How to Stream ‘Elf,’ ‘Polar Express’ & the Other Top Christmas Movies in 2025
The snow is snowing, and the wind, it is blowing / But we can weather the storm / What do we care how much it may storm? / We’ve got movies to keep us warm!
Yes, the most wonderful time and of the year is here, and with countless Christmas movies ready for the bingeing, streaming platforms would love nothing more than for you to stay in and hit play on holiday classics.
In the gallery below, see out where to find favorites of Christmas cinema, with streaming availability info from Reelgood. (Is Die Hard a Christmas movie? Is The Nightmare Before Christmas more of a Halloween pick than a yuletide selection? We’ll keep out of the debate and let you judge for yourself.)
A Christmas Story
All Ralphie (Peter Billingsley) wants for Christmas is a Red Ryder Carbine Action 200-shot Range Model air rifle, but he fudges up his chances in this nostalgic Christmas comedy. Now streaming on DirecTV Stream, HBO Max, and Roku Channel.
Die Hard
Bruce Willis’ off-duty NYPD detective goes vigilante on the terrorists threatening his wife’s corporate Christmas party in this action classic that kicked off a blockbuster franchise. Now streaming on Hulu and Prime Video.
Edward Scissorhands
Tim Burton gave us an unconventional Christmas flick, starring Johnny Depp as a humanoid who knows how to celebrate the holiday (but would never pass through a TSA checkpoint). Now streaming on Disney+, DirecTV Stream, Fubo, FX, HBO Max, Hulu, and Roku Channel.
Elf
Here, Will Ferrell plays Buddy the Elf, who doesn’t seem to realize that his six-foot-plus stature sets him apart from the other North Pole employees, until he journeys to New York City to meet his biological dad. Now streaming on HBO Max and Roku Channel.
The Holiday
Kate Winslet and Cameron Diaz find new residences — and new romances — for the holiday in this transatlantic tale from Nancy Meyers, cinema’s queen of cozy rom-coms. Now streaming on Starz.
How the Grinch Stole Christmas
Jim Carrey plays Dr. Seuss’ most notorious villain, and even with faux fur and a mock muzzle, the comedian’s antics shine through as his character makes off with your heart. Now streaming on Peacock and Prime Video.
Home Alone
“I made my family disappear,” Macaulay Culkin’s protagonist brags to the audience after accidentally getting abandoned at home. But when home invaders come knocking, the pint-sized guy has to be man of the house. Now streaming on Disney+ and Fubo.
It’s a Wonderful Life
Every time you watch this Christmas classic, an angel gets his wings. OK, maybe not, but you know you want to rewatch James Stewart’s family man finding his reason for living. Now streaming on Prime Video.
Last Holiday
After getting a terminal diagnosis, Queen Latifah’s character gets to work on her bucket list, including finally striking up a relationship with LL Cool J’s handsome bachelor. (And it’s not all doom and gloom, we swear!) Now streaming on Pluto TV.
Love Actually
This ensemble comedy has been part of the Christmas canon for more than 20 years now. And with Hugh Grant dancing, Colin Firth botching Portuguese, Emma Thompson breaking your heart, what more could you want? Now streaming on Hulu and Peacock.
Miracle on 34th Street
Whereas Elf has a human who thinks he’s an elf, Miracle on 34th Street has a department store Santa who claims he’s the real deal. And now he needs legal representation! Now streaming on Disney+, Hulu, and Prime Video.
The Muppet Christmas Carol
Michael Caine holds his own (and provides our favorite Ebenezer Scrooge portrayal) alongside Jim Henson’s scene-stealing puppets in this family-friendly Dickens adaptation. Now streaming on Disney+.
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
Is this a slapstick Christmas comedy or a PSA about holiday light safety? Either way, you’re bound to get something out of this Chevy Chase flick about a perennially unlucky family. Now streaming on HBO Max, Philo, and Roku Channel.
The Polar Express
The titular train in this animated version of Chris Van Allsburg’s beloved picture book takes viewers to the North Pole… with a brief stop in the Uncanny Valley. (Yeah, the 2000s-era CGI characters are a little creepy.) Now streaming on HBO Max and Roku Channel.
The Santa Clause
When the real Santa Claus falls to his death from the roof of the Calvin family home, Tim Allen’s doting dad has to fill in for the hard-working gift deliveryman. Now streaming on Disney+.
Scrooged
Put a little love in your heart with this 1980s-set take on A Christmas Carol, starring Bill Murray as a television executive who gets a surreal and supernatural lesson in the meaning of the holiday. Now streaming on Pluto TV.
The Nightmare Before Christmas
Did you know Tim Burton produced but didn’t actually direct this pic? See how filmmaker Henry Selick captured Burton’s vision in this stop-motion tale of the King of Halloween Town discovering the joys of a nearby holiday. Now streaming on Disney+.
White Christmas
And finally, if you’re dreaming of a White Christmas, you can watch Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye , and Rosemary Clooney making it their Christmas cause to save a picturesque inn (but, crucially, not a Holiday Inn). Now streaming on Fawesome.
Conversation2 Comments
Please read the TV Insider Community Guidelines.
Register or sign in to join the conversation.
-
D
Helpful list. Thanks
1
-
G
Would have been more helpful to have this list a few weeks ago. I kept looking for several of these movies expecting to see them on "traditional" channels.
Personal gripe: too many things are on streaming, reducing access for everyone (especially those who can't afford all the different streaming channels)
Watchlist Easy access to only the shows you care about — all in one simple place
Alerts Only important notifications — when a show is returning, when it becomes available to stream, and more.
Special Offers Exclusive products we release related to your favorite shows and streaming services