For every classic Christmas movie, there are 10 more you’ve never heard of. It’s true. In the decades you’ve spent rewatching A Year Without a Santa Claus, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, and Home Alone, hundreds (upon hundreds) of new holiday movies have been released. With the 2022 holiday season upon us, it’s literally impossible for you to catch every one you’ve missed, but you can start with this season’s new releases.
Mark your calendars for the 16 most buzz-worthy new Christmas movies of 2022, below.
Falling for Christmas
Falling for Christmas is Lindsay Lohan’s long-awaited return to the screen, the first fruits of her two-picture deal with the streamer. Lindsay plays a newly engaged heiress who, after suffering a ski accident, is diagnosed with amnesia and left in the care of a handsome lodge owner (Chord Overstreet) and his daughter.
Santa Camp
If you're looking for less of a rom-com and more of a documentary, HBO Max has a new film called Santa Camp. It features a bunch of rookie Santas as they gather together for a "Santa school," all thanks to the New England Santa Society. (Yes, it's a thing!)
The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special
For those of us who want to Marvel-fy the holidays, Disney+ dropped a new Guardians of the Galaxy iteration specifically designed for holly and jolly times. The crew spends the special trying to cheer up Star-Lord for Christmas, and it's ADORABLE.
The Noel Diary
In his first project post-This Is Us series finale, Justin Hartley stars in another of Netflix’s new holiday films, The Noel Diary. The film follows a man who returns home on Christmas to settle his late and estranged mother’s estate.
Christmas With You
This new movie follows a holiday version of the Hannah Montana: The Movie plot: a burnt-out pop star finds love and inspiration in a small town. The movie stars Dexter’s Aimee Garcia and Freddie Prinze Jr.
Scrooge: A Christmas Carol
Another new take on Charles Dickens’ classic A Christmas Carol, this animated film hits Netflix on December 2. You’ll notice a few familiar voices in this film, which stars (the voices of) Jessie Buckley, Luke Evans, Olivia Colman, and Jonathan Pryce.
WATCH ON NETFLIX HERE
Dolly Parton's Mountain Magic Christmas
Swap "holly and jolly" for "holly and DOLLY," if you know what I mean. Dolly Parton herself leads this TV musical special that first aired on NBC, but if you missed it, Peacock has it streaming now (thank goodness).
Violent Night
Violent Night is a dark comedy for the holidays, starring Stranger Things’s David Harbour alongside Beverley D’Angelo, Cam Gigandet, and John Leguiziamo. David plays Santa Claus in this R-rated movie, who steps in to save the day when a wealthy family is held hostage by a group of mercenaries.
Spirited
Two Dickens adaptations in one year, aren’t we lucky? Spirited stars Ryan Reynolds as Scrooge in a musical version of A Christmas Carol. It also stars Will Ferrell and Octavia Spencer, and it's available on Apple TV+ and in theaters.
A Holiday Spectacular
The Hallmark Channel’s Rockettes film debuts as part of the network’s Countdown to Christmas programming! A Holiday Spectacular takes place in 1958 and follows a Philadelphia heiress who puts her high-profile wedding plans on hold to pursue her one true dream: dancing as a Rockette in the Christmas Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall, of course!
A Christmas Story Christmas
One of four new holiday movies hitting HBO Max this year, the Christmas Story sequel 39 years in the making is finally available to stream. The film follows a now-adult Ralphie returning to Cleveland Street to give his kids the magical Christmas he experienced as a child.
Holiday Harmony
Starring Brooke Shields, Annelise Cepero, and Jeremy Sumpter, Holiday Harmony follows a singer-songwriter who finds herself in the small town of Harmony Springs, Oklahoma when her cross-country trip to fame runs off the rails.
A Christmas Mystery
Another small town holiday flick for HBO Max, A Christmas Mystery follows the lore of Santa’s bells. As the story goes, 100 years ago a strip of Santa’s bells were discovered by a child in Pleasant Bay, Oregon, bringing with it a century of good luck and prosperity to the town. But when the town realizes the bells are missing just days before Christmas, it’s up to a group of curious children to find them.
A Hollywood Christmas
The fourth HBO Max holiday film, A Hollywood Christmas, will follow a young filmmaker who has made a name for herself by making Christmas movies. Her movie is threatened by a Scrooge-like (yet handsome) network executive, and the young filmmaker finds herself trying to save both Christmas and her Christmas film. They always say Hollywood loves movies about Hollywood, even during the holidays!
Christmas Full of Grace
When Carlinhos learns his girlfriend is cheating on him right before they were supposed to go home for the holidays together, he improvises...by taking a total stranger instead. This holiday romance stars Gkay, Sérgio Malheiros, and Vera Fischer.
Your Christmas or Mine?
You'll recognize Asa Butterfield from Sex Education in this holiday movie, which features him and Cora Kirk playing a couple who accidentally splits up and gets stuck with each other's families for Christmas.