If you plan on spending the next few weeks spreading Christmas cheer, watching festive films, and soaking in the magic and the lights that exist this time of year, you’re a lot like us. There’s something extraordinary about this time of year, and we like to revel in it for as long as we can.
Right now, many of us are enjoying a long weekend after Thanksgiving and doing so by watching holiday films and festive episodes of our favorite series. To be honest, we’ve been watching Christmas movies since Halloween ended, and streaming platforms have made that a lot easier over the last couple of years.
Instead of having to record your favorite movie or purchase it a few times because we all lose DVDs, you can find your favorite holiday films across everything from Netflix and Hulu to Disney Plus and HBO Max.
HBO Max has added and is continuing to add a slew of Christmas movies for fans to enjoy as the countdown until Santa’s arrival draws closer. From animated films to comedies and, of course, romance stories that will warm your heart — you’ll find everything you need right here.
Here are a few of our top picks for HBO Max watch options this holiday season.
Scooby-Doo! Haunted Holidays
When Scooby and the gang enjoy a holiday parade, they soon discover sinister happenings all around them. From an abandoned clock tower to an evil snowman, they’re in over their heads, and they’ve got to find out a way to save the Christmas season. When they find a toy store to investigate the strange things going on around them, they discover the owner who clues them in on more of the haunted history of the store and the clock tower.
With time not on their side and a snowman coming after them, they’ve got to figure out the mystery. The gang is in luck when a staple to Christmas arrives and helps them discover that the sinister snowman is someone they least expected.
Four Christmases
The holiday season is a great time for togetherness, but have you ever just wanted to skip it all and get away somewhere tropical for the holidays? The main couple in Four Christmases — Brad and Kate, set to do just that when their plans are foiled. Instead, the pair spend Christmas day going between four holiday celebrations to visit various family members.
What happens next is a wake-up call for Brad and Kate, who had decided marriage and children weren’t in the cards for them. As they spend the holiday going between houses, they’re hit with different emotions, but they’re both led to the same conclusion; maybe what they’ve been avoiding all along is exactly what they needed.
Will Brad and Kate split up after the stressful holidays, or will it bring them closer together than ever before? You can stream Four Christmases on HBO Max and find out.
Black Christmas
If you’re looking to add a little horror to your holiday, Black Christmas has you covered. The festive horror film follows a group of young adults as they gear up for holiday parties and decking the halls. Soon, a trail of victims clouds the Christmas cheer and festivities, and a group of friends has to make a big decision. Do they fall prey to the cloaked holiday killer, or do they stand up and fight back? On top of that, why exactly is a masked madman killing these students during the most beautiful time of the year anyway?
You’ll have to watch Black Christmas and find out, and it’s a must-watch if you’ve not seen it yet — or even if you have. While we love an excellent light-hearted festive movie, we can’t get enough of holiday horror either.
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation
In National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, Clark Griswold is dead-set on having the most perfect Christmas ever. He tries to recruit his family into spending the holiday achieving perfection, and, of course, things begin to go awry immediately. The Griswold’s soon discover that perfection and Christmas don’t live in the same house, from trouble at work and with family to issues with that so-called perfect tree and light display.
Even if perfection isn’t achieved this time around, they find that family and togetherness are most important. You can buy decor until your pockets are empty, but the true joy and happiness of the season come from being with those you love.
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation is also one of those holiday films that will keep you laughing the whole way through, and it’ll be a movie you want to revisit with your family and friends for years to come.
My Gift: A Christmas Special from Carrie Underwood
Carrie Underwood first stole our hearts on American Idol, and she’s continued to do so in her ventures since. Her voice is incredible, she sings songs beautifully, and she’s got a holiday special for you to enjoy with your friends and loved ones this year.
My Gift: A Christmas Special from Carrie Underwood is available on HBO Max and gives fans a look into her Christmas album called My Gift. The HBO Max special showcases special performances and sweet moments that went into making her holiday album, including a heartwarming performance with her son, Isaiah. This special will be the perfect addition to an evening with friends or family alongside baked goods and cocoa.
Here are more festive watch options for holiday film fans on HBO Max.
A Christmas Story
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation
A Christmas Story 2
Miracle on 34th Street (1994)
The Polar Express
Elf
Deck The Halls
Jack Frost (1998)
Elmo Saves Christmas
Fred Claus
Christmas Eve on Sesame Street
A Dennis the Menace Christmas
Holiday Affair
8-Bit Christmas
Gremlins
Miracle On 34th Street (1947)
It Happened on 5th Avenue
12 Dates of Christmas
A Christmas Wedding Tail
Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol
Elmo Saves Christmas
Have you already watched any of these holiday films this year? Do you plan to stream any of them on HBO Max soon? Don’t forget to grab some hot cocoa and your favorite cozy blanket before you do — they make every Christmas movie more memorable.