As Christmastime quickly approaches, family and friends are making plans for how they will spend their time during the holidays. While gathering for a delicious meal and decorating the Christmas tree sounds wonderful, what will you do with the rest of your free time?

Well, what better way to spend an afternoon or night than to watch some great holiday-themed movies and spread positivity? While plenty of classic Christmas movies and shows exist, you might be interested in watching something new. With that in mind, here are the best holiday-themed films you can watch in 2023.

Candy Cane Lane Boasts a Great Cast
Stream on Prime Video on Dec. 1

Candy Cane Lane is a Christmas comedy directed by Reginald Hudlin and starring Eddie Murphy. When a local neighborhood organizes an annual contest to see who has the best Christmas decorations, Chris Carver becomes desperate to win. So, he strikes a deal with a complete stranger named Pepper to make his house look more festive.

However, it does not take long for him to realize that he made a deal with the devil, as Pepper is an evil elf in disguise who has previously made similar deals, with his victims turning into plastic dolls. Will Carver be able to get out of this mess before it’s too late?

Candy Cane Lane Brings Something New to the Christmas Genre
Candy Cane Lane looks quite promising from the premise alone. As evidenced by House Party, Marshall, and The Black Godfather, the director, Hudlin, boasts immense experience experimenting with new concepts. As a result, it should be a one-of-a-kind film with rich context.

Stream on Prime Video

The Sacrifice Game Is a Promising Horror
Stream on Shudder & AMC+ on Dec. 8
The Sacrifice Game Release Date December 8, 2023 Rating R Runtime 90 min

The Sacrifice Game is Shudder’s new horror film starring Madison Baines and Georgia Acken. Samantha and Clara are two boarding school students who, due to a change in plans, are unable to travel home for Christmas, so they choose to celebrate it at school. Little did they expect a crazed cult of satanic followers to show up at their door to make their lives miserable. How are they going to escape this Christmas madness?

The Sacrifice Game Has Seen Good Reviews Ahead of Its Release
Following its premiere at FrightFest London, The Sacrifice Game has received some fascinating reviews. A renowned critic from Bloody Disgusting labeled the film “a slasher-like bloodletting and devilishly fun entry into holiday horrors.” It appears to be a pure horror film for horror fanatics, and it could easily become one of the best holiday horror films this year.

A Not So Royal Christmas Stars Hallmark Icons
Watch on Hallmark Channel on Dec. 2

A Not So Royal Christmas stars Hallmark regular Brooke D’Orsay as Charlotte, a journalist hoping to land her dream job at an interview with a reclusive count. However, in a surprising turn of events, the real count fled the royal family years ago, and a new employee named Adam is posing as the count to interview her. What kind of effect will this change have on Charlotte’s career?

Related 10 Hallmark Movie Tropes We Can’t Get Enough of Hallmark movies are filled with corny and cute tropes, and these are 10 we simply cannot get enough of.

Why You Should See A Not So Royal Christmas
Typically, Hallmark movies are romantic comedies aimed at female audiences, but they seldom feature a plot twist or two. However, A Not So Royal Christmas appears to set itself apart in this regard. In this royal hallmark film, there is as much potential for romantic tension between the characters as there is for the overarching storyline. The film will also be available on Peacock for 72 hours beginning Dec. 3.

Stream on Peacock

Christmas With a Kiss Is a Great Hallmark Romance Movie
Watch on Hallmark Channel on Dec. 3

Christmas With a Kiss is another exciting Hallmark movie you can watch with your partner during the holidays. The film, starring Mishael Morgan, Ronnie Rowe Jr., and Jaime M. Callica, follows a woman who returns home to aid her mother in organizing a family Christmas Carnival. However, a surprise reunion with a photojournalist sparks an unexpected romance, especially at a time when she’s ready to make serious commitments.

Christmas With a Kiss Has the Classic Hallmark Charm
Despite being nearly similar every year, Hallmark films have a certain kind of charm that drives this film. From the preview shared by Hallmark Channel, the film has a tender tone that appeals to every romance enthusiast, making it a great holiday romance film. Christmas With a Kiss will be available on Hallmark Channel on Dec. 3.

Merry Little Batman Is the Perfect Superhero Holiday Movie
Stream on Prime Video on Dec. 8
Merry Little Batman Release Date December 8, 2023 Director Mike Roth Studio DC Entertainment, Warner Bros. Animation, Warner Bros. Television

Like Kevin McCallister, who had trouble when he was alone at home in Home Alone, Damian Wayne is put in a similar situation in Prime Video’s Merry Little Batman, but instead of burglars, we have supervillains. When Batman goes on a difficult mission and leaves Damian Wayne at home alone, The Joker, along with other villains, plans to take Christmas away from everyone, and Damian is the sole hope to save Gotham City for the night.

Merry Little Batman Focuses on Damian Wayne
Although numerous Batman animated films and series are centered around Damian Wayne, the more the merrier, especially when it involves a holiday adventure featuring the iconic villain, The Joker. Aside from that, the film’s narrative is written by the creative minds of Men in Black 3 and Teen Titans Go!, Etan Cohen and Morgan Evans.

Watch on Prime Video

Round and Round Is a New Idea for Hallmark
Watch on Hallmark Channel on Dec. 8

It seems many Hallmark movies this year are rather unique, with Round and Round introducing an entirely new concept to the holiday season. Rachel (Vic Michaelis), who doesn’t have a great relationship with her parents, is trapped in a time loop, reliving the night of Hanukkah she spent with them. When she meets Zach, a nice guy set up by her grandma, she realizes that he could break this nightmarish time loop.

Round and Round’s Time Loop Should Offer Something Unique for Hallmark Movies
If you enjoy Hallmark romance movies, chances are you will delight in their typical notions in which the intimate relationship between the characters is portrayed in such a way that it reflects real life. However, it is natural to crave a change now and then, and Round and Round provides just that while maintaining the classy holiday romance feel.

The Christmas Detective Offers an Intriguing Plot
Watch on OWN on Dec. 16

Everyone has dreams, but only a few work hard enough to achieve them, and in The Christmas Detective film, Kate Bennett (Javicia Leslie) is all set to guide people on how to tackle a dream career by giving up something much more prominent.

Kate has recently come out of a pageantry career and is finally ready to pursue her dream of becoming a private investigator, but she is struggling for a variety of reasons. When she stumbles upon a robbery at an art gallery, she decides to join forces with Detective Derek and prove herself by solving the case before Christmas.

The Christmas Detective Could Be a Great Mystery for Christmastime
While The Christmas Detective isn’t particularly Christmassy, the mystery element added to the concept certainly piques many people’s interest. If you’re one of those individuals who enjoy crime mystery films with a holiday twist, you should watch The Christmas Detective.

12 Games of Christmas Combines the Holidays and Board Games
Watch on Great American Family on Dec. 17

How would you feel about watching a Jumanji-style Christmas film this holiday season? Except that the only relevant material is the board game. When a group of old friends reunites for the first time in a long time on Christmas, they are mysteriously transported into a board game that presents them with various challenges that, when cleared, will bring them closer together. What could be the mystery behind this strange phenomenon on such an auspicious day?

Related The Best Movies Based on Board Games, Ranked Most everyone has memories revolving around a favorite board game. That’s why it’s so fun to see them brought to life on the big screen.

12 Games of Christmas Should Be a Great Family-Friendly Holiday Movie
While the premise of 12 Games of Christmas may not seem particularly captivating at first glance, given the abundance of films based on the concept of board games, the addition of a family-friendly feel makes it an ideal movie to watch during the holiday season because that is when most people usually get to bond with their family and long-time friends.

A Royal Christmas Holiday Takes Viewers to New York
Watch on Great American Family on Dec. 23

A Royal Christmas Holiday is another Great American Family holiday film with a hint of romance. When an ambitious reporter named Katie (Brittany Underwood) meets an impulsive prince named Jonathan, their weird exchanges leave a bad impression on each other. But when they travel to New York over the holidays with a similar goal, an unexpected love blossoms between the odd couple.

The Director of A Royal Christmas Holiday Has Experience in the Genre
Aside from starring Brittany Underwood (One Life to Live) and Jonathan Stoddard (The Young and the Restless), A Royal Christmas Holiday is written and directed by Fred Olen Ray. He previously directed two similar holiday films, A Royal Christmas Engagement in 2020 and A Royal Christmas on Ice in 2022. Both movies were praised for being suitable for family viewing, befitting the holiday season.

A Christmas Letter Is Family Friendly Fun
Stream on UPtv on Dec. 24

A Christmas Letter is kind of an outlier among all the upcoming holiday films because it has already been released in many regions, including Canada, Serbia, and Croatia, but will be released in the United States on Dec. 24. The plot revolves around Leslie, a woman who runs an orphanage and tries to find the perfect man to complete her life, but to no avail.

When two kids from the orphanage travel to the North Pole to save their home, Leslie is forced to embark on her own adventure to save them, but she’s not alone. Tagging along with her is an apparent someone who might become the man of her dreams.

A Christmas Letter Could Take You to the North Pole
While there are plenty of films about Santa Claus, the North Pole, and Elves, there are fewer that set random people on an adventure to find the famed Santa Clauss’ location. In a sense, the film offers a quest that should be both entertaining and intriguing for children and adults alike. So, A Christmas Letter, which stars Glenda Braganza and David Lipper, might be a film you’d be interested in watching with your family during the holidays.