The Best Christmas Movies On Netflix Right Now

There's something about Christmas films that just makes you want to binge watch. If you're one of those people particularly inclined to celebrate the season from your couch, it's important to have a good game plan to maximize your holiday viewing options — even if Christmas is still months away and you just want to be reminded of that yuletide feeling. That's where streaming services come in, particularly the ubiquitous behemoth that is Netflix and its massive library of films. Even in the summer months, when Christmas feels far away amid all the heat, the streaming giant still packs its fair share of holiday films into the lineup, and the closer you get to December, the more frequently they start popping up. So Netflix is always a Christmas viewing option, but where to begin? Right here, with this list of Christmas films currently on the service. Ranging from funny to festive, these holiday favorites are just waiting for you to binge at your leisure — and whenever you get started, it'll be the most wonderful time of the year.

In the years since Love Actually was released, it's spawned the kind of Christmas movie debate that's made it a film new viewers seek out simply because we want to see which side of the conflict we fall on. It's a film that did well financially and received mixed reviews upon its initial release, but when it hit home video, and more importantly streaming video, the film — dubbed "the ultimate romantic comedy" — was embraced as a a holiday essential by many, while dismissed as an overwrought mess by others. Then there are those who fall somewhere in between, who can't decide if the film is good, so bad it's good, or just plain bad in a fascinating way. It's a debate we still have every Christmas in the form of family arguments, online quizzes, and think pieces. After all that dust settles, though, we still watch Love Actually, because it hasn't lost many of its charms, from a truly amazing ensemble cast to a great atmosphere to an assemblage of storylines so varied that everyone can agree that at least one is worth rewatching.

Some viewers may dismiss A Christmas Prince as another generic royal romantic comedy that the filmmakers just slapped some Christmas decorations on. Others may shrug it off as a completely unrealistic movie, and not just because it takes place in the fictional European nation of Aldovia. If you actually sit down and watch it, though, you'll find charm, heart, and a film that wrings every little bit of joy out of what it's given to work with. Rose McIver (iZombie) stars as a young reporter eager to catch the eye of her boss by infiltrating the Aldovian monarchy and learning what's keeping the mysterious prince (Ben Lamb) from claiming his rightful place on the throne. Posing as a tutor to the Prince's young sister (Honor Kneafsey), she quickly finds there's more to him than just tabloid fodder, and they develop a bond. Of course, because we're dealing with royalty here, greedy forces are at work to stop the prince's coronation, which just happens to be scheduled for Christmas Eve. It's not the most lavish production you'll ever see, but there's a reason A Christmas Prince quickly earned a sequel, A Christmas Prince: The Royal Wedding, which made its Netflix arrival on Nov. 30, 2018. The next time you're in the mood for holiday romance, give these two movies a try.

Christmas movies are for everyone, but they're often particularly useful to occupy and entertain young children while you're off getting those holiday chores done around the house. If that's the case, and you'd like something feature-length rather than something about the size of a TV special, Santa Buddies is a warm little movie perfect for kids who love cute dogs and holiday cheer. The story revolves around Puppy Paws, the son of Santa's dog Santa Paws (because of course that's his name), who's a bit worn out by Christmas and just wants to be a normal puppy. Puppy Paws leaves the North Pole and tries to learn how to be a regular puppy from a few who happen to be on Santa's naughty list. What Puppy Paws doesn't know, though, is that the very fate of Christmas hinges on him learning a lesson about the true spirit of the holiday, and he'd better learn it fast before the cold-hearted dog catcher (Christopher Lloyd) can ruin everything. Yes it's a formulaic, direct-to-video Disney flick, but it's adorable in its simplicity. The only real problem with showing it to your kids is that they might decide a puppy is the only thing they want for Christmas.

If you're after an enduring holiday classic full of musical numbers, gorgeous Technicolor imagery, and the exquisite comic timing of Danny Kaye, then White Christmas is for you. Like many holiday films of its time, it doesn't entirely revolve around Christmas, but rather builds to it by telling the story of four entertainers who find themselves at an inn in Vermont only to find that December hasn't brought any snow with it yet. Like the characters, the audience waits virtually the entire film for anything wintry or Christmasy to show up, but when it finally does, it proves to be absolutely worth it. In addition to Kaye's comedic mastery, the film also features Bing Crosby in one of his most famous roles, Rosemary Clooney showing both her acting and singing chops, Vera-Ellen's incredible dancing, and some of the most memorable musical numbers you'll ever see. This film has lived on in the hearts of Christmas movie fans for more than 60 years, and a single viewing is all it takes to understand why.

Netflix isn't just excelling in the fairy tale princess Christmas romcom department. They've also branched out into more humble, even somewhat quirky, offerings aimed at everyone who enjoys cozy, low-stakes Christmas fare. Enter The Holiday Calendar, the story of a small-town photographer named Abby (Kat Graham) stuck in a rut both personally and professionally. Her life seems to be going nowhere, until her grandfather (the great Ron Cephas Jones) gives her an antique advent calendar that once belonged to her late grandmother. The calendar will only open its doors on its own, magically, at midnight each night in December, revealing a unique charm item that will prove to have some meaning in her life the following day. Through the calendar's magic, Abby thinks she finds love, then realizes there are bigger lessons to be learned from this strange little family artifact. The Holiday Calendar is, like so many Christmas romantic comedies, ultimately predictable, but its charm is such that you won't really care if you see the ending coming.

Sometimes the most casually enjoyable Christmas movies arrive when you take a tried and true romantic comedy formula and just sprinkle a little holly and mistletoe through it all, and that's the case with Christmas Wedding Planner. The film follows wedding planner Kelsey (Jocelyn Hudon) as she attempts to plan and execute the perfect holiday wedding. Her biggest problem isn't the venue, or the bride, but a private investigator (Stephen Huszar) who's threatening to expose the truth about the couple at the heart of the ceremony and wreck the whole wedding. In an effort to keep the P.I. happy while still delivering the dream wedding she was hired for, Kelsey agrees to join his case and help him get to the bottom of it. Of course, if you know romantic comedies at all, you can probably guess what happens next. It's exactly the kind of light, crowdpleasing holiday fare you want after a long day of shopping, or to have on while you're wrapping gifts. 

Dear Santa is one of the best known and most beloved of the 21st century's large crop of made-for-TV Christmas films that frequently circulate on Lifetime (where it originated), Hallmark, and now Netflix. We don't think of Christmas TV romances as the kinds of films one watches year after year, but that's a growing subgenre in steady rotation for many fans, and Dear Santa is a big reason why. It's the story of Crystal (Amy Acker), a rich girl who's facing the threat of being cut off by her parents if she doesn't find some sense of direction. When she stumbles upon a letter a little girl wrote to Santa asking for a new wife for her widowed, soup kitchen-running father (David Haydn-Jones), Crystal takes it as a sign that she's meant to be part of their family. Of course, not all goes according to plan, but along the way Crystal learns a lot about family, giving, and the value of real human experiences during the Christmas season. It's a modern classic within its genre, in large part because Acker is just so watchable.