After working hard all year, a Christmas or holiday movie marathon is an excellent way to at least relax and get in the holiday spirit. After all, one of the best micro-luxuries of the holidays is an evening of heartwarming movies, hot chocolate and chill. So what are the best new holiday movies and TV specials this year? Our round-up of the best new 2023 Christmas and holiday movies and TV specials to watch and stream for this year’s movie marathon.
What are the best new Christmas holiday TV specials and movies of 2023?
There’s nothing quite like a Christmas movie. Whether it’s the childlike wonder, the fairytale sets, or the way wishes always see to come true in the end – they have everything we need in order to feel it really is the most wonderful time of the year. There’s nothing like cozying up with a mug of hot cocoa and settling in for two hours of pure, holiday bliss. Unless its curling up with a Christmas holiday novel, or nonfiction book about Christmas, with some new Christmas holiday music for a soundtrack – all of which we cover in other posts . . .
And lucky for us, we’ll never have to worry about not having enough of them. Every year, dozens of new Christmas movies are released, ranging from the “so-bad-it’s-good” to the actually excellent.
The best new Christmas holiday movies and TV shows of 2023.
If you’re having trouble deciding where to start your holiday watch party, here are eight recent releases we recommend for this year’s winter escapism.
What are the best new Christmas holiday movies of 2023?
1. Candy Cane Lane
This Amazon original stars Eddie Murphy and is based on the classic Christmas holiday movie plot of competing to have the best decorations on the block. However, this dad does not do the hard work of decorating his home himself. Instead, he signs a contract with an elf to create the best house on his street. Will it be the best house? And what exactly are the underlying rules of this contract?
2. A Christmas Frequency
What is it about the holidays that makes us want to find true love? A Christmas Frequency follows a common plot of how the main character’s marriage collapsed and she is set up on multiple blind dates. Will she meet someone to fall in love with again? Watch to find out on Hulu or YouTube.
3. Dashing Through the Snow
This Disney+ original helps us believe in the holiday magic even more. It is about a dad and his daughter who are celebrating Christmas Eve together when all of a sudden they hear a sound from the chimney…a man claiming to be “Nicholas Sinterklaas”. This man, Nick, needs their help and eventually restores the holiday magic.
4. EXmas
In this Freevee original, the two main characters, Ali and Graham, are ex-fiancés. Ali doesn’t miss Graham but does miss spending time with his family. When Graham can’t go home to celebrate Christmas with his family, Ali makes a plan to celebrate with them. A plot twist occurs when Graham decides to surprise his family, walks through the door, and sees Ali. Guess what happens next?
5. Family Switch
Need a little bit of comedy this holiday season? Family Switch is exactly what it sounds like. A family wakes up one morning not feeling like themselves. You find out that the parents and children have swapped bodies and to make things worse, on a busy day with important meetings and interviews. A must-watch on Netflix this holiday season!
6. Claus Family 3
If you’re looking for a movie that’s fun for the whole family, we highly recommend the third installment of The Claus Family. For those who have not seen the first two movies, it begins with a holiday-hating teenager who finds out that he is related to Santa Claus in the North Pole. Claus Family 3 continues this plot, but this time the yearly delivery of gifts goes amiss and the children have to help out to save Christmas.
7. Best. Christmas. Ever!
Best. Christmas. Ever! is the perfect Netflix movie to watch for anyone who has ever experienced envy over the holiday season. Two friends from college, Charlotte and Jackie, exchange holiday letters every year and this year Charlotte is filled with envy on how Jackie’s life seems perfect. To make matters worse, the two families decide to spend the holidays together at Jackie’s house and Charlotte is determined to prove that Jackie’s life is not what it seems. A must-watch this holiday season.
8. Genie
In this Peacock movie, Melissa McCarthy plays a genie who is summoned to help out a man who lost his job and is on the verge of losing his family as well. She grants him wishes and guides him throughout the movie to help him rediscover the magic of the holiday season and help him win his family back.
What are the best new 2023 Christmas holiday TV specials and movies?
Those are our top picks of the best new television specials and movies for the 2023 Christmas holiday season. Pop the popcorn, put on your comfy sweats, and prepare to binge-watch! What’s at the top of your list? Happy holidays, dear reader!
