Family Friendly Christmas Movies to Watch With Your Kids This Holiday

With Christmas drawing near, the things that make this winter season so special for your kids is nothing short of magic – magic that you parents have tried very hard to bring to life. The smell of pine wafting in the living room, freshly baked cookies on the table-top, and all the rushed gift-shopping is a full-time job on its own.

Even if things go awry, there’s little failure in spending an hour or two with the whole family grubbing on festive snacks watching a light-hearted movie to pass the time. So, ho-ho-hold on to the remote and choose from The Beat Asia’s top picks for Christmas flicks for you and your kids to enjoy. You could even count down from our list in the days winding up to Christmas Day!

‘The Grinch’

Dr. Suess’s “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” is a wonderful comedy-fantasy tale of a grouchy misanthropic green creature who was born with a heart ‘two sizes too small’. Re-imagined by many creatives over the years for its timelessness, there are now many film adaptations to choose from to share with your kids. Most recently, Benedict Cumberbatch plays the mean-spirited Grinch in the 2018 animated version of “The Grinch”.

In all retellings, the titular Grinch grows tired of the Christmas festivities in Whoville, plotting to destroy their merry spirits as the day finally rolls around. As he grows closer with young Cindy Lou, he slowly begins to learn the true meaning of Christmas, eventually saving it, in his own roundabout way.

Where to watch: YouTube, Amazon

‘Rise of the Guardians’

As one of DreamWorks Animations final films, “Rise of the Guardians” is an underrated book to film adaptation centred around the mischievous spirit of winter, Jack Frost. Unknown and not believed to exist by modern-day children, Jack is suddenly appointed by the Moon to fight off an ominous threat along with the other Guardians, namely, Nicholas St. North, E. Aster Bunnymund, Toothiana, and Sandy the Sandman.

As the children of the world are plagued with nightmarish dreams, they lose faith in the legends that used to bring them year-round joy. It’s up to the Guardians to renew the children’s beliefs and empower them to stand up to their fears.

Where to watch: Netflix, YouTube

'Klaus'

This heart-warming Oscar nominated film caused huge upset when it lost to Toy Story 4 in 2019, and unjustly so, as the cult following will tell you. Klaus is a labour of love, made wildly apparent in the gorgeous 2D animation style that only works to support the beautifully written alternate origin story.

Set in 19th century Norway, the spoiled son of the Royal Postmaster General, Jesper Johansen, is tasked to post 6,000 letters in the northern Island of Smeerensburg as punishment for underperforming. Realizing that a township feud has stopped the circulation of letters altogether, he joins forces with a reclusive woodsman to change the town forever.

Where to watch: Netflix

'The Polar Express'

Chris Van Allsbury’s 1985 children’s book of the same name was made into a computer-animated fantasy adventure film in 2004, quickly becoming a perennial film shared year after year. It’s layered, more adventurous world, allows children to explore the legend of Santa in a way that stays above the usual cliches and mindless merriment.

On Christmas Eve, a young boy is woken by the chug of a large steam passenger train parked right outside his home in the Grand Rapids, Michigan. Invited to board the train all the way up to the North Pole, the boy reluctantly agrees – having an adventure worth a thousand lifetimes.

Where to watch: Netflix

'Scrooge: A Christmas Carol'

Charles Dickens’ ageless ‘A Christmas Carol’ is a timeless classic, told for generations. With many film adaptations available online (and surely more to come), the legend of the unpleasant Ebenezer Scrooge facing the ghosts of his past, present, and future teach us a life-long lesson about altruism and redemption.

In the newest 2022 Netflix adaptation, ‘Scrooge: A Christmas Carol’, the darker themes from the original telling are supplemented with musical numbers to tell the supernatural, time travelling story of how Scrooge eventually comes to see the wrongs in his ways.

Where to watch: Netflix

'Home Alone'

Heralded as ‘the best Christmas movie of all time’ in the YouTube movie trailer comments, there’s obviously no argument to be had over influence this film has had on billions of strangers on the internet. A family comedy without the family, this movie is a full of 90s charm and slapstick comedy that still tickles your funny bone in the 2020s.

When the McCallister family takes off for their Christmas is Paris, eight-year-old Kevin is left all alone in his big family home in the Chicago suburbs. After reports of a pair of house burglars reaches his neighbourhood, he uses his cunning and talent for booby traps to drive the outlaws away from his home.

Where to watch: Hulu, Disney+

'The Nightmare Before Christmas'

From Tim Burton’s fun-loving macabre directorial style is an oddball choice for this list. No doubt the children have not forgotten the fun of dressing up for a night of Halloween trick-or-treating, which makes this film a doubly festive matinee to tie the two well-loved festivals together.

In Halloween Town, “Pumpkin King” Jack Skellington grows tired off the same old Halloween festivities and accidentally discovers the other holiday-themed worlds. Stumbling straight into the neighbouring Christmas Town, he vows to study Christmas and take over the necessary roles and jobs that make Christmas, Christmas.

Where to watch: Disney+

'Arthur Christmas'

This over a decade long animated film takes another stab at an alternate reimagination of the Claus tradition. This time, the one night a year miracle of delivering presents is a family affair.

In a long lineage of ‘Santa’ Clauses, the patriarch of the Claus family carries on the tradition of gift-giving to all the children of the world. The current Santa, Malcom Claus, heads into his 70th mission, and must soon decide his successor. His options? His incredibly capable business oriented eldest son, Steven, or his clumsy yet good-natured youngest, Arthur.

Where to watch: Netflix