Since most of us are spending the holidays at home this year, you might as well get into the festive spirit with these kid-friendly Christmas movies. While there aren’t that many new releases this year, we went through the archives to curate this list of family-friendly Christmas movies. Just because you can’t travel doesn’t mean you can’t get into the festive spirit.
This Christmas musical fantasy film was released last month on Netflix and it tells the story of an inventor and toymaker whose granddaughter inspires him to start his craft again. Both modern and old-fashioned, this film is sure to charm you with its musical numbers.
A 2D animated Christmas film launched last year, this tells an alternative origin story of Santa Claus. It swept audiences away and won seven awards last year, and whether you haven’t seen it yet or watched it already, this one definitely belongs on your list still. Heartwarming and soulful, this will certainly put the family in a Christmas spirit.
While you may be familiar with Jim Carrey’s adaptation of The Grinch, this computer-animated version is a beautiful re-telling of the story you know and love. For the grumps who aren’t a fan of the holidays and for the ones who go all out – this one’s the perfect in-between.
Of course Frozen was going to be on the list. While it isn’t necessarily a Christmas specific movie per se, its snowy-scapes will definitely put you in the mood. There’s a reindeer and a snowman, so you’re halfway there with the theme. While your kids may have already watched this multiple times, they’re sure to love a rewatch during this festive season.
Tim Burton’s stop-motion animated musical dark fantasy film tells the story of Jack Skellington, who stumbles into Christmas town and becomes obsessed with celebrating this holiday. This teeters slightly to the darker ends of Disney films, but if your children are old enough to distinguish fantasy from reality then this is definitely a classic to add to the list.
Rise of the Guardians is an action and comedy film that stars guardians like Santa Claus, the Sandman, Easter Bunny, and Tooth Fairy who work with Jack Frost to stop the evil. For kids who love all things fantasy, this one’s sure to please them.
It’s a classic for a reason. This family-friendly comedy film follows Kevin who gets left behind by his family during their Christmas vacation and it’s up to him to defend his home from two burglars. Lighthearted and funny, if your kids haven’t been introduced to the Home Alone series then now’s a good time to start.
Another oldie but a goodie, Elf is a Christmas comedy film that tells the tale of Buddy, a human who was adopted and raised by Santa amongst his elves. He then heads to New York to find his biological father while trying to spread Christmas cheer. It has a little bit of romance (for the adults), and lots of laughs (for the kids).
Remade from a children’s book, The Polar Express is a story about a young boy who boards a mysterious train heading to the North Pole and he visits Santa Claus as he prepares for Christmas. Nothing short of magical, this movie is sure to bring your kids to a place of wonder.
There’s a reason why this film is considered one of the greatest of all time. Inspirational and moving, this film is on the list for many when it comes to the Christmas holiday. It tells the story of George Bailey, who has given up his dreams to help others and his imminent suicide on Christmas Eve brings the intervention of his guardian angel who shows how life would be so different if he had not been born. It is moving, funny, and heartfelt, and if your family gives it a chance, it’s sure to be on your list for the years to come.