One of the great modern traditions of the Christmas season is watching classic holiday movies. For many families, it's an annual tradition to turn on Elf, It's A Wonderful Life, The Family Stone or some variation of A Christmas Carol to get in the holiday spirit. But one of the other modern traditions we've come to accept these days is enunciating a little too hard into the Apple TV remote while asking things like, "WHERE IS THE GRINCH STREAMING?"
Since movies are being added and removed from platforms all the time, talking into a small piece of metal and plastic is often the fastest way to find what you're looking for. But it doesn't need to be that way.
This year, we're making it simple by offering a list of the classics -- the movies everyone's always searching for at this time of year -- and letting you know exactly where to find them. Save your vocal cords for caroling instead of yelling at Siri. Here's a list of 15 of the most iconic Christmas and holiday movies available on streaming in 2025. (If you're looking for Die Hard, take note, you can catch that holiday classic on Peacock.)
Peacock
MGM Television/CBS How The Grinch Stole Christmas! (1966) Boris Karloff lent his voice to the 1966 Dr. Seuss classic How The Grinch Stole Christmas as both narrator and the titular character whose name is synonymous with holiday villainy. The story about the surly Grinch, who is so bent on ruining Christmas that he steals all the gifts and decorations in Whoville, only to have a change of heart, is a classic. (If you ask us, all other adapted-to-the-screen versions don't exist.) And you can find it on Peacock.
Universal Pictures Love, Actually (2003) Richard Curtis directed the holiday rom-com Love, Actually, which features 10 interconnected stories about Londoners finding love. The film is polarizing; some people love it, while others hate it (or at least, they dislike the scene with the cue cards), but it has become a go-to for many at this time of year. The enormous ensemble includes Hugh Grant, Emma Thompson, Alan Rickman, Laura Linney, Colin Firth, Liam Neeson and dozens more.
CBS A Christmas Carol (1984) It's hard to pick a definitive version of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol to watch, but if we're talking about live-action, non-Muppet versions, the 1984 George C. Scott movie ranks high on our list. The film, originally made for television, has often been cited as one of the best adaptations of the story of the miserly, miserable Ebenezer Scrooge, and Scott was nominated for an Emmy for his performance. You can find this one on Peacock, as well as Paramount Plus.
Disney Plus
Metro Goldwyn-Mayer A Christmas Story (1983) Is there a more quotable holiday movie out there than 1983's A Christmas Story? From "You'll shoot your eye out," to "I can't put my arms down!" and "Mommy's little piggy," the movie has given pop culture so much, never asking for anything in return. Peter Billingsley stars as Ralphie Parker, whose one wish in life is to own a Red Ryder BB gun, against his parents' wishes. Meanwhile, Randy can't put his arms down, Flick's tongue is stuck to a metal pole and the Bumpus's dogs are feasting on holiday turkey. I know you know what I'm talking about. The film is one of many great classics available on Disney Plus.
Disney Home Alone (1990) Home Alone, about a young kid left home alone at Christmas who has to fend off a duo of dim-witted robbers known as the Wet Bandits, made Macaulay Culkin a star back in 1990. The film is the perfect starter-action movie for kids, and it's hilarious thanks to great comedic performances from Joe Pesci, Catherine O'Hara and Daniel Stern. In hindsight, though, I think we can all agree that the Wet Bandits weren't the true villains of the movie: that distinction belongs to Uncle Frank. You can also catch Home Alone on Hulu.
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