With all the shopping, cooking, present wrapping, and holiday parties to attend, there is no doubt this can be a busy time of year. Although we love the hustle and bustle of the season, sometimes we also just want a cozy night at home with the family. Few things are cozier than making some popcorn and settling in for a seasonal movie or TV special designed to help us tap into the magic of the holiday season.
There are some tried and true holiday movies (we're not skipping Elf or A Christmas Story!) that we have to watch every year, but there is also a bumper crop of fresh options this season. Mix it up by watching some old classics and some new soon-to-be favorites this year. Not sure what's hitting the screen this year? No worries, we've got it covered! Read on for some of the new holiday movies and shows we are most excited for this year.
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'A Philly Special Christmas Special'
There is no doubt the Kelce brothers are having a major moment right now. In addition to being NFL superstars, there is that whole Taylor Swift connection bringing them even more fans. Football fans and Swifites alike will enjoy this cute mini-movie featuring the Kelce brothers singing, and we can all enjoy that the Philly Specials Christmas album (featuring Travis and Jason Kelce as well as other Philadelphia Eagles players) is raising money for a great cause! Proceeds go to a variety of charities in the Philadelphia area.
'Christmas on Cherry Lane'
Sometimes the fun of a Hallmark movie is trying to remember how we know all the actors. Christmas on Cherry Lane is Catherine Bell (from a million shows, including Jag), James Denton (formerly a husband on Desperate Housewives), Jonathan David Bennett (from Mean Girls) and the adorable Vincent Rodriguez III from Crazy Ex-Girlfriend among others in this big family holiday story.
'The Great American Baking Show: Celebrity Holiday 2023'
It isn't the holidays without some delicious baked goods — or whatever these nonexpert celebrities create on The Great American Baking Show: Celebrity Holiday show! With funny contestants like Saturday Night Live's Ego Nwodim and comedian Joel McHale, culinary stress never made us laugh so much.
'The Santa Clauses'
Tim Allen is back in action as Santa Claus in the second season of the Disney Plus series that imagines the whole Santa thing as a family business. The first few episodes are already out and new episodes drop on Wednesdays, so there is plenty of family TV time to enjoy this month.
'Best. Christmas. Ever!'
Anyone who has every rolled their eyes at someone's "oh so perfect" holiday letter will probably enjoy this Netflix movie that finds Heather Graham's character going a little around the bend in her pursuit of proving that nobody's life is as perfect as their holiday letter portrays. This also stars Brandy and, yes, she does sing a little in it!
'Hannah Waddingham: Home for Christmas'
We obviously LOVE Hannah Waddingham from her role in Ted Lasso, but even people who haven't watched that show can appreciate the fact that Hannah has pipes! This is the perfect way to enjoy some classic holiday music by someone who has the voice to pull it all the way off.
'My Norwegian Holiday'
Of course there has to be at least one or two cheesy (but so cozy!) Hallmark movies on the list. This one might also appeal to Ted Lasso fans. Yep, that is the same actor who played the overly blunt Dutch soccer player Jan Maas, now suddenly Norwegian.
'Candy Cane Lane'
Yes, Eddie Murphy might be the biggest name in the cast, but we're really tuning into Amazon Prime's Candy Cane Lane for funny ladies Tracee Ellis Ross and Jillian Bell. Bell plays an elf who is not quite what she seems and mayhem quickly ensues. We're into it.
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'Dashing Through the Snow'
The "Christmas skeptic meets a man who claims to be Santa and magic ensues" is a pretty familiar trope, but it gets some new life this season thanks to the performances of Ludacris and Lil Rel Howery. Yes, there are Santa fart jokes and misadventures along the way, because what is the holiday season without fart jokes?
'EXmas'
Gossip Girl's Leighton Meester stars in this lovers to enemies to … well, we won't spoil it, but it is a Christmas movie about exes forced to spend the holiday together. That means we can probably all guess exactly how this is going to turn out.
'The Holiday Shift'
Fans of the movie Love Actually might enjoy this five-episode series on Roku that weaves in several intersecting and overlapping storylines. We're just happy it doesn't feature Emma Thompson getting her heart broken on Christmas. (Darn you, Love Actually!)
'Merry Little Batman'
Is it even the holidays if there isn't some superhero crime fighting going on in Gotham City? This animated Batman series has a festive holiday flair, and the hijinks of the Joker to keep two Batmen busy all the way to the new year. Catch it on Amazon Prime, starting on December 8.
'A Very Demi Holiday'
This holiday special, airing on Roku, features Demi Lovato and her chosen family (which includes Paris Hilton, Hailey Bieber, Trixie Mattel, JoJo, and more) singing traditional songs (and some Demi classics), baking, and exchanging gifts all to celebrate family in all forms.
'Doctor Who' 60th Anniversary Specials
Fans of the iconic Doctor Who series will likely consider having new episodes featuring David Tennent back as the Doctor to be all the holiday gift they need this year. Disney Plus has three new episodes, including one that will drop on Christmas Day.
'Favorite Son Christmas'
This movie about a family that has to put aside differences to try to save a child care center at Christmas isn't going to break any new ground in terms of originality (what Christmas movie does, though?) but amidst all the melodrama is some pretty great singing. It also has a happy ending we can root for.
