10 Movies to Watch If You Love Happiest Season
- Joao Nsita
- 2 days ago
- 15 min read
This is the time of year when we instinctively begin to turn inward, to seek out warmth, comfort, and the soul-deep satisfaction of a truly great story. And in the vast, magical world of cinema, there is a specific, sacred category of film that we all crave: the "comfort movie."
In 2020, Happiest Season instantly cemented itself in that category, becoming a modern holiday classic. It wasn't just a movie; it was a cultural event—the first major, studio-backed, mainstream LGBTQ+ holiday rom-com. It perfectly captured the joy, the anxiety, the high-stakes pressure of "meeting the parents," and the chaotic, messy love of a dysfunctional family Christmas. On social media platforms like TikTok and Pinterest, the #HappiestSeason tag remains a vibrant hub of fan edits, of celebrations of Aubrey Plaza's "Riley," and of a deep, collective appreciation for a story that was both groundbreakingly specific and universally relatable.
This is your definitive, in-depth guide to the essential viewing for anyone who loves Happiest Season. We have curated a list of ten of the most beloved and binge-worthy films that will give you that exact same, magical feeling, ranked in descending order.
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10. National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989)
The Vibe: The ultimate, OG, and purely chaotic "dysfunctional family Christmas" comedy. This is a descent into pure, suburban holiday madness.
The Deeper Meaning: At its heart, this film is a hilarious, and surprisingly relatable, exploration of the immense, self-imposed pressure to create the "perfect" family Christmas. It is a story about a man, Clark Griswold, whose grand, nostalgic vision for a "fun, old-fashioned family Christmas" is systematically and catastrophically destroyed by the messy, complicated, and often very unloveable reality of his own family. It’s a powerful, and very funny, reminder that our idealized version of the holidays is, and always has been, a complete fantasy.
Why It's a Perfect Match: If your favourite part of Happiest Season was the claustrophobic, "everything is going wrong" anxiety of a house packed with difficult relatives, Christmas Vacation is the slapstick original. It is the gold standard for films about the pressure of "performing" a perfect holiday for your family. The tension that Abby feels as an outsider in the Caldwell's perfect, high-strung home is the same tension Clark Griswold feels as the ringmaster of his own, unravelling circus. It’s a masterclass in holiday-induced anxiety.
Iconic Comfort Moment: The film is a collection of iconic set pieces, but the scene where Clark, after failing to get his 25,000 "twinkling" lights to work, finally has his glorious, shining moment of triumph, is a perfect, cathartic release. Of course, it is immediately followed by another disaster. For a deep dive into the film's enduring legacy, The Ringer has a fantastic article on how it became a holiday staple. This film is a pure, unadulterated, and incredibly funny celebration of a chaotic, but deeply loving, family unit, a theme we explore in The Top 5 Best Family Movies of All Time.
Where to Find: You can rent or buy National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation on platforms like Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV.
9. The Prom (2020)
The Vibe: A glittering, campy, and unapologetically joyous Broadway musical-in-a-movie, with a heart as big and as bright as its all-star cast.
The Deeper Meaning: At its core, this film is a story about the power of queer acceptance and the beautiful, chaotic, and deeply supportive nature of a "found family." It is a film that tackles the very real, and very painful, issue of homophobia in a small town, but it does so with a spirit of such overwhelming, infectious joy that it becomes a powerful, and very moving, celebration of what it means to be out and proud.
Why It's a Perfect Match: The Prom is, in many ways, the perfect, celebratory antidote to the central, painful conflict of Happiest Season. While Abby and Harper's story is about the trauma and the anxiety of the closet, The Prom is a loud, proud, and sequin-drenched celebration of coming out. It’s the cathartic, joyful, and deeply, profoundly queer celebration that you might have craved after the credits rolled on Happiest Season. It’s a film that is bursting with a "be who you are" energy and features a fantastic, star-studded ensemble, a theme we explore in The Top 5 Best Movies With An Ensemble Cast.
Iconic Comfort Moment: The film's final number, "It's Time to Dance," is a pure, unadulterated, and incredibly emotional explosion of joy. It is a moment where every character gets their happy ending, and the entire, once-divided, town comes together to celebrate their young, lesbian couple. For more on the powerful, real-life story that inspired the original Broadway musical, Women's Health has a great article.
Where to Find: Stream The Prom on Netflix.
8. Let It Snow (2019)
The Vibe: A charming, multi-threaded, and wonderfully cozy teen rom-com that is the cinematic equivalent of a perfect, unexpected snow day.
The Deeper Meaning: This film, based on the beloved YA novel by John Green, Maureen Johnson, and Lauren Myracle, is a beautiful and joyful celebration of the many different forms that love can take. It is a story about friendship, about first love, and about the surprising, and often very magical, connections that can be formed on a single, snowy Christmas Eve. It is a film that is brimming with a youthful, optimistic, and deeply hopeful energy.
Why It's a Perfect Match: If you loved the ensemble, "interconnected storylines" feel of a holiday rom-com, Let It Snow is a perfect, modern, and teen-focused example. But most importantly, for fans of Happiest Season, it features a prominent, and completely normalized, F/F (female/female) storyline. The sweet, and slightly awkward, romance between two of the main characters is treated with the same warmth, the same importance, and the same, "will-they-won't-they" tension as all the straight couples. It is a perfect, low-stakes, and incredibly heartwarming alternative.
Iconic Comfort Moment: The film's final, magical scene, where all the different, and seemingly separate, characters are brought together for a chaotic, and deeply joyful, party at the local "Waffle Town," is a perfect, and very sweet, encapsulation of the film's "found family" spirit. The show’s focus on a powerful romance is a key to its success, a theme you can explore in our list of the Top 10 Best Teen Romance TV Shows Ever Made.
Where to Find: Stream Let It Snow on Netflix.
7. The Family Man (2000)
The Vibe: A high-concept, "what if," and deeply, profoundly romantic Christmas classic in the vein of It's a Wonderful Life.
The Deeper Meaning: At its heart, this film is a powerful and beautiful exploration of the choices we make, and of the "paths not taken." It is a story about a man who, on the surface, has it all—a high-flying career, a luxurious apartment, and a fast-paced, glamorous life. But on a magical Christmas Eve, he is given a "glimpse" into the life he would have had if he had made a different choice: the quiet, messy, and deeply, profoundly, loving, suburban family life with the woman he let go. It is a film that is a powerful, and very moving, meditation on the true, and often very quiet, meaning of a successful life.
Why It's a Perfect Match: This film is the perfect, and most direct, thematic exploration of Harper's central, internal conflict in Happiest Season. Harper is a character who is so terrified of losing her "perfect, successful, family-approved" image that she is willing to sacrifice her own, true happiness and the love of her life, Abby. She is a person who believes that she cannot have both. The Family Man is a film that literally, and magically, shows a character the profound, and deeply, human, joy of the life he gave up in the pursuit of "perfection." It is a cozy, magical, and deeply resonant parallel. This is a key part of finding your own path, a theme we explore in How to Find Your Purpose in Life.
Iconic Comfort Moment: The scene where Jack (Nicolas Cage) is watching an old, grainy, home video of himself and Kate (Téa Leoni) singing a silly, impromptu song in a college dorm room is a moment of pure, heartbreaking, and beautiful realization. It is the moment he understands the depth of the love that he threw away.
Where to Find: You can rent or buy The Family Man on platforms like Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV.
6. Love Actually (2003)
The Vibe: The ultimate, sprawling, and unapologetically romantic British Christmas classic. It's a funny, chaotic, and heartwarming exploration of love in all its messy, complicated, and beautiful glory.
The Deeper Meaning: This film, from the brilliant mind of Richard Curtis, is a grand, multi-story exploration of the many different, and often very complicated, forms of love. From the first, exciting spark of a new crush to the quiet, heartbreaking reality of a long-term betrayal, the film is a powerful, and very moving, tapestry of human connection, all set against the magical, and often very stressful, backdrop of the Christmas season.
Why It's a Perfect Match: Love Actually is the blueprint for the modern, ensemble holiday dramedy. It has the exact same, structural DNA as Happiest Season: a huge, all-star cast, a collection of interconnected storylines that range from the laugh-out-loud funny to the deeply, profoundly sad, and a festive, snow-dusted, and deeply, deeply, British, setting (in Happiest Season's case, it's the anglophile energy of the Caldwell family). The iconic, and absolutely devastating, storyline between Emma Thompson and Alan Rickman is a perfect, and even more heartbreaking, parallel to the pain of discovering a devastating secret about your partner during the holidays. This kind of powerful, life-changing love is a joy to watch, a theme we also loved in The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang | Book Review.
Iconic Comfort Moment: The opening and closing monologues at Heathrow Airport, set to the film's soaring, beautiful score, are a perfect, and profoundly moving, encapsulation of the film's entire, hopeful philosophy: "Love, actually, is all around." For a deep dive into the film's enduring, and often very debated, legacy, The Ringer has some fantastic articles.
Where to Find: Stream Love Actually on Amazon Prime Video and NOW (with a Sky Cinema membership).
5. Season of Love (2019)
The Vibe: A sweet, charming, and genuinely groundbreaking independent film that is a perfect, heartfelt, and deeply romantic ensemble Christmas story.
The Deeper Meaning: Season of Love is an important and trailblazing film because it was one of the first-ever holiday romantic comedies to feature a cast of entirely queer women. The film is a beautiful and powerful celebration of the diversity and the beauty of the lesbian community. It is a story about love, about friendship, and about the joy of finding your "chosen family," a group of people who see, who support, and who celebrate you for exactly who you are.
Why It's a Perfect Match: If your main takeaway from Happiest Season was, "I loved this, but I wish it was happier and had more lesbians," then this film is your perfect, and very necessary, next watch. It is a film that is not about the trauma of coming out, but about the joy of being out and in love. It follows the interconnected, holiday-themed, love stories of three different, and very charming, lesbian couples. It is a film that is a true, and very beautiful, celebration of queer joy.
Iconic Comfort Moment: The entire film is a warm, low-angst, and deeply comforting hug. It is a film that is celebrated in the queer community for its brilliant, positive, and much-needed representation. For more on the history of LGBTQ+ representation in film, the official GLAAD website is an essential and authoritative resource. The film’s focus on a powerful ensemble is a key to its success, a theme you can explore in our list of The 10 Best Teen Romance TV Shows Ever Made.
Where to Find: Stream Season of Love on Amazon Prime Video (with a Tello Films subscription) or Tello Films.
4. Carol (2015)
The Vibe: A breathtakingly beautiful, deeply melancholic, and artistically perfect period drama that is the other iconic, must-watch, lesbian Christmas movie.
The Deeper Meaning: At its heart, this is a story of forbidden love, of the electric, life-changing power of a single, shared glance, and of the profound, and often very painful, loneliness of living an inauthentic life. It is a film that is a masterpiece of "show, don't tell" storytelling, a story that is told almost entirely through its subtext, its stolen glances, and its quiet, heartbreaking, moments of longing.
Why It's a Perfect Match: This is the film for everyone who (rightfully) fell in love with Aubrey Plaza's character, Riley. Carol is, in many ways, the "Riley" movie—a story about a deep, soulful, and immediate connection between two women, a connection that is both profound and deeply, deeply complicated. The film, which is set during a magical, and very atmospheric, 1950s Christmas season, is a perfect, and much more artistically ambitious, companion piece to Happiest Season. The tone is completely different—it is a serious, art-house drama, not a comedy—but the themes of a hidden, "forbidden," and world-changing love during the holidays are a perfect, and more poignant, match.
Iconic Comfort Moment: While the film is a deeply melancholic one, its final, extraordinary scene is a masterpiece of romantic tension and a profoundly, and very surprisingly, hopeful, cathartic release. It is a perfect, and very hard-won, happy ending. For a deep dive into the film's incredible, and very subtle, visual language, the official BFI (British Film Institute) website has some fantastic, in-depth articles. This kind of authentic connection is a key to a healthy partnership, a theme we explore in 8 Signs of a Healthy Relationship.
Where to Find: You can rent or buy Carol on platforms like Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV.
3. While You Were Sleeping (1995)
The Vibe: The ultimate, quintessential, cozy winter rom-com. This is a "found family" story that is so full of warmth, so full of charm, and so full of a deep, and deeply comforting, spirit that it is, quite simply, a cinematic fireplace.
The Deeper Meaning: This film is a beautiful and powerful exploration of the deep, human yearning for connection and for belonging. It is a story about a young woman who is so profoundly, and so achingly, lonely that she has created a fantasy life for herself. It is a film that understands that the greatest love story is not always the one that is the most passionate or the most dramatic, but is the one that is the most kind, the most supportive, and the one that feels the most like coming home.
Why It's a Perfect Match: This film shares the exact same, core, comedic plot device as Happiest Season: a person who has to lie about their identity to a big, chaotic family at Christmas. Lucy (Sandra Bullock) pretends to be the fiancée of a man in a coma, while Abby (Kristen Stewart) pretends to be the "straight roommate." Both films derive their comedy, their anxiety, and their heart from the escalating, "house of cards" nature of this lie. It is the perfect, non-queer, thematic twin.
Iconic Comfort Moment: The scene where Lucy (Bullock) and the entire Callaghan family are all squeezed into the living room, opening Christmas presents, is a moment of pure, chaotic, and incredibly heartwarming joy. It is a perfect, and very real, portrait of a big, messy, and deeply loving "found family." For more on the joy of a cozy home, you can check out our guide to 12 Cozy Winter Living Room Refresh Ideas.
Where to Find: Stream While You Were Sleeping on Disney+.
2. Single All the Way (2021)
The Vibe: A warm, witty, and incredibly charming holiday rom-com that is a perfect, joyful, and "feel-good" queer Christmas story.
The Deeper Meaning: This film is a beautiful and heartwarming celebration of a loving, and wonderfully accepting, family. It is a film that is, in many ways, the "what if it all went right?" version of Happiest Season. It is a story that is not about the trauma of coming out, but about the joy of being out, and of being so deeply, and so comically, loved by a family who just wants you to be happy.
Why It's a Perfect Match: This is the perfect, and most essential, companion piece to Happiest Season. It is the M/M equivalent, and it tackles the same, beloved, holiday themes—coming home for Christmas, a meddling family, and a "fake dating" setup—but with a completely different, and very refreshing, lack of trauma. The story follows Peter, who, to avoid his family's judgment about being single, convinces his best friend, Nick, to come home with him for Christmas. The family's only "problem" is that they love their son so much that they are constantly, and hilariously, trying to set him up.
Iconic Comfort Moment: The entire, supporting performance from the legendary Jennifer Coolidge, as the family's glamorous, and deeply chaotic, "Aunt Sandy," is a gift. Her attempts to direct the town's children's Christmas pageant are a work of pure, comedic genius. The show’s focus on a powerful friendship is a key to its success, a theme you can explore in our list of The Top 10 Best Teen Romance TV Shows Ever Made.
Where to Find: Stream Single All the Way on Netflix.
1. The Family Stone (2005)
Why It's at the Top: While Single All the Way is the perfect, "feel-good" antidote, The Family Stone is, without a doubt, the ultimate film to watch if you love Happiest Season. It is the undisputed, reigning champion of the "caustic, dysfunctional, and disastrous 'meet the parents' Christmas." The film perfectly captures the specific, anxiety-inducing vibe of an outsider trying to win over a tight-knit, liberal-but-judgmental, and deeply chaotic family. The tonal match is 10/10.
The Vibe: A messy, chaotic, and deeply relatable holiday "dramedy" that is a perfect, and often very painful, exploration of a dysfunctional, but ultimately very loving, family.
What Makes It a Masterpiece: The story follows Meredith (Sarah Jessica Parker), a successful, uptight, and deeply anxious New Yorker, who is travelling with her boyfriend to spend Christmas with his loud, free-spirited, and incredibly bohemian, New England family. The family, who are fiercely loyal to their own, quirky, "free-spirit" roots, take an immediate, and very visceral, dislike to her. What follows is a weekend of escalating, cringe-inducing, and deeply, deeply, awkward, social-mishaps.
Why It's the Perfect Match: The parallels to Happiest Season are almost one-to-one. Meredith is the "Abby" (the stressed-out, buttoned-up, and deeply uncomfortable outsider). Sybil (a magnificent Diane Keaton) is the "Tipper" (the sharp-tongued, and deeply judgmental, matriarch). Amy (a brilliant Rachel McAdams) is the "Sloane" (the incredibly hostile, and deeply unwelcoming, sister). And, in a perfect, parallel to the "Riley" storyline, there is even a charming, laid-back, and much more suitable, brother (Luke Wilson) who is the only one who seems to actually see and like the protagonist. It is, in almost every way, the same film, just with a different central conflict. It is a masterpiece of ensemble dramedy. For more on this, check out our guide to Communication in Relationships: The Key to a Stronger Bond.
Where to Find: You can rent or buy The Family Stone on platforms like Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV.
Conclusion
In the beautiful, complex, and often very demanding world of modern life, the "comfort movie" is more than just a simple escape; it is a vital and necessary ritual of self-care. Happiest Season is a modern classic, a film that so perfectly captured the unique, and often very stressful, blend of holiday joy, of family chaos, and of the deep, human, need to be loved and accepted for who we are. The ten films on this list are a testament to that same, powerful, and deeply, profoundly, human, spirit.
These are more than just movies; they are old friends, a collection of stories that we return to time and time again to be soothed, to be inspired, and to be reminded of the simple, and often very messy, magic of love and of family.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What makes a movie a "comfort movie"? A comfort movie is a film you return to time and time again for its familiar, heartwarming, and emotionally soothing qualities. These films are often low-stakes, aesthetically pleasing, and feature characters you love, providing a sense of safety and nostalgia.
2. What is the "Nancy Meyers Aesthetic"? The "Nancy Meyers Aesthetic" is a popular social media trend that celebrates the signature style of writer-director Nancy Meyers. It is defined by its aspirational, "quiet luxury" interiors (especially large, all-white kitchens), its neutral, high-end, cozy fashion (think cashmere and linen), and its affluent, sophisticated, "grown-up" atmosphere. The Holiday and Something's Gotta Give are the ultimate examples.
3. Why was Happiest Season so groundbreaking? Happiest Season was the first major, studio-backed, mainstream holiday romantic comedy to be centred on a lesbian couple. Its release on a major streaming platform (Hulu in the US) brought a new level of visibility and representation to LGBTQ+ stories in the very traditional, and often very heterosexual, holiday rom-com genre.
4. I loved the "Riley" (Aubrey Plaza) character. Which film on this list is for me? Carol (No. 4) is the ultimate "Riley" movie. It is a critically acclaimed, artistically beautiful, and deeply romantic period drama that is also set at Christmas and is centred on a soulful, intense, and deeply felt connection between two women.
5. What is the best "dysfunctional family Christmas" movie? The Family Stone (No. 1) is the absolute, undisputed, modern champion of this specific subgenre. It perfectly balances the cringe-inducing, chaotic comedy with a deep, and ultimately very moving, sense of family love.
6. Where can I find these movies in the UK? The streaming availability for these films often changes. This list includes their primary streaming homes in the UK as of late 2025. A service like JustWatch is a great tool for checking the most current streaming, rental, and purchase options in your region.
7. I'm looking for a queer holiday movie that is not stressful. What should I watch? Single All the Way (No. 2) is the perfect choice. It is a joyful, warm, and completely "feel-good" holiday rom-com where the central conflict has nothing to do with homophobia, and the family is completely, and hilariously, supportive.
8. What is a "dramedy"? A "dramedy," like The Family Stone or About Time, is a genre that perfectly, and often very realistically, blends elements of both drama and comedy.
9. Are any of these movies based on books? Yes, Let It Snow is based on a YA novel by John Green, Maureen Johnson, and Lauren Myracle. Carol is based on the novel The Price of Salt by Patricia Highsmith.
10. What's the best "found family" movie on this list? While You Were Sleeping (No. 3) is the quintessential "found family" movie. The central joy of the film is watching a lonely, isolated woman be completely, and lovingly, absorbed into a big, loud, chaotic, and wonderful new family.
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