There’s nothing worse than endlessly scrolling through Netflix trying to find something to watch, especially at Christmas. It becomes even more difficult if you’re able to spend the holidays with family: there’s just no pleasing everyone.
Fortunately, we’ve got you covered. Our (almost) definitive guide to the new Netflix’s Christmas Originals should hopefully make the choosing process a little easier.
First, a word about the logic used in this list. All content is sorted by IMDb score. We’re not saying this is the definitive measure, it’s just that almost every show had an IMDb score, but not a Rotten Tomato score. Where possible, we’ve added in the Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer (critics’ score) and audience score to help you make a more informed decision.
No disrespect intended to Wonderoos: Holiday Holiday!, Ashley Garcia: Genius in Love: Christmas, or The Big Show Show: Christmas. They’re not necessarily the worst Christmas Originals this year: it’s just that they don’t have any IMDb or Rotten Tomatoes ratings (yet).
1. Dash & Lily
IMDb Score: 7.5 – Tomatometer – 100% – RT Audience Score: 83%
Opposites attract at Christmas as cynical Dash and sunny Lily trade messages and dares in a red notebook they pass back and forth across the city. Based on the popular YA novels.
2. The Holiday Movies That Made Us
IMDb Score: 7.2
Spinoff to the popular series, The Movies That Made Us. This one takes a look at modern Christmas classics Elf, and The Nightmare Before Christmas.
3. Angela’s Christmas Wish
IMDb: 6.9 – RT audience score: 80%
Animated movie-short sequel to the 2017 Irish movie, Angela’s Christmas. A young girl is determined to bring her family together for Christmas, no matter what it takes. Based on a short story by acclaimed Irish author, Frank McCourt.
4. Sugar Rush Christmas
IMDb: 6.8
It’s everything you love about Sugar Rush, with a holly jolly twist in this Christmas-themed spin on competitive baking.
5. Dance Dreams: Hot Chocolate Nutcracker
IMDb: 6.7
Shondaland brings us a fresh take on the traditional Christmas ballet with this behind-the-scenes documentary movie about Debbie Allen’s Hot Chocolate Nutcracker: a reimagining of the classic ballet featuring Black dancers.
6. Tudo Bem No Natal Que Vem / Just Another Christmas
IMDb: 6.7 – RT audience score: 81%
A Christmas movie from Brasil. Grinchy Jorge takes a fall on Christmas Eve, and wakes up in his own festive “Groundhog Day”.
7. Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey
IMDb: 6.5 – Tomatometer: 90% (Certified Fresh) – RT audience score: 75%
Produced by musician, John Legend. A toymaker and his granddaughter construct a magical invention which, if they can get it to work in time for the holidays, could change their lives forever. Parts of this one were filmed in Norwich, England: hometown to several of the WON team.
8. Alien Xmas
IMDb: 6.2 – Tomatometer: 100% – RT audience score: 86%
Charming stop-motion animated movie short about an alien attempting to disrupt Christmas by stealing the earth’s gravity.
9. Holidate
IMDb: 6.1 – Tomatometer: 44% – RT audience score: 41%
Being single over the holidays sucks. Two strangers decide to be each others’ plus ones in this holiday rom-com, but of course, they end up catching feelings.
10. A California Christmas
IMDb: 6 – RT audience score: 54%
With his carefree lifestyle on the line, a wealthy charmer poses as a ranch hand to get a hardworking farmer to sell her family’s land before Christmas.
11. The Christmas Chronicles 2
IMDb: 6 – Tomatometer: 72% – RT audience score: 53%
Sequel to the 2018 Christmas hit, The Christmas Chronicles. Kurt Russell boots up as Santa Clause again with Christmas once again under threat from a new source.
12. Dragons: Rescue Riders: Huttsgalor Holiday
IMDb: 5.9
A Christmas special from Dragons: Rescue Riders (the spin-off to How to Train Your Dragon). Snowfall marks the start of Odinyule — the Viking holiday of giving! But crazy weather might cancel the tradition unless the Rescue Riders can swoop in.
13. Operation Christmas Drop
IMDb: 5.8 – Tomatometer: 47% – RT audience score: 41%
Holiday special about a political aide falling for an Air Force pilot.
14. Holiday Home Makeover with Mr Christmas
IMDb: 5.7
Interior designer, Benjamin Bradley (AKA Mr Christmas) provides much-needed home makeovers just in time for the holidays in this new reality series.
15. A Trash Truck Christmas
IMDb: 5.5
Christmas special from the Trash Truck gang. When Hank finds out that Trash Truck doesn’t know what Christmas is, he sets out to show him and their friends what the magical holiday is all about. And luckily for Santa, the friends are up to speed just in time to help save Christmas.
16. A Go! Go! Cory Carson Christmas
IMDb: 5.4
Christmas special for kids, featuring everyone’s favorite animated car…
17. Captain Underpants Mega Blissmas
IMDb: 5.4
Animated addition to the Captain Underpants franchise. Harold and George love Christmas, but they decide it needs an upgrade. Instead, they create Blissmas.
18. The Princess Switch: Switched Again
IMDb: 5.3 – Tomatometer: 64% – RT audience score: 40%
The sequel to one of the most popular Hallmark-style Christmas movies from recent years. A duchess switches places with a regular woman who looks just like her. Will love blossom in time for Christmas?
19. Dolly Parton’s Christmas on the Square
IMDb: 5.2 – Tomatometer: 64% – RT audience score: 54%
Another collab between Netflix and Queen Dolly. This movie tells the story of Regina: a rich woman who inherits most of the land in her small hometown. However, some of her plans aren’t very Christmassy…
20. Chico Bon Bon and the Very Berry Holiday
IMDb: 4.6
Animated special featuring everyone’s favorite monkey with a toolbelt
21. Super Monsters: Santa’s Super Monster Helpers
IMDb: 4.6
Animated children’s special, this time featuring your favorite little monsters.
22. Mighty Express: A Mighty Christmas
IMDb: 4.3
Animated Christmas special featuring plenty of trains.
23. Wonderoos: Holiday Holiday!
No ratings
Animated Christmas special. An adventurous and lovable team of clever young creatures play, grow, laugh, learn and sing together in colorful Zoo York City.
24. Ashley Garcia: Genius in Love: Christmas
No ratings
Christmas special from YA series, Ashley Garcia. A teenage scientist, Ashley moves across the country to work for NASA and ends up living with her football coach uncle.
25. The Big Show Show: Christmas
No ratings
Christmas special from the now-canceled The Big Show Show. Netflix is rounding out the series with one final episode from WWE star, the Big Show.
What will you be streaming over Christmas? Let us know in the comments below.
