The best Christmas movies on Hulu

There are officially 20 days until Christmas, and if you’re anything like us — you’ve been in the celebrating mood since Halloween ended. We’re all in need of a little extra cheer this year, so we’re spending as much time in the ever-present glow of the holidays as possible.

So with the happiest time of the year upon us and festive happenings all around, we’re certainly feeling more jolly and cheerful than ever. As a result, we’ve been indulging in entertainment that helps us share those feelings with our friends and loved ones.

Streaming platforms such as Netflix and Hulu are getting in the holiday mood and adding several festive options to their watch lists as holiday movies and TV episodes become the apple of the pop culture realm’s eye.

Hulu has added the following films for you to enjoy this year with a cup of hot cocoa and a tacky Christmas sweater because — let’s face it, there’s no better way to enjoy holiday films than by being enveloped in the spirit. There are also additional options you can stream with Hulu’s add-on channels, but let’s dive into the holiday layout.

The Mistle-Tones

The Mistle-Tones is a holiday film that focuses on a popular Christmas singing group and two characters who have big dreams regarding it. Holly desperately wants to be part of the Snow Belles, with her late mother having founded the group, but their star singer just isn’t having it.

When she decides to start a group of her own, Marci realizes that working against Holly isn’t in her best interest, but her selfish actions are what got her into this mess in the first place. Will she change her tune and see that Holly isn’t someone she should see as a competition, but someone who could be a great friend instead? Will they be kept apart, or will they find common ground and work together?

This movie reminds us all that the most joyful holiday experiences are the ones that allow us to share cheer with those around us across Christmas time.

Elf

That’s right, all you helpful elves, the biggest streaming addition to Hulu this year is Elf. Heavily regarded as one of the best Christmas movies of all time, the fantasy extravaganza centers around Buddy the Elf (portrayed by Will Ferrell), who embarks on a journey from the North Pole to New York City in the hopes of locating his real father after having been adopted by Papa Elf. Still following? As silly as the premise might sound, the film has since become a cultural phenomenon, and we’re just happy it’s finally available to stream on a concrete platform.

The Polar Express

It almost doesn’t feel like Christmas unless you watch The Polar Express at least once a year during the Yuletide season. It’s not hard to comprehend why the Tom Hanks vehicle remains one of the most beloved Christmas tales of all time. For some of us, it’s a bit of a snore-fest at times, but for others, it’s the perfect showcase of believing in the magic and joy of both Christmas itself and Santa Claus. So if you’re a Christmas junkie through and through (and can tolerate some wonky CGI) then this is the movie for you.

National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation

Let’s be honest here, does it get more iconic than Christmas Vacation? Highly recognized as one of the most popular holiday staples of all time, this insane Christmas tale is chock-full of whacky decorations, a crazy Uncle Eddie, and an accurate representation of how wild the holidays can get when spent around your family.

Truth be told, it feels almost impossible to truly ring in the holiday season without Clark Griswold in our lives. And with the Christmas classic recently being added to Hulu at the end of November, now is the perfect time to indulge in the holiday magic and have a few necessary laughs at the hands of this zany family.

12 Pups Of Christmas

The 12 Pups of Christmas sees a man named Martin trying to keep his business venture afloat. The idea, a GPS locator for dogs, is excellent, but he’s having a hard time making things work. Martin recruits his new hire Erin to help him save the business and to help find homes for beautiful dogs that were left with them after a photoshoot. Both Erin and Martin begin to slow down and realize that helping the dogs is helping them too.

Of course, as they grow closer in their attempt to find new homes for the pups, they find new things about one another that Martin and Erin enjoy, and as the story draws to a close; there are more happily ever afters than they ever could have imagined.

We love Christmas movies that incorporate animals, so we knew we had to watch it when we first heard of this. It’s a sweet movie; at times, some could see it as teeth-rottingly so, but it’s a feel-good watch, and we all need a little more of that this season.

Holiday In Handcuffs

If you were a big fan of ABC Family’s 25 Days of Christmas, then you’ve most likely seen this film more than once. Holiday in Handcuffs stars Melissa Joan Hart, Mario Lopez, Markie Post, and Timothy Bottoms, and it’s packed full of laughs, wow moments, and a storyline that seems a bit predictable but is still fun to watch.

While handcuffs might not be at the top of your list when you think of Christmas trinkets, they’re a big play in this movie. A woman named Trudie isn’t in the mood to go home for another holiday season as a single lady, so she makes a quick decision that puts her and a customer at her restaurant named David in over their heads.

Handcuffing herself to David, she brings him home for the holidays, and as they celebrate in a remote cabin — there isn’t an easy escape route for him. After failed attempts at leaving, he decides to play along until the cops eventually show up, but things change for Trudie and David.

Of course, there’s romance in the air, and by the end of the film, David understands Trudie’s reason for bringing him home, and he understands more about himself as well. So do they get their happily ever after, or will he go home to his life and his girlfriend once he has the chance?

In addition to some of our favorite films we listed above, here are some additional holiday watch options for viewers on Hulu.

• Jack Frost
• Fred Claus
• The Nutcracker
• The Heart of Christmas
• Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale
• A Very Brady Christmas
• Jingle All The Way
• 12 Dog Days til Christmas
• Christmas Cupid
• Christmas With The Andersons
• Michael Buble’s Christmas in the City
• Snow
• Snow 2: Brain Freeze
• Trolls Holiday in Harmony
• Naughty & Nice
• Gordon Ramsay’s Road Trip: Christmas Vacation
• A Christmas Switch
• Second Chance Christmas
• No Sleep ’til Christmas
• Ghosting: The Spirit of Christmas
• London Mitchell’s Christmas
• The Christmas Calendar
• Dear Santa
• Santa Baby 2
• Happiest Season
• Holly’s Holiday
• The Man Who Invented Christmas
• A Christmas Movie Christmas
• Christmas Perfection
• Christmas on Holly Lane
• Cupid for Christmas
• A Winter Wedding
• The Last Holiday (with added Showtime)
• Christmas at Cattle Hill (with added Starz)
• The Secret of the Nutcracker
• A Christmas Wedding Tale
• My Dad is Scrooge
• Rock N Roll Christmas
• Back to Christmas
• Girlfriends of Christmas Past
• Rodeo and Juliet

Do you see any of your current favorite Christmas movies on our Hulu watch list? Any you plan to add to your holiday season binges this year?

Here’s to the holidays, hot cocoa, and enjoying festive entertainment with those we love this season.