The 20 Best Netflix Christmas Movies To Get You In The Holiday Spirit
From Lindsay Lohan's hilarious return to Jingle Jangle's seriously catchy soundtrack.
By Amy Mackelden - published
Netflix has officially entered the Christmas movie game, and when it comes to the holiday season, cheesy movies are a must. If you've already watched Elf 500 times and need a break from It's a Wonderful Life, then Netflix has got you covered.
From huge stars like Emma Roberts and Lindsay Lohan, to endearing trilogies about royalty, Netflix's holiday movie selection has expanded in recent years to appeal to, well, just about everyone. From Dolly Parton sing-a-longs to Jingle Jangle's heartwarming soundtrack, it's time to prepare yourself for a Christmas movie marathon to remember. Here, we round up the best holiday movies Netflix has to offer in 2022.
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Holidate (2020)
If you hate dodging questions about your love life during the holidays, Holidate is the movie for you. Emma Roberts stars as Sloane, a woman whose family won't stop telling her to find a nice partner and settle down. Enter Jackson (Luke Bracey), an extremely attractive Australian in need of a platonic plus one for the year.
A Castle for Christmas (2021)
Brooke Shields stars as best-selling novelist Sophie who decides to flee to Scotland to escape a scandal back home. Once there, she visits her father's ancestral home, and falls in love with the castle her grandfather worked at. However, a grumpy duke named Myles (Cary Elwes) owns the castle and is less than welcoming. But before long, Sophie and Myles realize they have more in common than they first thought.
Falling for Christmas (2022)
In Lindsay Lohan's triumphant return, the Mean Girls icon plays Sierra, an incredibly spoiled heiress with a social media obsessed boyfriend. After falling off of a mountain, Sierra experiences amnesia and is rescued by local lodge owner and single dad Jake (Chord Overstreet). After spending time with Jake and his family, Sierra discovers a new lease of life, but will her memories return and ruin everything?
Love Hard (2021)
Nina Dobrev stars as Natalie, a romance columnist based in Los Angeles, who decides to surprise a man she met on a dating app for the holiday season. After flying across the country, Natalie discovers she's been catfished by Josh (Jimmy O. Yang). Embracing the disaster, Natalie agrees to date another guy in town. But will her connection with her catfish change her mind?
The Noel Diary (2022)
Justin Hartley plays Jake, an author forced to return home following his estranged mother's death. Once there, he meets Rachel (Barrett Doss), a woman searching for her birth mother, who just so happened to be Jake's former nanny. And when Jake discovers a mysterious diary, he soon learns way more about himself, Noel, and Rachel, than he ever bargained for.
Single All the Way (2021)
After learning that his boyfriend is married to a woman, Peter (Michael Urie) convinces his best friend Nick (Philemon Chambers) to return home with him for the holidays. Peter's mom immediately sets him up with super hot personal trainer James (Luke Macfarlane). Meanwhile, the rest of Peter's family remain convinced that he should finally get together with Nick. Jennifer Coolidge co-stars.
Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey (2020)
Jingle Jangle is a magical musical about a toymaker who rediscovers his magic. Inventor Jeronicus Jangle (Forest Whitaker) stops making toys after he is betrayed by his apprentice. But when his granddaughter arrives at his door years later, everything changes. Co-starring Keegan-Michael Key and Downton Abbey's Hugh Bonneville.
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Christmas With You (2022)
Freddie Prinze Jr. fans rejoice! The She's All That star returns as a single dad in this unlikely rom-com. When pop star Angelina decides to grant a young fan's wish, she unexpectedly finds inspiration in small town life. And with Prinze Jr. there, who can blame her?
Holiday in the Wild (2019)
Rob Lowe and Kristin Davis lead this surprising romantic comedy. After her husband ends their marriage, Kate takes a solo trip to Zambia, where she meets Derek. Although he has a girlfriend, the pair realize they have a shared love of wildlife, and Kate rediscovers her veterinary skills while working at an elephant sanctuary. After spending the holiday season at the sanctuary, Kate decides to make some big changes in her life.
The Christmas Chronicles (2018)
Kurt Russell stars as Santa Claus in this popular Christmas romp. Siblings Kate and Teddy wake up to find Santa in their house, and decide to stow away on his sleigh. However, this causes St. Nick to crash, losing all of the presents in the process. In a race against time, Kate and Teddy have to help Santa retrieve presents and deliver them to children all over the world.
The Christmas Chronicles 2 (2020)
In this follow-up to The Christmas Chronicles, the North Pole is under threat from an evil elf named Belsnickel. After accidentally ending up in the North Pole, Kate is drawn into another adventure with Santa Claus. This time, Mrs. Claus is in on the action, and she's played superbly by Goldie Hawn.
Let It Snow (2019)
Based on the book of the same name, Let It Snow follows the antics of a group of high school students who find their small town snowed in on Christmas Eve. Their intersecting stories cover everything from romance to friendship to fears about college. This teen rom-com stars Kiernan Shipka.
A Very Murray Christmas (2015)
A snowstorm threatens to cancel Bill Murray's Christmas special, but he's convinced to go on with the show by an interesting cast of characters. Not only is this musical holiday special directed by Sofia Coppola, but it stars George Clooney, Amy Poehler, Chris Rock, Maya Rudolph, Rashida Jones, and Miley Cyrus, among others.
The Holiday Calendar (2018)
Kat Graham stars as Abby, a struggling photographer who receives an unusual advent calendar from her grandfather. Abby starts to wonder if the calendar might be magical when each door corresponds to events in her real life. And when her best friend, Josh, comes back to town, Abby is forced to make some difficult decisions.
The Princess Switch (2018)
Loosely based on Mark Twain's The Prince and the Pauper, Vanessa Hudgens plays baker Stacy and Lady Margaret Delacourt, Duchess of Montenaro. After realizing they share a striking resemblance, the pair decides to switch places to escape stresses in their respective lives. Chaos ensues.
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The Princess Switch 2: Switched Again (2020)
So far, The Princess Switch has netted two sequels, but it's long been rumored that more may be on the way. The second movie introduces Margaret's evil cousin, Lady Fiona, a third look-alike who wants to steal the throne.
The Princess Switch 3: Romancing the Star (2021)
In the third Princess Switch installment, Margaret, Stacy, and Fiona join together to hunt down a stolen Christmas relic on loan from the Vatican. The third movie doesn't feature quite as much "switching" as its predecessors, but that doesn't mean it's not an entertaining holiday heist movie starring three version of Vanessa Hudgens.
Christmas Inheritance (2017)
Spoiled heiress Ellen (Eliza Taylor) wants to take over her dad's company, but she may not be ready. In preparation, she's sent to New England to work with the people in a small town. There, she meets Jake (Jake Lacey), the super cute manager of a bed and breakfast and, you guessed it, sparks fly!
Dolly Parton's Christmas on the Square (2020)
In Dolly Parton's magical, musical, Netflix Christmas movie, the always wonderful Christine Baranski stars as Regina, a wealthy woman who returns to her hometown. Unfortunately, Regina wants to evict everyone that lives there to build a mall, but will the residents' festive spirit change her mind?
A Christmas Prince (2017)
A Christmas Prince follows aspiring journalist Amber who decides to go undercover as a tutor to spy on the dashing Prince Richard of Aldovia. Dubbed a "playboy prince," it looks as though Richard won't be ready to take over the throne from his ailing father. While investigating her subject, Amber gets drawn into the lives of the royal family, and finds love in the process.
This article originally appeared in Harper's BAZAAR US.