27 Best Family Holiday Movies

Gather the family together, so you can join Will Ferrell and shout in unison: “Santa’s coming! I know him! I know him!” This is a classic holiday movie for our generation and it's one we look forward to rewatching with the kids every year.

Available to stream on HBO Max and DirecTV

A delight from beginning to end, the original Miracle features one of the best ever child acting performances from Natalie Wood and a story that will restore seasonal hope to even the blackest heart.

Available to stream on HBO Max and Hulu.

A modern-day holiday classic, this film is filled with gorgeous scenery, an engaging storyline about a bitter toymaker who's wonder and magic is reawakened thanks to his granddaughter, joyous songs and dancing, and an uplifting ending. What more could one ask for from a holiday movie?

Available to stream on Netflix

Pratfalls and sight gags? A kid who gets full run of his house during the holidays? A boy who completely lacks parental supervision? What won’t your children love about this movie?

Available to stream on Disney+

You won’t shoot your eye out. But while watching this beloved holiday comedy, you will laugh (and feel grateful that you never stuck your tongue to a frozen telephone pole).

Available to stream on HBO Max and purchase basically everywhere

Introduce your kids to George Bailey and Clarence the angel, and you'll be giving them a holiday movie tradition to brighten every Christmas that follows … as long as Uncle Billy doesn’t screw it up.

Available to stream on Amazon Prime and DirecTV

Judy Garland singing “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” is a holiday tradition. Watching actress Margaret O’Brien’s teary little face while Garland sings it is heartbreaking … and also a tradition.

Available to stream on HBO Max

The sweetest Disney dog love story is bookended by Christmas celebrations, making the holidays the perfect time for a spaghetti noodle kiss. Althought it's a love story between two dogs, it has all the makings of a good holiday movie: a heartwarming message, a good lesson, and some love.

Available to stream on Disney+

Claire Danes has always been an amazing weeper. For proof, just watch her during the Christmas scene in this adaptation, which wears its heart on its wonderfully old-fashioned sleeve.

Available to stream on Amazon Prime

The stop-motion movie written and produced by Tim Burton works as well during Halloween as it does during the time of tinsel and twinkling lights. The movie is perfect for people who love good stories told in untraditional ways.

Available to stream on Disney+

The beloved children’s book comes to life, complete with CGI animation that captures the story’s spirit even if it makes the people look a little weird. This movie is full of all the magic of the season.

Available to stream on HBO Max

Can’t convince the kids to watch the Alastair Sim or Albert Finney versions of A Christmas Carol? Maybe the Muppets will pique their interest with this twist on the Charles Dickens novella. It's all the magic of the holidays plus Muppets!

Available to stream on Disney+

Kurt Russell stars as Santa in this rousing Netflix original film where two young siblings make a plan to try to catch St. Nick on Christmas Eve. The universally loved film now has a sequel to keep the holiday viewing going over multiple days.

Available to stream on Netflix

Sometimes a hokey, old-fashioned holiday musical — especially one starring Bing Crosby, Danny Kate, and Rosemary Clooney — is exactly what a wintry night demands.

Available to stream on Netflix

In some families, it’s not Christmas until Clark Griswold goes off on a holiday rant peppered with choice language. (Don’t forget to earmuff the more impressionable, younger viewers in the family!)

Available to stream on HBO Max

Your enthusiasm for this film may vary depending on your tolerance for Tim Allen. But it has enough festive charm and broad age appeal to make it a solid option for viewing together, while sipping mugs of hot cocoa. It's going to be one of the movies the kids will remember watching as a family.

Available to stream on Disney+

This often-overlooked romantic comedy about two college kids traveling cross-country at Christmas time is an ’80s gem that features John Cusack at his most irresponsible and lovable.

Available to stream on DirecTV or rent on Apple TV

And if the Muppets don’t work, try Bill Murray? The movie is an updated version of A Christmas Carol, in which a wealthy guy is visted by ghosts who try and get Frank Cross to think differently about how is life is going and focus on what really matters.

Available to rent on Apple TV and Amazon Prime or purchased on Amazon, Google Play, and YouTube

The first Harry Potter was released just before the 2001 holiday season began, and features some lovely Christmas scenes at Hogwarts, making the season of Santa the ideal time to revisit the Boy Who Lived.

Available to stream on Peacock and HBO Max

A family-friendly film about a magical land coated in snow, a man named Father Christmas who helps young children, and a lion who’s basically Jesus. Yeah, that’s a holiday movie, but it has enough whimsy for kids to stay entertained if holiday movies aren't typically their thing.

Available to stream on Disney+

All is clever and bright in this animated tale about the son of Santa coming into his own and reinserting a sense of tradition into the now technologically advanced method of delivering gifts to good girls and boys.

Available to stream on DirecTV or rent on Apple TV

That “other” holiday movie starring Jimmy Stewart? It’s pretty great, too. It's a story of fate and two people coming together because of it. For anyone who loves these older, classic movies, it's worth a rewatch.

Available to stream on HBO Max

Any excuse to trot out this fine piece of porcine cinema is a good one in my book. During the holidays, the fact that it contains a Christmas scene and little Babe singing “Jingle Bells” will do, pig. That’ll do.

Available to stream on Amazon Prime

Younger children should avoid this one for many reasons, including that upsetting Santa Claus story Phoebe Cates tells. But preteens and teens with a dark sense of humor will love watching the Mogwai fly.

Available to stream on HBO Max

This enjoyable animated adventure, somewhat overlooked when it was released last year, positions the icons of childhood — including Santa Claus — as an Avengers-style force attempting to cast out darkness.

Available to stream on The Roku Channel or rented on Apple TV or GooglePlay

Return to a time when married couples solved murder mysteries during the holiday season, and dropped choice bon mots along the way. Just remind the kids that no one — not even Nick and Nora Charles — needs to drink that many martinis.

Available to be rented on Apple TV and Amazon Prime

While this holiday favorite was released in 1945, today’s older children may still appreciate the comedy of errors that ensues when a columnist (Barbara Stanwyck) must maintain the charade of being a domestic holiday-season goddess.

Available to stream on DirecTV or rent on Amazon Prime