What are the best Christmas movies on Netflix? The festive period can be stressful. There’s all the presents, the decorating, the parties; sometimes it feels like it won’t end. But, among the spending and social engagements, it’s a great time to sit down for a cozy family movie, or, something a little darker.
Netflix US has a fair selection of holiday films, spanning both originals for the streaming service, and older, more established classics. These vary from some of the best animated movies to celebrated romances, and quite a few musicals — why do so many Christmas movies feature sing-alongs? Some of us left our choir days well and truly in the past.
Anyway! We’ve gone through the platform to find the best movies to get you in the festive spirit. Some retell the mythos of jolly old Saint Nick, some are flat-out terrible new movies we can’t help but enjoy, and one’s just Bill Murray being Bill Murray, but we’ve got something for everyone. You supply the beverages and chocolate, and we’ll supply the best Netflix Christmas movies.
These are the best Netflix Christmas movies:
- Klaus
- Robin, Robin
- A Very Murray Christmas
- The Christmas Chronicles
- Dolly Parton’s Christmas on the Square
- Love, Actually
- Falling for Christmas
- The Princess Switch 3: Romancing the Star
- Angela’s Christmas Wish
Klaus (2019)
This beautiful Santa Claus movie is an origin story of sorts for Saint Nicholas, Klaus posits the legend as an old folktale about kindness. In a 19th-century village, Jasper, a desperate postman who needs to deliver 600 letters otherwise his wealthy father will disown him, accomplishes his goal by fronting as the distributor for the eponymous hermit toymaker.
The ruse is effective in helping Klaus find a place in the community and ending a local blood feud. Although Jasper was originally in it for less than charitable ends, he’s a changed man by the conclusion. Klaus is full of warmth and charm, made all the cozier by being the directorial debut for the long-time designer and animator Sergio Pablos.
Robin, Robin (2021)
Another Netflix original, this time from Aardman Animations, the studio behind Shaun the Sheep, Wallace and Gromit, and Chicken Run. Needless to say, this delightful spin on the Ugly Duckling – about a robin raised by mice – is Aardman proving why its methods of stop-motion have endured for so long.
But it doesn’t just look lovely: there are a few cracking tunes, too. Good music, a great voice cast, including Richard E. Grant and Gillian Anderson, and a slightly eccentric view of Christmas make it essential.
A Very Murray Christmas (2015)
A Bill Murray Christmas special about Murray hosting a ramshackle live show. That’s just the tip of the iceberg in this surreal comedy that involves several musical numbers, Murray himself having a nervous breakdown, and a seemingly endless amount of celebrity cameos.
Murray reunites with Sofia Coppola for the first time since the 2003 drama movie Lost in Translation, making this all the more engaging. Not Scrooged 2, but as close as we’ll ever get.
The Christmas Chronicles (2018)
Surely Kurt Russell as Santa Claus is enough to convince you this fantasy movie is worthwhile? Russell’s latter-day silver hair and grizzled, kindly demeanor make him an ideal fit for the jolly old gift-giver, and better still in a seasonal romp involving scattered presents.
Russell’s Santa enlists help from two siblings, Teddy and Kate in making sure he keeps to schedule after a crash on Christmas Eve. Teddy, after going a mite wayward, learns the importance of family, while Kate, the youngest, understands that there is no such thing as the perfect family. Feel-good fun for all.
Dolly Parton’s Christmas on the Square (2020)
Practically one long Dolly Parton album, Christmas on the Square has the country singer saving a small town from being turned into a shopping mall by a greedy land developer. It’s all very celebratory of American townships and the joys of tight-knit communities and how some things need to be preserved, and so on and so forth.
This would be insufferable were it not for Parton, who’s a beam of sunshine here (and in general). Take it all as a metaphor for keeping up the things that bring you joy and not allowing them to be commodified, crack out the mulled wine, and have a dance.
Love Actually (2003)
The Harry Potter movies have nothing on the level of disdain Love Actually can inspire for Alan Rickman. How could Rickman’s Harry treat Emma Thompson’s Karen like that? Truly despicable.
Richard Curtis’s rom-com – which is actually funny on occasion – endures in principle for the cast, a who’s who of British filmmaking in the ’90s and 2000s. But also, its multiple storylines show the drudgery of Christmas as an adult, a frenzied time of spending, haphazard gift-buying, and sometimes, an unfortunate broken heart. But sometimes that’s love too, actually – isn’t it?
The Princess Switch 3: Romancing the Star (2021)
We’re getting into dicey territory now, particularly with how we’re skipping straight to the third installment of this Christmas doppelganger film series.
Is it good? No. Do we enjoy watching these with a mug of hot chocolate and an open mind that wishes Hollywood would bring back camp 2000s movies? Yes. If you’re into the Monte Carlos and Wild Childs of the world, give this unhinged story about a woman who keeps finding women who are identical to her a go. Then, take a Buzzfeed quiz to find out which one you are.
Angela’s Christmas Wish (2020)
This delightful Irish short that deploys the voice talents of the likes of Ruth Negga is a family-friendly joy. It follows young Angela, who wishes to reunite her family in time for the holidays.
The animation isn’t anything to write home about, but it’s a heartwarming and easily digested Christmas tale we still recommend.
Falling for Christmas (2022)
This was touted as the Lindsay Lohan comeback movie. It wasn’t good enough to cause too much of a stir, but honestly, we were still happy to see her back on our screens. It’s harmless, silly, and sickly sweet, like much of Netflix’s holiday catalog. If you’re in the mood for some romance in particular, check it out.
It’s called Falling for Christmas because Lohan literally falls off a cliff in the film. Classic amnesia hijinks ensuee.
If you love Christmas, check out our list of the best Disney Plus Christmas movies, best Amazon Prime Christmas movies, and our dive into the Elf cast. Speaking of, our team had thoughts on why Will Ferrell is the ultimate Christmas movie star. And we’ve also got a guide on everything new on Netflix.