The Best Christmas Films On Netflix: 26 Festive Movies To Watch Before December 25

Still nursing wounds from their breakup, two exes find themselves reluctantly spending Christmas together after realizing their current partners are siblings. As old tensions resurface, they’re forced to endure uncomfortable moments, family chaos, and the awkwardness of shared memories. With holiday cheer in the air and unresolved feelings between them, the situation becomes more complicated than anyone could have expected.

In this holiday rom-com, Layla dashes through the streets of New York, determined to score a last-minute ticket to the sold-out Pentatonix Christmas Eve concert. With dreams of a fairytale romance with her dream guy, she’s racing against time— but will she make it before the clock runs out?

To save her parents' struggling small-town venue, a former big-city dancer organises a Christmas-themed all-male revue (think Magic Mike). As the show takes shape, she learns that the holiday magic often arrives in the most surprising ways.

Belgian Christmas-themed drama, The Claus Family, made its Netflix debut in 2020 with a sequel promptly following a year later in 2021. Two years later and a third installment is finally here, with yet another outing for the Claus family from director Ruben Vandenborre. Per the official log line from Netflix, ‘When the delivery of presents goes wrong and Grandpa Noël gets in trouble, siblings Jules and Noor must work together to save Christmas. Can they do it?’

In a twist of fate, two long-time frenemies, Jackie, played by Brandy Norwood, and Charlotte, played by Heather Graham, are bought together on a frosty, snowing pre-Christmas evening. Every Christmas, Jackie sends a holiday newsletter filled with subtle boastings, which makes Charlotte feel inadequate. But with the two now thrust together just days before Christmas, Charlotte becomes hell-belt on trying to prove that her old friend’s life can’t possibly be that perfect. Can the two and their respective families find joy in the holidays after all?

One of Olivia Wilde’s lesser-known starring roles comes by way of Love the Coopers, which tells the tale of four generations of the Cooper family who reunite on a fateful Christmas Eve. What ensues is a tale of family strife and unconditional love as each family members' story unravels. Prepare to laugh, cry and everything in between with a starry cast that includes Amanda Seyfried, Ed Helms and Diane Keaton.

Providing a fresh take on Louisa May Alcott’s classic, Greta Gerwig’s reimagining of Little Women is Christmas personified. The Barbie director wrote and directed the 2019 adaptation, which doesn't stray far from the original storyline of the book, which follows the lives of the four March sisters as they come of age.

If that hadn't sold you enough, the film also stars Emma Watson, Florence Pugh and Saoirse Ronan, who plays the titular Jo March. Curl up and allow yourself to be transported back in time in the most delicious of ways.

Lindsay Lohan stars in this Christmas flick as a newly engaged heiress who gets in a nasty skiing accident a few days before Christmas. When she awakes with memory loss, she finds herself in a lodge with a handsome widower and his daughter. Can you guess what happens next?

Starring Justin Hartley (This is Us), this film follows the story of an author who travels home one Christmas to sort out his estranged mother’s estate. He finds a diary filled with secrets about his past, and a beautiful woman’s journey becomes entwined with his own.

A classic riches-to-rags story to make you feel all warm and fuzzy. Widower Rush loses his job as a radio DJ, and is forced to move back into his aunt’s house with his four spoilt children where they once lived, before they’d gotten used to luxury. The children find it hard to adjust to their new life, especially when Rush finds love for the first time since their mother passed away.

Tim Lake (Domhnall Gleeson) learns from his father (Bill Nighy) that he, like all the men in their family, can time travel to any moment in their past. When he meets Mary (Rachel McAdams), he uses his newfound power to win her heart. Through all the ups and downs in this emotional roller coaster of a film, we’re reminded to make the most of life and live in the moment. While not a strictly Christmas film, the festive period is definitely the perfect time to watch this.

It wouldn’t be Christmas without watching Jim Carey painted green and covered in fur. This classic Dr. Seuss story will make your heart grow three sizes, too. Snuggle in and let yourself be transported to Whoville from your sofa.

Starring Legally Blonde’s Jennifer Coolidge and Ugly Betty’s Michael Urie, this film is the perfect romcom if you’re all about kissing under the mistletoe. The film sees Peter (Urie) convincing his best friend Nick (Philemon Chambers) to join him for Christmas and pretend they’re in a relationship to please his parents. Unsurprisingly, the ruse doesn’t exactly go as planned...

The Christmas film to end all Christmas films, this Richard Curtis-written/directed blockbuster explores the stories of nine individuals, including a prime minister (Hugh Grant), a married man (Alan Rickman), a guy suffering from unrequited love (Andrew Lincoln), a heartbroken writer (Colin Firth) and more. It has one of the best dance scenes ever, an octopus (‘eight is a lot of legs, David’) and the perfect airport farewell.

Nina Dobrev takes the lead in this festive film. A modern day love story, the plot sees Dobrev’s character Natalie Bauer match with a love interest on a dating app and fly across the country to meet him for Christmas, only to realise that she’s been duped.

If only this film was real life. A Christmas Prince sees journalist Amber head overseas to research into Prince Richard who is set to be king. You can probably guess what happens next, but let’s just say there’s a big ol’ romantic storyline involved. A heart-warming film that’s a must-watch. After watching this film you can then watch the second and third follow up films on Netflix to find out what happens next.

Taking inspiration from George Michael’s hit Christmas tune, Last Christmas focusses on the life of Kate, a Christmas shop worker who is sick and tired of the humdrum of everyday life, and Tom, a handsome do-gooder who can’t help but try to make things better for Kate. Starring Emilia Clarke, Henry Golding, Michelle Yeoh and Emma Thompson, this is one to bookmark in the diary before Christmas Day.

This is an English-language Spanish animated Christmas film which features the voices of J.K Simmons, Rashida Jones and Jason Schwarzman. The plot centres on a postman located in an island town in the Far North who finds friendship with a reclusive toymaker, known as Klaus. It’s a truly beautiful film and won the award for Best Animated Film at the 73rd BAFTAS.

Starring Mad Men’s Kiernan Shipka, Let It Snow is a Christmas comedy which involves a group of high school students in town being brought together on Christmas Eve during a snowstorm. Think of it as a modern The Breakfast Club.

After you check out what the cast of this film are up to now (ahem, in our ‘then and now’ round up), we suggest sitting down with a Quality Street and watching this festive classic. The film sees two women (Cameron Diaz and Kate Winselt) swap homes for Christmas and find love and confidence. The cast also includes Jude Law and Jack Black and we couldn’t love it more.