Nothing gets us feeling festive quite like revisiting our favourite Christmas films and TV specials, so we’re happy to report that Netflix has a wide array of offerings to help spread some seasonal cheer.
But, of course, we all know that scrolling through the streaming platform to find something everyone can agree on can sometimes take forever.
With that in mind, we’ve rounded up the good, the bad and – frankly – the very odd to help make choosing something to watch this Christmas season a little easier...
The Holiday
How many times have you carelessly flicked on The Holiday halfway through when they’re showing it on ITV2? And every single time, thought to yourself “oh, I love this film, I’d love to watch it from the beginning some time”?
Well, your Christmas wish has finally been answered, as it’s available to watch on Netflix from the beginning, with no adverts, in all its dancing-to-Mr-Brightside-on-the-bed, wonder-when-the-last-time-Jude-Law-did-Mr-Napkinhead, oh-yeah-I-forgot-Lindsay-Lohan-was-in-this glory.
The Grinch
Nostalgia plays a huge part when it comes to putting together your Christmas watchlist, so if you’re looking to stroll down memory lane this festive season, Netfix has a great outlet for that in this absolute classic.
There’s a lot we could say about how The Grinch puts a surprisingly dark twist on one of Dr Seuss’ twist or the way the costumes and sets both perfectly summon up the feeling of Christmas... but everyone knows it’s Jim Carrey’s scene-stealing turn as the miserly title character that keeps us coming back to this every year.
The Grinch (again)
Yeah alright, Y2K purists are always going to favour the Jim Carrey version, but that doesn’t mean this animated version is without its charms, either.
This family comedy actually became the highest-grossing Christmas film of all time upon its release in 2018, with Benedict Cumberbatch lending his voice to the titular miser. Feel like finding out what all the fuss is about? Well, Netflix has you covered.
Falling For Christmas
New to Netflix in 2022, Falling For Christmas not only ticked a number of our “Netflix original romantic comedy” boxes (a cute kid? Check. Handsome single dad? Check. Two-dimensional characters and overacting? Check. A whole plot around amnesia? Check), it was also the comeback vehicle for the iconic that is Lindsay Lohan.
Obviously, no one should be tuning into Falling For Christmas if you’re looking for Oscar-worthy performances and prestige drama, but Lindsay Lohan is so watchable that she actually makes the whole thing enjoyable.
The Lohanaissance is in full swing, and we’re here for it.
Klaus
Listen, we love what Pixar, Disney and Dreamworks have managed to do with CGI over the years… but there’s just something about traditional 2D animation that computer-generated imagery just can’t match, isn’t there?
Klaus is proof that there’s still a place for this particular kind of visual in the modern ea, and the film’s completely unique look, and the nostalgia it invokes, make it a perfect family watch for Christmas. Plus, who doesn’t love an alternative Santa story?
In fact, since it began streaming in 2019, Klaus has become something of a cult classic, and one we think is only going to become more and more popular as the years go on.
The Christmas Chronicles
Another modern family Christmas story, this one sees two precocious children accidentally crashing Santa’s sleigh and having to team up with him to save the big day.
Young fans will enjoy the adventure, festive scenes and Kurt Russell’s take on Father Christmas. Personally, we’ll be tuning in for two reasons: Goldie Hawn… and all of the wigs.
And if you enjoy it, don’t miss The Christmas Chronicles 2, also streaming on Netflix.
Best. Christmas. EVER!
Brand new under the tree for 2023 and just waiting to be unwrapped, this rom-com features an impressive cast including Jason Biggs, Brandy, Heather Graham and Matt Cedeño, and centres around a pair of best frenemies who put their differences aside around the festive season.
And yes, before you ask, Brandy does treat us to a musical number.
Interestingly, Best. Christmas. Ever! was directed by Mary Lambert, whose past credits include Pet Sematary, the horror flick The Attic and Madonna’s controversial Like A Prayer music video.
Love Hard
A true 21st century Christmas romance, Love Hard tells the story of a dating columnist who travels to her online crush’s hometown over the festive season, only to discover he’s been catfishing her using pictures of his pal.
We probably don’t need to tell you the whole thing ends in a farcical (albeit predictable) love triangle, but Love Hard proved surprisingly popular upon its original release on Netflix in 2021, so it’s definitely worth checking out.
Christmas With You
Netflix Christmas films are truly single dads’ time to shine, as proved with pretty much all of the platform’s new arrivals in the past few years.
Christmas With You tells the story of a flagging pop star on a quest to find inspiration for a festive chart-topper, only to find Yuletide romance with – you guessed it! – a fan’s father, played by the always-dreamy Freddie Prinze Jr.
Single All The Way
Single All The Way arrived on Netfix in 2021 to much fanfare over the way it took the tried-and-tested “will they, won’t they... oh and by the way it’s Christmas” festive formula and applied it to a queer love story.
Obviously, it’s great that Netflix gave such a big push to a film with a same-sex romance at its heart, and we love that Single All The Way showcases queer characters with supportive families. But it’s also a whole lot of fun, helped in no small part by the presence of all-round screen icon Jennifer Coolidge.
A Christmas Prince
Let’s just call a spade a spade here – sometimes what we all really need at Christmas is to sit down in front of a load of brainless tosh while you tuck into the Quality Street. And on that note, we have to say thank you to Netflix for the A Christmas Prince cinematic universe.
Initially dreamed up as a Christmas cash-in on royal fever, the film proved popular enough that it spawned two more sequels. Prestige cinema this is definitely not, but pair it with a tasty mulled wine and smiles are guaranteed all-round.
The Princess Switch
Keeping up with the royal theme is Netflix’s The Princess Switch trilogy (that’s right, there are three of ’em now!).
The original essentially mixes the plots of The Princess Diaries and The Parent Trap, with subsequent sequels throwing an additional third lookalike into the mix, all of whom are played by Vanessa Hudgens.
The High School Musical star and voguing enthusiast has already proved herself to be the queen of Netflix’s thrown-together festive offerings, appearing not just in this series but also 2019’s The Knight Before Christmas, which is probably the most obvious example of “a board meeting coming up with the film’s title and working backwards from there” we’ve ever come across.
Office Christmas Party
Meanwhile, if you’re one of those people who prefers their Christmas films with a bit more snark, Netflix has got you covered, too.
Office Christmas Party boasts an all-star cast, including Jennifer Aniston, Jason Bateman, Kate McKinnon and Olivia Munn, and centres around the disgruntled staff members at a tech company in Chicago who all get roped into the mother of all Christmas dos.
I Hate Christmas
A Netflix original series from Italy, this brilliantly-titled comedy focusses on a young woman who lies to her family about having a boyfriend, and then finds herself with just 24 days to grab someone to take home for Christmas.
“I only need to find someone who’s normal enough to bring home for Christmas at my parents’,” she’s heard declaring in the trailer. Good luck is all we can say.
The first season proved popular enough with viewers that a follow-up began streaming in December 2023.
Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey
When Jingle Jangle first started streaming in 2020, it was obvious Netflix had something special on their hands, and if you’ve not managed to watch it in the years since, now’s your chance.
Not only is the film a festive adventure with a stellar cast (including Forest Whittaker, Anika Noni Rose and Ricky Martin as the voice of a matador doll who comes to life), it’s also a heartwarming musical with songs by John Legend. Once you’ve blown through the usual suspects, this is definitely worth adding to your go-to Christmas films list.
Friends Christmas specials
But it’s not just festive films that Netflix has on offer. Friends’ continued dominance on the platform means we can still get a big dose of 90s nostalgia this Christmas, with the sitcom’s array of festive episodes.
The One With The Girl From Poughkeepsie sees Phoebe striving to write the perfect Christmas songs for her close-knit pals (if only anything rhymed with “Rachel”), while The One Where Rachel Quits sees Lisa Kudrow’s character trying to rehouse some unappealing brown trees after seeing them going into a chipper.
But the definitive Christmas special is unquestionably The One With The Holiday Armadillo. That one has everything you want from a Friends episode: Ross embarrassing himself, some lovely scenes with Joey and Rachel and the revelation of Monica’s apparent Santa fetish. What’s not to love?
Dolly Parton’s Christmas On The Square
And speaking of naff, camp, be-wigged fun at Christmas… you can’t go wrong with a bit of Dolly Parton, can you?
Like the vast majority of Netflix’s original festive content, we can’t say that Dolly Parton’s Christmas On The Square is, by any stretch of the imagination, a “good” film. But that doesn’t make it any less enjoyable
Beginning with Dolly playing the least convincing homeless person ever committed to the screen, and later floating up on a cloud in Christine Baranski’s living room, this film is a real wild ride and great fun. And if the mix of Dolly Parton, Christine Baranski, Jenifer Lewis and a whole lot of fake snow doesn’t make for an irresistible Christmas treat, what does?
Spencer
We’re calling this one an “alternative” Christmas film.
Alright, so this extremely tense royal drama probably isn’t one to give you the “festive feels”, but if being stuck at home with the family is heightening your stress levels, then at least you might feel some solidarity watching Spencer.
Jokes aside, Kristen Stewart is absolutely fantastic as the late Princess Diana in this controversial film, which takes place at Sandringham over a particularly dramatic Christmas.