Streaming service Disney+ has arrived just in time for the holidays, which means that you can now watch some of your favorite Christmas classics – while also discovering new ones. While most of these films came straight from Disney, there are also movies made by Fox in the Disney+ catalog, giving viewers even more options.
From animated features to live-action classics, this list contains old and new films that make for great recommendations for a holiday binge viewing. Whether you are already feeling jolly and ready to get your Christmas on or simply looking for things to add to your watchlist, consider these great recommendations below.
THE SANTA CLAUSE
1994’s The Santa Clause is one of the staple Christmas movies of the 1990s, being one of the biggest commercial hits of the decade within the holiday genre. Following the success of the first film, Disney made two sequels, The Santa Clause 2 and The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause – all of which are available for streaming on Disney+.
Starring Tim Allen, The Santa Clause tells the story of an everyday man who has to step up as the new Santa Claus after accidentally injuring the real one. The film also explores the relationship between a father and his son, making it a solid watch for the entire family.
HOME ALONE
When it comes to Christmas movies, Home Alone is always at the top of everyone’s lists. The film that turned Macaulay Culkin into a household name around the world is still one of the funniest and most delightful things to watch during the holidays, with a story that holds up pretty well even 30 years later (yes, it’s been that long).
In short, Home Alone follows eight-year-old Kevin McCallister as he is accidentally left behind by his family. As Kevin’s family struggles to get back to him (airports during Christmas, am I right?), the boy is forced to fight back against burglars who are trying to steal from his home.
THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS
Many consider Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas a Halloween movie. However, spookiness aside, this story is all about Christmas.
Released in 1993, The Nightmare Before Christmas is a stop-motion animated film that follows the King of Halloween Town discovering the joys of Christmas. This movie has a fantastic score by Danny Elfman and a classic soundtrack that features tracks such as “What’s This?” and “Oogie Boogie’s Song.”
In the voice cast, we have Chris Sarandon as the speaking voice of Jack Skellington, Catherine O’Hara as Sally, and Glenn Shadix as the Mayor of Halloween Town.
NOELLE
If you want to hit pause on the Christmas classics and watch something brand-new this holiday season, then Noelle is the best choice Disney+ has to offer. This 2019 film features Anna Kendrick and Bill Hader as the children of Santa Claus, who must now step into their father’s shoes and give kids the Christmas that they need.
Originally, Disney planned a theatrical release for Noelle around Christmas time. Over time, however, the film was moved to the company’s new streaming service, becoming one of the first major motion pictures to be considered a Disney+ original movie.
MICKEY’S ONCE UPON A CHRISTMAS
Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmas was released in 1999 as a direct-to-video movie. However, this film developed quite a massive following among Disney fans over time, making it one of the most cherished animated Christmas movies of all time.
Narrated by Kelsey Grammer, Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmas tells three stories: “Donald Duck Stuck on Christmas,” “A Very Goofy Christmas,” and “Mickey and Minnie’s Gift of the Magi.” Thankfully, Disney fans no longer have to get their VHS tapes or DVD disks out to watch this movie, as Disney+ has made it accessible for streaming at any given time.
THE MUPPET CHRISTMAS CAROL
The Muppets have had dozens of movies, TV specials, and different television series over the years, but it is safe to say that The Muppet Christmas Carol is one of the most well-regarded and popular films of the franchise.
As the name suggests, The Muppet Christmas Carol is a Jim Henson-like take on the classic Charles Dickens novella A Christmas Carol. Released in 1992, this Christmas classic was the first Muppets movie to be released following Jim Henson’s death (which occurred in 1990). Therefore, the film holds a special place in the canon of The Muppets, aside from being very entertaining to watch if you’re a fan of these characters.
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST: THE ENCHANTED CHRISTMAS
Disney had several incredibly successful animated movies in the 1990s. Following their massive success, the company decided to try out releasing direct-to-video sequels that wouldn’t necessarily change the classics in a major way, but give fans one more opportunity to watch these beloved characters again. In the midst of a few less-than-stellar sequels, Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas stands as one of the more endearing and entertaining projects.
This Christmas-themed sequel to 1991’s Beauty and the Beastis essentially a long flashback to a time when Belle was still a prisoner in the Beast’s castle. As Christmas time came around, Belle and the castle’s enchanted objects had to do their best to celebrate that special time of the year.
I’LL BE HOME FOR CHRISTMAS
Starring Jonathan Taylor Thomas and Jessica Biel, 1998’s I’ll Be Home For Christmas tells the story of a college student who – through a series of disastrous events – must find a way to get from California to New York in order to be with his father for Christmas.
Initially, the motivation for the main character to make it home for Christmas is to win his dad’s 1957 Porsche. Over the course of the film, however, he learns that there’s much more to being with family than winning a car.
12 DATES OF CHRISTMAS
12 Dates of Christmas is more of a romantic comedy option that is available on Disney+. In a true Groundhog Day-like manner, the main character finds herself reliving the same night over and over again, exploring what happens to her if she makes certain different choices.
Released in 2011 as a TV movie, 12 Dates of Christmas has Amy Smart (famous for her work opposite Ashton Kutcher in The Butterfly Effect), Mark-Paul Gosselaar, and Jayne Eastwood in the main roles. If you miss good rom-coms that are easy to watch, this is definitely a solid recommendation available on Disney+.
MICKEY’S CHRISTMAS CAROL
This is Disney+ we’re talking about, so of course, we had to include more than one recommendation featuring Mickey Mouse. Mickey’s Christmas Carol is a short animated adaptation of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. Aside from the usual characters that surround Mickey, we also get to see Jiminy Cricket (from Pinocchio) as the Ghost of Christmas Past.
All in all, Mickey’s Christmas Carol is an easy watch that has a shorter running time than the other projects on this list. If you want to put something on for the kids that won’t take up too much time, this is a solid choice for the Christmas season.
