
Rating: G
Age your child will enjoy it: 3+
What it’s about: Everyone’s favorite red-nosed reindeer has to take a heroic stand against the evil Ice Queen in order to save Christmas.
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Frosty the Snowman
Year: 1969
Rating: TV-G
Age your child will enjoy it: 3+
What it’s about: Frosty, a snowman brought to life by a magician’s hat, and the children that built him embark on a journey to the North Pole to prevent Frosty from melting completely. Good luck getting those catchy songs out of your head.
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The Polar Express
Year: 2004
Rating: G
Age your child will enjoy it: 5+
What it’s about: Based on the cherished children’s book by Chris Van Allsburg, “The Polar Express” is a timeless Christmas story about a boy who doubts in the existence of Santa Claus. After boarding the magical train to the North Pole, he meets unforgettable characters and learns meaningful lessons along the way.
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The Santa Clause
Year: 1994
Rating: PG
Age your child will enjoy it: 6+
What to look out for: In “The Santa Clause”, single dad and toy salesman, Scott, accidentally startles Santa on his roof, causing him to slip and fall. After he is magically recruited to complete Santa’s duties for the next holiday season, Scott is skeptical and believes it was a dream until unexplainable things start happening to him.
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Elf
Year: 2003
Rating: PG
Age your child will enjoy it: 6+
What it’s about: This beloved comedy stars Will Ferrell as Buddy, a clueless human raised amongst elves who travels to New York to find his biological father. The hilarious Christmas shenanigans Buddy gets up to will have the entire family quoting the movie all season long.
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A Year Without Santa Claus
Year: 1974
Rating: NR
Age your child will enjoy it: 6+
What to look out for: Even though he’s kind of a beloved villain, the Heat Meiser is a little scary (mostly due to the nature of stop-motion). Also, Santa, who is normally such a jolly fellow, is pretty grumpy through this one – but younger kids will probably be too distracted by the musical numbers to care.
©20thCentFox/Courtesy Everett Collection
Home Alone
Year: 1990
Rating: PG
Age your child will enjoy it: 7+
What it’s about: In this classic 90s movie, eight-year-old Kevin becomes the man of the house as he defends his home from burglars with traps after he was (accidentally) left behind by his family during Christmas vacation.
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Miracle on 34th Street
Year: 1947
Rating: Approved
Age your child will enjoy it: 6+
What it’s about: Kris Kringle is hired as a Santa Claus for a Macy’s store but after claiming he’s the real Santa, he’s declared crazy and put on trial.
©Universal/courtesy Everett / Everett Collection / Photo Credit: Illumination and U
The Grinch
Year: 2018
Rating: PG
Age your child will enjoy it: 4+
What it’s about: The cynical grump we all know and love gets an animated makeover in this holiday comedy where he decides to pose as Santa Claus in order to steal Christmas.
©Netflix/Courtesy Everett Collection
Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey
Year: 2020
Rating: PG
Age your child will enjoy it: 6+
What it’s about: This Christmas musical tells the story of a jaded toymaker and his granddaughter who helps him get back the inventions that rightfully belong to him from the apprentice that betrayed him.
©Disney+/Courtesy Everett Collection
The LEGO Star Wars Holiday Special
Year: 2020
Rating: TV-G
Age your child will enjoy it: 4+
What it’s about: The “Star Wars” gang reunites in this LEGO holiday special to celebrate Life Day. As Rey sets off to learn more about the Force, she’s hurled into a deeper, cross-timeline adventure, without certainty she’ll make it back in time for the festivities.
©Netflix/Courtesy Everett Collection
Klaus
Year: 2019
Rating: PG
Age your child will enjoy it: 3+
What it’s about: This delightful animated story tells the tale of Jesper, a desperate postman who befriends a lonesome toymaker named Klaus.
©Walt Disney Co./courtesy Everett / Everett Collection / null
Olaf's Frozen Adventure
Year: 2017
Rating: TV-PG
Age your child will enjoy it: 3+
What it’s about: Olaf sets out on a mission to find holiday traditions and restore Anna and Elsa’s Christmas festivities.
©Netflix/Courtesy Everett Collection
A Boy Called Christmas
Year: 2021
Rating: PG
Age your child will enjoy it: 5+
What it’s about: Nikolas is a young boy in search of his father, accompanied by his pet mouse and a reindeer. Throughout his journey he encounters magic and mischief, and inevitably meets his destiny of becoming Father Christmas, also known as Santa Claus.
©Universal/Courtesy Everett Collection
Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas
Year: 2000
Rating: PG
Age your child will enjoy it: 7+
What it’s about: This is another classic Christmas tale based on the beloved children’s tale by Dr. Seuss where the Grinch decides to ruin Christmas for the entire town of Whoville, but not before Cindy Lou Who decides to make things right.
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Jingle All the Way
Year: 1996
Rating: PG
Age your child will enjoy it: 7+
What it’s about: Arnold Schwarzenegger is a real character in this movie as he stars as Howard, a workaholic dad who is incredibly determined to find a sold-out action figure for his son.
©Columbia Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection
Christmas With the Kranks
Year: 2004
Rating: PG
Age your child will enjoy it: 9+
What it’s about: Empty nesters Nora and Luther Krank decide to skip Christmas and go on an island cruise, but their decision causes an uproar in the neighborhood. After their daughter announces a surprise visit, the Kranks only have twelve hours to perform a Christmas miracle and pull together a celebration.
Courtesy Everett Collection
It's a Wonderful Life
Year: 1946
Rating: PG
Age your child will enjoy it: 9+
What to look out for: The story begins because George is considering killing himself. (This is a huge but, arguably important, concept to bring up with kids; so watch with care.) But a guardian angel shows him what life would’ve been like if he had never existed and George realizes how loved and needed he really is.
©20thCentFox/Courtesy Everett Collection
Home Alone 2: Lost in New York
Year: 1992
Rating: PG
Age your child will enjoy it: 7+
What it’s about: One year after the events of the first movie, Kevin is stranded in New York City after boarding the wrong flight and soon discovers the same criminals from last year are on the loose.
©Warner Bros/courtesy Everett Collection / Everett Collection
Jack Frost
Year: 1998
Rating: PG
Age your child will enjoy it: 8+
What it’s about: Jack Frost comes back to life as a snowman a year after his death and tries to make up for lost time with his son. We’re still not over Michael Keaton’s car crash over 20 years later, and your kid may never be either. That, and the fact that even though he eventually puts things right with Charlie (as a snowman), he is still dead in the end. As he disappears (but not before appearing as Michael Keaton once more) the camera pans and he whispers “I will always hear you” over dramatic music – it’s devastating, but so worth the heartbreak.
©Walt Disney Co./Courtesy Everett Collection
A Christmas Carol
Year: 2009
Rating: PG
Age your child will enjoy it: 9+
What it’s about: Charles Dickens’s classic tale is essentially a ghost story, and this adaptation features a few very creepy spirits who take him on a journey of self-redemption.
Everett Collection / Courtesy Everett Collection
A Christmas Story
Year: 1983
Rating: PG
Age your child will enjoy it: 9+
What it’s about: Set in the 1940s before Christmas break, nine-year-old Ralphie sets out to convince his family that a BB gun is the perfect Christmas gift for a boy his age.
©Warner Bros/Courtesy Everett Collection
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
Year: 1989
Rating: PG-13
Age your child will enjoy it: 11+
What it’s about: Clark Griswold is determined to have the perfect Christmas with his family but things take a turn after trouble at his job ensue and his cousin and other relatives show up unannounced to live in his property.
