25 of the Best Christmas Movies on Hulu to Watch This Season
Updated: Jan. 23, 2024
Cuddle up with these Christmas movies on Hulu for the perfect dose of holiday cheer.
‘Tis the season for streaming!
There are so many reasons to love the winter holidays—the people, the kindness, the nostalgia, the food, the music, and, of course, the best Christmas movies. We’re so fortunate to have so many places to find these holiday favorites today, like on one of the hundreds of cable channels available or on a streaming service. In fact, you can find tons of great Christmas movies on Hulu, including some that you won’t be able to find anywhere else.
Looking for heartwarming classics, romantic Christmas movies, or funny holiday films? We’ve got you covered with the perfect combination of the stories we grew up with and newer ones that will tug at your heartstrings or make you belly-laugh. Some are strictly adults-only, so you’ll want to watch after the kids go to bed, but others are Christmas movies for kids that the whole family will enjoy, and watching them together may even become a regular Christmas tradition. So, grab the hot cocoa and the popcorn, cuddle up under a blanket together, and enjoy!
A Very Brady Christmas
So, it may seem a little odd that we’re kicking off this list with a made-for-TV Christmas movie, but hear us out: Who doesn’t love the Brady Bunch? Maybe you grew up with the iconic television family, or perhaps you caught onto the cult classic in reruns decades after it aired. Either way, this 1988 Christmas special does not disappoint, so you’ll want to put it on your must-watch list (and nope, you won’t be able to find this Christmas movie on Netflix).
The Polar Express
This is probably more of what you were expecting when we started touting Christmas movies on Hulu. The Polar Express was released in 2005, but the Tom Hanks–voiced animated flick has a truly classic feel. Warning: Your family may want to watch this one more than once this season. Here are more fun Christmas activities everyone will love.
Miracle on 34th Street
A ’90s take on the original, Miracle on 34th Street doesn’t lose its charm even with a more modern approach. It’s proof positive that when you believe in Santa, anything can happen. The story really brings out the child in all of us, so if you’re feeling particularly spirited after watching it, check out some other Christmas movies on Disney+.
Christmas with the Kranks
Sure, we’d all like our Christmas season to be as picture-perfect as it’s portrayed in many of the holiday movies it’s equated with, but that just isn’t realistic. This flick starring Tim Allen and Jamie Lee Curtis shares what happens when Christmas doesn’t exactly go as planned. Of course, no matter how chaotic things get for the Kranks, they pale in comparison to the hijinks in the best Christmas movies on Lifetime.
Elf
The quintessential modern Christmas movie, Buddy the Elf (aka Will Ferrell) will capture your heart and provide tons of laughs. Afterward, you’ll definitely be in the mood to spread Christmas cheer by singing loud for all to hear. Check out this list of the best Christmas songs for more inspiration.
A Christmas Carol
Talk about a true classic. This marvelous adaptation of the Charles Dickens’ tale, starring George C. Scott, follows the life and missteps of the infamous Ebeneezer Scrooge. It can feel a little heavy, so you may want to lighten the mood with a Hallmark Christmas movie afterward if you’re settling in for a viewing marathon.
Deck the Halls
No matter the year or the town, there’s always one curmudgeon destined to be the local Scrooge. In this laugh-out-loud comedy, neighbors (Danny DeVito and Matthew Broderick) go head-to-head over what’s appropriate at Christmas. Suddenly in the mood to deck your own halls? It’s time to peruse this massive list of Christmas decoration ideas. (And no, there’s no such thing as starting too early!)
Fred Claus
If you’ve ever wondered what Santa’s family life is like back at home, well, this comedy starring Vince Vaughn will give you some unusual insight. You’ll be chuckling all the way with this funny family movie.
Curious George: A Very Monkey Christmas
This Hulu Christmas movie is for the tots who can’t get enough of that very cheeky little monkey, Curious George. There’s music, there’s dancing, and there’s a lot of sweet sentiment. We can’t think of a better way to ring in the holidays. These Christmas crafts for kids will also keep little ones entertained during the holiday season.
The Man Who Invented Christmas
Think of it as an origin story for all of the memorable characters Charles Dickens created for A Christmas Carol. Follow the author in a fictionalized tale of his life.
Last Christmas
If the winter holidays drum up all sorts of romantic ideas for you, this 2019 film starring Emilia Clarke and Henry Golding is a must-watch. A department-store elf (not to be confused with Buddy from another movie) finds herself in a Christmas whirlwind after meeting someone new. When you’re shopping online this year, you also might want to rent a few of these Christmas movies on Amazon Prime.
Happiest Season
Christmas is a time for gathering with family, and, of course, that can be both joyous and stressful. When a young woman sets out to propose to her girlfriend at a holiday party, things don’t exactly go as planned. Here are more LGBTQ movies that should be on your radar.
The Heart of Christmas
The winter holidays are a great time to step back and reevaluate our priorities, which is exactly what happens to the main character in this Christmas tale. Megan, played by Candace Cameron Bure, learns the true meaning of the holiday when a community comes together to help a family cope with heartbreak.
12 Pups of Christmas
We’re sorry, did someone say pups? And 12 of them? You had us at, “Ruff!” This movie includes holiday merriment, romance, and, of course, puppies. Sold! Need more options? These romance movies on Hulu are perfect to watch if you’re a hopeless romantic.
So This Is Christmas
If drama is your thing, even over the holidays, take a deep dive into this story about a teenage girl who makes poor choices to avoid problems at home and ends up on an uncertain path. There are some lighthearted moments, but it’s a reminder that nothing is perfect, and that’s OK, even at Christmas.
Every Other Holiday
Sometimes Christmas brings us back together with friends and family with whom we would otherwise no longer spend time. But when a divorced mom takes her ex back home for the holidays, she gets a heaping of drama…and a little surprise, too.
Abominable
This animated flick may not revolve around Christmas, but between the snowy scenery and the overall theme of helping a lost Yeti reunite with his family, it feels very holiday-friendly. Plus, your kids will love it just as much as they love these Christmas cartoons.
Christmas on Holly Lane
A group of friends gathers together at Christmas to offer support for the individual trials and tribulations each of them is experiencing. Can their friendship stand the test of holiday pressure? You’ll have to watch this Christmas movie on Hulu find out.
Dear Santa
Different than your typical Christmas movie on Hulu, this is actually a documentary about the hundreds of thousands of letters children send to Santa each year through the United States Postal Service. If you’ve ever been curious how they make it to the North Pole, here’s your chance to find out.
Christmas Perfection
In a year where we still haven’t really been able to travel as we might like, transport yourself to Ireland with this movie, in which a young woman finds herself magically living in her idea of the perfect Christmas village. Yes, cute guys are involved.
A Christmas Solo
You’ll be hard-pressed to find someone who likes being alone on Christmas, so when two single parents with feuding daughters meet up, it’s safe to say sparks fly. This is one of those Christmas movies on Hulu you’ll want to watch with a big batch of holiday cookies and maybe a glass of wine.
A Christmas Hero
Let’s hear it for all of the cinematic guardian angels of Christmas movies past and present! Here, a war veteran sees little to enjoy about the winter holidays once he returns home from Afghanistan, but his own angel works overtime to turn that all around.
Black Christmas
So maybe you’re over all of the happy, sweet, lovey-dovey stuff and want to sink your teeth into a Christmas…thriller? It’s horror during the holidays, folks, and, no, we aren’t talking about an overcooked ham or lumpy mashed potatoes. This slasher flick (a 2019 remake of the 1974 movie of the same name) involves a bunch of sorority girls and, of course, a killer who’s after them.
Christmas Crush
We’re right back to the rom-coms with a holiday spin. In this sweet comedy, a woman learns that you really do need to be careful what you wish for (or, at least, how you wish for it) at Christmastime.
A Christmas Movie Christmas
Let’s face it: We love watching Christmas movies because they’re an escape into the dreamiest of all holidays—and often portrayed by pretty people falling in love. That being said, this adorable flick features a pair of sisters trapped in a Christmas movie they have zero interest in starring in. Before you start watching these Christmas movies on Hulu, see if you can answer these Christmas movie trivia questions.
