Don’t bother searching for It’s a Wonderful Life, Miracle on 34th Street, Rudolph, Frosty, or A Charlie Brown Christmas on Netflix streaming—they’re not there. But there are a few classics ready for instant viewing, along with a few other not-classic-but-still-pretty-solid offerings to keep you in the Christmas spirit. Santa Paws 2: The Santa Pups did not make the list.
1. White Christmas: Bing Crosby leads the way and sings the famous song in this classic from 1954. This was the first film released in VistaVision, the wide-screen process developed by Paramount that used twice the surface area of standard 35mm film.
2. The Polar Express: This modern day Christmas classic uses CGI to tell the tale of a Santa-skeptical boy and his journey to the North Pole. Using Tom Hanks’ voice as Santa might be the only misstep in this gem.
3. National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation: Here’s the one for dad. The Griswolds run into their typical series of mishaps and rude relatives as Clark (Chevy Chase) slowly loses it. “Christmas Vacation” by Mavis Staples is a great song that needs to be played more this time of year.
4. The Nightmare Before Christmas: It might not be your typical holiday fare, but sometimes that’s just what needed for a little break from the cutesy stuff. Tim Burton’s ’93 animated film focuses on Jack Skellington’s kidnapping of Santa Claus.
5. Love Actually: OK, so if there’s a woman in your life, you’re probably gonna have to endure at least one sappy chick flick set during the holidays. Might as well make it the one with the decent soundtrack.
6. Charlie Brown’s Christmas Tales: OK, so this isn’t the cherished one from 1965, but if you want more holiday Peanuts, this will do nicely. There’s also I Want a Dog for Christmas, Charlie Brown.
7. Mickey’s Magical Christmas: This one features a handful of different stories, but it’s at its coolest in between the tales when everyone under the Disney umbrella is snowed in together. Ariel, the Beast, and Donald Duck sharing cocoa. Ahh, warmth.
