The chicken is thawing, the decorations went up last week, and the people going to their village have begun their pilgrimage. It’s that time of year again, and there’s nothing better than getting a big plate of food and sitting down with loved ones to watch a good old-fashioned holiday family film. Whether you’re in the mood for a guilty-pleasure rom-com, a feel-good family feature, or a festive variety special, you’re guaranteed to find something magical among the best Christmas movies on Netflix. And, if I’m being honest? The cheesier the plot, the better.

To ensure that you press play on something that’s worthy of your time, I’ve compiled 10 films that deserve a spot on this year’s “nice” list. In addition to fan favourites from seasons past, there are plenty of classics in the making here. Dig in below.

  1. Klaus

This Oscar-nominated animated film introduces a new origin story for Santa Claus. It centres on an unlikely duo—a reclusive toymaker (voiced by J.K. Simmons) and a self-centred postman (Jason Schwartzman)—who team up with one goal in mind: to bring joy to the children of a town in need. And by joy, I obviously mean toys.

  1. A Very Nonsense Christmas With Sabrina Carpenter

In her first holiday variety show, Sabrina Carpenter brings some seriously infectious, festive energy. Please, please, please feel free to sing along as she belts out holiday duets with Shania Twain, Chappell Roan, and Tyla, and enjoy comedic sketches with guest stars including Quinta Brunson.

  1. Family Switch

In what can only be described as the full-family counterpart to Freaky Friday, Jennifer Garner and Ed Helms star as parents who are body-swapped with their teenage kids amid a strange pre-Christmas astrological event. Based on Amy Krouse Rosenthal’s children’s book Bedtime for Mommy, it’s a chaos-filled comedy about a family who quite literally learns what it’s like to walk in each others’ shoes.

  1. That Christmas

Netflix’s newest animated film is based on a trilogy of children’s books by writer-director Richard Curtis. Good news: It’s just as charming as you’d expect. This yuletide tale follows the residents of a small English town where a snowstorm is threatening to wreak some major holiday havoc. Brian Cox voices Santa Claus, and Bill Nighy, Fiona Shaw, and Jodie Whittaker bring other characters to life.

  1. Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey

This John Legend-produced, critically-acclaimed musical is a true Christmas treat. Forest Whitaker stars as a bitter toymaker who’s still not over the betrayal of a former apprentice (Keegan Michael Key) stealing his book of inventions. But when he finds himself newly inspired by his daughter (Anika Noni Rose) and granddaughter (Madalen Mills), he sets out to find joy again.

6  Our Little Secret

Lindsay Lohan and Ian Harding star as exes who, in a truly unfortunate rom-com twist, learn that their new partners are actually siblings. Stuck spending the holidays together under one roof, the pair grapples with the shocking revelation while hiding their romantic past from everyone else—including their significant others’ judgmental mother, played by Kristin Chenoweth.

  1. Holidate

When two attractive single strangers (Emma Roberts and Luke Bracey) make a pact to be each other’s platonic plus-ones for a full year of holidays, they don’t expect to catch feelings. But really, how could they not? It’s hard to do anything but root for the pair in this refreshingly raunchy romp.

  1. Christmas With You

Starring Freddie Prinze Jr. The plot follows an uninspired pop star (Aimee Garcia) who heads to a small town to grant a fan’s meet-and-greet wish instead of delivering a new holiday song to her demanding label. Naturally, she ends up snowed in at the teen’s home; good thing her widowed father (Prinze) just so happens to be a songwriter.

  1. Christmas Crossfire

And now for something completely different. Part crime thriller, part black comedy, Christmas Crossfire skips Santa for armed shootouts as two friends’ holiday trip to the countryside goes completely off the rails. When one intervenes to stop a murder, he finds himself to be the new target of a gang of killers while his new friend—and potential love interest—does everything she can to find him before the baddies do. Leave it to the Germans to come up with a take on the festive season that’s this dark (and this funny).

  1. Operation  Christmas Drop

Congressional aide Erica Miller (Kat Graham) is forced to skip Christmas and travel to Guam for intel on Operation Christmas Drop, a U.S. Air Force humanitarian mission whereby gifts are dropped to residents of Guam’s remote neighbouring islands. Her assignment? Provide her boss with enough reasons to defund the project. But when her guide, the dashing Captain Andrew (Alexander Ludwig), begins showing her around, Erica is reminded of the communal spirit of Christmas—12,000 kilometres from home.

Boluwatife Adesina
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Boluwatife Adesina is a media writer and the helmer of the Downtown Review page. He’s probably in a cinema near you.