Get into the festive spirit with these family-friendly Christmas movie favorites (that are not animated)

‘Tis the season once more for hot cocoa, tinsel, and the annual unofficial practice of Christmas movie marathons with the family. While animated classics such as The Grinch and the more newer gem Klaus on Netflix have the star power to delight audiences of all ages, not all family members might be keen on watching what could be considered “cartoons”---think burgeoning preteens or maybe even grandparents.

Multiple streaming platforms at this time of year havee no shortage of holiday films that span multiple genres, however, not all of them have family-friendly ratings. Here’s a list of 5 crowd pleaser movies that fit the bill of being appropriate for the entire family without being animated.

#5 Noelle

Rating: Noelle is rated G
Where to watch: Stream Noelle on Disney+

Anna Kendrick stars as the titular heroine in this cheesy but fun adventure–with Santa finally retiring, it's up to his son to take up the mantle of distributing holiday gifts to children around the world. The plot would be much shorter, but this appointed son gets cold feet, leaving his sister Noelle to step in and save Christmas. Noelle is streaming on Disney+.

#4 Jingle All The Way

Rating: Jingle All The Way is rated PG
Where to watch: Stream the movie on Disney+

Jingle All the Way is a wonderfully ironic ode to the consumerist hysteria of the 90s. Arnold Schwarzenegger is an overworked businessman who finds himself falling short in his roles as husband and father. It doesn’t dawn on him till Christmas Eve that he hasn’t gotten his son a gift yet, the much-coveted superhero action figure Turbo Man, and he sets on a fantastic enterprise to secure the sold-out toy.

#3 Santa Clause

Rating: Tim Allen's Santa Clause is rated PG
Where to watch: Enjoy the movie on Disney+

Tim Allen’s original Christmas film where he becomes Jolly Old St. Nick has become a cult classic that has spawned multiple sequels. However, none of them can hold that proverbial candle to the first installment. When Scott Calvin (Tim Allen) accidentally startles Santa, causing him to slip and fall off the roof, he finds himself now required to fill in for the iconic job whether he likes to or not. 

#2 Elf

Rating: Elf is rated PG
Where to watch: The movie is streaming on Hulu and Max

Buddy the Elf (wonderfully portrayed by Will Ferrell) has always known he’s a little different from the rest of his fellow North Pole elves and this holiday season he finds out its because he’s human. In an attempt to understand who he is, Buddy journeys to NYC to meet his grumpy father who has no idea he exists. Navigating the frenetic streets of the Big Apple is a culture shock for him as he tries to bring the Christmas spirit into his father’s life. 

#1 Home Alone

Rating: Home Alone is rated PG
Where to watch: Stream the movie on Disney+

There’s definitely something to be said about how no Christmas movie marathon is complete without the boisterous holiday mishap of 8-year-old Kevin McCallister being left behind by his family. The iconic adventure of this kid boobytrapping his home to keep robbers at bay has earned its status of being a cult classic worth rewatching yearly.