The 7 best Netflix holiday movies to watch, from a secret Santa con to a crime caper

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Netflix must have a fairly big budget for twinkle lights.

Recently, this streaming service has been making holiday movies that are similar to Hallmark films – feel-good and visually appealing. They often cast popular actors like Lindsay Lohan to draw in audiences, but they also focus on creating interesting stories, not just relying on famous names.

Netflix’s upcoming 2025 shows capture the current mood with a mix of realistic struggles and luxurious lifestyles. Expect stories about people going to extreme lengths for money, Gen X couples deciding to separate, and a millennial leaving the corporate world for a fresh start in Europe – similar to the popular show ‘Emily in Paris’.

Like most holiday movies, the story ends with everyone living happily ever after – and that’s exactly how we want it!

Television

As your guide to all things TV, let me help you navigate the overwhelming amount of holiday programming available this year. I’ll cut through the clutter and point you toward what’s worth watching from the comfort of your couch.

Okay, so as a total movie and TV buff, I’ve been checking out what’s new to stream this season, and I wanted to share some recommendations! There are a bunch of fresh releases, and I also rediscovered some older favorites that are just perfect for getting you in a happy mood. Basically, I’ve got you covered for some great viewing!

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Best Santa con: ‘My Secret Santa’

The story starts with a wonderfully silly idea: Taylor, a determined single mom working hard to afford her daughter’s snowboarding lessons, pretends to be Santa Claus at a fancy ski resort. While disguised with a fake beard, a Santa suit, and a new name (“Hugh Mann”), she unexpectedly connects with Matthew, the resort’s attractive manager.

Dear reader, “My Secret Santa” took me by surprise.

Breckenridge and Eggold have fantastic chemistry on screen, and the witty writing gives them plenty of opportunities to shine. Taylor playfully delivers down-to-earth advice while pretending to be Santa, questioning children’s Christmas wishes with humor – like asking one, “Where would you even put a pony? It’s going to make a mess!” Meanwhile, disguised as “Hugh,” Taylor secretly guides Matthew, who is completely unaware that this advisor is the same intriguing woman he met in a record store and can’t get out of his head. He has no idea what’s really going on.

Suspend your disbelief! This is a love story that touches the heart and lifts the spirit.

Television

As a big fan of “Virgin River,” I was really interested to hear how they put together those holiday episodes that finish up season five. Apparently, the showrunner and one of the set designers recently talked about all the work that went into getting everything just right for the festive episodes. It sounds like a lot of planning and effort went into creating that cozy, holiday vibe we all love!

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Best way to live vicariously through Minka Kelly: ‘Champagne Problems’

Can’t travel to France for Christmas? Enjoy a glass of sparkling wine, get comfortable, and watch Kelly’s charming movie – I think of it as a delightful trip to Paris!

In the movie, Kelly plays Sydney Price, a driven American businesswoman trying to buy Chateau Cassell, a famous Champagne producer in France. The night before her important presentation, she meets Henri Cassell (Tom Wozniczka), a charming poet, while browsing a cozy bookstore. He offers to show her around Paris, and she soon discovers a surprising connection: his family actually owns the vineyard she’s hoping to acquire.

Get ready for some funny moments, a little bit of heartache, and plenty of sweet glances. The movie features beautifully decorated homes that feel like they’re straight out of a Nancy Meyers film. While Kelly isn’t quite as comedic as Cameron Diaz in “The Holiday,” she’s a charming and down-to-earth lead. Her co-star, Sean Amsing, brings the laughs as Roberto, a fun-loving character who jokes that his knowledge of France comes entirely from the movie “Ratatouille.”

I could totally picture someone telling that joke at a party. Actually, that’s exactly what watching this movie feels like – being at a lively, enjoyable party, and everyone’s invited!

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Most entertaining crime caper: ‘Jingle Bell Heist’

Just a month after a daring robbery at the Louvre museum made international news, Netflix released a new show about a jewelry heist. The timing is coincidental, but the show taps into the public’s current interest in these kinds of crimes. In the series, Sophia (Olivia Holt) and Nick (Connor Swindells) plan to rob a high-end London department store, hoping to raise money for Sophia’s mother’s cancer treatment.

Holt and Swindells have great chemistry as partners, but the movie’s forced romantic subplot doesn’t quite work. Despite that, it’s exciting to watch them try to outsmart a system that favors the wealthy while ignoring those who truly need help.

Whoever stole from the Louvre should return Empress Marie Louise’s tiara, and all the other important historical items, undamaged. As Indiana Jones famously said, “That belongs in a museum.”

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Best Gen-X divorce plot: ‘A Merry Little Ex-Mas’

Most heartwarming holiday movies don’t center around a divorcing couple, but this film is different – it tackles that unusual storyline.

Alicia Silverstone and Oliver Hudson star as a divorced couple approaching their fifties, with two children and a long history of hard feelings. Kate, played by Silverstone, wonders if she made a mistake giving up her promising career as an architect in Boston to follow Everett (Hudson) to Vermont, where he’s become a successful doctor. But when he introduces Kate to his new, stylish girlfriend, it’s obvious there are still strong feelings between the exes. Over the course of an hour and a half, they have to figure out if they want to try and rebuild their marriage or finally go their separate ways.

Silverstone shines in a role that feels personal, mirroring her own work as an environmental activist. Her smile is captivating, and it begins to change how Everett views his wife, making him appreciate her before it’s too late.

Television

Oliver Hudson and Jameela Jamil were drawn to the Netflix holiday movie because of its cast, which included popular actresses from the 1990s like Alicia Silverstone and Melissa Joan Hart.

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Most festive addition to the ‘Lohanaissance’ collection: ‘Falling for Christmas’

While Criterion hasn’t added any of Lindsay Lohan’s films to its collection yet, if they do, her 2022 movie “Falling for Christmas” deserves to be included.

The popular actress stars as Sierra Belmont, a wealthy hotel heiress who loses her memory after a ski accident. Chord Overstreet plays Jake, a kind, widowed father who discovers her unconscious and brings her to the hospital. He then offers her a place to stay at the cozy inn he runs.

Sierra quickly connects with Jake’s daughter, Avy, and helps revitalize the bed and breakfast. It’s delightful to see Lindsay Lohan bring her charm to a holiday story, and she seems to have found the perfect role as a romantic lead who comes to life as the holidays approach. By December, she’s fully embracing the festive spirit, decorating with mistletoe and enjoying warm, spiced wine.

Fans of Lindsay Lohan, and those who appreciate quality films, should check out “Our Little Secret” (2024). The movie follows Lohan’s character as she navigates a Christmas celebration with her new boyfriend’s family, complicated by the unexpected arrival of a past love.

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Guiltiest pleasure: ‘Hot Frosty’

Last year, “Hot Frosty” quickly gained a dedicated following. Everyone, even people who usually dislike everything, found themselves watching the story of a handsome snow sculpture coming to life.

Dustin Milligan plays Jack Snowman, a charming and innocent newcomer who unexpectedly turns the lives of those around him upside down. He quickly captures the heart of Kathy (Lacey Chabert), who runs a cafe and has been feeling down. Plus, he manages to cheer up the whole neighborhood by fixing a leaky roof—and showing off his impressive physique while doing it. It’s no surprise he doesn’t mind the cold!

It’s refreshing to see a skilled actor like Milligan embrace a fun, lighthearted role in a movie geared towards women without worrying about it being a less prestigious project. He clearly recognizes the appeal of entertaining films like “Hot Frosty,” and more actors should be willing to do the same.

See also: Chad Michael Murray in “The Merry Gentleman” and Pierson Fodé in “A Merry Little Ex-Mas.”

Television

The popular actor, known from his teen idol days, is in a new holiday movie on Netflix. Filming involved a lot of dancing and showing off his impressive physique.

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Most nostalgic: ‘Meet Me Next Christmas’

I remember going to the movies around Christmas in the 1990s and seeing Denzel Washington in “The Preacher’s Wife” and Mara Wilson in “Miracle on 34th Street.” Both films really captured the classic New York City feeling of the holidays – gentle snowfall, busy streets, and people bundled up in coats, carrying shopping bags. It felt like looking at old postcards.

If you’re looking for a feel-good holiday movie, look no further than “Meet Me Next Christmas” (2024) – it’s still my favorite from Netflix! Christina Milian is fantastic, bringing a lot of energy and charm to her role as Layla, a hopeful romantic who’s determined to get to a sold-out Pentatonix concert in New York City on Christmas Eve. It’s a really popular event! She made a connection with a handsome man named James (Kofi Siriboe) in an airport lounge the previous year, and they agreed to try and find each other at the concert if they were both still single.

Layla’s life is a bit messy, but she finds more joy in the experiences along the way than in reaching her goals. She discovers that the most valuable things often come as surprises.

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2025-12-03 14:02