The Best Shows & Movies For Every Holiday Mood

Whether you love the holidays or hate them, here's the perfect thing to watch.

Elf is the obvious choice here; nobody loves Christmas more than Buddy the Elf.

Where to stream: Rent on Amazon

In the world of Bob’s Burgers, Christmas is Linda's holiday. And Season 8, Episodes 6 and 7's “The Bleakening” goes just as big and wild as she does with the festivities.

Where to stream: Hulu and Fox.com

Sure, Black Christmas has "Christmas" in its name. But it's much more of a horror movie that just so happens to take place in the holiday season. (Bonus for Christmas haters? The characters utilize a few holiday accoutrements for weapons.)

Where to stream: HBO Max

Arrested Development brings the zany energy to match your reserved mood in Season 2, Episode 6 "Afternoon Delight," which is light on Christmas observations and heavy on weird puns, meta jokes, and comedy that strays far from family-friendly Christmas hangouts.

Where to stream: Netflix

How about The Holiday? A Nancy Meyers rom-com with a star-studded cast, it's got Christmas, Hanukkah, and New Year's for good measure.

Where to stream: Hulu (with the live TV extension) or rent it from Amazon

Before The O.C. had "Chrismukkah," Friends had Season 7, Episode 10 "The One With the Holiday Armadillo," the show's attempt to honor those observing more than one type of holiday.

Where to stream: HBO Max

While You Were Sleeping is a movie preoccupied with coming together through the fog of loneliness. It's sure to hit a little harder this year, but maybe that's not the worst way to observe the holiday and the pandemic-sized elephant in the room.

Where to stream: Disney+, or rent it on Amazon

The wild, ridiculous jollity of Community's "Regional Holiday Music" is the perfect antidote to the darkness of 2020. Not only is it a great bit of comedy, but it's got original songs that are actually quite catchy.

Where to stream: Netflix

Look no further than Gremlins, where Christmas is just the backdrop against which small, furry devil creatures run amok.

Where to stream: Rent on Amazon

The X-Files is the go-to show for a monster-of-the-week. So of course they can do a quick Christmas special that satisfies both the holiday and the series' supernatural roots with Season 6, Episode 6's "How the Ghosts Stole Christmas."

Where to stream: Hulu

Why not Die Hard? It's an obvious classic with an action movie twist on a boring corporate holiday gathering.

Where to stream: HBO Max or rent on Amazon

Thanks to gloriously cringey episodes like Season 2, Episode 10's "Christmas Party," The Office is the perfect show to combat the nostalgia of a slightly unhinged work event.

Where to stream: Netflix

Your Christmastime celebrations will be unorthodox this year, which only makes The Nightmare Before Christmas more fitting. Not only does the movie demonstrate that holidays can be observed even when it feels wrong, but it features the community coming together to help Jack's dream (however misbegotten it might be) come true. We can still have a little hope!

Where to stream: Disney+

You can always count on Parks and Recreation for a heartwarming moment, and Season 4, Episode 10's holiday-themed "Citizen Knope" brings them in droves. Leslie is at her lowest point of the show, but her friends are still there to buck her up (and outdo her own immaculate gift-giving skills).

Where to stream: Peacock