It’s that time of year again, and if you haven’t already been watching Christmas movies, you’re probably planning to do so very soon. There’s nothing quite like turning on a classic Christmas film for bringing the nostalgic comfort of tradition into your home and elevating your holiday spirit to the max.
Unless you happen to own all of your favorite films on DVD or VHS, however, it can be confusing to find where you can actually watch them online. If you’re wondering where to stream all of the classic Christmas movies online in 2023, we’ve got you covered.
Jump to:
The GrinchElfChristmas VacationMiracle on 34th StreetDie HardFrosty the SnowmanA Christmas StoryRudolph the Red-Nosed ReindeerHome AloneThe Santa ClauseThe Muppet Christmas CarolA Charlie Brown ChristmasIt’s a Wonderful LifeWhite ChristmasThe Nightmare Before ChristmasThe HolidayLove ActuallyJingle All the WaySanta Claus is Comin’ to Town
Where to Watch How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (1966)
If you’re wondering where to watch the original animated Grinch movie, there are a few different streaming options available. If you have a Peacock subscription, you get it free with that service, otherwise you can rent it on various platforms. See our guide to where to watch every Grinch movie for more options.
Streaming Service (Peacock)Rent/Buy (Amazon Prime Video, YouTube)
Where to Watch Elf (2003)
Elf is currently streaming on both Hulu and HBO Max. If you don’t subscribe to those streaming services, you can still rent or purchase Elf on Prime Video, Apple TV, or YouTube. See our guide on where to watch Elf for more info.
Streaming Service (Hulu, HBO Max)Rent/Buy (Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, YouTube)
Where to Watch National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989)
Christmas Vacation is currently streaming on both Hulu and HBO Max. If you don’t subscribe to that streaming service, you can still rent or purchase the movie on Prime Video, Apple TV, or YouTube. See our guide on where to watch Christmas Vacation for more info. You can also currently watch Christmas Vacation online for free using Sling.
Streaming Service (Sling, Hulu, HBO Max)Rent/Buy (Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, YouTube)
Where to Watch Miracle on 34th Street (1947)
Miracle on 34th Street is available to stream on Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, and Disney Plus right now. You can also watch it for free on Sling TV with ads. If you don’t have any of those services and don’t want ads, you can also rent it on Apple TV or Vudu.
Streaming Services (Sling TV, Peacock, Disney Plus, Amazon Prime Video)Rent/Buy (Apple TV, Vudu)
Where to Watch Die Hard (1988)
Die Hard is currently not streaming on any services, but you can still rent or purchase Die Hard on Prime Video, Apple TV, or YouTube. See our guide on where to watch Die Hard for more info.
Rent/Buy (Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, YouTube)
Where to Watch Frosty the Snowman (1969)
If you’re hoping to find Frosty the Snowman on a streaming service in 2023, you’re out of luck. You also can’t rent this classic Christmas special online, but you can buy it digitally for $7.99 on various platforms like Amazon Prime Video and YouTube. (You might as well purchase it to re-watch again and again every year, right?)
Buy (Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, Apple TV)
Where to Watch A Christmas Story (1983)
A Christmas Story is currently streaming on HBO Max right now. If you don’t subscribe to that service, you can rent the movie on Amazon or just about any other platform that allows for online film rentals. You can also catch the sequel, A Christmas Story Christmas, on HBO Max. If you don’t mind watching ads, you can actually watch the film for free via Sling TV.
Streaming Service (Sling TV, HBO Max)Rent/Buy (Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, Apple TV)
Where to Watch Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964)
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer is not available via a streaming service in 2023. You also can’t rent the film on any platform, but you can buy it digitally for $7.99 on Amazon Prime Video and various other services.
Buy (Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, Apple TV)
Where to Watch Home Alone (1990)
Home Alone is available to stream on Disney Plus right now. If you don’t subscribe to that service, you can also rent or buy the movie digitally on sites like Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, and Apple TV. Home Alone 2 is also available on Disney Plus if you’re planning to watch both classics back-to-back.
Streaming Service (Disney Plus)Rent/Buy (Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, Apple TV)
Where to Watch The Santa Clause (1994)
The Santa Clause starring Tim Allen is currently streaming on Disney Plus alongside The Santa Clause 2 and The Santa Clause 3. If you don’t subscribe to Disney Plus, you can also rent or buy it from Prime Video, YouTube, Apple TV, and various other services. You can also stream the new show, The Santa Clauses, on Disney Plus as well. (The second season is now available).
Streaming Service (Disney Plus)Rent/Buy (Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, Apple TV)
Where to Watch The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)
Arguably the best version of the classic Charles Dickens story, The Muppet Christmas Carol is currently available to stream on both Disney Plus and Hulu. If you don’t subscribe to Disney Plus right now, it’s also available to rent on Prime Video, YouTube, and Apple TV for $3.99. You can also watch the new Scrooge: A Christmas Carol on Netflix if you are looking for the latest version of this story, but this is arguably one of the best Disney Christmas movies you’ll ever watch.
Streaming Service (Hulu, Disney Plus)Rent/Buy (Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, Apple TV)
Where to Watch A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965)
A Charlie Brown Christmas is currently streaming on Apple TV Plus. If you don’t have a subscription to Apple’s streaming service currently, you unfortunately will not be able to rent it anywhere else, thanks to a deal Apple TV Plus signed with Peanuts Worldwide.
Streaming Service (Apple TV Plus)
Where to Watch It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)
It’s a Wonderful Life is currently streaming on various platforms, and is free on many of them. You can watch it on Amazon Prime Video if you have a subscription or stream it on Sling TV, Tubi, and Plex for free online. You can also rent or buy it on additional platforms like YouTube and Apple TV.
Streaming Services (Sling TV, Amazon Prime Video, Tubi, Plex)Rent/Buy (YouTube, Apple Tv)
Where to Watch White Christmas (1954)
If you want to stream White Christmas this year, you’ll be able to find it on Netflix. If you don’t have a Netflix subscription, you can also watch the film for free on Sling TV. You’ll also be able to rent it on platforms like Amazon Prime Video for $2.99 or buy it digitally.
Streaming Service (Sling TV, Netflix)Rent/Buy (Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, Apple TV)
Where to Watch The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
The Nightmare Before Christmas is currently available to stream on Disney Plus. If you don’t have a Disney Plus subscription, you can also rent or buy it digitally on Prime Video, YouTube, Apple TV, and various other services. This is one of the rare cases where one of the best Halloween movies is also a classic Christmas movie.
Streaming Service (Disney Plus)Rent/Buy (Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, Apple TV)
Where to Watch The Holiday (2006)
If you’re hoping to find this classic Rom-Com, The Holiday on a streaming service right now, you’re unfortunately out of luck. You can watch it via Lifetime or Sling TV if you have a cable subscription, but it isn’t on any of the major streaming platforms. However, you can rent or buy it digitally on Amazon Prime Video for just $2 or find it on YouTube or Apple TV for sale.
Streaming Service (TBS, TNT)Rent/Buy (Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, Apple TV)
See more of the best Jack Black movies of all time.
Where to Watch Love Actually (2003)
Love Actually is available to stream on Netflix and AMC+ this Christmas season. If you don’t have either of those available, you can also rent or buy the film digitally from Amazon and other services. You can check out our picks for the best Liam Neeson movies as well if you loved his performance in this film.
Streaming Services (Netflix, AMC+)Rent/Buy (Amazon Prime Video, Vudu, Apple TV)
Where to Watch Jingle All The Way (1996)
The classic Arnold Schwarzenegger Christmas movie, Jingle All the Way, is currently available to stream on Disney+. If you don’t happen to have a Disney+ subscription, you can still rent or buy the film from Amazon Prime Video or various other online platforms.
Streaming Service (Disney+)Rent/Buy (Amazon Prime Video, Vudu, Apple TV)
Where to Watch Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town (1970)
Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town is not available on any of the streaming services, but it is available to rent or buy. If you’re wanting to watch the classic stop-motion animated film online you will need to go through Prime Video or Vudu.
Rent/Buy (Amazon Prime Video, Vudu)
Jacob Kienlen is an SEO Specialist and Entertainment Writer at IGN. His expertise is spread across a variety of different topics—from TV series to indie games.
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