Our Family's Annual December Watchlist

The holiday season is in full swing! It feels so special to be able to pile onto the couch with my mom, dad, and sister, with the soft glow of the Christmas tree lit up in the corner, and watch our favorite Christmas movies. Here’s what's on our list!

Note: I’ll provide options where you can stream these (if applicable), but I would highly encourage you to peruse your local library. I’ve been pleasantly surprised by what’s been available at my library, and I’ve found new and old favorites without having to worry about whether they’d disappear. Physical media for the win!

Three Disney shorts

-Santa’s Workshop (1932)

-The Night Before Christmas (1933)

-Once Upon a Wintertime (1948)

We’ve watched these every Christmas Eve since I was very small. Our VHS begins with Once Upon a Wintertime (which scared me a little when I was younger) and Santa’s Toy Shop. We always ended with The Night Before Christmas right before going to bed, and even as an adult, I still feel that giddy excitement and anticipation as I watch that sleigh disappear into the dark blue sky.

Bonus: When my sister and I were kids, Dad would also read us the little golden book “Santa’s Toy Shop,” originally published in 1950, based on this short. In both iterations of the story, we loved to keep an eye out for the checkerboard paint!

The Nutcracker section of Fantasia (1942)

Free with Disney+

When I was in first grade, I had to write about my favorite Christmas traditions. I wrote that our family always watched The Nutcracker. I was actually talking about the Nutcracker Suite portion of Fantasia. It’s a must-see for us every Christmas season, and upon reflection it may be why I love mushrooms so much.

Christmas in Connecticut (1945)

Free with HBO Max

I did not grow up with this one, but I finally watched it a few years ago and it’s so charming! Barbara Stanwyck and Dennis Morgan make such a cute couple. Come for the fun plot, and stay for S.Z. Sakall and the flapjack flipping scene.

It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)

Available on PLEX and The Roku Channel, no subscription necessary

Free with Amazon Prime

What can I say about this movie that hasn’t already been said? This holiday classic, with an Oscar-worthy performance by Jimmy Stewart, always makes me cry (but in a good way).

Miracle on 34th street (1947)

Free with Hulu, AMC+, Disney+, and Amazon Prime

We could wax philosophical about what the idea of Santa Claus symbolizes around Christmastime, but little-kid me mostly showed up for John Payne’s Mr. Gailey (and I still do). And thanks to my obsessively watching the scene over and over again as a child, I have the lyrics to Sinterklaas Kapoentje memorized. 

White Christmas (1954)

Free with Netflix

Quite possibly in my top 5 favorite films of all time. If I could live in a movie, it would probably be White Christmas. “Mandy” has always been my favorite number. My great aunt’s house had a magnificent wide staircase, and whenever I got to visit, I’d sashay down those steps and pretend I was Vera-Ellen.

The Snowman (1982)

Based on the children’s book by Raymond Briggs, this gorgeous animated short is a family favorite. There’s no dialogue except for one song, and the entire soundtrack is beautiful. Christmastime fills me with a deep longing to be a child again, and that wish is granted every time I dive into the world of The Snowman. I can't help but feel a pang of sadness as the credits roll. I never want it to end.

There are a few different version of the intro. The best one, in my opinion, is the original intro by the author that begins with him walking across a field. Magical.

Father Christmas (1991)

Also based on a Raymond Briggs story! This is not your typical depiction of Father Christmas, but it’s still lots of fun. Pair with The Snowman and make it a double feature.

Note: There are a couple different versions of this one; we prefer the version that comes with this DVD.

The Man Who Invented Christmas (2017)

Free with Amazon Prime

I love that this A Christmas Carol origin story focuses so much on the creative writing process. We get to peek inside the head of Charles Dickens as he finds inspiration for his iconic characters, and there are so many parts that I found extremely relatable. We only discovered this gorgeously-shot film a couple years ago, but it’s now on our annual watch list.

What are some of your favorite Christmas movies? Let me know in the comments!