Surprisingly, even someone like me can max out on Christmas content. I sat down and watched these over the course of a week. That’s right; 25 Christmas movies within the span of one week in early November. Now, I can’t rank these. I adored *most of* them in different ways, and shed many a tear over almost every one (though I’m not sure that says much, I cry in TV ads). In the week and a half since my Christmas binge, I have since turned to mysteries, war and thrillers… that is how much I maxed out.
Anyway, here goes the Not Very Definitive List of Christmas Movies to Watch on Netflix, 25 movies for the 25 days of Christmas!
Christmas Inheritance
I went into this preparing for a really shit plotline and to cringe my way through. Considering pretty much every Christmas movie has the same plotline, I wasn’t surprised by this one either; but I actually l o v e d this movie. It helps that I love Jake Lacy. A young, naturally ambitious (duh, it’s a Hallmark Movie) woman has to go to a small town to deliver a special Christmas card to her dad’s former business partner before she can inherit the family business. A snowstorm hits the town so she’s stuck there… and I can almost bet you can guess the rest. Still recommend though, for a classic feel good Christmas film.
A Dog Walker’s Christmas Tale
Ok, but not only dogs… Aaron Samuels from Mean Girls. Another white rich girl! She starts walking her neighbour/family friends’/fellow rich people’s dog for some extra cash money as she’s maxed out her probably really high credit card. She meets *Aaron Samuels* at the dog park, he wants to save it from developers because good guy, and… does she change her self-centred ways to help the dog people? If you’re not already sold on dogs and Jonathon Bennett (Aaron Samuels) – his acting is actually quite good and I had a few giggles.
Santa Girl
Santa’s daughter (yes, daughter) wants to experience college in the USA (because, obviously, the States are the centre of the world…/sarcasm) before she… dundundun… takes over the family business and marries Jack Frost Jr. Honestly, why am I going into these with pre-judgements? Also, why do I keep forgetting that I absolutely love all things Christmas, no matter how cringe? I really liked this. It was like, the ultimate Christmas vibe (naturally, it’s all about the Claus’), and the elf who joins Santa’s daughter is really cute and a fabulous character.
Let It Snow
Look, as you can probably imagine, I’m a sucker for a good Young Adult novel… thus John Green (I have also just finished binging Looking for Alaska). A make of one of his books, it was a heartwarming journey of navigating the step from teenagehood into adulthood and figuring out who you are, who you love and what is most important in life.
Merry Kissmas
Another blondie… in a loveless relationship. She then kisses a stranger (??) under a mistletoe, coincidentally bumping into him the next day because he’s catering her fiance’s new ballet, duh. Who will she choose… the fiance she no longer loves, or the good looking stranger? More dogs! And another hunky dory lead actor! I remember watching this last year, and I thought I hadn’t liked it… and I either forgot it, was in a shit mood when I watched it last year, or became even more of a hopeless romantic within the past year.
I’ll Be Home For Christmas
This is not the one of the same name from 1998. This one has James Brolin and Mena Suvari, and it was actually quite cute. Jackie hasn’t seen her dad in a few years since her mum passed away, and all of a sudden, he pops up around Christmas. Her cute kid takes an immediate liking to her Grandpa and convinces him to stick around for celebrations. Her dad throws everything up in the air when she’s so used to planning!!! Oh no!!! Shall we learn the importance of love and family again? (No, but really. I liked this a lot and would bring it around again for Christmas vibes).
Angels in the Snow
A couple who have been together for years are fighting. They seem to be falling out of love. Their kids are shitheads. They head out of town to their new (fucking huge) “cottage” out of town, and a snowstorm hits, leading another holidaying family to show up and ask for shelter. Plot twists. Appreciate life. I cried.
A Christmas Prince
Have we got another ambitious young woman??? Chasing her work dreams… having to choose between love and work?!?! A journalist is sent to a small European country (where coincidentally, they all speak English), called Aldovia (shockingly similar to Genovia?!), to get a scoop on the Prince who is set to be King. Ok so I put this one off for so long. Like, I don’t know what it was, but there was something about it that just told me I wouldn’t like it. I think Prince’s annoy me? Cause they’re all ‘Hey I hate this job but gosh I just have to do it because *obligations*’ and I’m like fuck get some agency outside of your family hey. BUT! Here I am learning not to judge a movie by it’s cover, because that was legit the whole storyline; like this guy had his own agency and needed to make the whole Becoming King situation for himself. Plot twists everywhere, I actually really enjoyed it.
A Christmas Prince: The Royal Wedding
They started this one…by literally casting a different person as the father, and made the classic “I feel like a brand new person” line, which gave me awful flashbacks of That 70’s Show trying to replace Topher Grace. A year after love found love found love, they are going to marry but!!! She’s wondering if she can really be Queen! Also, the money in Aldovia is shockingly scarce… is it an insider job? Will she be able to use her journalistic skills (because journalism is the same as detective work, duh), to discover what’s going on? What will happen?! I enjoyed this less than the first, but it was still sweet and had it’s feel-good moments.
The Spirit of Christmas
Christmas, ghosts, mystery AND love?! A lawyer is set to inspect an inn to sell, but the inn is haunted. Haunted by a ghost who is cursed (because being a ghost isn’t enough of a curse), where he turns into a human in the 12 days before Christmas. Does the (yet another white blonde) ambitious woman fall in love with the handsome ghost? How do you navigate that? Will they find out how he really died? SO MANY QUESTIONS, and they are all answered, in this wonderfully weird Christmas movie.
Once Upon a Holiday
A princess…yes, another one, from a weird not-real small country, is visiting New York during Christmas, and escapes! Because she wants to be normal! A lovely, tall man saves her from thieves and he takes her on a tour of ‘his’ New York. All these princesses want is a normal life, y’all. Why can’t you give it to them?! And why is it ALWAYS Christmas that they manage to throw a spanner in the works and fuck shit up. Like princess girl you know you have shit to do and people to please. Can’t you disappear in, like, July? Anyway, despite it being yet another predictable plotline, it was also enjoyable. Love and normality wins again, pals.
Christmas with a View
A celebrity chef starts working at a ski resort (imagine Gordon Ramsay, except better looking and not like him at all), and a romance blossoms between him and the resort restaurant’s manager; who naturally has goals bigger than being a manager at a small inn. *Gasp!* Will he help her chase her dreams and find love along the way? This was feel-good, love all around, hurrah Christmas. Watch it.
The Holiday Calendar
A young woman. A photographer with big dreams. A not very supportive family, except her Grandpa, with whom she inherits an antique Advent calendar… But wait! It predicts her future! This is up there with one of my favourite Netflix Christmas movies, which proves my Not Very Definitive List, since I have it so far down. Full of magic, love and family… what more could ya want?
A Wish for Christmas
A shy, talented woman (another Mean Girls comeback – this one starring Gretchen Wieners!) who allows people to walk all over her at work, until a big asshole steals one of her campaign ideas. She meets ye olde Santa Claus, who she thinks is just a fake Santy but of course it’s real Santy, cause Santy’s always around when you need him. Anyway, she wishes to gain the courage to stand up for herself. Does she discover that she had that courage all along? The magic of Santa!
The Christmas Chronicles
Siblings who slightly hate each other are stuck together on Christmas Eve, as their mum has to work – so they make a scheme to catch Santa Claus in the act. The dingbats didn’t think that far ahead, cause then they mess up Santa’s ride, and they must help save the day with Santy and his elves! (The elves are super cute). This stars Kurt Russell as Santa, so he’s a lil bit sassy still with the Santa magic, and a cute little surprise in who is Mrs Claus at the end.
The Princess Switch
Vanessa Hudgens does a Lindsay Lohan, where she plays both the leading parts. A baker meets a duchess who looks JUST LIKE HER (shock!), and they decide to… switch places?! And then… they fall in love with the respective men in each others’ lives? A wild ride. Shockingly bad, it’s so good.
You Can’t Fight Christmas
A very serious businessman, who doesn’t really care about Christmas, is set to eventually inherit his grandfathers’ hotel. He meets the decorator for the hotel who has mad Christmas fever (her and I are soul sisters). They are very different people… but will very serious businessman find love for Christmas… and for her? A VERY good looking cast, a sweet premise, and yes… good enough for your Christmas film binge.
Miss Me This Christmas
Based at the Chesterton, just like You Can’t Fight Christmas. It’s all set at the same time!!! They have some of the same scenes! WIld! I thought I was having deja vu; so you can watch these in succession. A couple, who both love Christmas, got married on Christmas six years ago. But, their love has been lost, and they decide to divorce… the date their divorce is final? You guessed it, Christmas. It’s a bit of a silly competition between a couple who are breaking up and use other people to make each other jealous, but you know?? Occasional giggles, so maybe worth watching? I dunno. It’s okay.
How Sarah Got Her Wings
Just like Heaven vibes. A woman dies (I didn’t really spoil anything, it happens within the first five minutes), can’t get let into heaven until she’s earned Angel status; she’s sent back to earth to see if she can set things right. Big plot twist at the end! This wasn’t my top pick, but also…still good enough for the Christmas binge.
Christmas Survival
Christmas time comes with a family who come together on their parents’ farm for celebrations. Scandal, affairs and family fights – a more realistic version of Christmas time with family. I’m not really sure what I thought of this movie. I zoned out more than three times, so I think that says enough. It was ya typical wild family ride, as they try to navigate Christmas day when they all struggle to get along.
48 Christmas Wishes
Two junior elves misplace a town’s letters to Santa and set out to retrieve the missing wishes. Why are all the parents dead in these Christmas movies??? This was actually quite cute though. Acting was not fab but they’re kids and I can’t act, so I’m not really in a place to judge. V family friendly and one if you actually wanted a movie full of Christmas magic. I cried so many snot tears at the end of the movie.
Holiday in the Wild
Rob Lowe and Kristin Davis. What a pair. Ok so this comes up under Christmas when you search it in Netflix… And it’s? Hardly?? A Christmas movie??? Kate goes to Africa after her husband ends their marriage, and she falls in love with Africa and helping wildlife… does she find human love too?! It was also one of those movies that has a buttload of potential as the premise is beautiful, but never quite reaches it. Casting is stellar, though. So if you just need a fix of Rob Lowe and Kristin Davis, this movie is it.
The Angel of Christmas
A budding young writer. Ambitious, of course. She has her chance at writing an actual newspaper article! So she decides to write about a Christmas ornament, an Angel, that is a family heirloom. She meets an artist along the way… is the magic of the family Angel real?! A bit of history, a bit of mystery, a bit of Chris…tery; all the ingredients for a sweet film.
Pottersville
A local businessman runs around town at night in a gorilla costume, and townsfolk think they saw Big Foot. This brings much needed tourists to the town. Shocking and gross Australian accent – there’s a point to that in the end though. Odd characters and town. Very fitting for supporting small and supporting your community! They also sold it as a Christmas movie, but it was just set around Christmas and didn’t really have any cheer. It was WEIRD. It’s kind of cute and weird so maybe a movie for another time? But not for Christmas.
Christmas Wedding Planner
A budding wedding planner, planning her cousin’s wedding. Cue, private investigator rocks up, ready to find out the secrets of the groom. But, also! He’s the ex boyfriend of the bride! Will he fall in love with the wedding planner? Will he ruin the wedding? Is the groom hiding anything? Holy shit. This sucked. Like, sucked so bad I almost wouldn’t recommend it. But… maybe you need to experience it for yourself?
You can also find other Christmas classics like Miracle on 34th Street, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Elf, and Shrek the Halls!
