The Best Christmas Films on Netflix: ‘Love Actually,’ ‘Klaus,’ ‘Carol,’ ‘Jingle All the Way,’ and More

“White Christmas” (1954)

Need a break from…everything? Let director Michael Curtiz’s 1954 Christmas spectacle transport you back in time with its old-world cool, polished performances, and gleefully bonkers musical logic. Princes of the silver screen Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye play friends Bob and Phil, who become singing and songwriting partners after nearly dying in World War II. (Like we said, musical logic!) When the men run across sisters Betty and Judy, played by Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen, the four embark on a jazzy journey to the shockingly not-so-snowy Vermont.

Say what you will of the Technicolor film’s story, but there’s no debating “White Christmas” contains masterful music. The namesake tune won Best Original Song in 1942 and is prolific enough that it’s likely playing in your head right now. But for this writer, there’s just no beating the imagery evoked in the lesser-known “Snow,” sung by the four stars aboard a train car. (“It won’t be long before we’ll all be there with snow….” “I want to wash my hands, my face and hair with snow….”) —WC

“Love Actually” (2003)

There’s an unabashed schmaltziness to writer/director Richard Curtis’ “Love Actually”: a Christmas rom-com that’s at once intoxicatingly cheery in its sentimentality and sharply clever with its intricate design and British wit. Mainly set in London, with one subplot taking us to the French countryside and later Portugal, the 2003 title has become synonymous with a specific story structure. And though that moniker is sometimes doled out disparagingly (here’s looking at you, Garry Marshall’s “Mother’s Day,” “Valentine’s Day,” and “New Year’s Eve”), there’s a reason so many tenderhearted movie lovers keep coming back to it. A star-studded cast — Colin Firth, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Laura Linney, Billy Nighy, and the late Alan Rickman, among others — charm their way through nine holiday tales tied together by character relationships and some iconic wrap-around narration from Hugh Grant, who plays a lovestruck prime minister. —AF

“Carol” (2015)

Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara will knock the breath from your chest in Todd Haynes’ “Carol.” Adapted for the screen by Phyllis Nagy, from Patricia Highsmith’s 1952 “The Price of Salt,” this lesbian period romance (a subgenre done to death, we know) chronicles the swelling attraction between the shop girl/aspiring photographer Therese Belivet and the magnetic soon-to-be divorcee Carol Aird.

At first blush, one might clump the women’s love story — featuring clandestine looks framed in artificial snow and an understated meet-cute involving a Santa hat — with other seasonal romances, such as “You’ve Got Mail” or “Love Actually” (also appearing on this list). But where those romantic comedies cut their lovers’ budding tension with holiday antics, “Carol” dares to stare deep into the melancholy thoughtfulness that comes with this time of year by incorporating a heart-rending story of a gay woman fighting to be with her daughter. The result gifts romance fans a slow-burn consideration of the bold futures we choose to allow ourselves and a final shot that will make your heart grow three sizes. —AF

“The Princess Switch” (2018)

There are a lot of bad Christmas rom-coms on Netflix. Of all of them, “The Princess Switch” is the best bad Christmas rom-com. It’s cheesy, it’s ridiculous, it’s cringeworthy, but Mike Rohl’s “Prince and the Pauper” holiday riff just works. Vanessa Hudgens stars in the dual roles of Chicago baker Stacy and Margaret, the Duchess of European country Montenaro (yes, really). When Stacy travels to the Montenaro for a baking competition, the two cross paths and Margaret convinces her doppelganger to switch places for two days so she can enjoy some normalcy for once in her life. It’s a flimsy plan that predictably grows more complicated when Margaret falls for Stacy’s hunky coworker and best friend Kevin (Nick Sagar), while Stacy falls for Margaret’s hunky fiancé Edward (Sam Palladio), the prince of Belgravia (yes, really). A lot of the credit for this film’s surprising charm falls on Hudgens’ shoulders; her wide-eyed, sincere performance is exactly what this kind of movie needs to have some juice. Don’t even look at “The Christmas Prince” when “The Princess Switch” is there to satisfy. —WC

“The Christmas Chronicles” (2018)

“The Christmas Chronicles” is best remembered as the movie that made straight women and queer men all across America sit up and ask themselves “is Santa hot?” The answer is “when played by Kurt Russell, yes.” The comedy film from Clay Kaytis stars the ’80s icon as Saint Nick, whose Christmas efforts are ruined by two siblings (Darby Camp and Judah Lewis) that accidentally cause his sled to crash mid-delivery. Santa being Santa, however, he doesn’t hold it against the two, and instead wisks them away on an adventure to find the missing presents and complete the deliveries. The film is standard family fluff, but Russell’s jolly, charasmatic, and yes, hot performance as Santa enlivens it considerably. And once your done with the original, you can check out the sequel, which adorably features Russell’s real-life partner Goldie Hawn as Mrs. Claus. —WC

“Let It Snow” (2019)

Essentially a more down to Earth teenage “Love Actually,” “Let It Snow” sticks out among Netflix’s Christmas rom-coms for taking place in something that moderately resembles the real world. The 2019 film from Luke Snellin focuses on a loosely linked group of teenagers living in the same small Illinois town, who deal with a major snowstorm on Christmas Eve, which proves slightly less dramatic than the various love triangles and unrequited feelings that are bouncing around. Among the ensemble, there’s Tobin (Mitchell Hope), a dorky kid in love with his best friend Duke (Kiernan Shipka); waitress Dorrie (Liv Hewson), whose secretly with closeted cheerleader Kerry (Anna Akana); and Columbia-bound Julie (Isabela Merced), who has an unexpected romance with a pop star (Shameik Moore) passing through the town. “Let It Snow’s” more modest aims makes it less memorable and memable than most of Netflix’s Christmas originals. But it’s more likable as well, with the terrific young ensemble making for an amiable, swiftly-paced watch. —WC

“Klaus” (2019)

The main draw for “Klaus” is how gorgeous it looks; in a world of cheap looking animated Christmas specials, the film from Sergio Pablos renders the origin story of Santa via gorgeous, stylized hand-drawn animation that’s all too rare to find in Hollywood these days. But beyond that, the movie still offers an emotional, lovely story about generosity and opening yourself up to the world. Jason Schwartzman voices main character Jesper: a self-centered postman assigned by his disappointed father to work in the distant, fridgid Northern town of Smeerensburg. The experience forces the immature young man to grow up, and he soon finds himself befriending a reclusive toymaker (J. K. Simmons) and teaming up with him to deliver presents to the children of the town. It’s one of Netflix’s best animated films, perfect for the youngest of kids and the oldest of adults. —WC

“Dash & Lily” (2020)

Okay “Dash & Lily” is a TV miniseries, not a film. But the eight episode series is the most aggressively Christmas anything in Netflix’s stocking could possibly be. The series, adapted from a Young Adult novel, stars Austin Abrams of “Euphoria” fame as Dash, a cynical Upper East Side teen who finds a notebook containing a list of dares tucked away in New York’s Strand library. The discovery sends him on a treasure hunt through Manhattan, as he communicates via clues with the notebook’s owner Lily (Midori Francis). The premise is a little cheesy but surprisingly effective, allowing the show to fully make use of its setting to capture New York during the holidays. The supporting cast is lovely and fun, but the real draw are the leads, both of whom are terrific in very different ways, with Abrams emphasizing his grumpiness while Francis manages to make her on paper Manic Pixie Dream Girl part three-dimensional and human. Of all the Christmas rom-com originals Netflix has put out, “Dash & Lily” is by far the most nourishing delight. —WC

“Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey” (2020)

“Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey” stands out from Netflix’s holiday film crowd — offering everything from a Dolly Parton musical to Kurt Russell as Santa — with writer/director David Talbert’s delightfully overstuffed celebration of holiday excess. A blistering race through Christmas spectacle, musical bangers, top-notch acting, and maybe (read: definitely) one too many steampunk-inspired visual effects, “Jingle Jangle” makes for a snow globe-like display akin to a modern spin on the chorus line musical extravaganzas of yesteryear. Originally envisioned as a stage production, the 2020 straight-to-streaming film follows Forest Whittaker’s inventor character as he bonds with his brilliant granddaughter, portrayed by Madalen Mills. Together, they pull off a harrowing rescue mission, unravel a dastardly plot, and find new hope in the holiday spirit. —AF

“Single All the Way” (2021)

The more forgettable, embarassing younger gay brother to Hulu’s sapphic sensation “Happiest Season,” “Single All the Way” is the main queer Christmas selection in Netflix’s library. And although it’s not great, you have to respect any queer rom-com that has the good sense to recruit Jennifer Coolidge to play the aunt of the romantic lead. Main character Peter (Michael Urie) is a Los Angeles professional whose family rags on him about finding a new man. When he discovers his new boyfriend he was planning to bring home is actually married, he recruits his best friend Nick (Philemon Chambers) to pose as his boyfriend for Christmas, only to discover his mom (Kathy Najimy) has found him a blind date (Luke Macfarlane). It’s ultra-predictable fare where you can see pretty much exactly where this love triangle is going from the jump, but Coolidge is a riot as Aunt Sandy, and there’s a certain undeniable pleasure in seeing the Hallmark formula turned queer. —WC