Best Christmas Movies of 2021

Brooke Shields plays Sophie, a bestselling author who has upset her fans by killing off the love interest in her novels. To escape the wrath, she heads to Scotland to track down a castle with a connection to her family. There she meets Myles (Cary Elwes), the less-than-charitable duke who has found himself in dire straits. The cute chemistry between the leads and the idyllic historic setting make this flick a must-watch. WATCH NOW

Nina Dobrev plays an unlucky-in-love journalist who takes a chance on a guy she meets on a dating app. However, when she flies to the East Coast to surprise him for the holidays, he isn’t everything he purported to be via text. Jimmy O. Yang graduates to leading man status and he doesn’t disappoint. WATCH NOW

Vanessa Hudgens is back in the third installment in The Princess Switch franchise. The plot revolves around a stolen Christmas relic and the hunt for a mysterious jewel thief. Hudgens plays Margaret Delacourt, the Duchess of Montenaro; Stacy Juliette De Novo Wyndham, Princess of Belgravia; and Lady Fiona Pembroke, Margaret’s cousin, because one character is never enough. WATCH NOW

In an attempt to avoid those awkward relationship status questions during the holiday season, Peter (Michael Urie) asks his friend Nick (Philemon Chambers) to spend Christmas with him and pretend that they’re a couple. Jennifer Coolidge, recently seen in The White Lotus, co-stars. Single All the Way hits Netflix on December 2. WATCH NOW

Fans of A California Christmas rejoice, because a sequel to the adorable holiday flick is heading to Netflix on December 16. The story picks up with everyone’s faves, Callie and Joseph, a year after their romance first began. Now, they’re running their dairy farm and winery, but their relationship comes to a crossroads when Joseph starts feeling a pull back to city life. WATCH NOW

Nostalgia hits a fever pitch in 8-Bit Christmas, out now on HBO Max. Set in the ‘80s, it follows a 10-year-old kid hunting down the most wanted gift of the year, which just so happens to be the latest console and video game. (Hey, we’ve all been there.) Neil Patrick Harris stars. WATCH NOW

Diane Walters (Shawnee Smith) is a pregnant mom-of-two who’s trying to make Christmas as perfect as possible for her dysfunctional family. However, not everything goes to plan and hijinks ensue. Christmas Vs. The Walters is now available to watch in theaters and on demand. WATCH NOW

Fresh Prince star Tatyana Ali plays photographer Gaby who decides to attend a Christmas photography course in a sleepy mountain town. However, she finds herself accidentally sharing a chalet with fellow photographer Sean (Henderson Wade) who challenges everything she knows about her art form. Keep your eyes peeled for the moment Wade enters the room wearing only a towel… WATCH NOW

Kelly Rowland returns to Lifetime for the third installment in the Merry Liddle Christmas series. This time around, Rowland’s Jacquie is expecting a baby with husband Tyler (Thomas Cadrot). Meanwhile, Jacquie’s sisters are exploring romance and adoption, making for a very busy festive season. If you’ve never seen any of the Merry Liddle Christmas movies, now is your chance to catch up! WATCH NOW

Lifetime delivers with its first lesbian holiday romance, featuring Ricki Lake. The movie follows Alma (Elise Bauman) and so-called Christmas tree whisperer Charlie (Tattiawna Jones). Bickering quickly turns to romance as the pair battle over the perfect Christmas tree. Lake plays the town’s pâtissière extraordinaire whose advice only helps the love blossom. WATCH NOW

Harmony (Riverdale‘s Ashleigh Murray) is tricked into auditioning for an ex who just so happens to be directing the Holiday Chorus. The exes are forced to spend a lot of time together over the festive season, and sparks start to fly. Destiny’s Child legend Michelle Williams makes an appearance in this new offering from Hallmark. WATCH NOW

Get ready, One Tree Hill fans, as Bethany Joy Lenz is teaming up with Tyler Hynes in Hallmark’s An Unexpected Christmas. Returning home for the holidays, Jamie (Hynes) manages to convince his ex Emily (Lenz) to pretend they’re still together for a week-long visit with his family. It’s not long before the pair starts reevaluating their break-up. WATCH NOW

Christmas really has come early for One Tree Hill fans. Chad Michael Murray teams up for the third time with 90210‘s Jessica Lowndes for a magical holiday movie. Lowndes plays Ally, a workaholic doctor going through a breakup during the festive season. Cue Gabe (Murray), a mystery man with a lot of wisdom to bestow who helps Ally reevaluate her life. WATCH NOW

This one’s a festive favorite for fans of 90210 and Virgin River. AnnaLynne McCord plays Olivia, a dance teacher who hits it off with the father of one of her pupils, hunky fireman Michael, played by Colin Lawrence. Lawrence’s real-life daughter, Bianca, joins him onscreen in the cute holiday flick that’s a modern day riff on It’s a Wonderful Life. WATCH NOW

Fans were devastated when Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist was canceled by NBC after just two seasons. Luckily, Roku rescued the beloved series and greenlit a two-hour Christmas movie. In it, Zoey (Jane Levy) attempts to create a special holiday season, the first without her father. Expect musical numbers aplenty. WATCH NOW

Former singing duo, exes, and coparents, Georgia (Reba McEntire) and Joe (John Schneider), reunite for a Christmas Charity concert at the behest of their daughter. However, being thrown together during the festive season only serves to reignite their romantic spark. If you like holiday movies that inspire you to break out in song, this is for you. WATCH NOW

Liam (Aaron O’Connell) is secretly planning to propose to Emma (Haylie Duff) at her favorite place during the holiday season. However, the proposal doesn’t go quite as planned—the couple is faced with some unexpected stress while trying to blend their two families together. Watch it all unfold on Lifetime starting December 12. WATCH NOW

Camila (Roselyn Sánchez), one of Philadelphia’s top wine sommeliers, heads home for the annual Ice Wine Christmas Festival and harvest. After finding out that the festival’s future is in jeopardy, Camila works with wine specialist Declan (Lyriq Bent) to find a way to save the event, and continue the tradition of preserving “Christmas in a bottle.” WATCH NOW

Based on the title alone, The Nine Kittens of Christmas is a must watch, especially for cat parents. Zachary (Brandon Routh) and Marilee (Kimberley Sustad) find themselves thrown together during the festive season as they attempt to find homes for a litter of incredibly adorable kittens. Watch on Hallmark starting November 30. WATCH NOW

Christmas Déjà Vu stars Amber Riley as aspiring singer Kandi who, believe it or not, hates Christmas. However, when she meets an angel, Kandi’s wishes come true, and her life changes forever. Now streaming on BET+. WATCH NOW

If you’re after a little hit of nostalgia, it might be time to check out Disney+’s Home Alone reboot, co-starring original cast member Devin Ratray as Buzz McCallister. Ellie Kemper and Rob Delaney also star as a couple attempting to steal back a priceless antique from this movie’s cheeky star, Archie Yates. WATCH NOW