The best Christmas movies for kids to watch this year

Second only to Muppet Treasure Island (sorry, we’re biased), Jim Henson’s The Muppet Christmas Carol retells the famous tale with characters like Kermit and Miss Piggy… and Michael Caine as Scrooge. Framed by author-narrator Charles Dickens (the Great Gonzo) addressing his rodent audience (Rizzo the Rat), the classic story survives. All the pen-pushing glovesters in Scrooge's office run on fear of dismissal, with Bob Cratchit (Kermit the Frog) negotiating but nervous. Not so his wife Miss Piggy, ready to have a go at Scrooge, but mindful of the needs of their family, a brood as mixed as you would expect from pigs and frogs, which explains the medical condition of Tiny Tim, a froglet with a cough on crutches. The three ghosts of Christmas are wonderful. Did we mention that Gonzo plays Charles Dickens? Well it bears repeating. Rated G. 

No one wants to be alone on Christmas – except young Kevin McCallister, who hopes for his family to disappear after they banish him to the attic the night before a big international trip, then wakes up the next day to find his wish granted. His staycation in his giant suburban Chicago home is the ultimate little kid fantasy come true. He eats huge bowls of ice cream, rifles through his older brother’s stuff, pranks the pizza delivery guy – and, of course, defends his massive house against a pair of burglars. A box office smash upon release, it’s endured as a yearly must-watch for its ability to appeal to basically every demographic that could possibly occupy the couch during the holidays. Yeah, its ultimate message is about how we all need family, even when we think we don’t, but what keeps kids and adults coming back is Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern getting smacked in the face with paint cans. And also the hilarious John Candy cameo. Rated PG. 

It takes a truly brilliant performance to sell the concept of a middle-aged man who believes he’s one of Santa’s elves. But there are few roles as custom-made for each other as Will Ferrell and Buddy the Elf. After spending his entire life in the North Pole, Buddy returns to New York City to reunite with his human father (James Caan). Seriously, if Ferrell ever deserved an Oscar, it was for this: it’s not easy to play a naive manchild with a taste for spaghetti with syrup and a Swiftie-level devotion to Santa Claus and have it come across endearing rather than annoying. But he’s not the only reason the Jon Favreau-directed comedy works so well. Comedy legend Bob Newhart immediately raises a smile as the elderly elf framing the story of Santa's biggest little helper, while Zoey Deschanel is equally well-cast as the department store helper giving Buddy understandable tingles. It’s one of the true holiday classics that appeals equally to every age group and demographic. Rated PG.

Sure, Frozen has very little to do with Christmas, but its wintertime setting and story of family bonds make it all but essential when the mercury starts to drop – and frankly, we’d rather hear ‘Let it Go’ than 90% of Christmas carols at this point anyway. Loosely inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s story ‘The Snow Queen’, it opens with two tiny princesses playing together in their parents’ palace. Elsa is entertaining her younger sibling Anna by shooting ice and snow from her hands, creating a secret nocturnal playground. As the girls grow up through the medium of song, icy blonde Elsa (voiced by Idina Menzel) is charged to never use her powers or show the world who she really is. Cut off from her repressed older sister, spunky redhead Anna (Kristen Bell) is bored beyond belief, dreaming of true love. Holiday-movie purists will do will to pair the feature with the short film Olaf's Frozen Adventure, in which the beloved snowman goes on a quest to learn about people's holiday traditions in order to make Christmas extra special for the long-sheltered Anna and Elsa. Rated PG.

This smart and very British 3D animation from the Aardman stable opens with one of life’s great questions: how does Santa visit so many homes so quickly? The answer, it seems, is a high-tech army of elves dispatched, SAS-style, from a silent spaceship disguised as a cluster of stars. But it never used to be like this, not before Santa’s eldest son, Steve (Hugh Laurie), modernized the operation. Nevertheless, one parcel slips through the net, so it’s left to Santa’s sensitive younger son, Arthur (James McAvoy), and the retired, grumpy Grandsanta (Bill Nighy) to deliver the package using reindeer and sleigh. All of which inspires a frenzied inter-continental dash and one too many padded-out mishaps. What makes this festive fantasy engaging is the savvy way in which it debunks cold efficiency in favor of more wholesome values. Rated PG.

For 30 years now, Tim Burton and Henry Selick’s stop-motion classic has been helping spooky kids make the interminable transition from scary season to merry month, bridging the gap between Halloween and Christmas with much more success than Jack Skellington himself. In the midst of an existential crisis, the Pumpkin King discovers there’s more to life than frights, and hatches a plan to bring a little holly-jolliness to the residents of Halloweentown: by kidnapping Santa Claus. Some of the visuals are certainly a bit freaky for the wee ones, but the story itself is too silly and sweet to cause actual nightmares. Rated PG. 

It’s hard to imagine now, but when A Charlie Brown Christmas first aired, the executives at CBS expected a ratings disaster. A stripped-down cartoon with a jazz soundtrack about kids suffering from the holiday blues? Who’d want to watch that? Everyone, it turns out. A half-century later, it lives deep in the souls of anyone who’s seen it even once, with a message that cuts to the heart of what Christmas is really all about: it’s not the size of the tree that matters but the love you put into decorating it. Rated G.

This oddball origin story of Santa Klaus is the first animated feature from Netflix, and features Klaus (Oscar-winner J. K. Simmons), a large, bearded man with a knack for toymaking but who doesn't have much interest in children, Jesper (Jason Schwartzman), the worst postal carrier ever and Alva (Rashida Jones), a cynical teacher. They live in Smeerensburg, the unhappiest place on Earth. If it sounds like a grump-fest, well yes, that's the setup. But don't worry: Icy hearts melt, and even Smeerensburg can find joy. Rated PG. 

Nikolas – a young boy who has clearly never seen Game of Thrones – heads to the dangerous snowbound north to find his missing dad in this cockle-warming but never cutesy Father Christmas origin story. Adapted from Matt Haig's novel, its unalloyed joys include a cast of Brit thesps (Maggie Smith, Sally Hawkins, Jim Broadbent), Kristen Wiig hamming it up as Nikolas's mean aunt and Stephen Merchant voicing a sassy mouse called Miika. It'll be a Christmas favourite for years to come, so why not gather the family round and break your duck – sorry, goose – now.

Much initiated but never surpassed, Frank Capra’s eternal classic has been a Christmas staple for so long, an actual banker is the hero in it. Jimmy Stewart is the Bedford Falls man who finds out just how much he has to lose when he so nearly throws it all away. Henry Travers is the guardian angle who keeps him from embracing the infinite. Sounds pretty grim when you break it down, but on screen it’s sheer delight for young and old: a reminder that Christmas is the time to hold what’s most important close to your heart. Rated PG. 

Dr. Seuss' beloved holiday killjoy returns for another round of curmudgeonly Christmas misery in this animated take from the studio behind Despicable Me. While the town of Whoville anxiously awaits December 25, the grouchy, green fella – voiced by Benedict Cumberbatch – uncovers a way to ruin it for everyone. He attempts to pose as Saint Nick, steal Christmas from the Whovillians and finally put an end to the most wonderful time of the year. Looks like someone's tinsel is in a twist! Rated PG.

‘You’ll shoot your eye out, kid!’ All nine-year-old Ralphie wants is an official Red Ryder BB gun – and the only things standing in his way are a pink bunny suit, a leg lamp and a tongue sticking to a flagpole. Humorist Jean Shepherd’s short stories are the basis of this sassy sentimental brew. And who knew that duck was actually Chinese turkey? Rated PG. 

That small-hearted villain from Mt. Crumpit goes down to Whoville for some seasonal spoiling—only to discover that Christmas cheer can never be stolen. Spooky thespian Boris Karloff is the inspired narrator for this delightful TV special, a faithful rendition of the rhyming classic that will have everyone singing “Da hoo doray.” This fan-favorite family Christmas movie is not to be missed. Not rated. 

Your little one can surely sing the song by heart, but there’s no ‘spoiling’ this classic from the stop-motion masters at Rankin/Bass Productions about the most famous reindeer of all. And anyway, this immortal TV special has a few things not covered in the tune, including an encounter with a yeti. Whether you’re seeing it for the first time or the hundredth, it’ll leave you smiling. Rated G.

In 1947, Disney gave Donald Duck a rich uncle and named him after the most miserable, miserly man in literature. Thirty-six years later, they finally did the obvious and slotted him into an animated version of the classic Charles Dickens novella, with Mickey Mouse as Bob Cratchit and Jiminy Cricket as the Ghost of Christmas Past. Some adaptations of A Christmas Carol can be intense for young audiences; this one is not only preschooler-appropriate, it’s one of the best versions, period. Rated G.

Is that bearded fella really Santa Claus? Macy’s hires gentle Kris Kringle to be its department store St. Nick, but his stellar commitment to the job (as well as insistence on being the genuine article) has all the kids in awe. Unfortunately for Kris, many considered his wonderful behavior and magical affect quite unusual—so unusual that he actually ends up at Bellevue! Will he be freed and his reputation redeemed? You’ll just have to watch to find out. Rated G. 

Old-school though it might be, even the most screen-addled child can find the magic in this classic cartoon, which speaks to both the charming hand-drawn animation and the catchy tune that inspired it. You know the story: kids build snowman, snowman comes to life, snowman teaches children a lesson in impermanence and the fleeting nature of joy. Wonderful! Rated G.

The wee’uns are way too young for Snake Plissken, so treat them to this holly-jolly Netflix joy – aka ‘Escape from the North Pole’ – instead. It’s a family affair, too, with Kurt Russell as Santa and Goldie Hawn, his partner IRL, as Mrs Claus. The plot has two children trying to help the Lapland legend save Christmas when the world’s pressies are lost. If it plays with your brood, there’s a sequel to get stuck into. 

Arnold Schwarzenegger faces his most harrowing enemy yet: the holiday shopping crowd. The Governator in his “family comedy” period is desperate to get the last remaining Turbo-Man action figure on Christmas Eve—even if it means fighting a Santa with candy-cane nunchucks. The contorted mix of action-hero hijinks and lowbrow jokes is just silly enough to make all the members of your family smile. Rated PG. 

One of the very best of Netflix's increasingly Hallmark-rivaling roster of live-action holiday originals, this musical tale of a jaded toymaker given another shot at magic is a visual feast of splashy special effects, eye-popping choreography and seasonally appropriate sentimentality. Rated TV-PG. 

Quickly forgotten after Disney+’s launch, this warm comedy stars Anna Kendrick as the daughter of St Nick, who seeks to make an impact on the season while toiling in the shadow of her brother/heir apparent Nick (Bill Hader). It’s an all-star affair – Billy Eichner, Shirley MacLaine and Julie Hagerty further populate the North Pole – and the kind of old-school Christmas comedy they simply don’t make anymore.

Humbug! Deliciously malevolent Alastair Sim plays Ebenezer, the grouchy miser who endures various visions of Christmases Past, Present and Future in the world’s last-ditch effort to save him from being a true scrooge forever. His marathon evening of soul-searching ends with a surprising decision, and while the film holds a rather dark plot, it’s ability to warm the hearts of all ages solidifies its role as one of the best holiday movies of all time. Not rated.

What would you do if Santa was injured on your roof? Typically his December 24 journey goes according to plan, but not when he arrives at Scott Calvin's. After Saint Nick's slight injury, Scott is forced to assume his role. (Some interesting insurance plan, huh?) Scott's son Charlie is totally thrilled with his pop's new job title, but his mother and her new boyfriend are trying to convince him otherwise. Rated PG. 

Chris Van Allsburg’s enchanting children’s book made its way to the big screen as an animated flick in 2004, drawing a new generation in for even more family fun. As the story goes, on Christmas Eve, a young boy finds a train parked outside his house—The Polar Express—which is headed to the North Pole! He finds out he’s been picked to receive the first gift of Christmas, and he asks for only one thing: a silver bell from Santa’s sleigh. But what happens when he tries to take the bell home with him? Rated G.

In this live-action gem, a young farmgirl with a rough home life discovers a reindeer in the woods and becomes convinced it’s one of Santa’s – Prancer, to be exact. Somewhat obscure now, the movie generates low-key magic from the wonderful lead performance of eight-year-old Rebecca Harrell. If nothing else, it’s good to spotlight a different magical Rangifer tarandus than that glory hog Rudolph for a change. Rated G.

Whatever you do, do not confuse this family-friendly fantasy with the schlocky slasher of the same name and same general idea – it’ll ruin Christmas for everyone. In this one, young Charlie’s late father is reincarnated in the form of a snowman with the voice of Michael Keaton, who uses his extremely limited time back on Earth to bring his son to terms with his death and reinvigorate Charlie’s love of the holidays. It’s… weird, and the CGI is pretty creepy, but hey, at least no one gets impaled by an icicle. Rated PG. 

A necessity for any mouseketeer in your life, Mickey's Magical Christmas focuses on what happens when Disney's most beloved characters are stuck inside because of a snow storm. Rather than feel blue about being trapped indoors, the crew decides to throw a Christmas party, though it's going to take some work to ensure that Donald Duck gets out of his Scrooge-like funk. Rated TV-G.