More often than you’d like to admit, when you think of Christmas you think of Disney. With classics such as, I don’t know, The Nightmare Before Christmas, The Polar Express, and The Home Alone series, it’s hard to ignore the impact the Mouse House has on the holidays. But why would you?
Now that Disney+ is truly up and running, the streamer has a plethora of holiday films for you to choose from. Looking for a holiday romance? Check. Want an… apocalyptic Christmas adventure? Check. There’s even a film for dog lovers who want to see a league of pups save Christmas. Really, at the end of the day, what more can you want? If you’re ready to find your next favorite holiday film, or revisit a classic, check out these Disney+ films that are sure to spread some Christmas cheer.
The Muppet Christmas Carol
This might be a deep cut, but it’s a classic for a reason. In The Muppet Christmas Carol, your favorite characters, (Kermit, Miss Piggy, Fozzie, and more) teach Scrooge a thing or two about the meaning of Christmas.
While You Were Sleeping isn’t necessarily about Christmas, but it does take place during Christmas, and that counts for something! In this film, Sandra Bullock stars as Lucy, an overworked transit worker who saves Peter, a handsome traveler, from an oncoming train. When a misunderstanding at the hospital leads Peter’s family to believe Lucy is his fiancée, she’s taken under their wing. At first, she’s thrilled to be closer to the man she’s been crushing on—but things get a bit complicated when she realizes his brother, Jack, might be a better match.
The Nutcracker and the Four Realms
In this star-studded version of The Nutcracker, Mackenzie Foy (Twilight) plays Clara, a young girl who’s gifted the opportunity of a lifetime for Christmas. When Clara receives (and promptly loses) a magical key that can travel through space and time, she has to visit four different realms to find the key and save the universe.
Godmothered stars Jillian Bell as a fairy godmother in training who travels to see her assigned human, Mackenzie (Isla Fisher), to help find her one true love just in time for Christmas.
Santa Buddies is a holiday spinoff of the Air Bud Franchise. In this film, the talking-pups work together to share the spirit of Christmas. When you’re finished with this one, check out the prequel, The Search for Santa Paws, and the sequel, Paws 2: The Santa Pups.
After Rowena (Scarlett Esteves) asks her local Santa for a Christmas do-over, she wakes up in a time loop where she’s forced to relive the holiday over and over again.
Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmas
Mickey and the gang welcome us to a night of holiday tales as they share a collection of stories old and new. From “A Very Goofy Christmas,” to a fresh Disney spin on “The Gift of the Magi,” this anthology film offers plenty of variety in its stories and cast—featuring characters we know and love like Goofy, Donald, and more.
Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas
If you’re unable to pick between Christmas and Halloween as your favorite holiday, then The Nightmare Before Christmas might be the festive movie of you dreams. In true Tim Burton fashion, the spooky stop-motion classic follows the Pumpkin King of Halloween Town Jack Skellington as he finds himself accidentally stumbling into Christmas Town. Overcome by the Christmas spirit, the skeleton gets ahead of himself with grand plans that…well…don’t go according to plan.
Grinch star Jim Carrey once again breathes new life into a classic Christmas villain as Ebenezer Scrooge in the computer-animated A Christmas Carol. With beautiful special effects driving along the fantastical tale of Christmas ghosts past, present, and future, the result is a captivating adventure through the timeless Charles Dickens tale.
Allen stars as a divorced father who, upon accidentally killing Santa Claus, finds himself magically bound to become the big man’s successor. As he reluctantly learns how to be the best Father Christmas he can, he also learns, in turn, how to be a better man.
If we told you in 1994 that The Santa Clause would be followed not only by a sequel, but would become a trilogy franchise, you might have said you needed to see it to believe it. But, as Judy the Elf taught us, “Seeing isn’t believing, believing is seeing.” And The Santa Clause 2 is a pretty great follow-up if the original won you over. It packs a lot of the same comedic charms, with plenty of new characters, storylines, and special effects.
Anna Kendrick and Bill Hader star as Noelle and Nick Kringle, the children of Kris Kringle. But, as the next in line to take over his father’s Santa duties, Nick quickly finds himself cracking under pressure—and when Nick unexpectedly goes missing, it’s up to Noelle to find her brother and save Christmas.
The Muppet Christmas Carol
If you’re looking for a kid-friendly entry point to the classic Charles Dickens story, A Christmas Carol, The Muppet Christmas Carol might be perfect for you. As with many Muppets adaptations, the writing has a great way of injecting humor (and, of course, the Muppets) into the tale and breaking it down in a way that’s exciting and entertaining for kids.
Few phenomena of the modern age are as mystifying as the universal entrancement that Frozen has on kids. If you’re looking to understand what all the buzz is about, and are ready for your kids to start singing “Let It Go” for the rest of eternity, Disney+ has got you covered. The computer-animated hit takes a refreshing spin on the Disney princess formula, prioritizing themes of sisterhood and purpose over finding “true love’s kiss.”
Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe
With its CGI effects and inventive storytelling, the Chronicles of Narnia is a truly dazzling family fantasy film. The tale follows a group of siblings who, upon discovering an alternate realm in the wardrobe of the house they are staying in, venture to save the new land from an evil White Witch.
While it seems that Kevin McAllister is always getting left behind somewhere, Home Alone is a family classic that’s far from forgotten by movie lovers. Created by John Hughes and starring Maculay Culkin, the film centers upon Kevin, the youngest of five children, who is accidentally left home alone after his family leaves for Christmas vacation. When his seemingly-vacant house comes under siege by burglars, Kevin learns that being without his family isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.
Bria McNeal
Associate Staff Writer
Bria McNeal is a Manhattan based journalist who is patiently awaiting B5’s revival.
