10 Best Christmas Movies Streaming On Peacock Right Now

'Tis the season to gather the family, make some hot cocoa, and enjoy your favorite festive movies. You can start this activity anytime you want thanks to the bevy of streaming services at your disposal these days, and if you have Peacock, you're really all set. All you have to do is go on the platform and type in "Christmas" to find numerous selections.

The search results might feel overwhelming, especially with so many TV movies that all start to sound the same after a while. Older members of the family might enjoy watching some special episodes of their favorite TV shows, as Peacock is the home of every Christmas-themed installment of "The Office." But sometimes, you want to stick with what you know and what's been proven to put folks in the holiday spirit. 

Some of the best Christmas movies on Peacock were recently added to the streaming service, and they'll probably soon leave, so don't miss your chance to see them during December. There's something for everyone on this list, from Christmas classics to holiday counter-programming. 

A Christmas-themed sequel to a movie that wasn't holiday-oriented in the first place is a neat idea that isn't used often enough. 1999's "The Best Man" follows author Harper Stewart (Taye Diggs) as he tries to keep his somewhat autobiographical novel under wraps from his friends at a wedding, for which he's the best man. The long-gestating sequel, "The Best Man Holiday," sees this friend group reconvene, with Harper once again needing to navigate treacherous territory by reforging a friendship with Lance Sullivan (Morris Chestnut) so that he can write a biography in secret about him.

The chemistry is top-notch among the cast, leading to plenty of very funny moments. But there's real pathos here as well, as the story doesn't hold back on the myriad ways friendships evolve and devolve over the years. Like "The Night Before," the movie's more focused on friendships around the holidays rather than families. But these friends are family in a way, as they'll get on each other's nerves from time to time. Forgiveness is a major theme in "The Best Man Holiday," imbuing it with a classic sense of Christmas spirit. 

You don't necessarily need to watch the original film to appreciate what's going on in "The Best Man Holiday," but once you watch it, you may want to spend even more time with these characters. And you'll be pleased to know that Peacock also has a "Best Man" miniseries, "The Best Man: The Final Chapters," to bring some closure.

• Cast: Morris Chestnut, Taye Diggs, Regina Hall

• Director: Malcolm D. Lee

• Year: 2013

• Rating: R

• Runtime: 123 minutes

There are lots of different "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" versions to put on the TV for the holiday season. There's the 2000 live-action film starring Jim Carrey that holds a special place in millennials' hearts thanks to the actor's committed performance (although Carrey was never the same after playing The Grinch). There's also the animated "The Grinch" from Illumination (the same studio that makes the "Minions" movies) that sees Benedict Cumberbatch voice the perpetually grumpy Christmas hater. You can't go wrong with any of them, but if you really want to tap into those nostalgic holiday vibes, you need to go all the way back to the 1960s to watch the "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" animated TV special.

This is the most faithful version when it comes to adapting the original Dr. Seuss' story, and a short runtime means it doesn't take up too much of your Christmas Day morning. There's plenty of time to watch it with the kids and not be rushed to make dinner. Plus, "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch" will never not be fun to listen to. The truth is it's easy for anyone to feel a little Grinchy around the holidays. The rampant consumerism and desire to find the perfect gift for people — who, let's face it, may not even appreciate it — can feel overwhelming. But it's important to realize that's not the spirit of the holiday. It's been said a million times at this point, but Christmas is about people, not presents. 

• Cast: Boris Karloff, June Foray, Thurl Ravenscroft

• Directors: Chuck Jones, Ben Washam

• Year: 1966

• Rating: G

• Runtime: 36 minutes

Speaking of perennial holiday classics that transport you to a simpler time, "Frosty the Snowman" is also available on Peacock. A group of kids place a magical hat onto a snowman, bringing him to life. Unfortunately, he's about to melt with the weather getting warmer, so the kids need to find a way to get him to the North Pole to live with Santa Claus. This timeless special hails from Rankin/Bass Productions, which is responsible for many holiday classics, such as the stop-motion "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" and "Jack Frost." Many of their specials came to define the holiday season, and "Frosty" is no exception.

Much of "Frosty the Snowman" gets by thanks to Frosty's jovial demeanor, brought to life by Jackie Vernon in what is the late comedian and actor's most beloved performance. It embodies the idea of childhood whimsy, and whether you live somewhere that gets a lot of snow or not, you'll find yourself wishing you could build your own snowman. It seems the key to an instant Christmas classic is a good song, and "Frosty the Snowman" had a leg up in that department, as the story's based on the Walter E. Rollins and Steve Nelson tune of the same name. Even if you watch the special and don't think much of it, you may just find yourself humming along hours later.

• Cast: Billy De Wolfe, Jackie Vernon, Paul Frees

• Directors: Jules Bass, Arthur Rankin Jr.

• Year: 1969

• Rating: G

• Runtime: 25 minutes

Once the kids are put to bed, you can put on a Christmas flick that's just for adults. "Black Christmas" is more than just another horror movie; it's one of the earliest examples of the slasher subgenre, and you can feel its influence on future classics like "Halloween." The story revolves around a group of sorority sisters celebrating the holiday when they start receiving threatening phone calls. Those calls soon turn into murder, as someone begins picking the girls off one by one. 

Despite coming out in the 1970s, "Black Christmas" holds up surprisingly well, and, even among its remakes, it remains the best of the bunch. This is thanks to the sorority sisters feeling like fully fleshed out characters. They aren't merely fodder for gruesome death scenes. You really come to know these women, so when one dies, it hits harder.

The film's also noteworthy for including a subplot where Jess (Olivia Hussey) plans on getting an abortion, which was something not really discussed in films in the '70s. "Black Christmas" remains one of the best Christmas-themed horror movies thanks to its expertly crafted scares and wonderfully iconic POV shots. It isn't going to leave you feeling all warm and fuzzy inside, but, given how it all shakes out, you won't stop thinking about the ending for quite a while.

• Cast: Olivia Hussey, Keir Dullea, Margot Kidder

• Director: Bob Clark

• Year: 1974

• Rating: R

• Runtime: 98 minutes

"Love Actually" feels like one of the last Christmas classics. There haven't been many Christmas flicks in the years since that have penetrated the zeitgeist and become ubiquitous with the holiday season like this one ("Elf," released the same year, probably also belongs in that category). The movie is composed of 10 separate storylines. From a man grappling with feelings toward his best friend's new wife to a pair of actors bonding over having to perform sex scenes in a film, "Love Actually" is bound to have at least one tale draw you in (we've ranked all the "Love Actually" storylines from worst to best).

There's nothing fantastical about the movie; instead, it focuses on the often mundane activities we all go through. Ultimately, Christmas is just like any time of the year where you have to go to work and deal with relationship issues. Still, there's something undeniable in the air that makes it feel like a fresh change could be right around the corner. That's not even getting into the massive ensemble cast that includes some of the finest British actors of their generation. "Love Actually" may make you cry, but it also lets you know everything will be all right long after the holidays are over. 

• Cast: Hugh Grant, Martine McCutcheon, Liam Neeson

• Director: Richard Curtis

• Year: 2003

• Rating: R

• Runtime: 135 minutes

Few Christmas films are as raucous as the R-rated comedy "The Night Before, which follows three friends who go out every Christmas Eve to party. This year is going to be their last time engaging with the tradition. What follows is one mishap after another due to the copious consumption of drugs and running into exes. "The Night Before" might have mature subject matter (or immature, depending on how you look at things), but it's kept afloat thanks to its emotional core. Many Christmas movies focus on families, but this is mostly about three friends who have made a tradition of being there for one another.

The big takeaway from "The Night Before" is that the holidays aren't solely about being there for people you're bonded to by blood. It's also about making sure your friends are okay and have someone to lean on during a time of the year where the messaging has a tendency to be "You should be happy no matter what!" Due to its subject matter, "The Night Before" is probably never going to enter the pantheon of Christmas classics. But for adults who want belly laughs this time of year as opposed to merely chuckling once in a while, "The Night Before" gets the job done. 

• Cast: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Seth Rogen, Anthony Mackie

• Director: Jonathan Levine

• Year: 2015

• Rating: R

• Runtime: 101 minutes

"A Christmas Carol" is one of the most adapted stories ever. Its tale of miserly Ebenezer Scrooge getting visited by three (technically four) ghosts to learn how he's been a curmudgeonly fool all these years and how Christmas is the season of giving still resonates to this day. It can be easy to dismiss a lot of these adaptations. You might think that if you've seen one, you've seen them all, but don't overlook "Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol." If you're too young to remember Mr. Magoo, he was a cartoon character known for his near-sightedness and clumsiness. Every episode would contain copious gags revolving around how he could never see where he was going, but thanks to some extreme luck, things usually worked out for him in the end.

For "Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol," the story's presented as a play, so most of Magoo's usual antics get relegated to the very beginning where his near-sightedness causes him to be 30 minutes late even though he's playing Scrooge. From there, it's a faithful adaptation of the well-known Charles Dickens tale, complete with some pretty great songs that the kids will love. It's half the length of some other "A Christmas Carol" adaptations, too, moving along at a brisk pace. Although plenty of cartoons have taken a crack at adapting the story that's been credited with inventing Christmas as we know it today, few are as entertaining as "Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol."

• Cast: Abe Levitow

• Director: Jim Backus, Morey Amsterdam, Jack Cassidy

• Year: 1962

• Rating: G

• Runtime: 53 minutes

If you want a Christmas horror movie that leans a bit more kooky, then opt for "Krampus." Inspired by the folkloric myth of Krampus, a demonic figure who accompanies Santa on his trips to punish bad children, the film revolves around a dysfunctional family during the holidays. We've all been there, but in this case, a young boy loses his Christmas spirit, causing Krampus to descend upon his neighborhood and wreak havoc. 

There's not a ton of gore in "Krampus," but the film gets a lot of mileage out of creepy aesthetics and subverting traditional Christmas imagery, like a twisted Jack in the box or evil gingerbread men. The film has more of a comedic bent, which plays to the strengths of many of its cast members, including "Severance" star Adam Scott. But, make no mistake, there are plenty of genuine scares here, especially when it comes to the design of Krampus' human-like mask. 

Even if you've already seen "Krampus," there's plenty to notice on a second watch. For starters, the film opens with the family watching "A Christmas Carol," which foreshadows the film's larger themes about acting in the spirit of the holiday. For as goofy and subversive as "Krampus" can be, it utilizes Christmas movie tropes well to tell a genuinely great story about appreciating what you have, even if it isn't always sunshine and rainbows. 

• Cast: Adam Scott, Toni Collette, David Koechner

• Director: Michael Dougherty

• Year: 2015

• Rating: PG-13

• Runtime: 98 minutes

The '90s version of "Miracle on 34th Street" (also available on Peacock) is a lovely Christmas film for all the family. But if you want to watch this story in its purest form, you need to put on the original version from the 1940s. It's a great entryway to get kids used to the black-and-white aesthetic of older movies, and it's still sure to inspire a few laughs all these decades later. 

The basic story is that Macy's has hired a jolly fellow (Edmund Gwenn in an Oscar-winning turn) to be its in-store Santa; however, he insists that he actually is the real Santa Claus. He undergoes a psychiatric evaluation and eventually gets placed on trial, needing to prove that he is, in fact, Santa. It's a heartwarming tale with more than enough jokes and details that only adults will notice. 

"Miracle on 34th Street" really encapsulates everything that makes up the holiday season. It also dives headfirst into themes of commercialism, which is easy given how much Macy's factors into the plot. Other Christmastime classics like "It's a Wonderful Life" are only passively about the holidays, using them more as a backdrop more than anything else. But "Miracle on 34th Street" touches on every facet of Christmas to make it a must-watch for the season. 

• Cast: Maureen O'Hara, John Payne, Edmund Gwenn

• Director: George Seaton

• Year: 1947

• Rating: G

• Runtime: 96 minutes

Is "Die Hard" a Christmas movie? It's the eternal question that's divided the internet next to whether pineapple belongs on pizza. It's easy to see why people classify it as a Christmas film. After all, it takes place on Christmas Eve, there are plenty of Christmas songs throughout, and it's about a family trying to get back together. "Die Hard" just happens to be the best action movie of all time.

John McClane (Bruce Willis) has to save his estranged wife and her office from a terrorist plot. Great fights and quippy one-liners make "Die Hard" an excellent watch anytime of year, but it feels like a Christmas movie because it's comforting. Yes, characters die. John finds himself in harm's way more than once. But it's ultimately an uplifting movie that utilizes a typical action movie layout to tell its story.

Perhaps the reason why so many people turn to "Die Hard" during the festive period is because it leaves you with that warm feeling people tend to crave at this time of year. The movie's obviously not great for young children, but it may just make you feel like a teen again — the gratuitous fight scenes make you want to pump your fist in the air and cheer John on as he dispatches those nasty terrorists. It's a lot of fun, and isn't that what Christmas should be about?

• Cast: Bruce Willis, Alan Rickman, Alexander Godunov

• Director: John McTiernan

• Year: 1988

• Rating: R

• Runtime: 132 minutes