37 Best Christmas Movies to Watch on Disney Plus
As Disney accustomed its subscribers every year, it has a full plate of delicious Christmas movie treats to help with the Holiday Season festive mood. From animated movies to fantasy stories that charm kids and adults alike, there are so many Christmas movies to see this coming Holiday on Disney Plus that we don't think you'll actually have time to watch them all. We have prepared a list with all the cute and cuddly Winter Holidays movies for children but also all the movies we grew up watching every year during the Christmas period.
As you can expect, there are a lot of Disney originals and Disney Holiday Specials on the platform. That said, you and your family should put on your favorite sweaters and reindeer slippers, climb up on the couch with a hot cup in your hands, and grab the remote because you're going to "jingle all the way" on this fun ride.
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37. Prep & Landing (2009)
This family Christmas spy animation is one of the short movies you need in your life to get in the fun and exciting Holidays spirit, as the high-tech elf team known as "Prep & Landing" make sure on Christmas Eve that homes around the world are ready for receiving Santa. However, things go wrong because of a mismatched elf pair (Lanny and Wayne) and they end up trying to save the season for the entire world.
36. Prep & Landing: Operation Secret Santa (2010)
The elf elite unit is back for another high-tech operation called "Secret Santa," where the world's stealthiest duo is, under the order of Mrs. Claus, going to enter Santa's office to retrieve a mysterious hidden item just a few days away from Christmas. In this short movie, we get to see Wayne and Lanny in another comic adventure as they try to steal something and not get caught since they'd be put on the naughty list if that were to happen.
35. Prep & Landing: Naughty vs. Nice (2011)
Keep them coming! Wayne and Lanny are back with a bigger elf. Why? The super-spy stealthiest team needs to race to recover classified North Pole tech that was stolen by a little computer-hacking naughty whiz. And for this, Wayne seeks the help of the best naughty kid expert and, apparently his estranged brother as well, Noel - a bombastic member of the Coal Bucket Brigade. So, get ready for even more comedy and fun with our favorite elves!
34. I'll Be Home for Christmas (1998)
This coming-of-age comedy adventure revolves around a self-centered college kid called Jake (Jonathan Taylor Thomas), who wants to get home in time for the Holidays in order to claim his Porche gift from his father. Of course, things don't fall into place when he wakes up dressed as Santa in the California desert a few days before Christmas. As he races east to get home, he meets Allie (Jessica Biel) and gradually learns a thing or two about the meaning of Christmas and the importance of family.
33. The Ultimate Christmas Present (2000)
Two 13-year-old kids - Allie (Hallee Hirsh) and Sam (Brenda Song) - discover a weather-making machine discarded by Santa himself, so they decide to use it in order to create a white Christmas in Los Angels (and cancel school, of course). As expected, things get out of hand and threaten to ruin the Holidays as the snow keeps falling, so the two girls team up with Santa Claus to save the season.
32. 'Twas the Night (2001)
Santa Claus is knocked out by accident, so a kid named Danny (Josh Zuckerman) and his con-artist uncle Nick (Bryan Cranston) decide to take the job of delivering gifts to nice children on Christmas Eve. But while Danny is driving the sled, his uncle steals from people's homes, so the kid tries to show Nick the errors of his ways and convince him to become a better person - and also save the season, for what it's worth.
31. The Christmas Star (1986)
Counterfeiter Horace McNickle (Edward Asner) escapes prison thanks to the fact he looks strikingly like Saint Nicholas and goes searching for his hidden loot. The police try to find him, but since Christmas is close, the streets are full of people dressed as Santa in the Holiday spirit, so the chase hits a dead end. The felon exploits two kids' naivety to believe he's really Santa and uses them to get his hands on the loot from his earlier caper. Will he learn a lesson, though?
30. One Magic Christmas (1985)
In this fantasy drama, we get to see award-winning actress Mary Steenburgen as Ginny Granger, a mother who rediscovers the joy and beauty of Christmas and life thanks to her faith in her 6-years-old daughter and her own guardian angel. This is yet another magical and moving Holiday story that touches everyone's hearts in the classic Disney tradition.
29. 12 Dates of Christmas (2011)
This heartwarming romantic comedy for the whole family sees a young woman (Amy Smart) who was set up on a blind date on Christmas Eve as she relives the day endlessly until she gets things right with the yet-undiscovered Mr. Right (Mark-Paul Gosselaar). Lucky for her, it only takes 12 dates. Filled with the festive spirit, she eventually learns to leave the past behind and open her heart while learning the meaning of Christmas and finding true love.
28. Jingle All the Way (1996)
Who doesn't want to see the former governor of California in a Christmas family comedy? Arnold Schwarzenegger is Howard Langston, a workaholic businessman who tries to please everyone, including his son. Trying to find the number one toy on his kid's list, he enrolls in a hilariously nightmarish trek that chases him around town the whole Christmas Eve.
27. The Mistle Tones: A Musical (2012)
This Christmas musical is more of a drama, as Holly (Tia Mowry) loses the audition to a less talented friend of hers, portrayed by Tori Spelling, who gets the vacated spot in the Christmas musical group founded by Holly's late mother. The protagonist is driven to create her own musical group, The Mistle Tones, to challenge The Snow Belles.
26. Richie Rich's Christmas Wish (1998)
Who doesn't love Richie Rich? The world's favorite rich kid is back in an action-adventure comedy where Richie (David Gallagher) wishes he didn't exist after a sleigh crash he wrongfully gets blamed for. This is what gets him transported by Professor Keanbean's (Eugene Levy) wishing machine to an alternate universe where his mischievous cousin is the master of the house. As he tries to get home in time for Christmas, he learns to value his former privileges.
25. Good Luck Charlie: It's Christmas (2011)
On their way to visit Amy's parents for Christmas, the Duncans get separated on their flight, and Bob (Eric Allan Kramer) is left with taking care of Charlie out of the blue. The recipe for disaster includes alien abductions, hitchhiking, video games, and paintball. Quick thinking and kind gestures (and a miracle) are the things that can save the situation and reunite them in time for Christmas in this coming-of-age family comedy.
24. Winnie the Pooh: A Very Merry Pooh Year (2002)
This story encompasses recollecting cherished memories of the Christmas that just passed and some New Year references, as our favorite Winnie the Pooh characters start preparations for New Year's Eve. While planning the party, Rabbit feels bothered by Pooh and his friends, so they all end up making resolutions to change who they are. How will that work out?
23. Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas (1997)
One of the world's favorite stories lends its characters to a new snow-covered romantic take on Christmas and the magic it brings, as Mrs. Potts tells a tale of a Christmas past that almost didn't happen when Forte schemed to keep Belle and the Prince (who was still in Beast form) apart. Of course, we get a lot of singing and enduring themes of hope, love, and friendship.
22. The Santa Buddies: The Legend of Santa Paws (2009)
Santa Paws is a great comedy for kids that tells the story of how Puppy Paws, the son of Santa Paws, forgets the meaning of Christmas. This holiday adventure takes place in the magical world of the North Pole, as the beloved talking doggies need to fix the Puppy Paws situation and remind him of what this season is about.
21. Santa Paws 2: The Santa Pups (2012)
The wholesome content of Santa Paws 2 is perfect for even younger kids, as we get to see a brand-new litter of talking pups. In the sequel, the Christmas spirit mysteriously starts to disappear, so Santa Pups and Mrs. Claus need to save Christmas and run across the world to recover the magic crystal that would fix the whole problem.
20. The Santa Clause (1994)
This is a great Holiday tale featuring superstar comedian Tim Allen, Wendy Crewson, and Judge Reinhold, with some adult humor that will fly over kids' heads. The Santa Clause tells the story of Scott Calvin (a successful toy salesman and divorced dad) and his son. While preparing for Christmas Eve, they find Santa fell off their roof, and Scott finds himself taking on the hard job of Santa.
19. Santa Clause 2 (2012)
Santa Clause 2 brings back legendary Tim Allen in the role of Scott Calvin, who has now been in the role of Santa for eight happy years with the loyal elves by his side. However, he finds himself in a dire situation: if he won't get married by Christmas Eve (which is one month away), he will never be Santa again. So, he's now in a hilarious against-the-clock adventure.
18. High School Musical: The Musical - The Holiday Special (2020)
Songs are a main part of the Christmas spirit, so the High School Musical Holiday Special is a great addition to your movie list. Matt Cornett, Sofia Wylie, Larry Saperstein, and more perform lovely singalongs like This Christmas, Feliz Navidad, and Hanukka Medley. Also, they get a special present from Joshua Bassett, in the form of a Holiday song called Perfect Gift.
17. Snowglobe (2007)
Angela (Christina Millian) is the protagonist of a magically fantastic story that takes her to a winter wonderland called Snowglobe at night. When she wakes up, she realizes it is more than a dream and keeps going back, but soon she sees her choices start to affect this perfect world's innocence and decided to take drastic measures to undo the damage done and preserve the Christmas magic.
16. Mickey's Twice Upon a Christmas (2004)
As we can expect, this is a story about Mickey, Minnie, and their friends, who are joined by Santa Claus in a search to discover the true joys of Christmas. Spoiler alert - they find them! Mickey and Pluto learn more about the power of friendship, while Donald is as stubborn as ever trying to resist the season magic.
15. Christmas... Again?! (2021)
This is one of the movies in the fresh content batch of 2021, so hop on to live this new family comedy that will teach us once again the meaning of Christmas. This time, this Holiday Disney Channel original movie starring Scarlett Estevez as Rowena tells the story of a girl spending a lackluster Christmas in a divorced family. She finds herself living Christmas every day after making a wish to a neighborhood Santa, so she must learn how to break the loop.
14. Ice Age: A Mammoth Christmas (2011)
This short animated movie brings back our beloved Ice Age characters in a Christmas Special with fun, Santa, snow - and, well, ice. As we're already used to, Sid steps on Manny's toes, only this time he ruins the mammoth's Christmas traditions. We also know Manny, so he says Sid is on the naughty list as an act of revenge, which motivates our favorite sloth to go to the North Pole and plead his case directly to Santa.
13. The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)
This 1992 musical fantasy is filled with both comedy and drama. It's an adaptation of the famous Charles Dickens novella, A Christmas Carol, where we get to see Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, and the other Muppets spreading love and laughter. Sir Michael Caine gets to portray the penny-pinching Scrooge, and it's a great animation to watch again.
12. LEGO Star Wars Holiday Special (2020)
This LEGO Holiday special was released just last December and follows the Star Wars characters celebrating Life Day, a Holiday that is specific to the Wookies. We see Rey set off with BB-8 on a new adventure that she tries to wrap up before hurrying to return to the Life Day feast. And we also get to see a lot of heroes and villains.
11. Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas (1999)
The Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas movie features three heartwarming stories involving Mickey, Minnie, Donald, and Goofy - Donald Duck: Stuck on Christmas, A Very Goofy Christmas, and Mickey and Minnie's Gift of the Magi. All three follow the beloved characters as they get into the Holiday spirit living magic adventures and singing Holiday songs.
10. Noelle (2019)
Anna Kendrick makes every movie fun, but when she plays Santa's daughter, it's even more interesting to see. We also see Bill Hader and Shirley MacLaine in this original Disney film that tells the story of Santa's kids trying to fill their father's shoes after he's gone. Nick is supposed to become the next Santa Claus, but he doesn't seem to be prepared and flees. So, Noelle tries to help and persuade her brother so that Christmas could still happen.
9. Olaf's Frozen Adventure (2017)
Disney brings Josh Gad, Idina Menzel, Kristen Bell, and Jonathan Groff together again in a story where it's the first holiday season since the Arendelle gates reopened. Olaf and Sven try to help Elsa and Anna figure out some new family traditions, considering they do not have their own. Together, they try to enjoy the Christmas spirit after so many years of isolation, with plenty of funny situations and humor, as Olaf combs the kingdom for traditions and saves Christmas for the sisters.
8. Godmothered (2020)
Godmothered is another great Disney original that follows the same educational values it always does. The story is set around Christmas, in a comedy about a young and inexperienced fairy godmother-in-training played by the awesome Jillian Bell, who finds a misplaced letter from a 10-year-old girl and decides to accept the challenge, only to find that the letter was sent 30 years ago. However, she tries to prove that the world still needs her kind and forces the now 40-year-old single mother to get a happy-ever-after makeover whether she likes it or not.
7. The Nutcracker and the Four Realms (2018)
What's Christmas if there's no nutcracker in sight? Revisit this timeless tale to see it reimagined in a wonderful Disney movie that follows Clara (Mackenzie Foy), who embarks on an adventure to the four realms after her mother leaves her a mysterious gift. The cast packs Morgan Freeman, Matthew Macfadyen, and Keira Knightley, as well as Russian ballet legend Sergei Polunin. Of course, the heroine discovers she has the power to change the world in an inspiring ending.
6. A Christmas Carol (2009)
This movie is an evergreen gem, as we don't get enough of seeing Jim Carrey, Gary Oldman, and Colin Firth in the classic Charles Dickens Christmas story of selfish Ebenezer Scrooge and the visits of his three Christmas ghosts - Ghost of Christmas Past, the Ghost of Christmas Present, and the Ghost of Christmas Future - who teach him how to change and become a better man. This movie is a still hit among kids and adults at the same time - admit it, you'd love to watch it again!
5. The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
This legendary Tim Burton movie weaves Halloween and Christmas in a single odd and educative heartfelt tale of Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin King of Halloween Town, who discovers a door to Christmas Town. The festive mood wins him over, so he decides to leave the screams and scares behind and take over Christmas Town, endangering Santa. It's up to Sally, the ragdoll who loves him, to fix things and bring him on the right path in order to save everyone.
4. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005)
The movie begins in London with a bombing during the Blitz, and young Lucy, Edmund, Peter, and Susan are separated from their mother. They end up traveling to a fantasy world called Narnia through a magical wardrobe. This is an excellent Disney production where we get to see James McAvoy as Mr. Tumnus and Tilda Swinton in a magnificent role as the White Witch who cursed Narnia to eternally experience winter and never Christmas, while the children fight to defeat her with the help of the wise lion Aslan.
3. Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992)
The Home Alone sequel brings the hit character Kevin (Macaulay Culkin) to our attention, this time lost in New York. The star-studded cast sees Joe Pesci, Tim Curry, Catherine O'Hara, Rob Schneider, Kieran Culkin, and many others in another light comedy where the Wet Bandits from the previous movie plan a huge Holiday heist.
2. Home Alone (1990)
Missing the violence and bad language seen in the early '90s kids' movies? Then it's time to revisit the all-time Christmas classic where Kevin McCallister is home alone and faces the Wet Bandits as they try to break in. Macaulay Culkin, Joe Pesci, Daniel Stern, John Heard, Catherina O'Hara, Chris Parnell, and many others star in this movie. The kid not only manages to survive on his own for a few days, but he also manages to best two burglars.
1. Home Sweet Home Alone (2021)
Who could say pass to this timeless classic's spin-off 2021 story? Every one of us who grew watching the same Home Alone and Die Hard movies on TV during the Christmas Holidays might want to see this new take on the story that awakens nostalgia. This time, 10-year-old Max Mercer is forgotten home while his family is on vacation in Japan, and he is faced with protecting the house from trespassers.