The best Christmas movies on Hulu right now are Elf (with the HBO Max add-on), The Family Stone, Miracle on 34th Street, Happiest Season and Almost Christmas. Jingle All the Way is the silly one, and The Holiday is the one I would skip first. Below are seven, ranked, with who each is for.
Published November 14, 2026.
I watch family-friendly holiday movies every year, and I live in New England, where it is dark by late afternoon once December starts. That makes a good streaming queue a real piece of winter gear. Hulu is a better source for it than people expect. Its own holiday page was carrying all seven of these when I checked it today.
If you want to compare services, my lists of Christmas movies on Netflix and Hallmark Christmas movies cover the other two big shelves.
Christmas movies on Hulu at a glance
| Movie | Year | Stars | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elf | 2003 | Will Ferrell, James Caan, Zooey Deschanel | Everyone on the couch |
| The Family Stone | 2005 | Diane Keaton, Rachel McAdams, Sarah Jessica Parker | A messy, loud family night |
| Miracle on 34th Street | 1994 | Richard Attenborough, Mara Wilson | A gentle, old-fashioned evening |
| Happiest Season | 2020 | Kristen Stewart, Mackenzie Davis, Aubrey Plaza | A rom-com with an edge |
| Almost Christmas | 2016 | Danny Glover, Gabrielle Union, Mo’Nique | Big-family chaos with heart |
| Jingle All the Way | 1996 | Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sinbad | Loud, silly and short |
| The Holiday | 2006 | Cameron Diaz, Kate Winslet, Jude Law | A long, cozy house-swap romance |
Years are theatrical release years, except Happiest Season, which came out on Hulu in 2020. Hulu’s catalog rotates, so the last section shows how to check a title before you plan a night around it.
1. Elf (2003)
This is my winner, and it is not close. One catch: on Hulu, Elf plays through the HBO Max add-on, so check your plan before you promise it to the room. Jon Favreau’s comedy is 97 minutes long, which is the right length for a school night. Will Ferrell plays Buddy, a human raised by Santa’s elves who travels to New York City to find the father who never knew he existed.
I rank it first because it holds up when you have seen it ten times. The cast is deep, with James Caan as the grumpy dad, Zooey Deschanel as Jovie, and Bob Newhart as Papa Elf. It was shot partly on location in New York City, and it leans on forced perspective and stop-motion to make Buddy look oversized. Put it on when the whole room needs to agree on something. Skip it if you cannot stand Ferrell at full volume, because he never turns it down.
2. The Family Stone (2005)
Pick this one when your own holiday gathering feels a little tense. Everett Stone brings his anxious girlfriend, Meredith, home to his bohemian New England family, and the Stones do not exactly roll out a welcome mat. Diane Keaton, Rachel McAdams, Sarah Jessica Parker, Dermot Mulroney and Craig T. Nelson fill out the house.
It is funny, then it stings, and it is all the better for it. At 103 minutes it goes by fast. I like that nobody is simply the villain. It is a good movie for a grown-up crowd, and it will feel familiar to anyone who has sat at a crowded table and felt like the new person. Skip it if you want pure fluff, because this one has a lump in the middle.
3. Miracle on 34th Street (1994)
Comfort food, with a good cast. Richard Attenborough plays Kris Kringle, hired as a department store Santa after he fills in during the Thanksgiving parade. He insists he is the real thing, and his habit of sending shoppers to cheaper stores somehow turns into great marketing. Elizabeth Perkins, Dylan McDermott and Mara Wilson are in the cast too.
I like this remake more than people give it credit for. Attenborough is gentle without being syrupy, and the courtroom ending still works. It runs 114 minutes. Put it on early in December, when you want the season to feel like it has started. Skip it if you prefer the black-and-white original, and be prepared to explain yourself.
4. Happiest Season (2020)
This is the one that was made for Hulu. Clea DuVall directed, and Kristen Stewart plays Abby, who goes home for Christmas with her girlfriend, Harper, played by Mackenzie Davis. The catch is that Harper has not told her conservative family she is gay, and she asks Abby to pose as her roommate.
What makes it work is the supporting cast. Daniel Levy and Aubrey Plaza steal scenes, and Alison Brie is in the mix as well. It runs 102 minutes. It is a good pick for a date night or a night with friends. I would skip it for a quiet evening with younger viewers, since it deals with some real hurt among the laughs.
5. Almost Christmas (2016)
Put this on when you want a full house on screen. Danny Glover plays Walter, a retired engineer who is still grieving his wife and invites his grown children and the extended family home for five days. Gabrielle Union, Mo’Nique, J.B. Smoove and Kimberly Elise are all in the mix.
It is warm, loud and a bit uneven, and I mean that kindly. A family movie with this many people in one kitchen is going to wobble. The funny parts land harder than the sad parts, but the sad parts earn their place. It runs 111 minutes. Skip it if you are short on time, because it takes its time getting everyone through the door.
6. Jingle All the Way (1996)
The silliest pick here, and it knows it. Arnold Schwarzenegger plays Howard, a workaholic mattress salesman in Minneapolis who forgets the one toy his son wants for Christmas, a Turbo Man action figure. On Christmas Eve he finds every store sold out and goes head to head with Sinbad, another dad after the same toy.
It is 89 minutes and does not pretend to be more. Phil Hartman is the best thing in it. Put it on when the kids are wound up or you are wrapping gifts and only half watching. Skip it if you need a plot that holds together. It is a cartoon with real actors.
7. The Holiday (2006)
This is my most overrated pick, and I know that will annoy some readers. Nancy Meyers wrote and directed it. Kate Winslet is Iris, a London columnist, and Cameron Diaz is Amanda, a Los Angeles trailer-company owner. They swap homes for two weeks, and Jude Law and Jack Black turn up in the story.
The cozy cottage is the best character. The exterior was built in a field next to a church in Shere, because no real cottage fit what the crew needed. The problem is the length, 136 minutes, which is a lot for a romance you can see coming. Put it on for a long Sunday when nothing else is planned. Skip it on a weeknight, and skip it if you want something the whole family can share.
Pick a Christmas movie on Hulu by mood
Here is the quick version I use when the couch is full and nobody can decide.
- Everyone together, no arguments: Elf (HBO Max add-on), or Jingle All the Way on a basic plan.
- Adults only, wine in hand: The Family Stone or Happiest Season.
- Something gentle to start the season: Miracle on 34th Street.
- Wrapping gifts, half watching: Jingle All the Way.
- A whole Sunday with nothing planned: The Holiday.
How to check what is on Hulu this week
Hulu rotates its holiday shelf all season, so a title can come and go. Search the exact name in the Hulu app before you set the night aside. The same page that carries this list, Hulu’s holiday hub, also shows what is new.
More are on the way. CordCutters’ November list has A Christmas Story, Four Christmases, Fred Claus, Jack Frost, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation and The Polar Express scheduled to arrive on November 20. If you need the full season plan, our guide to Christmas movies streaming in 2026 covers every service.
Frequently asked questions about Christmas movies on Hulu
What is the best Christmas movie on Hulu?
My pick is Elf, if your plan includes the HBO Max add-on. It is short, funny, and the one title on this list that a mixed crowd will actually agree on. On a basic Hulu plan, start with The Family Stone, and Happiest Season is the runner-up if the audience is all adults.
Does Hulu have Christmas movies for the whole family?
Yes. Jingle All the Way is the easiest start on a basic plan, Elf works if you have the HBO Max add-on, and Miracle on 34th Street is a gentler choice. Check each title’s rating in the app before you press play with younger viewers, since several movies here are aimed at older audiences.
Are there any Hulu original Christmas movies?
Happiest Season is the one on this list. It was released on Hulu on November 25, 2020, and it is my choice for a night with adults and friends.
Which Hulu Christmas movie should I skip?
I would skip The Holiday on a weeknight. It runs 136 minutes, and there are shorter, funnier picks here. Save it for a long weekend afternoon.
Do Hulu Christmas movies change during the season?
They do. Hulu adds and removes titles as the month goes on, so search the movie name in the app before you plan a night around it.
If The Holiday is your December tradition and you think I have it all wrong, I would like to hear the case for it in the comments.