The Best Christmas Movies on Netflix Canada
Updated: Sep. 25, 2024
From lavish musicals to quirky romantic comedies, these holiday movies on Netflix Canada will surely get you in the festive spirit!
Falling for Christmas (2022)
Falling for Christmas is more than just the first stop of the Lindsay Lohan Comeback Tour; it’s a greatest hits collection of everything we know and love about Christmas movies, with a sprinkling of Overboard for good measure. Uptight, materialistic heroine? Check. Down-to-Earth Prince Charming? Check. A subplot about saving a local business from a big bad corporation? Well, you get the picture. Aficionados will truly fall for the interplay between Lohan, who stars as a hotel heiress suffering from temporary amnesia, and Glee’s Chord Overstreet, the widower who nurses her back to health—and slowly wins her heart.
Happiest Season (2020)
With no family to celebrate Christmas with, Abby (Kristen Stewart) decides to spend her least favourite day of the year with her girlfriend, Harper (Mackenzie Davis), and Harper’s family. There’s just one hitch: Harper has not yet come out to her perfectionist parents (Victor Garber and Mary Steenburgen), foiling Abby’s plan to propose. Endlessly amusing, packed with just the right amount of cheer and boasting choice supporting roles from Alison Brie and Schitt’s Creek mastermind Dan Levy, Happiest Season is a Christmas comedy like no other.
Last Christmas (2019)
In this wacky portrait of thirtysomething stasis, Emilia Clarke stars as Kate, a Londoner working at a year-round Christmas shop with dreams of becoming a singer. Smothered by her overbearing mom and unable to live up to her sister, a hotshot lawyer, Kate begins to settle into her dead-end rut… until she meets Tom (Henry Golding), a charming mystery man who teaches her the true meaning of the season. Essential viewing for rom-com lovers.
Don’t miss our countdown of the world’s most festive Christmas cities.
A Boy Called Christmas (2021)
In the mood for a festive adventure? Look no further than A Boy Called Christmas. This Santa origin story follows Nikolas (Henry Lawfull), a young woodcutter’s son who ventures to Elfhelm in search of his father—and the elves that inhabit the supposedly magical land. Part Nutcracker, part Polar Express, this heartfelt tale also boasts an all-star cast: Kristen Wiig, Sally Hawkins, Toby Jones and Dame Maggie Smith as the kind Aunt Ruth.
The Noel Diary (2022)
A hidden journal—and some unresolved childhood traumas—bring together our would-be lovers in this Netflix hit. After his estranged mother passes away, popular romance author Jake (Justin Hartley) returns home to settle her affairs; meanwhile, bookworm Rachel (Barrett Doss) has also arrived in town in search of her biological mother. It’s clear from its opening moments that this isn’t your average Christmas flick: The Noel Diary ditches the cheese, and isn’t afraid to touch on some painful subject matter.
Here are more great dramas on Netflix right now.
A Bad Moms Christmas (2017)
The sequel to the 2016 comedy, A Bad Moms Christmas is a decidedly raunchy affair, but who says Christmas movies can’t be R-rated, too? Wanting nothing more than a hassle-free December 25th, three overworked moms (Mila Kunis, Kristen Bell and Kathryn Hahn) learn that their own mothers (Christine Baranski, Cheryl Hines and Susan Sarandon) have invited themselves over for the holidays. Spirited, sharp-witted and wildly over-the-top, Bad Moms is the Christmas comedy you never knew you needed.
Check out 12 sequels that are better the original.
Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey (2020)
In the magical land of Cobbleton, toymaker Jeronicus Jangle (Forest Whitaker) brings happiness and wonder to all through his whimsical inventions. But when his apprentice (Keegan-Michael Key) steals his most prized creation, it’s up to his equally inventive granddaughter (Madalen Mills) to help him recapture the holiday spirit that first inspired him long ago. Featuring original tunes by John Legend and Usher, as well as cameos by Ricky Martin and Downton Abbey‘s Hugh Bonneville, Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey is one of the best Christmas movies on Netflix Canada.
A Castle for Christmas (2021)
Brooke Shields stars as Sophie Brown, an American novelist hiding out in Scotland for the holidays in order to escape a PR catastrophe back home. Enter: Scotsman Duke Myles (Cary Elwes), the gruff and proud owner of a rundown castle to which Brown has some distant familial ties. Myles agrees to sell the property to Sophie, with one major catch: he’s not moving out. Initially reluctant roommates, this pair later learns to navigate the holidays, home renovations and their growing feelings for one another.
Take a side-splitting look back at the funniest Seinfeld Christmas episodes.
Klaus (2019)
This Oscar-nominated animated Santa origin story boasts a star-studded voice cast, including Jason Schwartzman, J. K. Simmons, Rashida Jones, Joan Cusack and the beloved Norm Macdonald in his final film role. In a remote northern town, children share tales of the mysterious Klaus and his incredible feats of generosity, stealth and toy-making. Little do they know, “Klaus” is actually a two-man operation, with toymaker Klaus getting all the credit for his partner Jesper’s special delivery skills. Ultimately, however, the pair’s improbable acts of kindness work to unite a divided town just in time for (you guessed it!) Christmas.
Don’t miss these magical drive-through Christmas light displays across Canada.
The Holiday Calendar (2018)
Kat Graham (The Vampire Diaries) plays a small-town photographer with big dreams for love and success but who’s run out of hope in finding either. That’s when her grandfather (Ron Cephas Jones of This Is Us) steps in with a gift: an heirloom advent calendar that once belonged to her grandmother. Suddenly, the calendar begins to predict a bright future for Kat—but what happens when she has to choose between one good thing and another?
Kick off your own holiday countdown with one of these unique advent calendars.
Dolly Parton’s Christmas on the Square (2020)
The wealthy Regina Fuller (The Good Fight‘s Christine Baranski) returns to her hometown after her father’s death to evict its residents and sell the land to a mall developer—on the eve of Christmas, no less. But after meeting local townsfolk, reconnecting with an old flame and being visited by an angel (Dolly Parton), this modern-day Scrooge just might learn the true meaning of the season. Filled with heart and humour, Dolly Parton’s Christmas on the Square also boasts 14 new tunes by the legendary songstress!
Find out the most popular song from the year you were born.
Love Hard (2021)
The catfishing situation at the centre of Love Hard is why dating apps added a photo verification option—one that dating columnist Natalie (Nina Dobrev) fails to employ before flying cross-country to meet her charming online crush (Silicon Valley’s Jimmy O. Yang), who’s secretly been using photos of his generically handsome frenemy on his own dating profile. Instead of hightailing it home, however, Natalie agrees to play girlfriend for the holidays in exchange for getting set up with the real man in the photos (Darren Barnet). In true and delightful rom-com fashion, things don’t go as planned.
Need some help with your holiday shopping? You’ll find 50 inspired gifts under $50 in our great Canadian gift guide.
The Christmas Chronicles: Part Two (2020)
It’s been two years since siblings Kate (Darby Camp) and Teddy (Judah Lewis) saved Christmas, and much to their dismay, the pair’s widowed mom has found a new beau. But when a powerful force threatens to destroy the North Pole and end Christmas once again, Kate and Jack are pulled into an action-packed adventure with Mr. and Mrs. Claus (Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn). Written and directed by Chris Columbus (Home Alone), The Christmas Chronicles: Part Two is essential holiday viewing for the entire family.
Discover more great comedies on Netflix right now.
Let It Snow (2019)
If there’s one movie teenagers need to watch this holiday season, it’s the Gen Z coming-of-age Christmas flick, Let It Snow. The ensemble cast of young Hollywood stars includes Kiernan Shipka, Liv Hewson, Jacob Batalon and singer Shameik Moore. The film follows the Christmas Eve dating dramas of three teenage would-be couples as they navigate relationships with family, friends and their post-holiday futures. Keep some tissues on hand—this one’s a certified tear-jerker!
Everyone should watch these great coming of age movies at least once.
Just Another Christmas (2020)
Set in Brazil, Just Another Christmas follows cranky family man Jorge, who suffers a serious fall on Christmas Eve and wakes up one year later with no memory of what happened over the previous 364 days. Jorge eventually discovers he’s trapped in a time loop—and must relive the same experience again and again until he can finally make peace with a lifetime of regrets.
Have a laugh at these funny Christmas stories shared by our readers.
The Knight Before Christmas (2019)
Not since A Christmas Carol has there been this much time travel in a holiday film. High school science teacher Brooke (Vanessa Hudgens) has a minor fender-bender with a stranger on her way to a holiday function. When the man comes to, he professes to be a medieval knight on a mysterious quest. This being the 21st century, his uncharacteristic chivalry charms Brooke—and the two begin to fall for each other. Will he stay in the present once his journey is completed? (Let’s be honest, what kind of a Christmas movie would this be if he didn’t?)
These time travel movies will make you question everything.
Christmas Crossfire (2020)
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).
Discover more must-watch thriller movies on Netflix Canada.
Single All the Way (2021)
All we want for Christmas is Jennifer Coolidge in a holiday-themed rom-com! Single All the Way stars Queen Coolidge, Kathy Najimy, Ugly Betty’s Michael Urie and newcomer Philemon Chambers. This LGBTQ+ love story sees Peter (Urie) head home for the holidays to face the same old music about his perpetual singledom. Bringing bestie Nick (Chambers) with him for moral support leads to a realization that the feelings between them might exist outside of the friend zone.
Check out all the Friends Christmas episodes, ranked!
Operation Christmas Drop (2020)
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.
Can’t make it home for the holidays? Here are the best Christmas markets across Canada.
A New York Christmas Wedding (2020)
On the eve of her wedding, Jennifer (Nia Fairweather) is visited by an angel who shows her what life could’ve been like if she came out of the closet and followed her secret feelings for her best friend, Gabriella (Adriana DeMeo). Chris Noth (Sex and the City) co-stars as a local priest fighting against the Church’s stance on same-sex marriage. A New York Christmas Wedding brings refreshing insight and timeliness to the holiday rom-com.
How many of these New York City filming locations do you recognize?
The Princess Switch: Switched Again (2020)
In the sequel to the original 2018 film, Vanessa Hudgens once again plays the dual roles of lookalikes Duchess Margaret Delacourt and her double, Stacy DeNovo. When Margaret inherits the throne right after hitting a rough patch with her boyfriend, it’s up to Stacy to get the star-crossed lovers back together. Complicating matters is the sudden arrival of Fiona, Margaret’s party girl cousin with ambitions of her own—also played by Hudgens!
Looking to lift your spirits? These feel-good movies on Netflix should do the trick.
Angela’s Christmas 2 (2020)
The follow-up to 2017’s acclaimed holiday special, which saw the title character (Lucy O’Connell) take the baby Jesus from a church crib to keep him warm, Angela’s Christmas Wish revolves around Angela’s quest to reunite her family in time for the holidays. Based on characters created by Pulitzer Prize-winning Irish author Frank McCourt.
Find out the best movies on Netflix Canada, according to Rotten Tomatoes.
Christmas Inheritance (2017)
What if Sweet Home Alabama was a Christmas movie? That’s the idea behind Christmas Inheritance, which stars Eliza Taylor, Andie MacDowell and Jake Lacy (High Fidelity). Sent in place of her father on a holiday mission to small town America, rich girl Ellen (Taylor) needs to prove that she’s ready to take over the family business. Finding herself in a place where no one knows who she is, Ellen begins to figure out what’s missing in her privileged life—genuine connections and true love.
Here are 100 holiday jokes that are sure to make you smile.
Alien Xmas (2020)
Executive produced by Jon Favreau (Elf), this 40-minute stop-motion animated holiday special follows a race of kleptomaniac aliens and their plan to steal the Earth’s gravity. Standing between them and total catastrophe is a small alien named X—and the gift-giving spirit of Christmas.
Here are more great Netflix sci-fi movies worth adding to your watch list.
Holidate (2020)
Meet Sloane (Emma Roberts) and Jackson (Luke Bracey): a pair of happily single Chicagoans who are nevertheless tired of being alone on the holidays. After a chance encounter at a department store, the pair agree to be each other’s plus-one for every major holiday, from New Year’s Eve to St. Patrick’s Day to Thanksgiving. Their platonic arrangement goes on without a hitch for a year, but when Christmas rolls around, the two realize they may just fallen for one another for real. Unabashedly silly and surprisingly endearing, Holidate is buoyed by the winning chemistry between its two leads.
These might be the best Christmas movies on Netflix, but you’ve also got to check out the best Christmas movies of all time!
