Christmas is the most important festival of the year and it has become a trend for us to celebrate Christmas by watching Christmas-themed movies with our families during the festive season. If you've just started preparing for your family gathering and are struggling to pick the perfect Christmas movie to get into the Christmas spirit, then this list of hand-picked Christmas movies might be helpful. Here, we've picked the best Christmas movies for kids and family to watch on Apple TV+, as well as the best Christmas movies of all time and new releases for the upcoming 2024 Christmas Movie Night.
Part 1. Top 15 Christmas Movies for Kids & Family on Apple TV+
#15 A Charlie Brown Christmas (Deluxe Edition) (2019)
Rating: 8.3 (IMDb)
Genre: Animation, Comedy, Family
This Movie Is: Classic, meaningful, nostalgic
Released on October 1st, 2019, the Christmas offering in this Remastered Deluxe Edition includes two specials: It's Christmas Time Again, Charlie Brown; and It's Flashbeagle, Charlie Brown. Christmas is not always merry for everyone all the time and it can also be a little melancholy, and then give them the spirit to move on.
#14 Rise of the Guardians (2012)
Rating: 7.3 (IMDb)
Genre: Animation, Action, Family
This Movie Is: Creative, exciting, magical
It's an American 3D computer-animated fantasy film based on William Joyce's The Guardians of Childhood book series. This film tells a story about Guardians Santa Claus, the Tooth Fairy, the Easter Bunny, and the Sandman, who enlist Jack Frost to stop Pitch Black from engulfing the world in darkness. It's nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Animated Feature Film and also the last film by DreamWorks Animation to be distributed by Paramount Pictures.
#13 DreamWorks Holiday Classics (2012)
Rating: 6.8/10 IMDb
Genre: Animation, Family, Short Films
This Movie Is: Fun collection, varied stories, entertaining
Featuring 1 hour 12 minutes long, this movie contains four holiday specials in total. It was directed by Tim Johnson, David Soren and Gary Trousdale. In this holiday film, you will see those zany zoosters from Madagascar save Christmas, Donkey puts on a caroling Christmas Shrek-tacular and Po prepare for his favorite holiday, the Winter Feast. It could be one of the most family-friendly movies to watch in this Christmas.
#12 Arthur Christmas (2011)
Rating: 7.1/10 IMDb
Genre: Animation, Adventure, Comedy
This Movie Is: Smart, heartwarming, modern
Arthur Christmas reveals the incredible, never-before seen answer to every child's question: 'So how does Santa deliver all those presents in one night?' The answer: Santa's exhilarating, ultra-high-tech operation hidden beneath the North Pole. But at the center of the film is a story about a family in a state of comic dysfunction and an unlikely hero, Arthur, with an urgent mission that must be completed before Christmas morning dawns.
#11 A Christmas Carol (2009)
Rating: 6.8/10 IMDb
Genre: Animation, Drama, Family
This Movie Is: Classic tale, visually impressive, meaningful
A Christmas Carol is Disney's 3D computer animated motion-capture holiday fantasy comedy-drama film directed by Robert Zemeckis. As an animated retelling of Charles Dickens' classic novel of the same name and stars Jim Carrey in a multitude of roles, this movie tells about the story of a Victorian-era miser taken on a journey of self-redemption, courtesy of several mysterious Christmas apparitions.
#10 The Polar Express (2004)
Rating: 6.6/10 IMDb
Genre: Animation, Adventure, Family
This Movie Is: Magical, visually stunning, enchanting
This is the story of a young hero boy on Christmas Eve who boards on a powerful magical train that's headed to the North Pole and Santa Claus's home. What unfolds is an adventure which follows a doubting boy, who takes an extraordinary train ride to the North Pole; during this ride, he embarks on a journey of self-discovery which shows him that the wonder of life never fades for those who believe.
#9 Mickey's Twice Upon a Christmas (2004)
Rating: 6.7/10 IMDb
Genre: Animation, Family, Fantasy
This Movie Is: Magical, Disney charm, heartwarming
Produced by DisneyToon Studios, this film features Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Daisy Duck, Goofy and his son Max, Pluto, Uncle Scrooge McDuck and the naughty nephews Huey, Dewey and Louie in five different segments, showing kids the importance of giving and loving. The movie was first released in 2004, and it was released in a 2-Movie Collection with its predecessor Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas in 2014 to coincide with its 10th anniversary.
#8 Elf (2003)
Rating: 7.1/10 IMDb
Genre: Comedy, Family, Fantasy
This Movie Is: Funny, cheerful, endearing
This American comedy movie is one of the most popular Christmas film for years. It has grossed $220,443,451 worldwide after released on November 2003. Directed by Jon Favreau and written by David Berenbaum, the story of Elf is about one of Santa's elves who learns of his true identity as a human and goes to New York City to meet his biological father, spreading Christmas cheer in a world of cynics as he goes.
#7 Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)
Rating: 6.2/10 IMDb
Genre: Family, Fantasy, Comedy
This Movie Is: Heartwarming, whimsical, family-friendly
Distributed by Universal Pictures and Imagine Entertainment, this Christmas film was based on the 1957 story of the same name by Dr. Seuss focusing on a creature who is intent on stealing Christmas. Once released, The Grinch has been number-one film in the United States for 4 weeks and has become the second highest-grossing holiday film of all time with $345,141,403 worldwide, only behind Home Alone.
#6 Jingle All the Way (1996)
Rating: 5.7/10 IMDb
Genre: Comedy, Family, Adventure
This Movie Is: Funny, nostalgic, relatable
The workaholic Howard Langston loves his wife and nine-year-old son Jamie, but spends little time with them. Jamie asks him for a Christmas gift - Turbo Man, the hottest action figure of the season, but it has been sold out since Thanksgiving. Howard finally finds one after went through a lot of yuletide misadventures, but Myron, a crazed postman also wants it for his kid. It's a war between two men, and Howard is decided to win, no matter what.
#5 The Santa Clause (1994)
Rating: 6.5/10 IMDb
Genre: Comedy, Family, Fantasy
This Movie Is: Witty, charming, imaginative
Also known as The Santa Clause Trilogy, The Santa Clause is a series of comedy movies, including The Santa Clause (1994), The Santa Clause 2 (2002) and The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause (2006). It tells us a story of the divorced father Scott Calvin and his son Charlie. Scott accidentally causes a man in a Santa suit to death, and then he and his son are magically sent to the North Pole. He was told to be the Santa Clause and finally he does.
#4 The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
Rating: 7.9/10 IMDb
Genre: Animation, Family, Fantasy
This Movie Is: Unique, creative, darkly whimsical
Also known as Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas, this film is telling the story of Jack Skeletonize, a being from "Halloween Town" who opens a portal to "Christmas Town" and decides to celebrate the holiday, with some dastardly and comical consequences. Since it was met with both critical and financial success, Walt Disney Pictures reissued this film and re-released it annually in the Disney Digital 3-D format from 2006 to 2009.
#3 The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)
Rating: 7.7/10 IMDb
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Family, Musical
This Movie Is: Charming, musical, faithful adaptation
Released in December 1992, The Muppet Christmas Carol is an adaption of the classic Dickens tale of Ebenezer Scrooge, miser extraordinaire. He is held accountable for his dastardly ways during night-time visitations by the Ghosts of Christmas past, present, and future. It was the first Muppet film released after the deaths of Muppets creator Jim Henson and fellow puppeteer Richard Hunt. This film is dedicated to their memories.
#2 Home Alone (1990)
Rating: 7.7/10 IMDb
Genre: Comedy, Family, Adventure
This Movie Is: Hilarious, clever, nostalgic
Stars Macaulay Culkin, Home Alone was the highest-grossing comedy of all time till 2009 with $476,684,675 box office worldwide. It mainly tells a story about an 8-year-old boy Kevin McCallister who is accidentally left behind by his parents while his family flies to France for Christmas must defend his home against idiotic burglars. It spawned a successful franchise, with another three sequels produced in 1992, 1997 and 2002 respectively.
#1 Miracle On 34th Street (1947)
Rating: 7.9/10 IMDb
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Family
This Movie Is: Classic, heartwarming, timeless
It's an American comedy film and has considered as the most favorite film for the festive season. Sunsan Walker, a six-year-old girl doesn't believe the childhood's most enduring miracle - Santa Claus. Kris Kringle, a department store Stanta believes he is the real one, but his lawyer fails to prove the fact to the judge and jury in the court. Sunsan learns the real meaning of faith and the importance of family.
Part 2. 10 Best Christmas Movies of All Time Available on Apple TV+
#1 A Christmas Story (1983)
Rating: 7.9/10 IMDb
This Movie Is: Nostalgic and hilarious.
Why We Love It: Its quirky humor, iconic scenes, and relatable childhood dreams make it a timeless classic.
Ralphie, a 9-year-old boy has to convince his parents, his teacher, and Santa that a Red Ryder B.B. gun really is the perfect gift for the 1940s.
#2 It's A Wonderful Life (1947)
Rating: 8.6/10 IMDb
This Movie Is: Heartwarming and inspirational.
Why We Love It: Its uplifting message and emotional depth resonate across generations.
An angel helps a compassionate but despairingly frustrated businessman by showing what life would have been like if he never existed.
#3 White Christmas (1954)
Rating: 7.6/10 IMDb
This Movie Is: Romantic and nostalgic.
Why We Love It: The dazzling musical numbers and Bing Crosby's iconic crooning make it a holiday staple.
A successful song-and-dance team become romantically involved with a sister act and team up to save the failing Vermont inn of their former commanding general.
#4 The Nutcracker (1993)
Rating: 5.9/10 IMDb
This Movie Is: Magical and enchanting.
Why We Love It: Its beautiful music and whimsical visuals capture the magic of Christmas perfectly.
When a girl Clara sneaks downstairs with her Nutcraker doll and falls asleep, she dreams a magic dream: She is kidnapped by a Mouse King but her doll rescues her.
#5 Holiday Inn (1942)
Rating: 7.3/10 IMDb
This Movie Is: Lighthearted and musical.
Why We Love It: Its festive spirit and memorable songs are sure to get you in the holiday mood.
At an inn which is only open on holidays, a crooner and a hoofer vie for the affections of a beautiful up-and-coming performer.
#6 Christmas In Connecticut (1945)
Rating: 7.3/10 IMDb
This Movie Is: Delightful and comedic.
Why We Love It: Its screwball comedy and heartwarming moments make it an endearing holiday watch.
A food writer who has lied about being the perfect housewife must try to cover her deception when her boss and a returning war hero invite themselves to her home for a traditional family Christmas.
#7 Prancer (1989)
Rating: 6.4/10 IMDb
This Movie Is: Wholesome and charming.
Why We Love It: The simple yet magical story reminds us of the power of belief and kindness.
A farm girl nurses a wounded reindeer she believes is one of Santa's, hoping to bring it back to health in time for Christmas. Her holiday spirit inspires those around her, something her disheartened father is having trouble understanding.
#8 The Christmas Clause (2002)
Rating: 4.7/10 IMDb
This Movie Is: Festive and family-oriented.
Why We Love It: It's a fresh and fun take on holiday traditions.
A stressed out lawyer and mother of three gets her yuletide wish when she wishes to see what her life would be like if she had chosen to pursue her career in Law rather than marrying and becoming a working mother.
#9 Jack Frost (1998)
Rating: 5.4/10 IMDb
This Movie Is: Bittersweet and magical.
Why We Love It: The touching father-son dynamic adds emotional depth to this family-friendly movie.
After the death of his father, a young boy makes friend with a magical snowman who proves to be his reincarnated father.
#10 National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989)
Rating: 7.5/10 IMDb
This Movie Is: Outrageously funny.
Why We Love It: Its over-the-top humor and relatable holiday mishaps make it a go-to for laughs.
The Griswold family's plans for a big family Christmas predictably turn into a big disaster.
Part 3. FAQs about Best Christmas Movies on Apple TV+
Q1. What Christmas Movies Are on Apple TV+?
A1.All of the movies recommended in this article can be found on the Apple TV+ platform, which offers a great selection of Christmas movies and Christmas specials, specifically in the following categories:
- Holiday Favorite Collection, popular titles such as: A Charlie Brown Christmas, Spirited, Hannah Wadingham: Home for Christmas
- Christmas Classics, such as: Miracle On 34th Street, Home Alone
- Featured Movies, such as: A Christmas Movie Christmas, Twas The Fight Before Christmas
- Kids Movies and Shows, such as: Charlie Brown - I Want A Dog For Christmas, The Snoopy Show
Q2.What Are the Best New Christmas Movies in 2024 on Apple TV+?
A2.As of 2024, here are some of the best new Christmas movies available on Apple TV+:
- Christmas Eve in Miller's Point: This film has received a positive reception, with a score of 78% on Rotten Tomatoes.
- Merry Good Enough: Another new addition that is generating interest.
- The Best Christmas Pageant Ever: A family-friendly movie about siblings who unexpectedly take on lead roles in a church pageant.
Part 4. Suggestion & Conclusion
When you purchase or rent a Christmas movie from Apple TV+, you may want to enjoy it with family and friends on a portable device or home theater system. However, due to Apple's FairPlay DRM protection, downloaded movies from Apple TV+ are restricted and cannot be played on non-Apple devices. To overcome this limitation, third-party DRM removal software like ViWizard iTunes M4V Converter can be incredibly useful.
ViWizard iTunes M4V Converter removes DRM restrictions and also converts protected M4V iTunes movies to widely compatible MP4 format, all while preserving the original video resolution, 5.1 surround sound audio, and subtitles. This ensures you can enjoy your favorite Christmas films seamlessly on any device.
Whether you're planning to stream Christmas movies with your family and friends on Apple TV+ or use ViWizard iTunes M4V Converter to download and enjoy them offline on a larger screen, we hope these films bring warmth and joy to your Christmas celebrations.
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