50 Best Christmas Movies for Kids
Whether they want to watch their old faves or something new, there's a holiday film for everybody.
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Christmas movies, like the holiday itself, come at the same time every year. With all the new releases, it can be hard for parents to keep track of the ones their families have watched together, which ones they skipped and which ones they want to return to again and again. And when it's time to sit down and watch a holiday movie, it's even harder to decide whether you want to go with one of the greatest Christmas movies of all-time, or try something new that just came out either this year or last year.
Whichever way you're leaning, these are the best Christmas movies to watch with kids in 2024. Some of them are so brand-new, they're still in theaters (or haven't hit streamers like Netflix yet). Others are live-action and animated Christmas classics that parents and grandparents remember watching when they were kids. Some of earnestly sincere, while others are irreverently goofy. So no matter what type of mood they're in, the kids can gather around the TV and find something that suits the vibe. (And then, when they go to bed, the adults can stay up and watch the romantic Christmas movies or the Christmas horror films on their own.)
COMING SOON: That Christmas
Look, Santa can get through anything — but some years are easier than others. This Netflix movie shows what happens when a huge snowstorm near the town of Wellington-on-Sea throws everyone's Christmas plans for a loop — even Santa's! Brian Cox provides the voice of Santa, and it'll be on Netflix on December 4. MPAA Rating: PG
COMING SOON: Dear Santa
Put the little ones to bed and grab the teens for this one, because it's rated PG-13. And when you hear the premise, you'll see why: A kid writes what he thinks is a letter to Santa, only he mixes up the letters and gets Satan instead. Jack Black plays Satan, and it's created by the Farrelly Brothers, who made Dumb and Dumber and There's Something About Mary. It'll go straight to Paramount+ on November 25. MPAA Rating: PG-13
NEW THIS YEAR: Red One
It's a Christmas movie meets the Mission:Impossible series when Santa gets kidnapped by a Christmas witch right before his big ride. In order to get him back, an elf (Dwayne Johnson) enlists a mercenary (Chris Evans) — who happens to be on the naughty list. Can the two make nice in order to get the job done? The film — which is also PG-13 and makes the most of its rough-language allotment — is directed by Jake Kasdan, who also made the Jumanji movies with The Rock. It is currently playing in theaters. MPAA Rating: PG-13
NEW THIS YEAR: The Best Christmas Pageant Ever
Based on the beloved book by Barbara Robinson, the movie shows how one small town's Christmas pageant is turned upside-down when a family of six troublemakers decide they want to participate (and in the leading roles no less). It's a good one for families who want their Christmas movies to have more of a spiritual bent.
NEW THIS YEAR: An Almost Christmas Story
Those who know the films of David Lowery — like Peter Pan and Wendy or the newest Pete's Dragon — know his poetic, lyrical style. He applies that quiet contemplation to this holiday short, about an owl who accidentally hitches a ride to the city on the Rockefeller Center tree. There, he meets a girl named Luna who offers to help him find his place again. MPAA Rating: PG
RELATED: The Best Animated Christmas Movies
A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965)
Holiday FOMO is one thing, but Christmas melancholy is another. This perennial Peanuts classic leans into the feeling that, sometimes, Christmas just doesn't feel very merry — though there's always hope to turn it around. It's only available on Apple TV+, but they've already announced that they will stream it for free on Saturday, December 14, 2024 and Sunday, December 15, 2024, so set a reminder now! MPAA Rating: G
Genie (2023)
Following in the now-long tradition of casting our best comedians in genie roles, Genie stars Melissa McCarthy as someone who's been trapped in a jewelry box for thousands of years. She is summoned around Christmastime in the present, however, by a man who lost his job and is in danger of losing his family. Will he be able to use his wishes to put everything right? MPAA Rating: PG
How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1966)
This animated classic is a meeting of two genius minds: Dr. Seuss, creator of dozens of beloved children's books, and Chuck Jones, legendary animator. And these are two great tastes that taste great together, since Jones's animation style really gives life to Dr. Seuss's creation. Add in the voices of Boris Karloff as the narrator and Thurl Ravenscroft as the one who sings "You're a Mean One," and you've got a near-perfect holiday treat. Those who want a longer version of the holiday tale can try Dr. Seuss's The Grinch, made by the same studio that does the Minions movies, or Dr. Seuss's How the Grinch Stole Christmas with a swing-for-the-fences performance by Jim Carrey. MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964)
When you think of holiday entertainment, your mind may spring to the stop-motion specials of Rankin and Bass — and there are so many of them, including Santa Claus is Coming to Town, The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus and The Year Without a Santa Claus (with Heat Miser and Snow Miser). And even within that very specific sub-genre Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer stands above the rest, since it has such a great cast of characters, from the misfit toys to Yukon Cornelius. It also has a good message about accepting others' differences. MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Elf (2003)
Will Ferrell is so funny in this, playing a clueless elf who enters the "real," world, it's easy to forget that it's only rated PG. Ferrell so perfectly embodies an elf-like spirit, from his endless sweet tooth to his relentless optimism, that he's definitely a harbinger of good cheer. MPAA Rating: PG
Miracle on 34th Street (1947)
This is for all the ones out there who start to doubt Santa's magic. It's about a man who proves — legally! — that Santa is real, and also changes the minds of some of the doubters out there. MPAA Rating: Not Rated
The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
For those who are more Halloween fans, this stop-motion Tim Burton movie says, well, why not both? Songs by Danny Elfman, especially "What's This?" are good enough to earn a spot on your yearly holiday playlist. MPAA Rating: PG
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RELATED: Is 'The Nightmare Before Christmas' a Christmas or Halloween Movie? Here's the Answer
Candy Cane Lane (2023)
Chris (Eddie Murphy) wants nothing more than to win his neighborhood contest for the best Christmas decorations. (Don't we all?) In order to get a leg up, he enters a bargain with an elf — and doesn't realize that the price is basically his life. Can he find a way to defeat the elf? MPAA Rating: PG
Klaus (2019)
In this movie, Jason Schwartzman stars as Jesper, a spoiled and lazy postman whose performance is so bad, he gets reassigned to the North Pole. There, he meets Klaus, a reclusive woodworker and toy maker. Where do you think this will end up? This Netflix original was nominated for Best Animated Feature. (It lost to Toy Story 4, but won the BAFTA.) MPAA Rating: PG
The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)
There are so many A Christmas Carol adaptations, but only one has Kermit the Frog. Unlike other Muppet holiday specials, The Muppet Christmas Carol is feature-length, so it's better for kids who have longer attention spans. For hardcore Muppet fans, Disney+ started offering a "restored" version of the film, featuring "When Love Is Gone," a song that was cut from the theatrical version. MPAA Rating: G
Home Alone (1990)
Okay, the best parts of this movie are about how 8-year-old Kevin sets a series of booby traps to stop a pair of robbers from a home invasion, which isn't exactly in the Christmas spirit. But the experience does teach him to appreciate being with his family during the holidays, which is something we all need to be reminded of once in a while. And if you already watched the reboot and this film and still want more child antics, there's always the sequels: Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, Home Alone 3, Home Alone 4: Taking Back the House, Home Alone 5: The Holiday Heist and the reboot, Home Sweet Home Alone., all of which are also on Disney+ right now. MPAA Rating: PG
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RELATED: The True Story Behind 'Angels With Filthy Souls,' the Gangster Movie in 'Home Alone'
Frosty the Snowman (1969)
It's impossible to watch this one without getting the song stuck in your head, so be prepared to thumpity-thump-thump your way through the rest of the day. MPAA Rating: Not Rated
A Christmas Story (1983)
A Christmas Story is simultaneously very nostalgic and completely unromantic about the holidays. It looks like a Norman Rockwell version of Christmas, but Ralphie and his family find as many ways to ruin the holidays as celebrate them — something we can all relate to. In 2022, Ralphie returned as an adult in Max's A Christmas Story Christmas. MPAA Rating: PG
The Naughty Nine (2023)
Forget Ocean's 11 — this is The Naughty Nine. When kids on the naughty list don't receive a present from Santa, they plan a heist to take the gifts for themselves. MPAA Rating: TV-G
The Christmas Chronicles (2018)
This Netflix original movie follows two kids who accidentally crash Santa's sleigh, and then have to go on an adventure-filled mission to save Christmas. A sequel, The Christmas Chronicles 2, continues the story with the characters as teenagers. MPAA Rating: TV-PG
Marisa (she/her) has covered all things parenting, from the postpartum period through the empty nest, for Good Housekeeping since 2018; previously, she wrote about parents and families at Parents and Working Mother. She lives with her toy-collecting husband and daughter in Brooklyn, where she can be found helping out her team at bar trivia or posting about movies on Twitter and Bluesky.
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