It's officially the Christmas season. And what’s a bigger part of the tradition than Christmas movies? If you have a Netflix account, you are in luck because this article gives you about fifteen Netflix Christmas originals that you may not have seen before. Dive in!
Year of Release: 2020
Notable Cast: Keythe Farley (as “Santa Claus”), Dee Bradley (as “X”), Barbara Goodson as “Z”
Ratings: 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, 6.2/10 on IMDb
Summary: Alien Xmas is one of Netflix's most critically acclaimed Christmas originals. The animation is about a race of colorful aliens known as “Klepts,' who plan to invade Earth and steal its resources. Their plan is hinged on using a device called the 'Gyroton,' which will remove the Earth's gravity, helping them carry out their plan. However, the events do not play out as planned. They ultimately arrive in Christmas Town, where Santa and the elves put up a fight.
Year of Release: 2019
Notable Cast: J.K Simmons (as “Klaus”), Jason Schwartzman (as “Jesper)
Ratings: 95% on Rotten Tomatoes, 8.1/10 on IMDb
Summary: Klaus is yet another animated Netflix flick. Klaus stands out because it presents the origin story of Santa Claus from an alternate perspective, removed from the historical reports. The movie follows the story of Jesper, a cunning man who has to take over his family's posting business. He is subsequently sent to a remote area called Smeerendburg. There, he meets an introverted toymaker called Klaus. They form an unlikely friendship that ultimately births the spirit of Christmas. Watch on Netflix
Year of Release: 2020
Notable Cast: Phylicia Rashad, Forest Whitaker, Ricky Martin
Ratings: 89% on Rotten Tomatoes, 6.4/10 on IMDb
Summary: Jingle Jangle tells the story of Jeronius Jangle, a sad but genius toymaker, and his granddaughter, Journey. At the prime of Jangle's career, his apprentice steals his toy blueprints. This experience makes him hostile, but his granddaughter comes into his life almost three decades after and tries to help him get his genius back. One thing that stands out about Jingle Jangle is that it tells the Christmas story with profound cultural influence. The movie's cast is primarily black, with multiple allusions to African culture.
Year of Release: 2021
Notable Cast: Brook Shields, Drew Barrymore, Cary Elwes
Ratings: 74% on Rotten Tomatoes, 5.5/10 on IMDB
Summary: 'A Castle for Christmas' follows the life of a successful author, Sophie Brown, who leaves America to escape a scandal caused by her most recent book. In Scotland, Sophie meets Myles, the arrogant Duke of Dunbar. Sophie and Myles are tied to a castle that Myles owns. She hopes to buy the castle, but Myles draws up a contract that compels Sophie to live with him in the castle for three months until Christmas. Their love story starts there. While this movie is mainly a love story centered around Christmas, the Christmas Spirit is still a significant theme.
Year of Release: 2019
Notable Cast: Isabela Merced, Mitchell Hope, Kiernan Shipka
Ratings: 81% on Rotten Tomatoes, 5.8/10 on IMDb
Summary: 'Let It Snow' is based on John Green's 'Let It Snow: Three Holiday Romances.' The movie details the life of three love stories of some teenagers in a town called Gracetown. The movie's plot develops around a snowstorm that occurs in the town during the Christmas season. One outstanding quality of 'Let It Snow' is that the stories are brilliantly intertwined and feature same-sex romance. The Christmas storm ultimately births romantic relationships and heals friendships.
Year of Release: 2017
Notable Cast: Ben Lamb, Rose McIver, Alice Krige
Ratings: 73% on Rotten Tomatoes, 5.8 on IMDb
Summary: ‘A Christmas Prince’ is the perfect Wattpad-like movie for the holidays. This movie is about Amber Moore, a young and ambitious journalist sent to a foreign country - Aldovia. There, she expects to cover the life of Prince Richard, a playboy prince who is about to be King. Amber and Richard meet, and the romantic fairy tale unfolds. Apart from being the perfect romantic movie for the holiday season, 'A Christmas Prince' also has several hilarious scenes. Just the right mix of romance and comedy.
Year of Release: 2018
Notable Cast: Nick Sagar, Sam Palladio, Vanessa Hudgens
Ratings: 67% on Rotten Tomatoes, 6.0 on IMDB
Summary: In this romantic Christmas movie, Margaret, a duchess, and Stacy, a Chicago baker, realize they both have a splitting resemblance. They subsequently devise a plan to switch places for two days. In her everyday life, the duchess has a wedding coming up with a prince. On the flip side, Stacy is preparing to win a baking competition. However, the plot gets way more interesting when, as a result of their switch, Margaret falls in love with Stacy's co-worker while Stacy falls for the Prince.
Year of Release: 2019
Notable Cast: Josh Whitehouse, Kat Graham, Vanessa Hudgens
Ratings: 67% on Rotten Tomatoes, 5.6/10 on IMDb
Summary: ‘The Knight Before Christmas’ is another Christmas rom-com. A sorceress casts a spell that transports Sir Cole, a medieval knight, from the 14th Century to the present day. There, he meets Brooke, a smart science teacher who has been constantly disappointed in her love life. Brooke helps Cole make his way around the modern world and discover the quest he must complete to return home. However, as Cole gets closer to Brooke, he grows fond of her, and returning home becomes a tough choice.
Year of Release: 2015
Notable Cast: Bill Murray, George Clooney, Amy Poehler, Chris Rock, Miley Cyrus
Ratings: 68% on Rotten Tomatoes, 5.5/10 on IMDb
Summary: ‘A Very Murray Christmas’ is a star-packed Christmas movie. However, unlike many expectations that the many star actors would wreck the movie’s quality, some critics were genuinely surprised. This Christmas comedy tells the story of a lonely Bill Murray whose Christmas special is affected by a snowstorm. However, a star-packed guest list eventually arrives at this residence to sing, dance, and enjoy Christmas with him.
Year of Release: 2018
Notable Cast: Kurt Russell, Judah Lewis, Goldie Hawn, Darby Camp
Ratings: 68% on Rotten Tomatoes, 7/10 on IMDb
Summary: Before starting 'The Christmas Chronicles,' you should know that the movie has two parts. The first was released in 2018, and the second (and most recent) was released in 2020. 'The Christmas Chronicles' follows the story of two siblings, Katy and Teddy, who plan to trap Santa Claus on Christmas Eve. However, the plan goes south when Santa loses his bag of gifts. Katy and Teddy have no choice but to work with Santa and the elves to save Christmas. The movie is of significant comedic quality, so it is an excellent option if you're looking for a funny Christmas movie.
Year of Release: 2021
Notable Cast: Maggie Smith, Zoe Margaret Colletti, Michiel Huisman
Ratings: 83% on Rotten Tomatoes, 6.7/100 on IMDb
Summary: ‘A Boy Called Christmas’ is about Nikolas, a twelve-year-old boy who lives in the slums of Finland. Nikolas's father subsequently leaves the town to earn money by proving the existence of elves. However, Nikolas's father leaves him in the care of his wicked aunt, so Nikolas sets out to follow his father to the land of the elves shortly after. Through this journey, Nikolas's destiny as an extraordinary boy gradually unfolds. For many viewers, what stands out about this movie is its clever plot. The movie is rated suitable for anyone aged 7 and upwards on Netflix, so it is the perfect Christmas movie to watch alongside your family.
Year of Release: 2021
Notable Cast: Nina Dobrev, Jimmy O. Yang, Darren Barnet
Ratings: 57% on Rotten Tomatoes, 6.3/10 on IMDb
Summary: 'Love Hard' is hilarious and cheesy, the perfect blend for a Christmas romance story. It starts with Natalie, an L.A.-based writer who meets Josh, an East Coast guy, on a dating app. To surprise Josh, she decides to travel to his hometown to spend Christmas, but she quickly realizes that she has been catfished. Nevertheless, Natalie agrees to keep up a relationship front with the real Josh to please his family. In exchange, Josh has to help Natalie snag a hunk she met at the bar. However, everything goes South when Natalie and Josh start to fall in love.
Year of Release: 2020/2021
Notable Cast: Lauren Swickard, Josh Swickard, Montanna Gillis
Ratings: 60% on Rotten Tomatoes, 5.8/10 on IMDb
Summary: ‘A California Christmas’ is a two-part movie. Netflix released the original in 2020 and released its sequel, ‘A California Christmas: City Lights’ last year. The original movie follows the life of Callie, a hardworking woman who has a deep sentimental connection to her family’s failing farmland. On the other hand, Joseph is a carefree hunk who constantly lives off his rich mother’s wealth. His mother sends him to Callie’s town to convince Callie to accept a buyout of the farmland. To achieve this, Joseph poses as a farmhand. However, his resolve starts to shake as he gets closer to Callie. Overall, ‘A California Christmas’ is a good watch, especially for romantic lovers.
Year of Release: 2021
Notable Cast: Luke Macfarlane, Jennifer Coolidge, Michael Urie, Kathy Najimy
Ratings: 67% on Rotten Tomatoes, 6.1/10 on Rotten Tomatoes
Summary: ‘Single All the Way’ is a same-sex Christmas-centred romcom.Peter, a gay man, convinces his best friend Nick to accompany him home for Christmas and act as his boyfriend. While Peter and Nick start to build some attraction for each other, Peter's mother arranges a blind date for him with a hunky trainer, James. This puts Peter in an awkward love triangle.
Year of Release: 2019
Notable Cast: Kristin Davis, Rob Lowe, Colin Moss
Ratings: 38% on Rotten Tomatoes, 6.1/10 on IMDb
Summary: ‘Holiday in the Wild’ is a Christmas rom-com about Kate Conrad after her husband abruptly ends their marriage. The heartbreak spurs Kate's decision to visit Zambia for a solo honeymoon. There, she meets Derek, a sexy pilot. While Derek is in a relationship when the duo meets, they get closer and expectedly get fond of each other. The movie details how their love story gradually unfolds. Many viewers and critics have branded 'Holiday in the Wild' as cheesy and silly. But in the movie's defense, romance is ordinarily cheesy, so there was no escaping it. Regardless, if cheesy holiday movies are your favorite, this movie is your go-to.
Year of Release: 2022
Notable Cast: Lindsay Lohan, George Young, Chord Overstreet
Ratings: 5.2 on IMDB, 59% on Rotten Tomatoes
Summary: Few days before Christmas, a spoiled heiress gets into a skiing accident. When she eventually wakes up, she is diagnosed with amnesia. As she struggles to discover her identity, a striking cabin owner and his bubbly daughter tend to her as she recovers.
Another new and exciting Netflix original starring David Harbour (Hopper from ‘Stranger Things’), is ‘Violent Night.’ The take on Santa in this movie is well… not your conventional take. But read more about that here.