It’s cold outside and there’s a fire in the fireplaces.  It’s finally time to snuggle in our pjs, get the kids some hot chocolate (and some eggnog for me) and put on our favorite holiday movies!

Whether it’s 24 hours of A Christmas Story on TBS (Christmas Eve through Christmas Day) or wrapping presents while watching Love Actually (available for streaming on Netflix) – holiday movies are one of my favorite ways to get into the holiday spirit!  

And now that my son is old enough to sit through new movies — I feel like a whole new world of fun is about to open up for us!  So many holiday movies to choose from — and so little time!! 

I’ve tried to separate these into 3 groups where movies would be considered under the same rating —

For the Kiddos :: Cartoons like Caillou Christmas that I’d rather not torture myself with, but the kids will love!

Family Friendly :: You wanna watch with the kids and/or your parents. 

For the Adults :: Love Actually is my favorite, but I do not want to watch those awkward nude scenes with my parents.

I’ve also noted where you can stream these movies so you don’t even have to go out in this cold — N for Netflix, A for Amazon (cost $ per video to rent or buy), AP for Amazon Prime (available for free if you have a Prime account), and H for Hulu.  DVD/BR (Blu Ray) if you can’t stream it at all.

For The Kiddos :: 

• Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas! 1966 (NR) (A) — You can’t go wrong with the classic!
• Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas 2000 (PG) (A) — But this one has Jim Carrey!!  Which one is better?  Let’s ask the kids!!
• A Charlie Brown Christmas (NR) (A) — I love our Charlie Brown Christmas tree the most.
• Frosty the Snowman (G) (A) — Make sure you watch this before going to Ice at the Gaylord!
• Legend of Frosty the Snowman (NR) (N) — A remake and narrated by Burt Reynolds!
• Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (Unrated) (DVD/BR)
• Winnie the Pooh: A Very Merry Pooh Year (G) (DVD/BR)
• Arthur Christmas (PG) (A) – Santa’s youngest son must save Christmas. 
• An Elf’s Story (DVD) — Companion to the Elf on the Shelf tradition.
• How the Toys Saved Christmas (NR) (N, A) – Granny Rose asks Mr. Grimm to save Christmas.
• Kung Fu Panda Holiday (NR) (DVD/BR)
• The Muppet Christmas Carol (G) (N, A)
• Prep & Landing (G) (DVD) — Christmas Elves at their best.
• The Tangerine Bear (NR) (N, A) — Discount Teddy Bear on Christmas Eve.  Awe!
• Caillou – Caillou’s Holiday Movie (DVD) – Caillou – kids love him, let’s use that to our advantage.
• Samantha – An American Girl Doll Holiday (NR) (AP) – Little girls everywhere will love it! Probably.

 Family Friendly :: 

• Elf (PG) (A) — Will Ferrell, Zooey Deschanel and James Caan — Definitely my #1 family friendly holiday movie – you will laugh till your sides hurt.  Every. Time.
• Miracle on 34th St (NR) (A) — Is it even Christmas without this movie? 
• A Christmas Story (PG) (A) — It’s definitely not Christmas without this one!
• It’s A Wonderful Life (NR) (A) — Or this one. 
• Home Alone (PG) (A) — What ever you do, do NOT forget your kids at home when traveling for the holidays.
• National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (PG-13) (A) — The Griswald Family makes you laugh every time. And cringe.  And then laugh again!
• The Polar Express (G) (A) — Tom Hanks takes us on a wild ride to the North Pole!  Ah-may-zing!
• White Christmas (NR) (N, A) — Romantic mix-ups, Bing Crosby sings, overall adorable – yes please!
• Sleepless in Seattle (PG) (N, H, AP) — Meg Ryan falls in love with Tom Hanks for the first time on Christmas Eve over the radio.  Oh the romance!  The tears! 
• Scrooged (PG-13) (N, A) — Bill Murray gets haunted by Christmas ghosts and makes you laugh and then have all the feals. 
• The Holiday (PG-13) (A) — Can Cameron Diaz and Kate Winslet both find love this holiday season?  Oh, I hope so!
• The Santa Clause (PG) (A) — Tim Allen as Santa.  Cute.
• A Christmas Carol (TVG) (AP) — 1938 version is apparently a classic.  I haven’t seen it, but as it’s on Amazon Prime, I might just have to this year!
• Disney’s A Christmas Carol (PG) (A) — Jim Carrey/Gary Oldman/Colin Firth version.  3 ghosts, true meaning of Christmas!
• Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas – (PG) (N, A) — Beautiful and creepy.  Love it!
• Black Nativity (PG) (A) — Great reviews on Amazon.
• While You Were Sleeping – (PG) (N, A) — I forgot about this one being set at Christmas time.  Sandra Bullock is the cutest!  Can’t wait to re-watch!

For The Adults ::

• Love Actually (R) (N, A) — “To me you are perfect” — melts my heart every time!  Hugh Grant, Colin Firth, Liam Neeson, Bill Nighy, Emma Thompson (to name a few) are all perfect in this multi-layer love story!
• Just Friends (PG-13) (A) — Ryan Reynolds goes home for the holidays and tries to win over his high school crush. Hilarity ensues, or mild humor at least. 
• Bridget Jones Diary (R) (A) — Throw back to the single days, Bridget makes us feel like we do have it all together.
• Bad Santa (R) (N, A) — Billy Bob Thornton is horribly funny as the worst Santa ever.
• Trading Places  (R) (N, AP) — Eddie Murphy, Dan Akroyd in a Santa Costume, Jamie Lee Curtis.  I heard it was good?
• Happy Christmas (R) (N, A) — Anna Kendrick is a hot mess in this new holiday movie.  I can’t wait to check it out!
• Home for the Holidays (PG-13) (DVD) — Robert Downey Jr., Holly Hunter, directed by Jodi Foster.  How have I never seen this one?

And now all that’s left is to pick your favorites, pop some popcorn and enjoy!

(And be sure to let me know if I missed something!! And an added bonus here is a — List of Holiday movies on TV this season.)