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The best Thanksgiving movies for families are A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving, Free Birds, Miracle on 34th Street and Winnie the Pooh: Seasons of Giving. For grown-ups, Planes, Trains and Automobiles is the classic. Here are 20 Thanksgiving movies sorted by age, with the rating for each, so you can pick one the whole table will enjoy.
Thanksgiving 2026 is Thursday, November 26. Streaming availability changes every year, so check your services that week. A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving usually streams on Apple TV+.
Thanksgiving Movies for Little Kids
Short, sweet and gentle. Put these on while the turkey is in the oven.
A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving (1973, TV special)
Peppermint Patty invites herself and her friends to Charlie Brown’s for Thanksgiving, and Snoopy and Woodstock make toast and popcorn. The one everyone watches.
The Mayflower Voyagers (1988, TV special)
The Peanuts gang sails on the Mayflower in this episode of This Is America, Charlie Brown. A good companion to the classic special.
Winnie the Pooh: Seasons of Giving (1999, G)
Pooh and friends prepare a Thanksgiving feast in the Hundred Acre Wood. It works for Christmas too.
Garfield’s Thanksgiving (1989, TV special)
Garfield is put on a diet right before Thanksgiving, and Grandma saves the day.
Mouse on the Mayflower (1968, TV special)
A Rankin/Bass special that tells the Pilgrims’ story through the eyes of a church mouse.
Turkey Hollow (2015, TV-G)
A Jim Henson Company TV movie in which two kids go looking for a monster in their aunt’s town over Thanksgiving.
Thanksgiving Movies for the Whole Family
Movies the kids and the grown-ups can both enjoy after dinner.
Free Birds (2013, PG)
Two turkeys travel back in time to the first Thanksgiving to get turkey off the menu. Kids think it’s hilarious.
Miracle on 34th Street (1947, Not rated)
It opens at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, which makes it the perfect bridge from Thanksgiving to Christmas. The 1994 remake (PG) is great too.
Squanto: A Warrior’s Tale (1994, PG)
A Disney adventure about Squanto’s life, best for kids about 9 and up.
Addams Family Values (1993, PG-13)
Wednesday’s summer-camp Thanksgiving play is one of the funniest scenes of the ’90s. For tweens and teens.
Little Women (2019, PG)
Not a Thanksgiving movie exactly, but this cozy story of four sisters is a favorite to watch after the meal. The 1994 version (PG) is just as lovely.
You’ve Got Mail (1998, PG)
A cozy New York romantic comedy set in the fall, with a memorable Thanksgiving-week grocery store scene. Easy to watch with teens and grandparents.
Thanksgiving Movies for Grown-Ups
Save these for after the kids go to bed.
Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987, R)
Steve Martin and John Candy just want to get home for Thanksgiving. The ultimate Thanksgiving comedy.
Home for the Holidays (1995, PG-13)
Holly Hunter goes home for a chaotic family Thanksgiving. Directed by Jodie Foster and painfully relatable.
Pieces of April (2003, PG-13)
Katie Holmes tries to cook her first Thanksgiving dinner for her estranged family when her oven breaks.
Hannah and Her Sisters (1986, PG-13)
A story of three sisters told across three family Thanksgivings.
Son in Law (1993, PG-13)
Pauly Shore goes home with a college friend for Thanksgiving on her family’s farm. Peak ’90s comedy.
Dutch (1991, PG-13)
A man has to drive his girlfriend’s snobby son home for Thanksgiving. Written by John Hughes.
Tower Heist (2011, PG-13)
A heist comedy that takes place during the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
Avalon (1990, PG)
A multi-generational immigrant family saga built around family Thanksgivings.
What Is the Most Popular Thanksgiving Movie?
Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987) is the most popular Thanksgiving movie for adults, and A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving (1973) is the most-watched for families. Most families watch one of the two every year.
More for Thanksgiving Week
Hosting this year? See our best hostess gifts, and check when Black Friday 2026 starts so you’re ready for the deals. When it’s time for Christmas, here are all 47 Disney Christmas movies.