Besides the excitement of opening presents on Christmas morning, there is another part of the holiday that is rewarding and satisfying. It’s that moment when you’re curled up on the couch with hot chocolate and about to watch a Christmas movie.
This carefully crafted list has suggestions for movies that will stir up your nostalgia, make you laugh, and encourage you to appreciate the holidays more.
Although new Christmas movies come out yearly, rewatching classic films makes the holiday season more memorable. If you’re contemplating which Christmas movie you should stream, here are the top ones to rewatch.
1. This Christmas
Watching the Whitfield family reunite in This Christmas is a reminder that life and families are complicated. Yet, you can achieve harmony through love and perseverance. It is a great movie to laugh with, and it might help you feel better about your family drama.
Available on Peacock
2. Last Holiday
What better rom-com to re-watch than the budding romance between salesperson Georgia, played by Queen Latifah, and her coworker Sean, played by LL Cool J? A movie that led Queen Latifah to receive a NAACP nomination for Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture is worth revisiting every year.
Last Holiday is the perfect movie to help you feel all the emotions and be hopeful for the coming year.
Stream on Paramount+ and Prime Video
3. The Preacher’s Wife
You probably already have Whitney Houston’s holiday album playing in the background, so you might as well throw on a movie where she has a leading role. The Preacher’s Wife is a romantic classic that makes the holidays feel extra special.
Besides featuring superstars like Houston and Denzel Washington, the storyline is sentimental, funny, and heartfelt.
Stream on Disney+
4. Home Alone
Is any Christmas complete without watching Home Alone? This cinematic adventure never gets old. Whether you’ve seen this movie once, twice, or more than ten times, it’s easy to get caught up in how an eight-year-old boy is able to create advanced contraptions and outsmart two grown adults.
Stream on Disney+
5. Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey
Jingle Jangle is a beautiful family movie. It is a fun and cheerful musical that stars Forest Whitaker, Madalen Mills, and Keegan-Michael Key. It’s a movie that cousins, parents, grandparents, and children will all enjoy.
Consisting of the same vibes as The Greatest Showman and The Wiz, it’ll have you singing and dancing along.
Stream on Netflix
6. Almost Christmas
Almost Christmas is a great movie to bring out if you need a good laugh or when someone is on the verge of a fight and a distraction is necessary. It is a relatable film about relatives coming together, bickering siblings, and the importance of family. Almost Christmas is a seasonal classic.
Currently streaming on Peacock and available to rent or buy on Prime Video
7. A Madea Christmas
Whether you’re a fan of the Madea movies or have never seen one, A Madea Christmas will surely bring you non-stop laughs. Yet another movie that captivates the craziness of the holiday season, this movie is a comical break from reality.
Available on Prime Video
8. How the Grinch Stole Christmas
A classic in the Christmas movie genre is the infamous How the Grinch Stole Christmas, starring the genius comedic Jim Carrey. This is a great film to rewatch with the family or by yourself. It will surely put you in the Christmas spirit if you’ve been in a Grinch-like mood.
Available on Netflix
9. The Night Before
While The Night Before isn’t the pinnacle of Christmas movies, that doesn’t mean it doesn’t deserve a second or third viewing. A hilarious comedy about friendships mixed in with Christmas celebrations, it is also a great movie to watch while sipping on some spiked eggnog. It’ll remind any middle-aged man that trying to relive your twenties will only lead to disaster.
Available to rent or buy on Prime Video
10. The Nightmare Before Christmas
There is some debate about whether The Nightmare Before Christmas is a Christmas or Halloween movie. Since the main character, Jack Skellington, uses most of the movie to recreate Christmas, it deserves a holiday viewing.
Stream on Disney+ or rent or purchase on Prime Video
11. The Best Man Holiday
If you need an excuse to shamelessly watch attractive men such as Morris Chestnut and Taye Diggs, then streaming The Best Man Holiday is the perfect movie to rewatch with your girlfriends. It is a movie filled with laughter, sentiment, and a very attractive cast.
Stream it on Peacock or rent or buy it on Prime Video
12. A Charlie Brown Christmas
Let your heart melt as you rewatch Charlie Brown and the Peanuts gang come together to celebrate one of the most memorable holidays of the year.
While the graphics may be old and outdated, the storyline is timeless.
Stream it on Apple TV
13. Elf
Elf is another Christmas classic that is guaranteed to make you laugh repeatedly. It is a great movie to rewatch with the family.
Available on Hulu and Prime Video
