Wherever you are, I hope you are enjoying your holiday and having a good time with your family and loved ones. If you are looking for a good movie to watch with your kids during the holidays, the list below features some amazing options. These are all holiday movies for kids that have received higher positive ratings by viewers on platforms such as Amazon Prime Video.
The movies are not in any particular order, though I must admit that I did place Happy New Year, Charlie Brown atop of the list because it is my favorite of them all. I watched it numerous times and it is always as fulfilling as the first time I watched it. I am also a huge fan of the hilarious Jim Carrey and I love his movie How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Go through the list and pick the one that suits your kids. Cuddle up and enjoy!
1. Happy New Year, Charlie Brown! (1986) (G)
Ring in the new! Some things, however, don’t change with a turn of the calendar page…Charlie Brown still has homework to do on the night of Peppermint Patty’s big New Year’s Eve party. Will he finish War and Peace in time to land a dance with the Little Red-Headed Girl at the party?
- Directors: Sam Jaimes, Bill Melendez
- Starring: Chad Allen, Kristie Baker, Melissa Guzzi
2. Pet the Cat, (2017) (All)
Based on the New York Times #1 best-selling children’s books, Pete the Cat is a fun, musically driven series about exploring your world and trying new things; while being smart, accepting, and optimistic. Whether you’re making new friends, or facing all of life’s ups and downs, Pete highlights the groovy lessons life can teach you.
3. Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas, (2000) (PG)
“Jim Carrey brings Dr. Suess’ holiday-hating heel to gloriously sinister life in this effects-filled adaptation of the classic story.”
- Directors: Ron Howard
- Starring: Jim Carrey, Jeffrey Tambor, Christine Baranski
4. Trolls Holiday, (2017) (NR)
“You can’t stop the music with DreamWorks’ Trolls Holiday! Trolls Holiday, a 26 minute special, includes 3 bonus episodes! Bonus episodes include, DreamWorks Home Adventures with Tip & Oh: “Sant-Oh” (12 mins) and “Snow Day” (12 mins) and DreamWorks Dawn of the Croods: “A Gran Day Out” (24 mins).
Directors: Joel Crawford
Starring: Anna Kendrick, Justin Timberlake, Zooey Deschanel
5. Sonic the Hedgehog 2, (2022) (PG)
“The world’s favorite blue hedgehog is back! Dr. Robotnik returns, this time with help from Knuckles, in search of a powerful emerald. Sonic, along with his new sidekick Tails, embarks on a journey to stop Dr. Robotnik’s plans before it’s too late.”
- Directors: Jeff Fowler
- Starring: James Marsden, Tika Sumpter, Natasha Rothwell
6. Minions: The Rise of Gru (2022) (PG)
“Teenage Gru joins forces with Kevin, Stuart and Bob to defeat the Vicious 6 in an adventure featuring spectacular action and the franchise’s signature subversive humor.”
- Directors: Kyle Balda, Brad Ableson, Jonathan del Val
- Starring: Steve Carell, Pierre Coffin, Taraji P. Henson
7. Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009) (7+)
“Mr. and Mrs. Fox live a happy home life with their eccentric son Ash and visiting nephew Kristopherson. That is until Mr. Fox slips into his sneaky, old ways and plots the greatest chicken heist the animal world has ever seen.”
- Directors: Wes Anderson
- Starring: Bill Murray, Owen Wilson, Willem Dafoe
8. DC League of Super-Pets (2022) (PG)
“When Superman and the rest of the Justice League are kidnapped, Krypto the Super-Dog forms a rescue team of superpowered shelter pets.”
- Directors: Jared Stern, Sam Levine
- Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Kate McKinnon
9. The Muppet Christmas Carol, (1992) (G)
“The Muppet’s rendition of Charles Dickens’ classic tale puts a unique twist on a favorite holiday story.”
- Directors: Brian Henson
- Starring: Michael Caine, Steve Whitmire, Frank Oz
10. Clifford the Big Red Dog, (2021). (PG)
“A young girl’s love for a tiny puppy named Clifford, makes the dog grow to an enormous size.”
- Directors: Walt Becker
- Starring: Jack Whitehall, Darby Camp, Tony Hale
11. Wild Kratts: creatures of the Deep Sea (2021) (G)
“Aboard Aviva’s newly designed Deep Sea Explorer, the Wild Kratts team ventures to the last creature frontier -the Deep Sea. The challenges of the deep are many, and when ultimately they are forced to make a decision, the Wild Kratts must decide what is truly important.”
- Directors: 9 Story Entertainment
- Starring: Chris Kratt, Martin Kratt, Jonathan Malen
12. The Peanuts Movie (2015) (G)
“Laugh along with Charlie Brown, Snoopy and the rest of the beloved Peanuts gang in this brand-new feature film from the imagination of Charles Schulz and the creators of Ice Age!”
- Directors: Steve Martino
- Starring: Noah Schnapp, Alex Garfin, Hadley Miller
13. Ratatouille, (2007) (G)
“In one of Paris’ finest restaurants, Remy, a determined rat, dreams of becoming a renowned French chef. Torn between his family and his true calling, Remy and his pal Linguini set in motion a hilarious chain of events.”
- Directors: Brad Bird
- Starring: Patton Oswalt, Ian Holm, Lou Romano
14. Rudolph’s Shiny New Year, (2016) (7+)
“Baby New Year has run away from Father Time and Santa has sent Rudolph after him. The future of Christmas is riding on Rudolph’s success”.
- Directors: Arthur Rankin Jr., Jules Bass
- Starring: Red Skelton, Morey Amsterdam, Frank Gorshin
15. The Year without a Santa Claus (1974), (7+)
“At the North Pole, the Christmas rush is on. Everyone from elves to reindeer are merrily preparing for Santa Claus’s yearly sleigh ride.”
- Directors: Arthur Rankin Jr., Jules Bass
- Starring: Mickey Rooney, Shirley Booth, Dick Shawn
16. The Polar Express, (2004), (All)
“On Christmas Eve, a young boy embarks on a magical adventure to the North Pole on the Polar Express, while learning about friendship, bravery, and the spirit of Christmas.”
- Directors: Robert Zemeckis
- Starring: Tom Hanks, Michael Jeter, Nona Gaye
17. Frosty the Snowman, (1969) (13+)
“Discover how everyone’s favorite happy, jolly soul came to life one day in the original holiday special, Frosty the Snowman!”
- Directors: Arthur Rankin, Jr., Jules Bass
- Starring: Billy De Wolfe, Jackie Vernon
18. Winnie the Pooh A Very Merry Pooh Year, (2022), (G)
“On Christmas Eve, Winnie the Pooh is having trouble setting up his Christmas tree. Pooh slips and falls, and breaks a shelf holding a present he made for Piglet. When Piglet suddenly arrives, Pooh desperately searches for a new hiding place for the present (since the broken shelf can no longer stay up) as more of his friends arrive at the door.
- Directors: Ed Wexler, Gary Katona
- Starring: Jim Cummings, Peter Cullen, John Fiedler
