The best Christmas movies to watch this holiday season on Disney+

The Muppets may be famed for their TV shows, but it’s the Charles Dickens story that remains a firm favourite amongst fans. Incorporating incredibly catchy musical numbers into the classic story about Scrooge (impeccably tackled by Michael Caine), a majority of its cast is played by the iconic characters, and narrated through the eyes of Dickens himself (played by none other than Gonzo).

Stream on Disney+

Watch now

Set over the Christmas holidays, Kevin (Macaulay Caulkin) is accidentally left behind while his family fly to Paris on vacation. Only realising her son is missing at 30,000 feet, his mother, played by Catherine O’Hara, makes it her mission to reunite with her 8-year-old son by any means possible. Meanwhile, he’s on high alert as the Wet Bandits attempt to rob the family home...

Stream on Disney+

Watch now

Despite years of crediting Tim Burton as its director, NBX was in fact helmed by Henry Selick. Now that’s out the way, this stop-motion romantic-comedy-horror of sorts is darkly alluring, has some cracking songs (courtesy of Danny Elfman), and tells a wonderfully alternative story of what the curious folk in Halloween Town think Christmas is all about.

Stream on Disney+

Watch now

Tim Allen stars as Scott Calvin, a man who is accidentally responsible for Father Christmas falling off his rooftop and to his demise. Calvin is then ‘chosen’ to quite literally fill his boots by becoming the next Santa. Cue is fantastical transformation in a family-friendly comedy that embodies the magic of Christmas as it spirals into a fun adventure.

Stream on Disney+

Watch now

One of the most discussed is-it-a-Christmas-movie-or-not titles in history, I can confirm that, yes, it is a Christmas film despite what Bruce Willis and other cinephiles say. Set on Christmas Eve, John McClane (Willis) finds himself in the unenviable position of taking down an entire terrorist stronghold, liberating Nakatomi Plaza, and winning back the affections of his estranged wife.

Stream on Disney+

Watch now

It’s only gone and happened AGAIN. Yep, Kevin (Caulkin) has found himself far, far away from his family and alone at Christmas for a second time - seriously, what are the odds? On this occasion though, it wasn’t entirely his parents’ fault, but now he’s stranded in The Big Apple and, you’ve guessed it, the Wet Bandits are after him as they seek sweet revenge on the resourceful kid.

Stream on Disney+

Watch now

While there may be more versions of Charles Dickens’ famous story than an irate Scrooge can weave his finger at, this peculiar and darker take on the classic Ebenezer haunting is completely animated and voiced primarily by Jim Carrey, He's joined by a host of other voice talent, including Gary Oldman, Colin Firth, Robin Wright, Cary Elwes and the late Bob Hoskins.

Stream on Disney+

Watch now

Think Groundhog Day but with a sprinkle of Disneyfication and you get Christmas… Again?!, as we follow 12-year-old Rowena (Scarlett Estevez) at Christmas. After things don't go her way over the holidays, she begs to do it all again. The only problem is that her wish has come true and she's now reliving the same Christmas Day over, and over, and over again...

Stream on Disney+

Watch now

When Santa decides it’s time to retire, his daughter Noelle (Anna Kendrick) unexpectedly takes over, after her brother Nick (Bill Hader) decides the jolly, old Saint Nick life isn't for him and promptly skips town. Naturally, she sets off on a rescue mission to find her AWOL sibling and make sure Christmas goes off without an further problems.

Stream on Disney+

Watch now

One of the great things about Disney+ is the exclusive rights to their own franchise characters, which is why Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmas is such a joy to behold. Over the course of around an hour (which is the perfect runtime for the kids) we see Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Donald, Daisy and Pluto get together to celebrate and reminisce over their favourite memories of Christmas.

Stream on Disney+

Watch now

Godmothered is a fantasy comedy-drama, starring Isla Fisher as Mackenzie and Jillian Bell as a rookie fairy godmother named Eleanor. After learning her requests for help were ignored, Eleanor makes it her mission to fix things. At the same time she tries to find her place in the world, discovering her purpose while proving herself to be a a worthy fairy godmother.

Stream on Disney+

Watch now

With the original 1947 movie firmly in everyone’s minds (and also available on the app), the ‘90s version starring the late Richard Attenborough and Mara Wilson is perhaps the more recognisable. It tells the story of one man, Kriss Kringle (Attenborough) who, with the help of a lawyer and little girl named Susan (Wilson), tries to convince a courtroom that he is, in fact, the real Santa Claus.

Stream on Disney+

Watch now

At just 22 minutes, this charming animation is one of the shortest on the list. Set in the Prep & Landing Unit of the North Pole, rookie Lanny (Derek Richardson) is paired up with Wayne (Dave Foley), after his former partner lands the promotion he really wanted. The story sees Lanny remind Wayne just how important his role is, in the hope of reigniting his Christmas spirit.

Stream on Disney+

Watch now

When hapless father Howard (Arnold Schwarzenegger) leaves it too late to buy his son Jamie (Jake Lloyd) the must-have toy this Christmas, the highly sought-after Turbo Man action figure, he embarks on a comically heroic (mis)adventure to not only secure one against all the odds, but to rekindle his dwindling relationship with his family in the process.

Stream on Disney+

Watch now

Uptight business-type Meredith (Sarah Jessica Parker) attends her partner Everett’s (Dermot Mulroney) family home celebrations for the holidays. But little does she know just how eccentric and ultimately different they all are to her, as she desperately struggles to fit in, before the bonding - and indeed magic of Christmas - truly begins to happen.

Stream on Disney+

Watch now

Train station worker Lucy (Sandra Bullock) is hopelessly in love with a passenger she’s never even spoken to. But after saving his life on Christmas Day, she accidentally tells his entire family she’s his fiancée while he’s unconscious. Cue some awkward moments but some tender ones too, as a connection to her fake fiancé’s brother, Jack (Bill Pullman), starts to blossom.

Stream on Disney+

Watch now

David Lowry’s beautifully animated film is about a young girl, Luna, who finds a lost owl by the name of Moon. She’s been displaced after her home (a large, highly desirable Christmas tree) is cut down and transported to the centre of New York's Rockefeller Plaza for festive display. Determined to help Moon find her family, a heartwarming adventure unfolds.

Stream on Disney+

Watch now

To anyone saying Frozen isn’t a Christmas film, it is set during the winter, surrounded by snow, and there’s a loveable snowman in it by the name of Olaf. Not to mention it was released during the run up to Christmas just over a decade ago, that criteria alone makes this a festive film about two sisters, as one battles to control the her icy powers she develops.

Stream on Disney+

Watch now

Amidst the chaos of Christmas, Gonzo forgets to mail three important letters to Santa. Feeling guilty that the big guy won’t receive the letters in time, he sets out on an journey to hand deliver them, after convincing Kermit, Miss Piggy, and the entire gang to help him out. Cue a series of Muppetey shenanigans as they travel to the North Pole.

Stream on Disney+

Watch now

Getting rapper Ludacris to star in a Disney Christmas movie is one thing, but making a fun, warm, watchable tale suitable for all the family is another. Fortunately, the Mouse House have managed to pull off both feats, as seasonal sceptic Eddie (Ludacris) takes his daughter on his Christmas Eve ride-along for work, when something magical casts doubt in his mind.

Stream on Disney+

Watch now