The best Christmas movies on Hulu

The holiday season is upon us again, which means it's time to curl up on the couch in front of a warm fire (real or simulated), sip on hot cocoa, and escape into a winter wonderland. With so many cinematic gifts to choose from, it's hard to figure out which of the many tales of Christmas joy (and occasionally sorrow) to open first. Below, we navigate the yuletide offerings from cozy rom-coms, to family-friendly fare, with a few selections from the naughty list in between.

Read on to see which carols made it onto EW's list of must-watch Christmas movies on Hulu.

01 of 11

A Christmas Carol (2019)

A CHRISTMAS CAROL -- Pictured: Guy Pearce as Ebenezer Scrooge — Robert Viglasky/FX

This three-part special presented by FX leans heavily into the Dickensian aspect of Charles Dickens' tale, delving into the grim realities of Victorian-era London to illuminate the depths of Ebenezer Scrooge's (Guy Pearce) psyche. The reinvention still follows the familiar beats of Scrooge's Christmas haunting: Three ghosts, each representing Christmas past (Andy Serkis), present (Charlotte Riley), and future (Jason Flemyng) show the miserly businessman the error of his ways. And, of course, we meet the plucky Tiny Tim (Lenny Rush); his father, the abused clerk Bob Cratchit (Joe Alwyn); and the tormented ghost of Scrooge's former partner-in-crime, Jacob Marley (Stephen Graham). Where this version differs, however, is in the horrific revelations of his childhood, and the cruel, disturbing ways he torments the Cratchit family, particularly Mary (Vinette Robinson). The adaptation asks the viewer to consider what redemption really means, and how we determine who is worthy of it, including how, in this version, the protagonist's attractive physical appearance factors into it. "It's an effective tactic — men (and women) with less-than-noble aims have often charmed their way into positions of power and wealth with a pretty face," EW's critic wrote in a 2019 piece about Pearce's "hot" Scrooge. The content of this Tom Hardy and Ridley Scott-produced update may not be for everyone, but if you're searching for a psychologically fraught Christmas viewing experience, don't say "Bah, humbug!" to this retelling. —Andrew Walsh

Where to watch A Christmas Carol: Hulu

Director: Nick Murphy

Cast: Guy Pearce, Andy Serkis, Stephen Graham, Charlotte Riley, Joe Alwyn, Vinette Robinson, Johnny Harris, Jason Flemyng

02 of 11

Dear Santa (2020)

Filmed over three weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas 2019, this documentary from Batkid Begins director Dana Nachman focuses on the United States Postal Service's Operation Santa program, as well as the volunteer "adopter elves" that answer children's letters to Santa. The 100-plus-year-old program receives hundreds of thousands of letters a year, and Nachman follows members of the public as they adopt these requests and try to help make the children's wishes come true. She also turns the camera on some of the adorable kids themselves, who ask for everything from "10 rabbits" to gifts for their struggling family, all while explaining why they're on the "nice" list. The film walks a fine line between fact and fiction by presenting the truth of the program without ever dispelling the fantasy of Santa Claus and his elves, making this a safe watch for anyone whose children have yet to have the fantasy ruined. An educating and uplifting doc that only the most hardened Scrooge could resist, Dear Santa deserves a spot on your holiday viewing nice list. —A.W.

Where to watch Dear Santa: Hulu

Directors: Dana Nachman and Chelsea Matter

03 of 11

Elf (2003)

Elf has quickly become one of the essential Christmas watches to revisit every holiday season. Will Ferrell has arguably never been better as Buddy, an excitable man raised by elves in the North Pole who travels to New York City upon learning that his biological father (James Caan) is on the naughty list. Hoping to redeem his cynical dad, Buddy also realizes what it's like to live in the real world, and it isn't always pretty. Packed with memorable sequences, including a department store brawl over Buddy's anger toward an actor pretending to be Santa, Elf is a delight that manages to satisfy both young and older viewers. EW's Chris Nashawaty named Elf "the best Christmas flick of the century," and it's hard to disagree. —Kevin Jacobsen

Where to watch Elf: Hulu

Director: Jon Favreau

Cast: Will Ferrell, James Caan, Zooey Deschanel, Mary Steenburgen, Ed Asner, Bob Newhart

04 of 11

The Family Stone (2005)

Sarah Jessica Parker, Dermot Mulroney, Craig T. Nelson, Diane Keaton, and Rachel McAdams in 'The Family Stone'. Zade Rosenthal/20th Century Fox

This screwball (at times) romantic comedy emphasizes just how awkward family gatherings can be during the holiday season. Sarah Jessica Parker plays Meredith, a woman struggling to get along with her boyfriend Everett's (Dermot Mulroney) judgmental family, the Stones. Everett is hoping to propose to his girlfriend, but this year's Christmas festivities are particularly dysfunctional as Meredith fails to make any headway and invites her sister Julie (Claire Danes) to help her — only to find that the family responds much more favorably to Julie. All sorts of comic misunderstandings ensue, until matriarch Sybil (Diane Keaton) makes a sobering revelation on Christmas Day. "It dramatizes the attractive traps of bohemian-bourgeois aspirations (and snobbism)," wrote EW's critic of the film, "and, with a light comedic touch, also holds its ground as an old-fashioned and even sweet story about love — and the swapping of perfectly wrapped presents." —K.J.

Where to watch The Family Stone: Hulu

EW grade: N/A (read the review)

Director: Thomas Bezucha

Cast: Diane Keaton, Craig T. Nelson, Dermot Mulroney, Sarah Jessica Parker, Luke Wilson, Rachel McAdams, Claire Danes, Tyrone Giordano

05 of 11

Happiest Season (2020)

Kristen Stewart and Mackenzie Davis in 'Happiest Season'. Lacey Terrell/TriStar Pictures

Christmas-averse Abby (Kristen Stewart) reluctantly agrees to spend the holiday with her girlfriend Harper's (Mackenzie Davis) family in their idyllic, straight-out-of-a-Hallmark movie town. Abby sees this as the perfect opportunity to plan a secret yuletide proposal, but when Harper reveals that she hasn't come out to her family, and they need to keep their relationship secret until after her conservative father's mayoral campaign is complete, complications — and hijinks — ensue. Featuring a fantastic supporting cast of comedy vets like Dan Levy, Aubrey Plaza, Victor Garber, Mary Steenburgen, Alison Brie, and co-writer Mary Holland (Golden Arm), this Clea DuVall-written and directed film puts a much-needed LGBTQ spin on the classic Christmas rom-com. In fact, the inclusion of queer people in a genre that often excludes them was what drew Stewart to the role. As she told EW in 2020, "I grew up watching and loving conventional movies like this. Seeing [marginalized] people loving each other in the middle of something that's so standardized was really exhilarating and freeing.… I want people to see that two girls in love is just so fun." —A.W.

Where to watch Happiest Season: Hulu

EW grade: B+ (read the review)

Director: Clea DuVall

Cast: Kristen Stewart, Mackenzie Davis, Alison Brie, Aubrey Plaza, Dan Levy, Mary Holland, Victor Garber, Mary Steenburgen

06 of 11

Miracle on 34th Street (1947)

Edmund Gwenn and Natalie Wood in 'Miracle on 34th Street'. Everett Collection

One of the essential Christmas classics actually begins on Thanksgiving. After the Santa hired for the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is too drunk for the job, event director Doris (Maureen O’Hara) replaces him with a man named Kris Kringle (Edmund Gwenn) — who fills the position a little too well. That's because, as his name suggests, he might indeed be the real Santa. Doris hires him on to "play" Santa at the 34th Street Macy's in New York City, bringing joy and wonder to those he interacts with, even as skeptics — including Doris herself — believe him to be a mentally ill man who's convinced himself he's the real thing. The charm of Miracle on 34th Street is in how it threads the needle of pretend and reality. "Any fantasy that we think of in this film is conjured in our minds by the script and the directing and the acting," film historian Jeremy Arnold told EW. "You don't see any magic. You don't see elves. We just imagine that this guy could be Santa Claus and the movie works if you think he is and the movie works if you're sure that he isn't." —K.J.

Where to watch Miracle on 34th Street: Hulu

Director: George Seaton

Cast: Maureen O’Hara, John Payne, Edmund Gwenn, Gene Lockhart, Natalie Wood

07 of 11

The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)

For those who would prefer a slightly more lighthearted approach to Dickens' classic tale than the previously listed title here, The Muppet Christmas Carol is a great option for the whole family to enjoy. In this version, Gonzo inhabits the role of Charles Dickens, the narrator, telling the tale of cranky moneylender Ebenezer Scrooge (Michael Caine) as he is visited by the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Yet to Come, each offering an opportunity for Scrooge to redeem himself. Muppets populate most of the world of the film, but director Brian Henson — son of Jim Henson — sticks pretty closely to Dickens' text, offering a great primer for younger viewers getting their first taste of the story. The director recalled screenwriter Jerry Juhl's words on the making of the film to EW: "'It's the contrast of Dickens and Henson that will make the movie. Every aspect of the movie will sit right in that conflict, and that's what's going to make the film really work well.'" —K.J.

Where to watch The Muppet Christmas Carol: Hulu

Director: Brian Henson

Cast: Michael Caine, Dave Goelz, Steve Whitmire, Jerry Nelson, Frank Oz

08 of 11

National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989)

Chevy Chase in 'National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation'. Warner Bros/Kobal/Shutterstock

This highly rewatchable Christmas favorite gleefully satirizes the chaotic nature of the holiday season. Husband and father Clark Griswold (Chevy Chase) uproots an oversized Christmas tree, decorates his house with enough lights to cause a citywide power outage, and wrangles annoying family members, all in the hope of forcing a perfect, magical Christmas where nothing goes wrong. Naturally, just about everything does go wrong, with Clark reaching his breaking point when his expected Christmas bonus does not materialize. Christmas Vacation excels best in the chaos, from Clark’s yuppie neighbors being perpetually tormented by him to the anarchic family dinners (blissfully unaware Aunt Bethany is our personal MVP). —K.J.

Where to watch National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation: Hulu

Director: Jeremiah S. Chechik

Cast: Chevy Chase, Beverly D'Angelo, Randy Quaid, Juliette Lewis, Johnny Galecki

09 of 11

The Nutcracker (1993)

THE NUTCRACKER, Macaulay Culkin, 1993 — Everett Collection

For the more traditionally-minded Christmas film viewer, there's Macaulay Culkin's other contribution to the holiday movie genre, an adaptation of the timeless classic ballet, The Nutcracker. The Home Alone star pirouettes to the strings of Tchaikovsky's famous score alongside the New York City Ballet in this Christmas Eve fairy tale. When a young girl named Marie (Jessica Lynne Cohen) sneaks out of her bedroom in the middle of the night, she finds herself shrunken down to size, and stumbles into a war between the Nutcracker Prince (Culkin) and the Mouse King (Robert D. Lyon). Fantastical adventures follow as Marie rescues the Prince and is taken to a snow-filled fairyland where the Sugar Plum Fairy (Darci Kistler) and her court await. The Nutcracker is a straightforward adaptation of the ballet, filmed as if the audience is watching a live theatrical presentation, with only a few passages of voiceover narration by actor Kevin Kline added to guide the viewer. The dancers on screen plié and jeté to the movements of George Balanchine's acclaimed choreography and deliver an enchanting production the whole family can enjoy. —A.W.

Where to watch The Nutcracker: Hulu

Director: Emile Ardolino

Cast: Darci Kistler, Damian Woetzel, Kyra Nichols, Bart Robinson Cook, Macaulay Culkin, Jessica Lynn Cohen

10 of 11

Spencer (2021)

SPENCER Kristen Stewart as Lady Diana — NEON

Just finished binging The Crown and looking for more adult holiday fare? Look no further than this "fable from a true tragedy" by Jackie director Pablo Larraín. Spencer follows three fictional, harrowing days in the life of Princess Diana over the Christmas holiday at the royal estate Sandringham in Norfolk. The People's Princess is figuratively haunted by ghosts of Christmas past and present in the form of the claustrophobic confines of her royal life, and literally in the form of the ghost of Anne Boleyn. As she desperately pushes against the cold reality of life in the House of Windsor through small acts of rebellion, she wrestles with her mental health and crumbling marriage. EW's critic praised Kristen Stewart's Oscar-nominated performance, writing that "Spencer would crumble in the hands of the wrong actress, and Stewart gives one of the best performances of her career so far as this highly subjective version of Diana... She's Diana, but ever-so-slightly off, in such a way that an audience can simultaneously buy into and detach from Larraín's imagined royal nightmare." For a haunted trip to a different kind of Christmas castle, push play on Spencer. —A.W.

Where to watch Spencer: Hulu

EW grade: A– (read the review)

Director: Pablo Larraín

Cast: Kristen Stewart, Timothy Spall, Jack Farthing, Sean Harris, Sally Hawkins

11 of 11

A Unicorn for Christmas (2022)

A UNICORN FOR CHRISTMAS, Abby James Witherspoon — Everett Collection

A sweet, magical tale for kids big and small, A Unicorn for Christmas is destined to become the favorite holiday trip to the farm for the animal-loving child in your life. In her lead debut, Reese Witherspoon's niece, Abby James Witherspoon, plays Izzy, a young girl unhappy about her family's move from the bustling city to a sleepy old country farm. But when she befriends a small pony named Snowflake, she soon discovers the colt has a magical horn only she can see, and she begins to warm up to her new life. When Snowflake captures the imaginations of the other children in town at the Christmas carnival, she finds herself in the sights of the greedy fair owner, Horace (Ed Marinaro), who attempts to pony-nap the mystical creature. Now, it's up to Abby to rescue her horned companion and save the wonder of the holiday. Unicorns and Christmas: the best kid-friendly holiday combo since milk and cookies. —A.W.

Where to watch A Unicorn for Christmas: Hulu

Director: Stacia Crawford

Cast: Abigail James Witherspoon, Sunny Mabrey, Chuck Wicks, Ed Marinaro Catherine Dyer, Christian Finlayson, Charlene Tilton

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