5 best Christmas movies to watch on Netflix now — including festive favorites starring Kurt Russell, J.K. Simmons and Minka Kelly
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Christmas starts at the beginning of November for me, and I’m not ashamed to admit that my tree is already up. That means we’re officially entering my favorite time of year, when there’s nothing better than getting cozy, switching on the TV and settling in with a festive movie. If you’re anything like me, it’s never too early to start working through your Christmas watchlist, and Netflix has plenty of options to get you in the holiday spirit.
Whether you’re after a feel-good family adventure, a heartwarming romantic story or something with a little more star power, there’s a festive flick worth adding to your queue. I've rounded up five of the best Christmas movies streaming on Netflix right now, including favorites starring Kurt Russell, J.K. Simmons and Minka Kelly.
So grab a blanket, make yourself a hot chocolate and get comfortable. The countdown to Christmas is officially on.
“The Christmas Chronicles” is one of those festive films I find myself coming back to every year, and it's firmly part of my Christmas viewing tradition. Kurt Russell makes for a brilliantly unconventional Santa Claus, swapping the usual jolly grandfather image for something a little more street-smart, sarcastic and action-ready. Apparently, Russell even went as far as writing a 200-page backstory for the character, covering Santa’s history and his relationship with Mrs. Claus. It’s a fun twist on the familiar Christmas formula, and its popularity was strong enough to launch a sequel in 2020.
Siblings Kate (Darby Camp) and Teddy Pierce (Judah Lewis) come up with a plan to catch Santa Claus (Kurt Russell) on camera on Christmas Eve. After spotting him arriving at their home, the pair sneak aboard his sleigh, but their unexpected appearance causes it to crash in Chicago. With Santa’s reindeer scattered, his magical hat missing and his sack of presents lost, the children agree to help him recover everything before morning. Their night takes them on a chaotic adventure involving police chases, unexpected encounters and a visit to the North Pole, as they race against the clock to make sure presents reach children around the world.
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“Klaus” is easily one of the most beautiful animated Christmas films out there, with its hand-drawn visuals giving it the feel of a storybook brought to life. It’s also a pretty remarkable success story, considering traditional studios initially passed on the project because 2D animation was seen as commercially outdated. Thankfully, Netflix gave it a home, and it went on to win seven Annie Awards, a BAFTA and an Oscar nomination for Best Animated Feature. I’d say it deserved every bit of that recognition. It’s a wonderfully heartfelt festive watch and one I always recommend adding to your Christmas movie lineup.
Spoiled postman-in-training Jesper (Jason Schwartzman) is sent to the remote, snow-covered town of Smeerensburg, where he must deliver 6,000 letters within a year or lose his family fortune. However, the miserable locals are locked in a bitter feud and have little interest in sending mail. Just as Jesper considers giving up, he meets Klaus (J.K. Simmons), a mysterious carpenter living alone in the woods with a cabin full of handmade toys. The pair strike a deal to deliver toys to the town’s children, but their growing popularity soon threatens to disrupt the locals’ long-standing rivalry.
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I have to admit, 2025 turned out to be a surprisingly strong year for Netflix’s original Christmas movies, and “My Secret Santa” was one of the ones I genuinely enjoyed. Alexandra Breckenridge is a big part of its appeal, particularly if you know her from “Virgin River,” and it’s easy to see why Netflix wanted her front and centre in its festive lineup. There’s plenty of silly physical comedy and amusing disguise antics to keep things light, alongside the cozy romance you’d expect from a seasonal Netflix movie. It’s not reinventing the Christmas rom-com, but I had a good time with it.
When single mom Taylor Jacobson (Alexandra Breckenridge) loses her job just before Christmas, she finds herself struggling to make ends meet while trying to afford snowboarding lessons for her daughter. Desperate for work, Taylor hatches an unusual plan with the help of her friends: disguise herself as an elderly man and land a seasonal job playing Santa Claus at the luxury Sun Peaks ski resort. Her transformation works, and she soon finds herself entertaining holiday guests while working alongside resort manager Matthew Layne (Ryan Eggold). However, keeping her real identity under wraps becomes increasingly difficult.
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“The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” is a lovely festive surprise, particularly if you’re after something a little different from the usual sugary holiday movies. Based on Barbara Robinson’s beloved 1972 children’s novel, this 2024 adaptation brings plenty of cheeky humor to its small-town Christmas setting while still delivering plenty of seasonal warmth. It also proved to be a sleeper hit at the box office, and its impressive Rotten Tomatoes scores speak for themselves, with 92% from critics and 97% from audiences. That’s a pretty strong endorsement for a Christmas movie, and I’d say it's well worth giving a chance.
Six troublesome siblings known as the Herdmans have a reputation for causing chaos wherever they go. But when they turn up at church looking for free snacks, they unexpectedly land the leading roles in the town’s annual Christmas pageant. First-time director Grace Bradley (Judy Greer) is left scrambling to keep the production on track, while her daughter Beth (Molly Belle Wright) watches as the newcomers turn rehearsals upside down. With the townspeople convinced the performance is destined for disaster, the Herdmans’ unconventional approach to the Nativity story leads to an unexpectedly memorable Christmas production.
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“Champagne Problems” was another festive highlight from Netflix last year, quickly finding an audience with more than 20 million views in its opening week and topping the streamer’s global film chart. Director Mark Steven Johnson has clearly found his niche with these feel-good romantic comedies, having previously worked with Netflix on “Love, Guaranteed” and “Love in the Villa.” This one has all the ingredients of a Hallmark-style holiday romance, complete with a charming European setting and plenty of seasonal escapism. I’m always happy to start watching these sorts of films in mid-November, and this is exactly the kind of cozy pick I’m talking about.
Ambitious American executive Sydney Price (Minka Kelly) travels to Paris just before Christmas with an important career opportunity on the table: securing the acquisition of Château Cassell, a renowned French champagne house. After arriving, she takes a night off from negotiations to explore the city and meets a charming stranger named Henri (Tom Wozniczka). The pair hit it off, but their budding romance takes an unexpected turn when Sydney discovers Henri is the son of the champagne company’s founder. With several other potential buyers competing for the deal, Sydney heads to the family vineyard, where she must navigate the increasingly complicated negotiations.
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