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The best Disney Christmas movies for families are The Santa Clause, The Muppet Christmas Carol, Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmas, Noelle and Home Alone. Below is the complete list of 47 Disney Christmas movies and specials, from the animated classics and Disney Channel Original Movies to the newest Disney+ releases, sorted so you can pick the right one for your kids’ ages.
Most of these stream on Disney+, especially in December, though availability changes. Use the sections to find the right movie fast: the animated picks are best for preschoolers, the DCOMs are perfect for tweens, and the classics are for when the whole family is on the couch.
Want just the nostalgic ones? See our list of Disney Christmas movies from the ’90s and 2000s.
The Santa Clause Franchise (Where to Start)
If you only watch one Disney Christmas series this year, make it this one. Start with the original and work your way to the Disney+ series.
The Santa Clause (1994)
Tim Allen accidentally becomes Santa after a Christmas Eve mishap. The movie that defined Christmas for a generation of millennial kids.
The Santa Clause 2 (2002)
Scott Calvin has to find a Mrs. Claus before Christmas Eve or lose his job as Santa. Lots of North Pole fun.
The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause (2006)
Jack Frost (Martin Short) tries to take over Christmas. The silliest of the three, which kids love.
The Santa Clauses (series) (2022)
The Disney+ series brings Tim Allen back as an aging Santa looking for a successor. Two seasons, great for binge nights.
Animated Disney Christmas Movies
The cozy, all-ages picks. These are the safest bets for little ones and the ones grandparents remember too.
Mickey’s Christmas Carol (1983)
Scrooge McDuck stars in a 26-minute take on Dickens. Short enough for the youngest viewers and a true classic.
Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas (1997)
A Christmas-set story that takes place during the original film, with Belle bringing the holiday back to the castle.
Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmas (1999)
Three short holiday stories starring Mickey, Donald, Goofy and the nephews. A staple for millennial moms.
Winnie the Pooh: Seasons of Giving (1999)
Pooh and friends learn about giving thanks and the holidays in this gentle, sweet movie for toddlers.
Mickey’s Magical Christmas: Snowed in at the House of Mouse (2001)
Mickey and friends snowed in at the club, watching their favorite holiday cartoons together.
Winnie the Pooh: A Very Merry Pooh Year (2002)
Pooh and friends ring in Christmas and the new year in the Hundred Acre Wood.
Mickey’s Twice Upon a Christmas (2004)
The CGI follow-up to Once Upon a Christmas, with five new holiday stories.
Disney’s A Christmas Carol (2009)
Jim Carrey plays Scrooge in this motion-capture version. Beautiful, but some scenes are scary for young kids.
Prep & Landing (2009)
Elves who prepare homes for Santa’s visit. A short TV special that many families watch every year.
Prep & Landing: Naughty vs. Nice (2011)
The sequel, with the elves racing to stop a hacker from ruining Christmas.
Toy Story That Time Forgot (2014)
A Pixar holiday special where the toys get trapped in a dino-themed playset.
Olaf’s Frozen Adventure (2017)
Olaf goes looking for holiday traditions for Anna and Elsa. A short, sweet Frozen add-on.
Mickey Saves Christmas (2022)
A stop-motion special in which Mickey and friends help Santa when Christmas is in trouble. Perfect for preschoolers.
Mickey and the Very Many Christmases (2024)
Pluto wishes it could be Christmas every day, and it comes true. A newer Disney+ special for little kids.
Disney Channel Original Christmas Movies
The DCOMs we watched after school in December. Pure nostalgia for moms, and they still hold up for tweens.
The Ultimate Christmas Present (2000)
Two girls steal a weather machine from Santa and accidentally bury Los Angeles in snow.
‘Twas the Night (2001)
A teen and his uncle take Santa’s sleigh for a joyride on Christmas Eve. Starring Bryan Cranston.
Good Luck Charlie, It’s Christmas! (2011)
The Duncans’ road trip to Palm Springs goes sideways. A must for anyone who grew up on the show.
Christmas… Again?! (2021)
A girl relives Christmas Day over and over until she learns what really matters.
Live-Action Disney Christmas Movies
The family comedies and the classics. Most of these work for kids about 6 and up.
Babes in Toyland (1961)
The original Disney holiday musical, set in a whimsical Mother Goose world.
Ernest Saves Christmas (1988)
Ernest P. Worrell helps Santa find his replacement in Orlando. A cult classic.
The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)
Michael Caine and the Muppets in what many people consider the best Christmas Carol ever made.
The Preacher’s Wife (1996)
Whitney Houston and Denzel Washington in a warm holiday romance with an incredible soundtrack. Best for adults and teens.
I’ll Be Home for Christmas (1998)
Jonathan Taylor Thomas has to get home from college by Christmas Eve to win his dad’s Porsche.
Eloise at Christmastime (2003)
Eloise causes chaos at the Plaza Hotel during the holidays. Julie Andrews plays Nanny.
A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa (2008)
The Muppets try to deliver lost letters to Santa before Christmas.
The Nutcracker and the Four Realms (2018)
A lavish fantasy retelling of the Nutcracker, with Keira Knightley and Morgan Freeman.
Noelle (2019)
Anna Kendrick plays Santa’s daughter, who has to find her brother and save Christmas. A Disney+ original.
Godmothered (2020)
A fairy godmother-in-training (Jillian Bell) tries to help a single mom (Isla Fisher) at Christmastime.
Home Sweet Home Alone (2021)
A Disney+ reboot of the Home Alone idea with a new family and new traps.
The Naughty Nine (2023)
A group of kids on the naughty list plans a heist on Santa’s workshop. Fun for ages 8 and up.
Dashing Through the Snow (2023)
Ludacris plays a dad who meets the real Santa on Christmas Eve. A Disney+ original.
Disney Dog Christmas Movies
The talking-puppy movies kids ask to watch on repeat.
Snow Buddies (2008)
The Air Bud puppies end up in Alaska and enter a dogsled race.
Santa Buddies: The Legend of Santa Paws (2009)
The Buddies head to the North Pole to save Christmas magic.
The Search for Santa Paws (2010)
A prequel that tells the story of how Santa Paws came to be.
Holiday Classics Now From Disney (20th Century Studios)
Disney now owns these classics, and they usually stream on Disney+ in December.
Home Alone (1990)
Kevin is accidentally left behind at Christmas and defends the house from burglars. Required viewing.
Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992)
Kevin ends up alone in New York City at Christmas. Just as good as the first.
Jingle All the Way (1996)
Arnold Schwarzenegger chases down the year’s hottest toy on Christmas Eve. Very relatable for holiday shopping season.
Ice Age: A Mammoth Christmas (2011)
A short animated special in which Sid accidentally breaks Manny’s Christmas rock.
Short Disney Christmas Cartoons
Under 30 minutes each, great for a quick holiday treat before bed.
The Night Before Christmas (1933)
A Silly Symphony short based on the classic poem.
Pluto’s Christmas Tree (1952)
Chip ‘n’ Dale move into Mickey’s Christmas tree, and Pluto is not happy about it.
The Small One (1978)
A boy has to sell his beloved donkey, which ends up carrying Mary to Bethlehem.
Once Upon a Snowman (2020)
Olaf’s origin story, set during the events of Frozen.
LEGO Star Wars Holiday Special (2020)
Rey goes on a time-travel adventure while her friends prepare a Life Day celebration.
Which Disney Christmas Movies Are Best for Toddlers?
For toddlers and preschoolers, start with Mickey’s Christmas Carol, Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmas, Winnie the Pooh: Seasons of Giving, Mickey Saves Christmas and Olaf’s Frozen Adventure. They’re short, gentle and have no scary villains. Save Disney’s A Christmas Carol and The Nightmare Before Christmas for older kids.
Is The Nightmare Before Christmas a Christmas Movie?
It’s both a Halloween and a Christmas movie. The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) follows Jack Skellington from Halloween Town as he discovers and tries to take over Christmas, which is why so many families watch it in October and again in December. It’s on our Disney Halloween movies list too.
Make It a Movie Night
Turn it into an event with matching family pajamas and hot cocoa. For the Disney fans, the Pottery Barn Mickey and Friends holiday collection is worth a look this year.