Christmas movies to watch with the family on Disney Plus

After the Halloween hype and slew of Thanksgiving TV specials, in comes the most nostalgic cinema season of the year: Christmas. It’s a magical time to cuddle up, turn on some Rankin/Bass, and let the jolly tree lights warm your soul. But there are some festive winners on streaming platforms this year, so we made a list of Christmas movies to watch with the family on Disney Plus.

While Netflix and Amazon have some solid hallmark treats and original content, Disney Plus is the place to be for those looking to relive the Christmas of their childhoods, whether that’s watching Tim Allen reluctantly settle into the high-pressure role of becoming Santa Claus or seeing Jim Carrey bring to life one of the most successful renditions in A Christmas Carol‘s history.

Disney Plus has Christmas classics from the ’40s, ’80s, ’90s, early 2000s, and, of course, some newer films as well to help celebrate the most wonderful time of the year. Not to mention an ample selection of sequels and adaptations for movies like Home Alone, one of the only plots that managed to combine Christmas magic with childhood angst that didn’t include a leg lamp.

So, travel back in time with us as we go through our list of Christmas movies to watch with the family on Disney Plus.

TIM BURTONÕS THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS Ð HalloweentownÕs bored Pumpkin King, Jack Skellington, attempts to take over the festive Christmas season for a change of pace. Against the advice of Sally, the lonely rag doll who has secret feelings for him, Jack enlists three trick-or-treaters Ð Lock, Shock, and Barrel Ð to help him kidnap Santa Claus. But even when Jack realizes his mistake, heÕll have to contend with the evil Oogie Boogie before he can turn things around and restore the holidayÕs cheer. ÒTim BurtonÕs The Nightmare Before ChristmasÓ airs on Freeform’s 25 Days of Christmas. (DISNEY ENTERPRISES, INC./ABC)JACK SKELLINGTON (CHRIS SARANDON) /

The best Christmas movies to watch with the family on Disney Plus

Disney’s A Christmas Carol

First on our list of Disney Plus family Christmas movies is perhaps the most well-known Christmas story ever told. Following a crooked, callused, crotchety old man as he’s visited by three spirits to convince him to see the error of his ways, Jim Carrey’s 2009 rendition of Charles Dickens’ book is an award-winning, heartbreaking, hope-bringing feast for the eyes and the soul.

The Nightmare Before Christmas

Speaking of spooky Christmas movies, Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas is for all of those Halloween-or-die fans that aren’t quite ready to relinquish their own beloved holiday celebrations to the “Sandy Claws.” The film follows a skeleton named Jack, the pumpkin king of Halloweentown, who has a midlife crisis and decides to take over the job of Santa Claus.

The Santa Clause (1, 2 & 3)

Those who watched Disney Channel back in the ’90s and early 2000s remember Scott and Charlie’s trip to The North Pole, the famous hot chocolate from elf Judy and the surprisingly realistic depiction of a divorce custody battle. As if Scott’s struggles to find common ground with his ex-wife in matters of their young son weren’t tough enough, now he has big shoes to fill (literally) after accidentally killing Santa Claus.

THE SANTA CLAUSE – Tim Allen provides answers — warm and funny answers — to some of the world’s most vexing questions: How can Santa come down your chimney if you don’t have a fireplace? How does he get to every house in the world in just one night? And how do you get a job like that, anyway? (DISNEY/ATTILA DORY)TIM ALLEN /

Home Alone (1, 2 & 3)

Every kid’s nightmare and fantasy all rolled into one, Home Alone had a unique way of balancing the terror of being forgotten by family over the holidays with the absolutely fantastic and fun plot point of what happens when a kid has total free reign over the house and uses all the creativity and resources at his disposal to do battle with dimwitted burglars.

Miracle on 34st Street

For the sake of giving other ’40s Christmas movies a chance to shine other than It’s a Wonderful Life, Miracle on 34th Street follows an elderly gentleman named Kris Kringle who gets hired as Macy’s in-store Santa for the holiday season. Yes, even back then, Macy’s and Christmas was still the biggest thing since sliced bread.

The Christmas Star

A counterfeiter escaping from prison may not sound like a great family Christmas film but, trust us, you’ll want to consider giving this a watch. Possessing an uncanny likeness to the stereotypical Santa Claus, Horace McNickle uses his looks and the magic of the season to enlist the help of two neighborhood kids in order to find a lost loot.

Disney’s NOELLE Noelle (Anna Kendrick) and Snowcone Photo: Film Frame © Disney 2019

The Ultimate Christmas Present

Remember that time Hallee Hirsh and Brenda Song made snow fall in Los Angeles using a suspiciously discarded weather machine from Santa which they knew nothing about but used anyway? We do. And it might be a cheesy Disney Channel Christmas movie, but whoever says these stories don’t still make them all warm and tingly inside is either lying or is an enemy of Christmas, not to be dramatic.

Noelle

This is one of Disney Plus’ more recent Christmas movies, which released back in 2019. Starring the ever-lovely and hilarious Anna Kendrick, Santa’s daughter Noelle looks for ways to spread her boundless Christmas cheer around the North Pole while her brother prepares to take on the family business. But when her brother Nick, stressed out by the pressure, takes off and leaves no clues of his whereabouts, Noelle is determined to find Nick and bring him home in time for Christmas.

Next. Family Christmas movies to watch on Amazon Prime. dark

What are some other favorite Christmas films on Disney Plus? Are there any that we missed? Let us know in the comments below!

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