10 Netflix Holiday Originals to Add to Your Watchlist
- Joao Nsita
- 4 hours ago
- 13 min read
As the first frost of winter delicately traces patterns on our windowpanes and the scent of pine and cinnamon begins to perfume the air, a familiar, joyful anticipation takes hold. The holiday season is upon us, and with it comes the cherished ritual of cozying up on the sofa for a festive movie marathon. In the modern era, this tradition has been completely revolutionized by one streaming giant: Netflix. The annual "Netflix and Chills" event has become a cultural cornerstone, a promise of a brand-new slate of heartwarming, hilarious, and utterly magical original movies and shows designed to be devoured with a mug of hot cocoa.
As we look towards the 2025 holiday season, the trends on platforms like TikTok and Pinterest tell a clear story. We are a generation that craves the deep, comforting feeling of a "cozy Christmas." The "holiday aesthetic" is not just about decorations; it's about curating a full sensory experience, and the right movie is the centerpiece of that vibe. We’re seeking out stories that celebrate the powerful "found family" trope, and we have a deep, nostalgic love for the classic rom-com formula, reimagined with fresh, inclusive faces. This list is your definitive guide to the ten best, most beloved, and most binge-worthy Netflix Holiday Originals to add to your watchlist this year, presented in descending order.
10. Holidate (2020)
The Vibe: A hilarious, slightly raunchy, and refreshingly modern anti-holiday rom-com.
Synopsis: The film follows Sloane (Emma Roberts) and Jackson (Luke Bracey), two perpetually single strangers who, after a particularly disastrous Christmas, make a pact to be each other's platonic "holidate" for every festive occasion for an entire year. Their no-strings-attached arrangement is a seemingly perfect solution to their shared problem of family pressure and pitying looks. But as they navigate a year of holidays together, from New Year's Eve to Thanksgiving, they begin to develop surprisingly real feelings for each other.
Why It's the Perfect Holiday Watch: Holidate is the perfect holiday movie for people who are a little bit tired of the overly sentimental, G-rated fare. It’s a sharp, witty, and genuinely funny R-rated comedy that acknowledges the very real stress and absurdity that can come with the holiday season. The chemistry between Emma Roberts and Luke Bracey is fantastic, and their banter feels refreshingly realistic. While it covers a whole year of holidays, its Christmas and New Year's scenes are the heart of the film. It’s a story that taps directly into the modern dating experience, making it a relatable and cathartic watch. It’s a fun, escapist movie that is perfect for a grown-ups' night in after the kids have gone to bed. The film's rebellious, energetic spirit is as infectious as a classic rock anthem, like one of the best songs from AC/DC.
Call to Action: You can find Holidate and a huge library of other holiday hits on Netflix.
9. Let It Snow (2019)
The Vibe: A charming, interconnected, and heartfelt teen ensemble rom-com.
Synopsis: Based on the beloved YA novel by John Green, Maureen Johnson, and Lauren Myracle, Let It Snow is a modern-day Love Actually for the teen set. The film follows a group of high school students in a small, Midwestern town on Christmas Eve. A massive snowstorm traps them in the town, leading to a series of interconnected stories of love, friendship, and self-discovery. We follow a pop star who gets stranded, a girl who is afraid to confess her feelings for her best friend, and a group of friends trying to make it to a party at the local Waffle Town.
Why It's the Perfect Holiday Watch: This film is a pure, unadulterated shot of cozy, youthful charm. It perfectly captures the magical, slightly chaotic feeling of a snow day. The ensemble cast is fantastic, and the interconnected storylines are woven together in a way that is both clever and deeply satisfying. The film is a celebration of the "found family" trope, showing how these different groups of friends support and uplift each other. It’s a sweet, funny, and deeply optimistic film that will leave you with a warm, fuzzy feeling. It’s a perfect watch for a family with older teens or anyone who loves a good, heartfelt ensemble story. The film’s brilliant, interconnected storytelling is a quality shared by some of the greatest MCU masterpieces.
External Link: The official IMDb page for Let It Snow is a great place to explore the film's incredible young cast.
8. Falling for Christmas (2022)
The Vibe: The triumphant, gloriously campy, and self-aware return of a rom-com queen.
Synopsis: This film marked the much-celebrated return of Lindsay Lohan to the world of romantic comedies, and it is a pure, unapologetic delight. Lohan stars as Sierra Belmont, a spoiled and newly engaged hotel heiress who, just days before Christmas, suffers a skiing accident that leaves her with amnesia. She is found and taken in by a handsome, down-to-earth lodge owner and single father, Jake (Chord Overstreet). As Sierra, now known as "Sarah," learns to do everyday tasks like making a bed and doing laundry for the first time, she begins to fall for the charming lodge owner and his daughter, discovering the simple joys of a life she never knew.
Why It's the Perfect Holiday Watch: Falling for Christmas is a film that knows exactly what it is. It is a joyful, over-the-top, and incredibly comforting throwback to the classic, high-concept rom-coms of the early 2000s. It taps directly into the powerful Y2K Nostalgia trend and the collective love for Lindsay Lohan. The film is a perfect, low-stakes, feel-good fantasy. The "amnesia" and "rich girl finds love in a small town" tropes are executed with a fun, winking self-awareness that makes the film incredibly charming. It’s a warm, funny, and deeply satisfying watch that feels like a cozy hug from an old friend. The film’s triumphant, feel-good energy is as infectious as a great pop song, like one of the best from Beyoncé.
External Link: The official Netflix page for Falling for Christmas is a great place to see trailers and behind-the-scenes content.
7. Dash & Lily (2020)
The Vibe: A quirky, charming, and deeply romantic love letter to New York City at Christmas.
Synopsis: Based on the popular YA book series, this eight-episode limited series is a pure, unadulterated delight. The story follows two teenagers in New York City during the week leading up to Christmas. The cynical Dash, who hates the holidays, discovers a red notebook in his favorite bookstore, The Strand. The notebook contains a series of dares and prompts from the impossibly optimistic and Christmas-loving Lily. What follows is a charming, anonymous correspondence as they trade the notebook back and forth all over the city, slowly falling for each other through their words without ever having met.
Why It's the Perfect Holiday Watch: This series is the ultimate "romanticize your life" fantasy. It is a beautiful and magical tour of New York City during its most festive season. The "opposites attract" dynamic between the cynical Dash and the quirky Lily is incredibly charming, and their witty, heartfelt correspondence is a joy to watch. The show is a celebration of books, of music, of taking chances, and of the magical, serendipitous connections that can happen in a big city. It’s a warm, funny, and deeply romantic series that is a perfect, quick binge-watch for the holiday season. The show's clever, literary-inspired romance is a theme explored in many of our favorite romance books.
6. Single All the Way (2021)
The Vibe: A groundbreaking, hilarious, and genuinely heartwarming LGBTQ+ holiday rom-com.
Synopsis: Single All the Way was a landmark film, one of the first major, gay-led holiday romantic comedies from a major studio. The story follows Peter, a perpetually single man who, desperate to avoid his family's judgment, convinces his best friend, Nick, to pretend to be his boyfriend for the holidays. His plan is completely derailed when his mother sets him up on a blind date with her handsome spin instructor. What follows is a charming and funny love triangle as Peter is forced to confront his true feelings.
Why It's the Perfect Holiday Watch: This film is a pure, joyful, and incredibly funny celebration of love in all its forms. It is packed with all the classic rom-com tropes we love—the fake dating, the friends-to-lovers slow burn—but it tells the story from a fresh and much-needed perspective. The cast is a dream, with Michael Urie and Philemon Chambers having incredible chemistry as the central best friends, and comedy legends Jennifer Coolidge and Kathy Najimy stealing every scene they are in. It’s a film that taps directly into the modern desire for more inclusive and representative storytelling. It is a warm, funny, and deeply feel-good movie that is a perfect, modern addition to the holiday movie canon. The film’s focus on the power of a deep, abiding friendship is a theme we explore in our article on The Art of Building a Strong and Lasting Relationship.
5. A Christmas Prince (Trilogy)
The Vibe: The ultimate cheesy, "so-bad-it's-good," and incredibly addictive modern fairytale.
Synopsis: The A Christmas Prince trilogy is the film series that arguably launched Netflix's holiday movie empire. The first film follows Amber, a young, aspiring journalist who is sent to the fictional European nation of Aldovia to get the scoop on its handsome but allegedly irresponsible playboy prince, Richard. She goes undercover as a tutor for the young princess and, of course, ends up falling in love with the prince, who is actually a kind and misunderstood soul. The subsequent films follow their royal wedding and the birth of their royal baby.
Why It's the Perfect Holiday Watch: These films are the definition of a guilty pleasure. They are cheesy, predictable, and completely divorced from reality, and that is precisely what makes them so wonderful. They are the ultimate in low-stakes, feel-good entertainment. They are a perfect, modern-day fairytale, a story of an ordinary girl who becomes a princess. The films are a perfect, comforting binge-watch, a series that requires absolutely zero brainpower and delivers a huge dose of simple, uncomplicated joy. They are a cultural phenomenon for a reason, the perfect movies to watch with a group of friends and a bottle of wine. The epic, fairytale romance of the series is as grand as any of the best songs from Ed Sheeran.
External Link: The official IMDb page for the first A Christmas Prince is a great place to see the full cast list and to follow the links to the rest of the trilogy.
4. The Princess Switch (Trilogy)
The Vibe: A high-concept, gloriously campy, and endlessly charming modern take on The Prince and the Pauper.
Synopsis: Vanessa Hudgens pulls triple duty in this wonderfully absurd and incredibly fun film series. In the first film, she plays Stacy, a down-to-earth baker from Chicago, and Lady Margaret, a prim and proper duchess who is engaged to the Prince of Belgravia. The two identical strangers bump into each other and, on a whim, decide to switch places for a few days, leading to a series of hilarious and romantic complications. The later films introduce a third identical character, Margaret's villainous and flamboyant cousin, Fiona.
Why It's the Perfect Holiday Watch: The Princess Switch films are pure, joyful, and completely unhinged chaos, in the best possible way. They are a celebration of all the best high-concept rom-com tropes: the secret identity, the royal romance, the fish-out-of-water comedy. Vanessa Hudgens is clearly having the time of her life, and her energy is infectious. The films are bright, colorful, and packed with a feel-good, festive energy. They are the ultimate in pure, escapist entertainment, a perfect, sugary confection of a film series that is guaranteed to get you in the holiday spirit. The films' joyful, high-energy vibe is a perfect match for a great pop song, like one of the best from Beyoncé.
External Link: The official Netflix page for The Princess Switch is a great place to start your journey into this wonderfully chaotic universe.
3. The Christmas Chronicles (1 & 2)
The Vibe: A high-adventure, action-packed, and genuinely cool family Christmas movie.
Synopsis: The Christmas Chronicles is a film that takes the classic Santa Claus story and gives it a modern, action-movie twist. The films star the legendary Kurt Russell as a charismatic, slightly rebellious, and impossibly cool Santa Claus. The first film follows two siblings, a cynical teenager and his true-believer younger sister, who, in an attempt to catch Santa on camera, accidentally cause him to crash his sleigh. They are then forced to team up with Santa to save Christmas.
Why It's the Perfect Holiday Watch: These films are a perfect, crowd-pleasing choice for the whole family. They are packed with thrilling action sequences, hilarious comedic moments, and a huge amount of heart. Kurt Russell’s portrayal of Santa is a stroke of genius; he is not the soft, grandfatherly figure we are used to, but a cool, rock-and-roll hero with a mischievous twinkle in his eye. The films are a visual spectacle, with incredible special effects and a beautifully realized vision of the North Pole. But at their core, they are powerful stories about the importance of family, the power of belief, and the true meaning of Christmas. They are a thrilling, fun, and deeply rewatchable new holiday classic. The films' epic, heroic scope is a quality it shares with the best songs from Eminem.
External Link: You can explore the history of Santa Claus in pop culture on websites like History.com.
2. Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey (2020)
The Vibe: A breathtakingly beautiful, visually inventive, and deeply moving musical fantasy.
Synopsis: Jingle Jangle is a true holiday masterpiece, a film that feels like an instant classic. The story follows Jeronicus Jangle, a brilliant and once-joyful inventor who has lost his creative spark after being betrayed by his apprentice. Years later, his bright and endlessly curious granddaughter, Journey, arrives on his doorstep and reawakens his belief in magic and invention. The film is a grand, steampunk-inspired musical adventure, filled with incredible inventions, show-stopping musical numbers, and a powerful, multi-generational story of healing and hope.
Why It's a Perfect Holiday Watch: This film is a visual and auditory feast. The production design is stunning, a vibrant, colorful, and incredibly detailed world that is a beautiful fusion of Victorian aesthetics and magical invention. The songs, from a team that includes John Legend, are fantastic. And the all-Black cast is a powerful and important piece of representation in the holiday genre. But the true magic of Jingle Jangle is its incredible heart. It is a deeply moving story about the power of family, the importance of belief in yourself, and the magic of a second chance. It is a beautiful, joyful, and truly special film that the whole family will adore. The film’s incredible, original music is a testament to the power of a great song, a theme we celebrate in our ranking of the best songs from Oasis.
External Link: You can find the full, Grammy-nominated soundtrack for Jingle Jangle on Spotify.
1. Klaus (2019)
The Vibe: A stunning, Oscar-nominated, and instant-classic animated masterpiece.
Synopsis: Taking the top spot on our list is a film that is not just a great holiday movie, but one of the most beautiful and brilliantly crafted animated films of the 21st century. Klaus is a completely original and wonderfully clever Santa Claus origin story. The film follows Jesper, a spoiled and lazy postman who is stationed in the bleak, frozen, and perpetually feuding town of Smeerensburg, located above the Arctic Circle. Desperate to get reassigned, he hatches a scheme to get the town's children to write letters. This leads him to the remote cabin of a reclusive, white-bearded toymaker named Klaus.
Why It's the Perfect Holiday Watch: Klaus is a masterpiece of storytelling and animation. The film uses a unique, groundbreaking animation style that blends traditional, hand-drawn techniques with cutting-edge digital tools, creating a look that is both beautifully classic and completely modern. The story is a perfect blend of laugh-out-loud, cynical humor and a deep, profound, and incredibly moving heart. It is a story about how a single act of kindness can change the world. It is a film that is both hysterically funny and will almost certainly make you cry. It is a beautiful, intelligent, and deeply rewatchable film that has rightfully earned its place as a new, essential holiday classic. It is, without a doubt, the greatest Netflix Holiday Original of all time.
External Link: The official Oscars.org page for the 2020 Academy Awards is a great place to see the film's historic nomination for Best Animated Feature.
Conclusion
In a world of endless streaming choices, the Netflix Holiday Original has become a cherished and reliable source of festive joy. The ten titles on this list are a testament to the incredible diversity and quality of the platform's holiday offerings. They are a collection of funny, heartwarming, magical, and deeply comforting stories that are perfect for getting you and your loved ones into the holiday spirit. So, this year, as you gather with your family for the Thanksgiving long weekend, let Netflix be your guide to a world of cozy, festive, and unforgettable entertainment.
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For more on finding the perfect show or movie to watch, check out these other articles from That Love Podcast:
FAQs
Are all these titles included with a standard Netflix subscription? Yes, all ten of the movies and shows on this list are Netflix Originals and are available to stream with a standard Netflix membership worldwide.
Which of these are TV series instead of movies? Dash & Lily is a limited series with eight short episodes, making it a very easy and quick binge-watch. All the other titles on this list are feature-length films.
Are all these titles family-friendly? Klaus, Jingle Jangle, The Christmas Chronicles, and The Princess Switch trilogy are all fantastic choices for the whole family. Let It Snow and Dash & Lily are great for older teens. Holidate is an R-rated comedy intended for adults only.
What does "Netflix and Chills" mean? "Netflix and Chills" is the annual marketing branding that Netflix uses for its slate of horror, thriller, and spooky-themed content released during the Halloween season. However, the term has become more broadly associated with their entire holiday season push, from September through December.
I love a good "found family" story. Which titles are for me? The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society is a beautiful and classic "found family" story. Let It Snow and Dash & Lily also have strong found family elements among their teen characters.
Do I need to watch the trilogies in order? Yes. For both A Christmas Prince and The Princess Switch, the movies follow a continuous story, so you will need to watch them in the order they were released to understand the characters' journey.
Is Klaus a traditional, hand-drawn animated film? Klaus uses a unique and groundbreaking animation technique that blends traditional, 2D, hand-drawn animation with innovative, volumetric lighting and texturing tools. This gives it the look and feel of a classic, hand-drawn film but with a depth and richness that is completely modern.
What does "Y2K nostalgia" mean? "Y2K nostalgia" refers to the current trend of celebrating the fashion, music, and culture of the late 1990s and early 2000s (around the year 2000). A film like Falling for Christmas, which stars a beloved actress from that era in a classic rom-com formula, taps directly into this trend.
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