17 Holiday Movies to Watch This Christmas and Where to Stream

The best holiday movies to watch this Christmas include Home Alone, Elf, The Holiday, The Grinch, The Christmas Chronicles and The Nightmare Before Christmas. Our list of 17 holiday movies covers family classics, romcoms and adult comedies, plus three newer picks from 2024, including the Hindi thriller Merry Christmas on Netflix.

December in India now means office parties, Secret Santa and a long weekend on the couch. These films are easy to find, and many are on Netflix and JioHotstar. Where we have not listed a platform, the film moves between services and rental stores, so search the title on your apps before you plan movie night.

Holiday movies at a glance

17 holiday movies to bring in the Christmas cheer

1. Home Alone (1990)

Eight-year-old Kevin (Macaulay Culkin) is accidentally left behind when his family flies to Paris for Christmas, and defends the house against two burglars. Still the most rewatched Christmas film in Indian homes. Streams on JioHotstar in India.

2. Elf (2003)

Will Ferrell plays Buddy, a human raised by Santa’s elves at the North Pole, who travels to New York to find his real father. Directed by Jon Favreau, it is silly, warm and safe for the whole family.

3. The Holiday (2006)

Two women, played by Cameron Diaz and Kate Winslet, swap homes in Los Angeles and an English village over Christmas and fall for Jude Law and Jack Black. Nancy Meyers’ romcom is a December comfort watch.

4. The Grinch (2018)

Illumination’s animated version of the Dr. Seuss story, with Benedict Cumberbatch voicing the grumpy Grinch who plans to steal Christmas. If you prefer live action, Jim Carrey played the role in How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000).

5. A Very Harold and Kumar 3D Christmas (2011)

John Cho and Kal Penn return as the stoner duo, this time on a chaotic hunt for a Christmas tree. Adult humour, so keep it for friends’ night.

6. Serendipity (2001)

John Cusack and Kate Beckinsale meet while shopping for gloves at Christmas and leave their future to fate. A light romance that works for date night.

7. The Christmas Chronicles (2018)

Kurt Russell plays a cool, fast-talking Santa who teams up with two siblings to save Christmas. A sequel followed in 2020. Streams on Netflix in India.

8. Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992)

Kevin boards the wrong flight and ends up alone in New York, where he meets the same burglars again. As much fun as the first. Streams on JioHotstar in India.

9. The Night Before (2015)

Seth Rogen, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Anthony Mackie play three friends on one last wild Christmas Eve night out. Adult comedy.

10. The Knight Before Christmas (2019)

Vanessa Hudgens stars as a teacher who meets a medieval knight transported to the present day. Light, cheesy and very festive. Streams on Netflix in India.

11. A Christmas Prince (2017)

An American journalist goes undercover to report on a European prince and ends up in a royal romance. It led to two sequels in 2018 and 2019. Streams on Netflix in India.

12. Office Christmas Party (2016)

Jason Bateman, Jennifer Aniston and T.J. Miller star in a comedy about a branch party that gets out of hand. Good for anyone who has survived a work party.

13. Just Friends (2005)

Ryan Reynolds plays a former high school nerd who returns home for Christmas and tries to win over the friend he always loved. Funny and easy to watch.

14. The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)

Directed by Henry Selick and produced by Tim Burton, this stop-motion musical follows Jack Skellington of Halloween Town as he tries to take over Christmas. Streams on JioHotstar in India.

15. New Year’s Eve (2011)

Garry Marshall’s ensemble romcom follows several New Yorkers on the last night of the year. A good pick for the week between Christmas and New Year.

16. A Christmas Carol (2009)

Robert Zemeckis’ animated version of the Charles Dickens classic, with Jim Carrey voicing Ebenezer Scrooge and the three ghosts. Streams on JioHotstar in India.

17. The Princess Switch (2018)

Vanessa Hudgens plays a Chicago baker and a duchess who look identical and swap places before Christmas. Two sequels followed in 2020 and 2021. Streams on Netflix in India.

Three newer Christmas picks

Merry Christmas (2024)

Sriram Raghavan’s thriller stars Katrina Kaif and Vijay Sethupathi as two strangers who meet on Christmas Eve in old Bombay, and the night turns dark. It is the rare Indian film built around Christmas. Streams on Netflix.

Red One (2024)

Dwayne Johnson and Chris Evans team up to rescue a kidnapped Santa Claus in this action comedy. It streams on Prime Video.

Carry-On (2024)

Taron Egerton plays an airport security officer blackmailed by a mysterious traveller on Christmas Eve. A tense Netflix thriller for those who want Christmas without the sugar.

How to plan a holiday movie marathon

• Start with a family film like Home Alone in the afternoon.
• Move to a romcom like The Holiday after dinner.
• Save adult comedies like The Night Before for a late show with friends.
• Check age ratings on each app if children are watching.

For more watch lists, see our movies section, Hollywood picks and listicles.

Frequently asked questions

Sources: Home Alone, Wikipedia, Merry Christmas (2024 film), Wikipedia, Netflix India.