‘Santa Claus is coming around, driving on a sleigh’ – It is time to welcome the beloved Santa Claus, who will make it just in time to deliver presents, joy and festive cheer among not just little ones but their families too. The icy chill in the air calls for some cups of hot chocolate, delicious winter delicacies and the warmth of enjoying a good film within the comfort of homes. For children, wrapping in their parents’ arms and spending the holidays at ease is an unmatched experience. Festive periods call for uninterrupted movie marathons and weekend film plans. What’s better than spending Christmas, seated next to the grand and loaded Christmas tree, watching a warm, emotional and cosy movie? If you’re struggling to curate a perfect Christmas holiday movie plan,
we’re ending your search here! As the festive period begins, add these 25 films to your watchlist. 'Tis time to wrap yourself with heartfelt emotions, warmth of love and magic of cinema.
It's a Wonderful Life
Where To Watch: Amazon Prime Video
Cast: James Stewart, Donna Reed
Plot:It’s A Wonderful Life is considered to be one of the greatest Christmas movies of all time. Released in 1946, the film is about George Bailey, a kind-hearted man who prioritises others’ needs before his own. One Christmas Eve, he is threatened by a major financial blunder which could lead him to prison. He becomes suicidal. In the end, people around him step forward to help him financially. The film ends on Christmas night with George surrounded by his family and friends’ love and support.
The Polar Express
Where To Watch: JioHotstar
Cast: Tom Hanks, Daryl Sabara, Nona Gaye, Jimmy Bennett, and Eddie Deezen
Plot: The Polar Express makes for a perfect Christmas watch. A fantasy film, it begins when a magical train bound for the North Pole stops outside the house of a young boy. He questions the existence and his faith in Santa Claus until he boards the train. It is a child-friendly film that reinstates the power of faith.
Oh. What. Fun
Where To Watch: Amazon Prime Video
Cast: Michelle Pfeiffer, Felicity Jones, Chloë Grace Moretz, Denis Leary, Dominic Sessa, Jason Schwartzman, Eva Longoria, Joan Chen
Plot: Oh.What.Fun is an emotional and relatable film based on Claire Clauster, a housewife, who plans Christmas with her family for a year. When she goes missing, her family is alerted and the holiday is at risk. However, she returns to change their outlook towards her with a Christmas celebration they deserve.
Red One
Where To Watch: Amazon Prime Video
Cast: Dwayne Johnson, Chris Evans, Lucy Liu
Plot: Christmas without Santa Claus is incomplete. In
Red One, a villain kidnaps Santa Claus from the North Pole. The E.L.F. (Extremely Large and Formidable) operative joins forces with the world's most accomplished tracker to find him and save Christmas.
World’s First Christmas
Where To Watch: Amazon Prime Video
Cast: Lázaro Ramos, Ingrid Guimarães
Plot: When Christmas goes missing from a Brazilian holiday, Tina and Pepê take the responsibility of getting it back and reinventing the holiday from scratch.
Dating Santa
Where To Watch: Amazon Prime Video
Cast: Ana Serradilla, David Chocarro
Plot: On a blind date in
Dating Santa, Lucia falls in love with Sergio. To take the relationship forward, she needs the approval of her daughter, who is obsessed with Christmas. The young girl has to be convinced that her mother’s boyfriend is Santa Claus.
Candy Cane Lane
Where To Watch: Amazon Prime Video
Cast: Eddie Murphy, Tracee Ellis Ross, Jillian Bell, Thaddeus J. Mixon, Ken Marino, Trevante Rhodes, David Alan Grier, Nick Offerman
Plot: Chris, a laid-off corporate marketer, makes a deal with a wicked Christmas elf to win his street's house decoration contest. He gets tricked by the elf and lands in a tricky situation where his holiday décor comes alive.
Home Alone
Where To Watch: JioHotstar
Cast: Macaulay Culkin, Joe Pesci, Daniel Stern, John Heard, Catherine O'Hara
Plot: Home Alone is about an eight-year-old Kevin McCallister living with his large family. Amid a fight, he wishes them to disappear. The next morning, he finds himself alone at home as the family flies out to Europe without him. Soon, two burglars target houses in the neighbourhood. The eight-year-old has to safeguard himself and the house. He sets up traps throughout the house. In the end, the burglars are arrested and Kevin realises the value of having his family around.
A Christmas Carol
Where To Watch: Disney Plus
Cast: Jim Carrey, Gary Oldman, Colin Firth, Bob Hoskins, Robin Wright Penn, Cary Elwes
Plot: Ebenezer Scrooge, a miser old man, values money above all else. On Christmas Eve, he ill-treats his overworked clerk, Bob Cratchit and mocks his cheerful nephew, Fred, who invites him to Christmas dinner. However, he learns a lesson in compassion when three spirits visit him.
Last Christmas
Where To Watch: Amazon Prime Video, Netflix
Cast: Emilia Clarke, Henry GoldingPlot: Kate works at a Christmas shop in London. She is recovering from a serious illness and disconnects herself from the world. Tom, a mysterious man, becomes her confidant whenever she needs him. He helps her reconnect with the world, reunite with her family and look at life differently. Kate later realises that Tom’s heart was donated to her during a life-changing surgery and he is dead. In the end, she embraces the spirit of Christmas.
Miracle on 34th Street
Where To Watch: Amazon Prime Video
Cast: Maureen O'Hara, John Payne, Natalie Wood, Edmund Gwenn
Plot: Miracle on 34th Street follows the story of Susan and her mother. They defend a man, Kris Kringle, from being institutionalised with the help of a lawyer. To save him, the mother-daughter has to prove that he is Santa Claus.
All I Want for Christmas
Where To Watch: Amazon Prime Video
Cast: Harley Jane Kozak, Lauren Bacall, Thora Birch, Ethan Randall, Leslie Nielsen
Plot: Ethan and Hallie are New York-based siblings. Their parents are estranged. However, they make hilarious plans to bring them together to celebrate Christmas as a family.
Klaus
Where To Watch: Netflix
Cast: Jason Schwartzman, J. K. Simmons, Rashida Jones, Will Sasso
Plot: Klaus, a reclusive toymaker in the quiet town of Smeerensburg, teaches an important lesson in empathy, kindness and spreading joy. Jesper Johansson, a lazy postman, who enters the town as a self-centered man, understands the joy in spreading love and kindness during the Christmas period.
The Christmas Chronicles
Where To Watch: Netflix
Cast: Kurt Russell, Judah Lewis, Darby Camp, Lamorne Morris, Kimberly Williams-Paisley, Oliver Hudson
Plot: The Christmas Chronicles follows the story of siblings Kate and Teddy Pierce. They are mourning the death of their father and a dull Christmas at home. On Christmas Eve, they decide to catch Santa Claus on record. For this, they hide Santa’s sleigh, accidentally causing damage to it. A bunch of children help Santa find his stolen sack and save Christmas from being ruined. The siblings learn an important lesson in letting go.
That Christmas
Where To Watch: Netflix
Cast: Brian Cox, Fiona Shaw, Jodie Whittaker, Bill Nighy
Plot: That Christmas is set in the seaside town of Wellington-on-Sea. The film weaves interconnected stories during one snowy holiday. A fierce snowstorm disrupts plans, separates families, and challenges the town’s residents, especially the children, to cope with unexpected changes.
The Noel Diary
Where To Watch: Netflix
Cast: Justin Hartley, Barrett Doss
Plot: The Noel Diary is about a novelist, who meets a young woman while cleaning out his childhood home during Christmas. She is searching for her birth mother and the film revolves around their intertwined lives. It is based on the novel by Richard Paul Evans.
The Claus Family
Where To Watch: Netflix
Cast: Jan Decleir, Mo Bakker and Stefaan Degand
Plot: After the death of his father, Jules begins to dislike Christmas until he moves to Belgium with his mother and sister. He discovers that his grandfather is Santa Claus and he is destined to take the legacy forward. When the time comes, he has to step up and save Christmas.
A Castle For Christmas
Where To Watch: Netflix
Cast: Brooke Shields, Cary Elwes
Plot: Sophie Brown, an American novelist, travels to Scotland and gets drawn towards a beautiful yet old castle. When she decides to buy it, the Duke of Dunbar, Myles, resists. While he allows her to live there, he isn’t willing to sell his ancestral property. As love overpowers disagreements, Sophie’s decision changes, and she cancels the plan to buy the castle.
Our Little Secret
Where To Watch: Netflix
Cast: Lindsay Lohan, Ian Harding, Tim Meadows, Jon Rudnitsky, Judy Reyes, Henry Czerny, Chris Parnell, Kristin Chenoweth
Plot: Avery is spending her first Christmas with her boyfriend's family. The celebration turns awkward when she learns her ex-boyfriend is also a part of the festivities. They hide their romantic history from their partners, who are siblings.
Best. Christmas. Ever!
Where To Watch: Netflix
Cast: Heather Graham, Brandy Norwood, Matt Cedeño, Jason Biggs
Plot: Jackie and Charlotte are old friends. However, the daily hustle creates a gap between them. The latter spends one Christmas with the former’s family and understands her life isn’t perfect. The festivities bring them together.
Angela’s Christmas
Where To Watch: Netflix
Cast: Ruth Negga, Lucy O'Connell
Plot: Angela’s Christmas is about a young girl named Angela whose concern for baby Jesus being cold in the church nativity during Christmas, makes her bring the figure home. However, her innocent act creates confusion as people assume the figure is missing.
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
Where To Watch: Amazon Prime Video
Cast: Animated
Plot: The film explores the story of Rudolph, a reindeer born in Santa’s village. He feels outcast due to his unique, bright red nose. The film is about his bond with Santa Claus.
A Charlie Brown Christmas
Where To Watch: Amazon Prime Video
Cast: Peter Robbins, Christopher Shea, Kathy Steinberg, Tracy Stratford, Bill Melendez
Plot: A Charlie Brown Christmas is about Charlie Brown, who feels unhappy seeing everyone around him celebrate Christmas with presents. With the help of his friends, he understands the significance of the festival.
How the Grinch Stole Christmas!
Where To Watch: Peacock
Cast: Jim Carrey, Jeffrey Tambor, Christine Baranski, Bill Irwin, Molly Shannon
Plot: A grumpy Grinch, living in Whoville, is planning to ruin the Christmas celebrations of those who love celebrating it. However, the arrival of Cindy changes the scenario.
Arthur Christmas
Where To Watch: Amazon Prime Video
Cast: James McAvoy, Hugh Laurie, Bill Nighy, Jim Broadbent, Imelda Staunton, Ashley Jensen
Plot: Arthur Christmas is about Santa's son Arthur, who finds out that due to a technical glitch, a young girl’s Christmas gift has been misplaced. He sets out on an adventure to deliver it on time.
Happy festive season and binge-watching!
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