Listen carefully. Can you hear it? Somewhere in the distance jingle bells are ringing and uplifting piano chords are rising to a crescendo. Miserly old men are learning the meaning of life and a Disney child star is staging a career revival (welcome back, Lindsay Lohan). That’s right: it’s Christmas movie season.
But with the streamers adding more and more titles to an already extensive body of snow—saturated works, how to sort the Miracle on 34th Streets from the Princess Switch 3s? Allow us to point you in the right direction. From old favourites to fresh new takes (and with a few cosy festive specials thrown in for good measure), here are the Christmas movies and TV shows everyone will be talking about this season.
The Claus Family 2, Netflix
What is Santa’s one job? To deliver gifts, of course. But as Jules takes the reins from his grandpa Noël in this second installment of the Dutch-language Netflix Christmas franchise, he receives a letter from a little girl whose special holiday wish is for her parents to get back together. A surefire winner for all the family, providing they’re old enough to read subtitles (or shpeaken ze Dutch), this flick is all about making family and friends the centre of the festive season – the stuff money can’t buy. Visually magical, whatever your age, we particularly love the pint-sized elves and all their holiday wisdom.
The Claus Family 2 will be streaming on Netflix from 8 November 2022.
Falling for Christmas, Netflix
For any millennials whose pre-teen Saturday nights were spent watching Mean Girls while sipping on Sunny D, Lindsay Lohan’s new Netflix Christmas movie Falling for Christmas will give you all the nostalgic festive feels. Following the self-proclaimed spoilt daughter of a hotel magnate – whose one wish in life is to be known for more than her surname – we see the precocious Lohan take a tumble off a snow-capped mountain and wake up with a severe case of amnesia. Not knowing who she is, she begins a journey of self-discovery, surrounded by festive knits, twinkling trees, and some seriously enviable ski gear. Guaranteed to kick-start your reason-to-stay-in season, we think this festive newbie is totally fetch.
Falling for Christmas is available to watch on Netflix from 10 November 2022.
The Santa Clauses, Disney+
A spin-off miniseries picking up where the iconic 1994 movie The Santa Clause left off, this sequel sees Scott Calvin (still played by Tim Allen) back in his famous red pantsuit. But having ‘ho ho ho’ed’ for nearly 30 years, he realises that he can’t be Santa forever. Now approaching his 65th birthday, and with a lot of elves, children, and family to please, Calvin sets out to find a suitably jolly replacement, while preparing his family for a new life south of the pole. Comprising six episodes, and following directly on from The Santa Clause 3, Elizabeth Mitchell, Eric Lloyd and David Krumholtz will also reprise their roles. We’re sure the reindeer still know what to do…
The Santa Clauses will be available to stream on Disney+ from 16 November 2022.
Christmas With You, Netflix
This holiday heart warmer follows Angelina – a pop star with career burnout who, quite frankly, has no desire to jingle bell rock – as she escapes to a small town where she encounters a girl whose one holiday wish is to meet the star. Forced to stay longer than planned after a timely festive blizzard, Angelina (Aimee Garcia) forms a close bond with the young girl and her family, including her music teacher father (Freddie Prinze Jr). The result is a new-found joy for music, a revaluation of what’s important in life, and of course, a shot at romance with the Prinze (and yes, he’s still all that).
Christmas With You will be available on Netflix from 17 November 2022.
The Noel Diary, Netflix
Starring This is Us dreamboat Justin Hartley, this Netflix Original movie follows a flourishing young author as he returns home at Christmas time to settle his estranged mother’s estate. Once there, he discovers a mysterious diary, and meets a beautiful young girl whose own story seems to somehow intertwine with his. Together the strangers set out on a journey to discover their pasts – and, potentially, what the future may hold for them both. A true festive rom-com to get you in the yuletide spirit, don’t forget the hot chocolate and mince pies for that all-important holiday hygge.
The Noel Diary is available to stream on Netflix from 24 November 2022.
Your Christmas or Mine?, Amazon Prime Video
It’s two days before Christmas and Hayley and James are at Marylebone train station, saying their goodbyes before parting ways and heading back to sleepy hometowns. About to take their seats, they simultaneously decide to surprise each other and unwittingly cross in the station and swap trains by mistake. The whistle blows and the trains pull away, just as a blizzard takes hold, forcing each to spend Christmas with the other’s family. Starring Daniel Mays, Angela Griffin, Cora Kirk and Sex Education’s Asa Butterfield, this Christmas crowd-pleaser hits all the right festive notes.
Your Christmas or Mine? will be available to stream on Amazon Prime Video from 2 December 2022.
This Christmas, Sky Cinema/Now TV
Image: Sophie Mutevelian/Sky
Sky will be releasing its own brand-new Christmas rom-com this December with This Christmas, starring Harry Potter’s Alfred Enoch and The Maze Runner’s Kaya Scodelario. Set in the capital at the most wonderful time of the year, it follows protagonists Adam and Emma on their daily commute, where they see (but don’t speak to) the same passengers every day. One day Adam breaks the unspoken taboo and invites the entire carriage to hold their own Christmas party; and the rest, as they say, is festive magic. Also starring Timothy Spall, Jack Donoghue, Jeremy Irvine, Nadia Parkes and Clinton Liberty.
This Christmas will premiere on Sky Cinema and Now TV on 9 December 2022.
Christmas with Mary Berry and Friends, BBC One/iPlayer
Image: Shutterstock
Original Bake Off fans will be delighted to know that Dame Mary Berry will be back on our screens next month to host a Christmas with Mary Berry and Friends special. Featuring three very exciting guests, keen cooks (or just avid eaters) will enjoy watching national treasure Berry prepare a fool-proof traditional turkey with all the trimmings, plus, of course, a show-stopping pudding. “Christmas is a very special time of year, but over the last couple of years it has got challenging for us all,” says Berry. “In this special, I am going to bring together everything you need with tips to make it a festive day to remember fondly.”
Christmas with Mary Berry and Friends airs on BBC One and iPlayer on 19 December 2022.
Call the Midwife Christmas special, BBC One/iPlayer
As much a yuletide tradition as mistletoe and mulled wine, Call the Midwife will, as always, be back for a 2022 Christmas special come December, airing on Christmas Day. Producers have remained tight-lipped about the details, teasing us only with a preview of a snowball scene in September, but we’ve already got the festive feels just thinking about it – and what’s more, it’s just a taster before season 12 airs next year. As the midwives say: “Circumstances bring people together and take them apart. One cannot keep up with everyone in a lifetime.” But Christmas Day is a good place to start.
The Call the Midwife Christmas special airs on BBC One and iPlayer on 25 December 2022.
The Greatest Snowman, Channel 4/4OD
Image: Channel 4
Following the success of its one-off episode last year, celebrity competition The Greatest Snowman will return to Channel 4 this festive season for a second take. Hosted by the hilarious Sue Perkins, the challenge will see celebrities trudging up a newly dusted mountain to compete in a very tense snow building competition. Supported by a crew of seasoned sculptors and engineers, the creations will be judged on form and artistry by Swedish sculpting sisters Sara and Emilie Steele and renowned British artist and sculptor Taslim Martin. Competition alumni Laurence Llewellyn Bowen will also be on hand to offer artistic tips and advice. Prepare for some truly epic ice creations that will put your carrot-nosed Mr Frosty to shame.
The Greatest Snowman will air on Channel 4 and 4OD this December.
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