Streaming
The best new holiday titles on Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max, Lifetime, Hallmark Channel, and more.
The holiday movie season is upon us. Cable channels, streaming companies, and on-demand platforms have been cranking out the 2022 holiday movies since late October, with many more to come in November and December.
The most prolific purveyors of holiday movie cheer are Lifetime — which has 26 new 2022 holiday movies starring everyone from Kelsey Grammer to Mario Lopez — and Hallmark Channel, which has 31 holiday movies, plus an additional nine new movies on its Hallmark Movies & Mysteries channel.
In the streaming realm, Netflix and HBO Max both have several 2022 holiday movies of their own, including a sequel to 1983’s “A Christmas Story” (HBO Max), and a holiday romance starring Lindsay Lohan (Netflix).
Apple TV+ has perhaps the largest-scale holiday movie of all the streamers in “Spirited,” a contemporary musical version of “A Christmas Carol” starring Will Ferrell and Ryan Reynolds. (You can read our review of “Spirited” here.)
Below you’ll find 115 new 2022 holiday movies, with info on when and how to watch them.
(Note: If you miss a broadcast or cable movie’s original air time, be sure to check out the channel’s website, as many movies are available on-demand with the correct app or a valid cable login.)
Netflix
Top pick: “Falling for Christmas” (Nov. 10)
Has the time come for the Lohan-aissance? Former child actor Lindsay Lohan has only made a handful of TV or movie appearances in the last decade, but the “Mean Girls” star is back in Netflix’s “Falling for Christmas,” which seemingly hits every holiday romance story beat. Lohan plays spoiled hotel heiress Sierra Belmont, who gets into a skiing accident shortly after getting engaged. The ski crash causes total amnesia, and Sierra is looked after by lodge owner Jake Russell (Chord Overstreet, “Glee”). Sounds pretty fetch to us.
“Christmas with You” (Nov. 17)
“Christmas on Mistletoe Farm” (Nov. 23)
“The Noel Diary” (Nov. 24)
“Christmas Full of Grace” (Nov. 30)
“Scrooge: A Christmas Carol” (Dec. 2)
Apple TV+
Top pick: “Spirited” (Nov. 18)
In “Spirited,” a contemporary musical remake of “A Christmas Carol,” the Ghosts of Christmas Past (Sunita Mani, “GLOW”), Present (Will Ferrell), and Future (voiced by Tracy Morgan, “30 Rock”) are part of a massive undead corporation that picks one Scrooge-like figure each year to redeem, compiling dossiers and building extravagant dream sequences to help them realize the error of their ways. The group’s newest target is Clint Briggs (Ryan Reynolds), a public relations CEO living in New York City who fights dirty, fomenting negativity and tribalism to further his client’s goals.
Featuring original songs composed by songwriting duo Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (“La La Land,” “Dear Evan Hansen”), “Spirited” will have a limited theatrical release starting November 11 before it begins streaming on Apple TV+ on Nov. 18.
HBO Max
Top pick: “A Christmas Story Christmas” (Nov. 17)
It’s been 39 years since Peter Billingsley starred in the holiday classic “A Christmas Story,” in which the world got to know about the life of little Ralphie and his quest to get a Red Ryder Carbine Action 200-shot Range Model air rifle for Christmas. In “A Christmas Story Christmas,” Billingsley reprises his role, playing an adult Ralphie in the 1970s who returns to his family home on Cleveland Street in order to bring his kids and wife a magical Christmas of their own. You can count on Ralphie meeting up with old friends like Flick and Schwartz, as well as childhood bullies like Scut. Perhaps he’ll even stick his tongue on a pole if someone triple-dog dares him?
“A Christmas Mystery” (Nov. 24)
“Holiday Harmony” (Nov. 24)
Hulu
“Catering Christmas” (Now streaming)
“Christmas on the Farm” (Now streaming)
“All I Want For Christmas (Now streaming)
“Christmas On Repeat” (Now streaming)
“Menorah in the Middle” (Now streaming)
“Santa Games” (Now streaming)
“A Merry Christmas Wish” (Nov. 13)
“Merry Kiss Cam” (Nov. 24)
“Christmas At the Drive-In” (Nov. 29)
“It’s A Wonderful Binge” (Dec. 9)
Lifetime
Top pick: “The 12 Days of Christmas Eve” (Nov. 26)
Lifetime’s “It’s a Wonderful Lifetime” holiday movies air multiple nights a week at 8 p.m. on the cable network. Though many of the movies have intriguing stars and premises, the one we’re most looking forward to is “The 12 Days of Christmas Eve,” which airs Nov. 26 and stars “Cheers” and “Frasier” actor Kelsey Grammer in the lead role.
“12 Days” follows Brian Conway, a successful businessman whose devotion to his work has left him divorced and on the outs with his friends and loved ones, particularly his granddaughter and daughter (Spencer Grammer). After Brian gets into a car accident on Christmas Eve, Santa gives him 12 opportunities to re-do the day, “Groundhog Day”-style. Along the way, Brian begins to repair the relationships in his life and understand the true meaning of Christmas.
If you miss the initial airing of “The 12 Days of Christmas Eve” or any other Lifetime holiday movies, you can find many of them streaming on the Lifetime app.
“Merry Swissmas” (Now streaming)
“Well Suited For Christmas” (Now streaming)
“Christmas on Mistletoe Lake” (Nov. 10)
“The Dog Days of Christmas” (Nov. 11)
“Reindeer Games Homecoming” (Nov. 12)
“Six Degrees of Santa” (Nov. 13)
“Sweet Navidad” (Nov. 17)
“A Country Christmas Harmony” (Nov. 18)
“Santa Bootcamp” (Nov. 19)
“A Show-Stopping Christmas” (Nov. 20)
“Baking All The Way” (Nov. 24)
“Steppin’ Into The Holiday” (Nov. 25)
“A Christmas Spark” (Dec. 1)
“Cloudy With A Chance of Christmas” (Dec. 2)
“A New Orleans Noel” (Dec. 3)
“Merry Textmas” (Dec. 4)
“Scentsational Christmas” (Dec. 8)
“A Recipe for Joy” (Dec. 9)
“Kirk Franklin’s The Night Before Christmas” (Dec. 10)
“Single and Ready to Jingle” (Dec. 11)
“Record Breaking Christmas” (Dec. 15)
“A Christmas to Treasure (Dec. 16)
“The Holiday Dating Guide” (Dec. 17)
“Wrapped Up in Love” (Dec. 18)
Hallmark Channel
Top pick: “The Royal Nanny” (Nov. 12)
Hallmark has outdone itself this year, premiering 40 movies during its annual Countdown to Christmas schedule. As an added bonus, all of these movies are available streaming on Peacock up to 72 hours after they air, and are also available to stream via the Hallmark TV app.
Perhaps it’s due to all of the monarchy drama over the past year, but the title that catches our eye is “The Royal Nanny,” in which an MI5 agent (Rachel Skarsten) goes undercover to protect the royal family. That sounds challenging enough, but Claire must also resist the charms of hunky Prince Colin (Dan Jeannotte). Can you say Mission: Impossible?
Noel Next Door (Now streaming)
We Wish You a Married Christmas (Now streaming)
A Kismet Christmas (Now streaming)
A Cozy Christmas Inn (Now streaming)
Jolly Good Christmas (Now streaming)
“Ghosts of Christmas Always” (Now streaming)
“A Magical Christmas Village” (Now streaming)
“Lights, Camera, Christmas!” (Now streaming)
“All Saints Christmas” (Now streaming)
“We Need a Little Christmas” (Now streaming)
“Christmas Bedtime Stories” (Now streaming)
“A Maple Valley Christmas” (Now streaming)
“In Merry Measure” (Nov. 11)
“The Royal Nanny” (Nov. 12)
“Our Italian Christmas Memories” (Nov. 12)
“Christmas at the Golden Dragon” (Nov. 13)
“Inventing the Christmas Prince” (Nov. 18)
“Three Wise Men and a Baby” (Nov. 19)
“Long Lost Christmas” (Nov. 19)
“When I Think of Christmas” (Nov. 20)
“My Southern Family Christmas” (Nov. 24)
“#Xmas” (Nov. 25)
“A Royal Corgi Christmas” (Nov. 25)
A Tale of Two Christmases (Nov. 26)
“Haul Out the Holly” (Nov. 26)
“Time for Him to Come Home for Christmas” (Nov. 26)
“A Christmas Cookie Catastrophe” (Nov. 27)
“A Holiday Spectacular” (Nov. 27)
“A Big Fat Family Christmas” (Dec. 2)
“A Fabled Holiday” (Dec. 3)
“The Holiday Stocking” (Dec. 3)
“Undercover Holiday” (Dec. 4)
“The Most Colorful Time of the Year” (Dec. 9)
“Christmas Class Reunion” (Dec. 10)
“The Gift of Peace” (Dec. 10)
“The Holiday Sitter” (Dec. 11)
“Holiday Heritage” (Dec. 16)
“‘Twas the Night Before Christmas” (Dec. 17)
“Five More Minutes: Moments Like These” (Dec. 17)
“Hanukkah on Rye” (Dec. 18)
Other Channels/Streaming Platforms
“Another Christmas” (Now streaming on The Roku Channel)
“A Wesley Christmas” (Now streaming on BET+)
“The First Noelle” (Nov. 10, BET+)
“One Delicious Christmas” (Nov. 11, Discovery+)
“A Christmas Open House” (Nov. 11, Discovery+)
“Designing Christmas” (Nov. 11, Discovery+)
“A Gingerbread Christmas” (Nov. 11, Discovery+)
“The Curse of the Christmas Diamond” (Nov. 20, ION)
“The Christmas Clapback” (Nov. 24, BET+)
“The Sound of Christmas” (Nov. 24, BET+)
“Holiday Hideaway” (Nov. 24, BET+)
“Dognapped: Hound for the Holidays” (Nov. 27, ION)
“Hip-Hop Family Christmas Wedding” (Nov. 30, VH1)
“Dolly Parton’s Mountain Magic Christmas” (Dec. 1, NBC)
“Rolling Into Christmas” (Dec. 1, BET+)
“Christmas in the Caribbean” (Dec. 2, on demand)
“Hotel for the Holidays” (Dec. 2, Freevee)
“The Great Holiday Bake War” (“Dec. 3, OWN)
“Fit For Christmas” (Dec. 4, CBS)
“The Search For Secret Santa” (Dec. 4, ION)
“All I Didn’t Want For Christmas” (Dec. 7, VH1)
“Something from Tiffany’s” (Dec. 9, Prime Video)
“A Christmas Fumble” (Dec. 10, OWN)
“A Prince and Pauper Christmas” (Dec. 11, ION)
“Must Love Christmas” (Dec. 11, CBS)
“A New Diva’s Christmas Carol” (Dec. 14, VH1)
“When Christmas Was Young” (Dec. 18, CBS)
“Fuhgeddabout Christmas” (Dec. 21, VH1)
“A Christmas Gift” (Dec. 22, BET+)
Need weekend plans?
The best things to do around the city, delivered to your inbox.
