14 Movies and TV Shows to Watch This Christmas Season 2024
Love Sabrina Carpenter or The Grinch? Here are some classics and newer series worth bingeing this holiday.
The holiday season is a great time to relax and enjoy movies and TV series that capture the magic of Christmas. Whether it's light comedies, touching stories, or breathtaking adventures, streaming platform catalogs offer plenty of options for every type of viewer. In 2024, Netflix, Disney+, Prime Video, and Apple TV+ are preparing to provide a selection of titles that make this time of year even more special. From Christmas specials starring beloved characters like Sabrina Carpenter to classics that cannot be missed, such as "The Polar Express" and "The Grinch," variety is guaranteed.
Keep scrolling to see 14 films and TV series worth adding to your watchlist. These are not to be missed, capable of providing unique emotions and quality entertainment to spend the holidays in the company of stories that make you dream or warm your heart.
Netflix
1. Black Doves
Black Doves, starring Kiera Knightly, is an action-packed story about Helen (played by Kiera Knightly) and how her past begins to impact her current life, especially when she gets romantically involved. This may not be an instinctive Christmas watch, but it's worth the binge if you appreciate a thriller.
2. A Nonsense Christmas
Sam Wrench directs this holiday musical special. The film stars pop star Sabrina Carpenter, who sang the year's most-streamed song "Espresso" on Spotify. In it, she performs popular holiday tunes, debuts unexpected duets, and reveals comedic cameos, combining music and entertainment in a seasonal celebration.
3. Our Little Secret
"Our Little Secret" tells the story of Avery (Lindsay Lohan), who is preparing to spend her first Christmas with her boyfriend's family. However, things get complicated when she discovers that her ex will attend the celebrations. Determined to keep their past relationship a secret, she finds herself immersed in a vortex of tension and subterfuge. The film was filmed in Atlanta, starting in January 2024 and wrapping in late February of the same year.
4. Klaus
In a frozen town forgotten by the world, a selfish postman and the reclusive toymaker Klaus form a surprising friendship. Jesper, the worst student at the postal academy, is sent to the North Pole, where the squabbling inhabitants have stopped all communication. On the verge of giving up, he discovers the transformative power of generosity with the help of his teacher, Alva, and the mysterious Klaus. Together, they bring joy and unity, starting a new holiday tradition that will change the community forever.
Disney+
5. Christmas Vacation
It's a holiday classic that cannot be missed. National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, made in 1989, will have you and your family laughing all night. From a hilarious opening scene that resonates with most families to a reminiscing feeling about Christmas and relatives, this film cannot be missed from your watch list.
6. Nutcrackers
Ben Stiller returns to the big screen as Michael, a Chicago businessman forced to care for his four feral nephews in Ohio after the death of his sister.
7. An Almost Christmas Story
In this short film directed by Academy Award-winning filmmaker Alfonso Cuarón, Moon is a young owl who finds herself hopelessly stuck inside a Christmas tree destined for Rockefeller Plaza. In her attempts to escape the bustling city, Moon befriends a lost little girl named Luna. Embarking on a heartwarming adventure to discover the true magic of Christmas.
8. Joy to the World, Doctor Who
The long-awaited Doctor Who Christmas special, "Joy to the World," debuts on December 25. When Joy (Ncuti Gatwa) arrives at a London hotel in 2024, she opens a secret door to the Time Hotel, discovering danger, dinosaurs, and the Doctor. But a deadly plot unfolds across the Earth, just in time for Christmas.
Prime Video
9. Jack Whitehall Mission Christmas
Prime Video presents a Christmas comedy starring British comedian and presenter Jack Whitehall (Bad Education), who is stranded in the US and must return to the UK with just four days to go until Christmas. Featuring hilarious adventures and Hollywood celebrity encounters, the film promises laughs and the healthy chaos of Christmas—which we've all experienced at one time or another.
10. All I Want for Christmas - The Best Gift
When Graham decides to surprise his family by returning home for Christmas, he is shocked to find them already celebrating with an unexpected guest of honor: his ex-girlfriend, Ali. The two exes compete to gain the family's favor and decide who gets to stay until Christmas and who has to go. Let the Christmas mayhem begin.
11. 10 days with Santa Claus
When Giulia (Valentina Lodovini) receives a promotion that requires her transfer, Carlo (Fabio De Luigi) and his family organize a trip across Europe in their camper. Their journey becomes even more adventurous after meeting a man who believes he is the real Santa Claus (Diego Abatantuono).
Apple TV+
12. The Polar Express
Tom Hanks stars in this Christmas classic, directed by Robert Zemeckis, that uses a motion capture technique that makes every movement magical. It's Christmas Eve, and you're about to face mountains that look like giant rollercoasters, frozen fields to sled and skate on, very high bridges suspended in the middle of nowhere to cross like tightrope walkers while dancing waiters serve you hot chocolate, surprising you more than you can imagine.
13. The Grinch
The Grinch (played by Jim Carrey), a grumpy green creature who hates Christmas, lives in isolation above the village of Whos. Determined to eliminate the holiday, he steals presents and decorations from the villagers on Christmas Eve. However, an encounter with Cindy Lou (played by Taylor Momsen), a sweet and innocent little girl, leads him to rediscover the true meaning of Christmas, transforming his heart and the villagers' hearts.
14. Christmas Holidays
An ironic and biting portrait of an Italian holiday in Cortina in 1983, between vices, frivolities, and intrigues that reflect the languages and lifestyle of the young people of the time. The protagonists are a stellar cast: Jerry Calà is a piano bar pianist, Christian De Sica plays a rich, cynical, and tormented man, Stefania Sandrelli is a married but dissatisfied woman, while Claudio Amendola is a proletarian who feels out of place in the luxurious context of Cortina.
