There's no holiday out there that has inspired more pop culture than Christmas. There's Christmas music, Christmas episodes of your favorite TV shows, and of course, Christmas movies and specials. And if you subscribe to Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, and HBO Now, then you'll be able to stream Christmas movies well into next year's holiday season. And although it's true that a lot of the heavy hitters like It's a Wonderful Life, National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, and A Charlie Brown Christmas are sitting out this season on the streaming sites (probably so they can rake in the big bucks on iTunes), there is still a crazy amount of holiday cheer you can stream included in your various subscriptions.
Each of the streaming services offers something unique for whatever you're in the mood for. Netflix leads the way in both sheer number of Christmas movies, as well as probably having the biggest hits of the bunch. Hulu, meanwhile, is the place to go for unique, offbeat Christmas offerings. Amazon Prime pretty much has a monopoly on the Rankin/Bass Christmas claymation empire, and although HBO Now's Christmas offerings are slim this year, it's the only site where you'll be able catch Kevin McCallister fending off the wet bandits. So break out the eggnog and snuggle up in a cozy blanket, here are 42 Christmas movies to stream right now.
Netflix
1. Love Actually
You know you're going to watch this anyway, and now you know where to go to do so.
2. White Christmas
Watch this and you'll have the hap-hap-happiest Christmas since Bing Crosby tap danced with Danny Kaye, which happens in this classic.
3. A Christmas Carol (1938)
This 1938 version of Dickens' timeless tale is sure to warm your heart.
4. Bad Santa
Do you really want to see Billy Bob Thornton swear and drink as a department store Santa/criminal? Yes. Yes you do.
5. Christmas With the Kranks
This 2004 movie about a couple trying to skip Christmas has some serious holiday chops: It stars The Santa Clause's Tim Allen and Trading Places' Dan Aykroyd and Jamie Lee Curtis, and was written by Home Alone director Chris Columbus.
6. I'll Be Home For Christmas
After watching Tim Allen, check out his former TV son (and your ultimate childhood crush) Jonathan Taylor Thomas, as he frantically tries to get home for Christmas at the peak of his Home Improvement fame.
7. The Nightmare Before Christmas
The beauty of this movie is that you can watch it on both Halloween and Christmas! Does that technically make it a Thanksgiving movie?
8. A Very Murray Christmas
By far the newest entry on this list having just premiered on December 4, this Netflix original has already cemented itself as a holiday classic by somehow skewering mid-century Christmas variety shows while also legitimately putting one on as a loving tribute. Plus, it stars everyone's favorite human Bill Murray, along with more celebrity cameos than you can shake a candy cane at.
9. Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas
Few companies tackle Christmas more effectively than Disney, and this animated special sees three shorts about the holidays starring Mickey, Minnie, Donald, and Goofy.
10. Ernest Saves Christmas
Although it doesn't quite reach the heights of the premier Ernest movie, Ernest Scared Stupid, there's still some fun to be had here watching Jim Varney's bumbling title character try to find a replacement for Santa Claus.
11. One Magic Christmas
This Disney fantasy film is like an '80s version of It's a Wonderful Life, as Mary Steenburgen is shown by an angel what life would be like without Christmas.
12. Happy Christmas
Most Christmas movies aren't what you would call critically-acclaimed, but this 2014 comedy drama is an exception. And since it stars Anna Kendrick as a young woman moving in with her brother's family, and Lena Dunham as her friend, that's not the least bit surprising.
13. Switchmas
This charming movie is about a Christmas-obsessed Jewish kid from L.A. who's never even seen snow in person, who manages to switch places with a kid at the airport while on his way to visit his grandparents in Florida. He then gets a chance to visit snowy Christmastown, Washington to see what this Christmas business is all about.
14. Dreamworks Holiday Classics
All your favorite characters from Shrek, Madagascar, and Kung Fu Panda come together to celebrate the holidays in this three-part animated special.
15. 12 Dates of Christmas
Amy Smart stars in this Groundhog Day-inspired ABC Family original movie, where she must experience the same date over and over again on Christmas Eve.
16. The Ref
Christmas burglaries were apparently big in the early '90s, and this offbeat 1994 comedy sees Denis Leary as a criminal who helps a struggling married couple (Kevin Spacey and Judy Davis) work through their issues on Christmas Eve after breaking into their home.
17. Trading Places
It may not be Christmas-focused, but this comedy classic takes place around Christmas so it's close enough. It stars Eddie Murphy and Dan Aykroyd as two men who have their identities swapped by two rich old stockbrokers for the sake of a one dollar bet.
18. I Am Santa Claus
Ever wonder what it's like to be Santa? This documentary has the answers.
19. BoJack Horseman Christmas Special
Last year's acclaimed Christmas special put Will Arnett's horseman anti-hero in a Christmas episode, and the world is a better place for it.
20. Planes, Trains, and Automobiles
OK, it's actually a Thanksgiving movie, but there's snow so it's close enough. Besides, there isn't a movie out there that better captures the hell of holiday travel, and it's also one of the funniest movies of all time, written and directed by the underrated king of Christmas movies, John Hughes.
Hulu
21. A Garfield Christmas
The lasagna-loving cat's Christmas special no longer airs every year on network TV like it did from 1987-2000, which is a shame because it's a bona fide classic. Thankfully, Hulu is offering it this year with all the fixin's.
22. Yes, Virginia
This animated short is based on a true story, about a little girl named Virginia who wrote a letter to the New York Sun Newspaper asking if Santa was real, where she received the famous reply, "Yes, Virginia. There is a Santa Claus."
23. A Madea Christmas
If you enjoy Tyler Perry's Madea character, then you'll definitely love her take on the holidays.
24. A Very Brady Christmas
The Brady Bunch ended in 1974, but nearly the entire cast returned for this Christmas special in 1988. Now, through the magic of the internet, you can watch it in 2015. What an age we live in!
25. Inspector Gadget Saves Christmas
Lots of people have saved Christmas over the years, but few were better equipped than human swiss army knife Inspector Gadget.
26. Journey to the Christmas Star
This Norwegian film is a magical adventure about a little girl who ventures out in search of the Christmas star.
27. Doctor Who Christmas Specials
The British time-traveling sensation has had an annual Christmas special every year since 2005. Hulu has all of them, so string some lights up on your Tardis and get watching.
28. He-Man & She-Ra: A Christmas Special
One of the most nonsensical animated Christmas movies of all time, this animated special is basically the '80s condensed into 51 minutes.
29. Santa Claus Conquers the Martians
Considered one of the worst movies of all time, this tale about Martians capturing Santa Claus needs to be seen at least once.
Amazon Prime
30. Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town
Probably the best-known Rankin/Bass production not named Rudolph or Frosty (sorry, Nestor the Long-Eared Christmas Donkey). Follow the journey of a red-headed Kris Kringle as he becomes Santa Claus.
31. The Year Without a Santa Claus
Santa takes a backseat in this 1974 Rankin/Bass tale, where the brothers Heat Miser and Snow Miser come to the forefront. Is it confusing? You bet, but it's a tradition.
32. A Miser Brothers Christmas
The Misers proved so popular that they returned in their own TV special over 30 years later in 2008, which ended up being the last special produced by Rankin/Bass.
33. Jack Frost
No, not the horror movie... or the Michael Keaton movie... this is the Rankin/Bass special about the famous winter sprite, and is a regular fixture on ABC Family's 25 Days of Christmas. Or, you could just watch it on Amazon whenever you want.
34. Rudolph and Frosty's Christmas in July
This is like the Rankin/Bass Avengers, as Rudolph, Frosty, Santa, Jack Frost, and others all team up against the evil wizard, Winterbolt.
35. It's Christmastime Again, Charlie Brown
Charlie Brown actually has a few Christmas specials, and this one from 1992 features several Christmas storylines that all originated in Peanuts comic strips.
36. The All-Star Christmas Show
If you've never seen the type of Christmas variety show A Very Murray Christmas is lampooning, Amazon has several of them. This is the ultimate example of the genre, with 50 of the the biggest stars from the 1950s like Bing Crosby, Bob Hope, Shirley MacLaine and lots more.
37. The Miracle on 34th Street (1955)
This is a TV version of the 1947 classic, but since the original isn't streaming anywhere,it should fill your miracle quota for the year just fine.
38. A Norman Rockwell Christmas Story
Few things get me into the Christmas spirit more quickly than a Norman Rockwell painting, and this movie brings some of his iconic holiday scenes to life.
HBO Now/HBO Go
39. Home Alone
One of the greats, no further explanation needed.
40. Home Alone 2: Lost in New York
There are some people out there who actually prefer this Big Apple-based sequel to the original, so if you're one of them, HBO has you covered. They've even got the Macaulay Culkin-less Home Alone 3, but nobody's watching that.
41. Black Nativity
This 2013 film is based on the musical of the same name, and features an all-star cast including Forest Whitaker, Angela Bassett, and Jennifer Hudson.
42. Trapped in Paradise
Another early nineties holiday burglar film (seriously, what gives?), this comedy features Nicholas Cage, Jon Lovitz, and Dana Carvey as three brothers who rob a bank on Christmas Eve but can't seem to make their getaway.
With these 42 options, you'll have plenty of Christmas movies to stream to fill every ounce of December (and probably a good chunk of January) with the joy of the season, so make sure to ask Santa for a comfortable couch this year!
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