The best Christmas movies streaming on Netflix this year

Family reunions, cookie swaps, and holiday parties are a yearly tradition. In between all the festive activities, Netflix has your downtime covered with seasonal streaming options, from Christmas classics to original content (although 2017's A Christmas Prince did not make our list).

Snuggle up to a good 'ol romance like Single All the Way (2021) and Falling For Christmas (2022), or, if you want to recapture some true holiday magic, fantasies like A Boy Called Christmas (2018) and Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey (2020) will do the trick. However, if you're just in the mood for a Bill Murray comedy special, well, Netflix has you covered there, too.

Stock up on cookies and cocoa, because you've got one long marathon of Christmas movies on Netflix ahead of you.

A Boy Called Christmas (2018)

This British children's film, adapted from the Matt Haig book of the same name, is a winning fairy tale about the power of belief. The movie chronicles the story of young Nikolas, a 13-year-old living with his father in the forest, his mother having died two years prior. After his dad sets off on an expedition to find the magical land of Elfhelm, Nikolas finds a map that leads to the location, prompting him to set out on a journey of his own. What he finds there will eventually inspire a Christmas tradition.

As EW's critic notes in our list of the best Christmas movies for kids, "It's easy to see where this story is heading, but the film is enlivened by a comedian-heavy cast including Kristen Wiig, Stephen Merchant, and Jim Broadbent." —Kevin Jacobsen

Where to watch A Boy Called Christmas: Netflix

Director: Gil Kenan

Cast: Henry Lawfull, Stephen Merchant, Sally Hawkins, Kristen Wiig, Jim Broadbent, Maggie Smith

Related: The 25 best kids' Christmas movies on Netflix

The Christmas Chronicles (2018)

In compiling this roster of holiday entertainments, I first had The Christmas Chronicles listed simply as That Kurt Russell Santa Movie, which is probably what you call it, too. That's because The Christmas Chronicles pretty much means nothing — the headline of this very list could probably be The Christmas Chronicles and nobody would blink an eye — but the phrase "Kurt Russell Santa" conjures an entire world of roguish Yuletide possibilities.

You watch The Christmas Chronicles only to see Kurt Russell as Santa Claus, which is more than enough to recommend it. Watch its 2020 sequel, The Christmas Chronicles 2, more commonly known as The Kurt Russell Santa Movie Plus Goldie Hawn This Time. —Mary Sollosi

Where to watch The Christmas Chronicles: Netflix

EW grade: N/A (read the review)

Director: Clay Kaytis

Cast: Kurt Russell, Judah Lewis, Darby Camp, Kimberly Williams-Paisley, Lamorne Morris

Related: Chris Columbus takes us inside The Christmas Chronicles 2 magical musical moment

Falling for Christmas (2022)

A beautiful sight, we're happy tonight, walking in a winter wonder-Lohan! The definitive early-2000s teen queen, Lindsay Lohan, returned to the screen as a spoiled hotel heiress, Sierra, who is diagnosed with amnesia after a skiing accident and has to stay under the care of a handsome, rustic lodge owner — played by Glee star Chord Overstreet — until she regains her memory.

From its charming clichés to Lohan covering "Jingle Bell Rock" 18 years after Mean Girls, there's so much to fall for in this cutesy holiday rom-com. Plus, Falling for Christmas marks the beginning of the Lohannaisance, which has been the greatest Christmas gift of all. —James Mercadante

Where to watch Falling for Christmas: Netflix

Director: Janeen Damian

Cast: Lindsey Lohan, Chord Overstreet, Jack Wagner, George Young, Alejandra Flores, Olivia Perez

Related: Proof that the real Lindsay Lohan also exists in the Falling for Christmas universe

The Family Man (2000)

Single and successful investment broker Jack Campbell (Nicolas Cage) seems to have a perfect life — that is, until one morning he wakes up in another universe where he never left his college girlfriend (Téa Leoni) and now lives in the Jersey suburbs with two kids and his Ferrari nowhere to be found. Initially desperate to return to his baller lifestyle, Jack eventually finds comfort in his new, down-to-earth reality and discovers what he'd been missing all along.

An early-2000s riff on It's a Wonderful Life (1946), The Family Man is — though often cheesy — an undeniably charming "what-if" rom-com strengthened by Cage and Leoni's wide-ranged performances. The film may not quite reach the heights of the Jimmy Stewart classic, but it produces that same nostalgic Christmas feeling and adds some heartwarming perspectives on human connection. —J.M.

Where to watch The Family Man: Netflix

EW grade: N/A (read the review)

Director: Brett Ratner

Cast: Nicolas Cage, Téa Leoni, Jeremy Piven, Saul Rubinek, Don Cheadle

Related: The best Nicolas Cage roles

Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey (2020)

For years, Netflix has contributed handily to the annual Christmas movie release calendar, and this entry from 2020 is worth a watch. David E. Talbert's musical fantasy envisions the festive world of a brilliant toymaker, his scheming apprentice, and the inventions of a dancing doll and adorable robot. The story zigs and zags all over a dazzling holiday wonderland, but they've already warned you right there in the title — it's a Christmas Journey, just step up and take it! —M.S.

Where to watch Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey: Netflix

EW grade: B+ (read the review)

Director: David E. Talbert

Cast: Forest Whitaker, Keegan-Michael Key, Madalen Mills, Hugh Bonneville, Anika Noni Rose, Phylicia Rashad, Ricky Martin

Related: Move over, Baby Yoda! Jingle Jangle robot Buddy 3000 will steal your heart

Klaus (2019)

This underrated Christmas-themed animated film offers a new origin story for Santa Claus. The action takes place in 19th-century Norway, where Jesper Johansen (voiced by Jason Schwartzman) is tasked by his Postmaster General father with posting 6,000 letters in an island town by the end of the year. Struggling to do so, he turns to a toymaker, Klaus (J.K. Simmons), partnering to get the children of the town to send letters in exchange for gifts.

Klaus is a refreshingly original story with gorgeous hand-drawn animation, becoming the first Netflix original film to earn an Oscar nomination for Best Animated Feature. —K.J.

Where to watch Klaus: Netflix

Director: Sergio Pablos

Cast: Jason Schwartzman, J.K. Simmons, Rashida Jones, Will Sasso, Neda Margrethe Labba, Sergio Pablos, Norm Macdonald, Joan Cusack

Related: J.K. Simmons reveals he was a mall Santa before starring in Netflix's Klaus

The Knight Before Christmas (2019)

We know what you're thinking: It is sacrilege to choose, out of the entire Vanessa Hudgens Netflix Christmas canon, anything other than 2018's iconic, unimpeachable The Princess Switch, or even its sparkling, double and triple-switching sequels (don't worry, they're waiting below). But, hear us out: The Knight Before Christmas is even better.

Hudgens plays a young woman who is single until she meets an actual medieval knight who has been magically transported to her small Christmas movie town at Christmastime! She teaches him about modern life, including how to navigate actual Netflix on her TV. Extremely festive! —M.S.

Where to watch The Knight Before Christmas: Netflix

Director: Monika Mitchell

Cast: Vanessa Hudgens, Josh Whitehouse, Emmanuelle Chriqui

Related: Vanessa Hudgens felt the spirit (and the skunk of it all) on The Knight Before Christmas

Let It Snow (2019)

The Netflix Christmas oeuvre expanded in 2019 with this charming teen ensemble rom-com, a relatively understated entry in the streamer's catalog (compared to, say, the very sparkly musical Dolly Parton's Christmas on the Square). When a snowstorm hits a small Midwestern town, romance sparks and secrets spill among its teenage population.

Also, Joan Cusack plays an infamous local eccentric, and a fictional pop star shows up! We did only say relatively understated. —M.S.

Where to watch Let It Snow: Netflix

Director: Luke Snellin

Cast: Kiernan Shipka, Shameik Moore, Joan Cusack, Isabela Merced, Odeya Rush

Related: Kiernan Shipka and Isabela Merced dish on Netflix's new teen holiday flick Let It Snow

Love Hard (2021)

Combining the titles of two Christmas classics, Love Actually (2003) and Die Hard (1998), Love Hard is seemingly nothing like the two and yet still a solid choice. The Vampire Diaries alum Nina Dobrev stars as Natalie, a dating columnist who finds out she's been catfished by her long-distance boyfriend, Josh (Jimmy O. Yang), after paying him a surprise visit at his New York home.

For the holidays, the pair pretend to date around Josh's family under the condition that he helps her date his friend Tag (Darren Barnet), whose pictures Josh used to catfish Natalie. This rom-com may surprise you (in the best way), so don't judge it by its profile pic! —J.M.

Where to watch Love Hard: Netflix

Director: Hernán Jiménez

Cast: Nina Dobrev, Jimmy O. Yang, Darren Barnet, Harry Shum Jr., James Saito, Rebecca Staab, Althea Kaye

Related: 18 holiday rom-coms, ranked

The Princess Switch (2018)

Inspired by Mark Twain's classic tale The Prince and the Pauper, this Netflix rom-com original stars Vanessa Hudgens in the dual roles of Chicago baker Stacy de Novo and Lady Margaret Delacourt, Duchess of Montenaro. The pair discover their identical looks at a baking competition in the Kingdom of Belgravia, and they agree to switch places for a few days to see how the other half lives. It all takes place a week before Christmas, so there's plenty of cheer in the air alongside a good old-fashioned helping of light-hearted deception. —K.J.

Where to watch The Princess Switch: Netflix

Director: Mike Rohl

Cast: Vanessa Hudgens, Sam Palladio, Nick Sagar

Related: Vanessa Hudgens had her first 'witchy awakening' filming The Princess Switch and now has a 'spirit box'

Single All the Way (2021)

It's pretty egregious that it took until the 2020s for a streamer to release a cheesy, formulaic holiday rom-com that centers on an LGBTQ+ couple (2020's Happiest Season on Hulu was neither formulaic nor cheesy — nor, regrettably, especially romantic or comedic).

But Netflix, thankfully, came to the rescue, with Michael Mayer's cozy romance about two best friends who pretend to be a couple (works every time!), only to discover that maybe they should be more than friends after all. Plus: Kathy Najimy and Jennifer Coolidge are in the classic roles of wacky and/or pushy relatives! —M.S.

Where to watch Single All the Way: Netflix

Director: Michael Mayer

Cast: Michael Urie, Philemon Chambers, Luke Macfarlane, Jennifer Coolidge, Kathy Najimy

Related: Inside Single All the Way's magical ending

A Very Murray Christmas (2015)

Sofia Coppola took a break from elegant theatrical features in 2015 for this moody, meta Netflix holiday special, in which Bill Murray (playing himself) struggles to shoot his own holiday special, which has been snowed out. Wandering through the Carlyle Hotel, he encounters a parade of celebrity guests, who join him in Yuletide duets as he realizes his lonely Christmas isn't completely lost. What, you thought Coppola and Murray would just make some cheery, cheesy Christmas drivel? Do you know who they are? —M.S.

Where to watch A Very Murray Christmas: Netflix

EW grade: B (read the review)

Director: Sofia Coppola

Cast: Bill Murray, Michael Cera, George Clooney, Chris Rock, Miley Cyrus, Jenny Lewis, Amy Poehler, Maya Rudolph, Rashida Jones, Jason Schwartzman

Related: Sofia Coppola almost directed the last Twilight movie but thought baby Renesmee was 'too weird'

Read the original article on Entertainment Weekly