It’s a time-honored tradition for families the world over. Just as the temperatures drop and the end-of-year holidays start rolling in, everyone cozies up on the couch for a cup of hot cocoa and a holiday movie. Because really, is there a more perfect way to take a break from the madness of the season?
Looking for a solid roster of some of the best holiday movies for kids? We’ve got you covered. During the 2025 holiday season, stream these holiday movies on Netflix, Amazon, Disney+ and AppleTV (where packages and subscription fees vary). And keep in mind, Santa adds and removes movies regularly. Happy watching!
Kids holiday movies on Netflix
1. ‘Klaus’
A disgruntled postal worker forms a friendship with a talented toymaker.
Director: Sergio Pablos
Release date: November 8, 2019
Run time: 1 hour, 37 minutes
Rating: PG
Watch: “Klaus” on Netflix
2. ‘The Star’
A fun, animated take on the biblical story of Christmas.
Director: Timothy Reckart
Release date: November 17, 2017
Run time: 1 hour, 26 minutes
Rating: PG
Watch: “The Star” on Netflix
3. ‘Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey’
A toy maker finds hope after being betrayed by his apprentice.
Director: David E. Talbert
Release date: November 6, 2020
Run time: 2 hours, 2 minutes
Rating: PG
Watch: “Jingle Jangle” on Netflix
4. ‘Holiday Rush’
A lavish radio DJ and his four kids are forced to move out of their mansion just before the holidays.
Director: Leslie Small
Release date: November 28, 2019
Run time: 1 hour, 34 minutes
Rating: PG
Watch: “Holiday Rush” on Netflix
5. ‘Spookley and the Christmas Kittens’
A 45-minute holiday special that’s perfect for little ones who are fans of Spookley the Square Pumpkin.
Director: Bernie Denk
Release date: December 6, 2019
Run time: 45 minutes
Rating: TV-Y
Watch: “Spookley and the Christmas Kittens” on Netflix
6. ‘Scrooge: A Christmas Carol’
A remake of the classic story about one of the most famous holiday haters.
Director: Stephen Donnelly
Release date: November 18, 2022
Run time: 1 hour, 36 minutes
Rating: TV-Y7
Watch: “Scrooge: A Christmas Carol” on Netflix
Holiday movies for kids on Hulu
7. ‘The Polar Express’
Tom Hanks stars in the animatronic rendition of the iconic book.
Director: Robert Zemeckis
Release date: November 10, 2004
Run time: 1 hour, 40 minutes
Rating: G
Watch: “The Polar Express” on Hulu
Disney Plus holiday movies
8. ‘Home Alone’
A kid has the holiday season of his life after he’s accidentally left home alone for the week.
Director: Chris Columbus
Release date: November 16, 1990
Run time: 1 hour, 43 minutes
Rating: PG
Watch: “Home Alone” on Disney Plus
9. ‘Noelle’
Anna Kendrick stars as Kris Kringle’s daughter with big dreams.
Director: Marc Lawrence
Release date: November 12, 2019
Run time: 1 hour, 40 minutes
Rating: G
Watch: “Noelle” on Disney Plus
10. ‘The Nutcracker and the Four Realms’
A slightly-darker version of the ballet classic.
Director: Lasse Hallström, Joe Johnston
Release date: November 2, 2018
Run time: 1 hour, 40 minutes
Rating: PG
Watch: “The Nutcracker and the Four Realms” on Disney Plus
11. ‘Decorating Disney’
An hour-long special that goes behind the scenes of the Disney parks’ decor during the holidays.
Release date: 2017
Run time: 42 minutes
Rating: TV-PG
Watch: “Decorating Disney” on Disney Plus
12. ‘Santa Paws 2: The Santa Pups’
A group of mischievous pups help save Christmas.
Director: Robert Vince
Release date: November 20, 2012
Run time: 1 hour, 28 minutes
Rating: G
Watch: “The Santa Paws 2: The Santa Pups” on Disney Plus
13. ‘Winnie the Pooh: A Very Merry Pooh Year’
A throw-back musical with Pooh and the gang that’s perfect for little kids.
Director: Jim Cummings
Release date: November 12, 2002
Run time: 1 hour, 5 minutes
Rating: G
Watch: “Winnie the Pooh: A Very Merry Pooh Year” on Disney Plus
Holiday movies for kids on Amazon
14. ‘Arthur Christmas’
Santa Claus’s son Arthur has to take on the responsibility of delivering a Christmas gift to a child his dad missed.
Director: Sarah Smith
Release date: November 23, 2011
Run time: 1 hour, 37 minutes
Rating: PG
Watch: “Arthur Christmas” on Amazon Prime Video
15. ‘Curious George: A Very Monkey Christmas’
George and The Man in the Yellow Hat can’t decide what to get each other for Christmas.
Director: Scott Heming
Release date: November 25, 2009
Run time: 58 minutes
Rating: G
Watch: “Curious George: A Very Monkey Christmas” on Amazon Prime Video
16. ‘48 Christmas Wishes’
Two elves have to leave home for the first time after losing a whole town’s Christmas letters.
Director: Marco Deufemia, Justin G. Dyck
Release date: November 2, 2017
Run time: 1 hour, 24 minutes
Rating: G
Watch: “48 Christmas Wishes” on Amazon Prime Video
17. ‘Elf’
An adult (Will Ferrell) has an over-the-top love for Christmas after being raised in the North Pole.
Director: Jon Favreau
Release date: November 7, 2003
Run time: 1 hour, 37 minutes
Rating: PG
Watch: “Elf” on Amazon Prime Video
18. ‘The Black Candle’
A documentary that explores Kwanzaa’s growth from the Black Power Movement in the 1960s.
Director: Roy Battersby
Release date: November 2008
Run time: 1 hour, 43 minutes
Rating: PG-13
Watch: “The Black Candle” on Amazon Prime Video
19. ‘Little Women’
The coming-of-age drama, Greta Gerwig-style.
Director: Greta Gerwig
Release date: December 25, 2019
Run time: 2 hours, 15 minutes
Rating: PG-13
Watch: “Little Women” on Amazon Prime Video
20. ‘Paul Blart: Mall Cop’
A security guard gets his moment in the sun when a mall is taken over on Black Friday.
Director: Steve Carr
Release date: January 16, 2009
Run time: 1 hour, 31 minutes
Rating: PG
Watch: “Paul Blart: Mall Cop” on Amazon Prime Video
21. ‘Eight Crazy Nights’
Best for older kids, this Adam Sandler flick tells the story of a party animal who changes his ways.
Director: Seth Kearsley
Release date: November 27, 2002
Run time: 1 hour, 18 minutes
Rating: PG-13
Watch: “Eight Crazy Nights” on Amazon Prime Video
22. ‘Black Nativity’
A modern-day version of the Langston Hughes play, set in Harlem.
(Available to rent for $3.99)
Director: Kasi Lemmons
Release date: November 27, 2013
Run time: 1 hour, 33 minutes
Rating: PG-13
Watch: “Black Nativity” on Amazon Prime Video
Best kids holiday movies to stream on AppleTV
23. ‘All I Want Is Christmas’
A Christmas-obsessed Jewish boy swaps plane tickets with another boy at the airport so he can see what the holiday is really like.
Director: Sue Corcoran
Release date: November 13, 2017
Run time: 1 hour, 37 minutes
Rating: PG
Watch: “All I Want Is Christmas” on Apple TV
24. ‘Caillou’s Holiday Movie’
Caillou learns the true meaning of Christmas.
Director: Nick Rijgersberg
Release date: October 7, 2003
Run time: 1 hour, 13 minutes
Rating: NR
Watch: “Caillou’s Holiday Movie” on Apple TV
25. ‘A Charlie Brown Christmas’
Charlie helps his friends discover the true meaning of Christmas.
Director: Bill Melendez
Release date: December 9, 1965
Run time: 30 minutes
Rating: NR
Watch: “A Charlie Brown Christmas” on Apple TV
26. ‘A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving‘
Thanksgiving isn’t what they envisioned, but the Peanuts gang makes it work.
Director: Bill Melendez
Release date: November 20, 1973
Run time: 30 minutes
Rating: NR
Watch: “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving” on Apple TV
27. ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’
Halloween meets Christmas in a way only Tim Burton could envision.
Director: Tim Burton
Release date: October 29, 1993
Run time: 1 hour, 16 minutes
Rating: PG
Watch: “The Nightmare Before Christmas” on Apple TV
