As the year draws to a close, our thoughts eagerly turn to the holiday season. After all, it should be a time for rest, cherished moments with family, enjoying all things Christmas-themed! What’s better than snuggling up on the couch, next to a brightly lit tree, watching a Christmas movie together? We know parents are busy, so we had a look at the best Christmas movies for children, for the entire family, and where you can find them!
We’ve included run times and recommended ages, as well as where to find these movies to make things easier and quicker for families!
For parents who want a little extra comfort that they’re showing their children age-appropriate content, we suggest heading over to commonsensemedia.org and looking up movies there. Common Sense has been the leading source of entertainment and technology recommendations for families and schools, and they champion high-quality media, ‘support closing of the digital divide, ensure that students and educators think critically about technology use, and more.’ Its mission is to create a safe, healthy, and equitable digital world for children and families.
The Polar Express
The Polar Express is a newer Christmas classic. In this heartwarming story, a young boy’s belief in the magic of Christmas is rekindled when he journeys to the North Pole aboard the Polar Express on Christmas Eve, where he meets Santa Claus himself. This year, you can find The Polar Express on Netflix. Ages 8+. Run time: 1 hr 30 min.
Dr. Seuss' The Grinch
Based on the beloved book by Dr. Seuss, The Grinch tells the story of a grumpy character who becomes fed up with the endless festive cheer in Whoville. With his loyal dog by his side, he sets out to dampen the holiday spirit. While there is a live-action version of this classic, we recommend the animated version as a perfect choice for little ones! This can be watched or rented on Binge, Apple TV and Amazon Prime! Ages 6+. Run time: 1hr 30 min.
Elf
Another newer Christmas classic, fan favourite Will Farrell plays Buddy, a fun-loving man raised by Santa’s elves, who makes his way to New York for a holiday adventure. Elf can be found on Binge, Stan, Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV and more! Ages 8+. Run time: 1hr 30 min.
Elf: Buddy's Musical Christmas (animated for younger children)
Based on the Broadway musical inspired by the popular Christmas movie, Elf tells the story of Buddy the elf and his journey to find his long-lost father. While Buddy’s cheerful spirit fits right in at the North Pole, it clashes with the tough crowd in New York City. But with song, dance, and endless holiday cheer, Buddy brings the Christmas spirit back to the whole city. Watch on Amazon Prime and Apple TV, Ages 6+. Run time: 45 minutes
The Bad Guys: A Very Bad Holiday
These cheeky talking animals had a holiday heist all planned out, but their scheme is turned upside down when Christmas is cancelled. Join the Bad Guys on a gift-giving adventure as they work to bring back the festive spirit for everyone. There are some instances of cartoon violence, mild insults, but Common Sense Media gave it four out of five stars, so we trust their judgement! Find it on Netflix! Ages 6+. Run time: 25 minutes
Shaun the Sheep: The Flight Before Christmas
When Shaun’s hunt for a bigger stocking hits a snag, the whole farm sets out on a wild holiday adventure — complete with a sleigh! You can find this cute tale on Netflix. Ages 5+. Run time: 52 minutes.
A Trash Truck Christmas
This delightful story follows a young boy and his trusty rubbish truck as they spring into action to save Christmas when Santa crash-lands in their junkyard on Christmas Eve. Expect plenty of laughs, adventure, and holiday cheer! You can find this one on Netflix. Age 3 and up. Run time: 28 minutes.
Olaf's Frozen Adventure
Christmas nostalgia for parents
Christmas is all about nostalgia, so we wanted to share some movies our families may have loved growing up and are keen to share with a next generation, so parents and grandparents, we’ve got you covered!
Of course, there will be movies such as Home Alone and A Christmas Story that many of our parents remember fondly, but with their violent or weapon themes, we thought it was best to leave them off the list! These movies can be found on some of the streaming sites we mentioned, but maybe wait until after little ones bed times before viewing again!
The Muppet Christmas Carol
A spin on the Dickens’ classic by the legend Jim Henson. Many parents will have grown up watching and adoring this one, we just warn the ghosts or Mr Scrooge might be scary to young children. Ages 6+. Run time 2 hours.
You can find this on Disney +, Apple TV, and Amazon Prime.
Charlie Brown Christmas
Parents and grandparents, bring your childhood nostalgia to the next generation with 1960s classic Charlie Brown’s Christmas! With Christmas approaching, Charlie Brown is unhappy as everyone associates the holiday with presents. He tries to understand the true meaning of the festival and his friends decide to help him. This can be found on Apple TV. Ages 3+ Run time: 25 minutes.
Rudolph The Red-nosed Reindeer
An oldie but a goodie! This one can be watched on Apple TV. (pssst, you get seven days trial to use Apple TV if you don’t already subscribe)
Fun fact about this feature: Rudolph was created using stop-motion. The animation technique was called Animagic, a painstaking process where jointed, wood-and-felt puppets were moved ever-so-slightly for each new frame. It took about 18 months to shoot a half-hour special! More fun facts including this one can be found here! Ages 3+. Run time: 53 minutes.
A Garfield Christmas
This 1980s classic will be a fun return to parents’ childhood with everyone’s favourite lasagna-eating cat Garfield. In A Garfield Christmas Special, our favourite surly cat heads to the family farm for an old-fashioned holiday with Jon’s mum and dad, his brother Doc-Boy, and their feisty grandma, who’s truly the cat’s meow. You can stream for free on YouTube, and it also can be found on Apple TV. Ages 3+. Run time: 24 minutes
We’ve put together this list to make it easier for your family to enjoy a little extra Christmas joy and share in the magic of the season. Whether it’s a cozy movie night, a fun family activity, or finding some rare moments together, we hope this guide adds a touch of festive cheer to your holidays.
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