HBO Max unlocks access to a wide library of content, including plenty of Christmas movies. Here’s a roundup of the best festive movies available to stream on HBO Max over the holidays.
Best Christmas Movies To Watch On HBO Max
This list is ordered alphabetically and not necessarily in order of the ones we think you should watch first.
8-Bit Christmas
Family/Comedy | 1h 37m
Released in 2021, 8-Bit Christmas takes place in both the 2020s and the 1980s, and tells the story of how far a group of kids will go to secure the ultimate gift – a Nintendo Entertainment System.
A Christmas Carol
Family/Fantasy | 1h 9m
Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without A Christmas Carol and the 1938 adaptation of Charles Dickens’ story is one of the more popular versions. Follow along as Ebenezer Scrooge tries to make it through the night after receiving a visit from the ghost of his former business partner Jacob Marley.
A Christmas Story
Family/Comedy | 1h 34m
A Christmas Story has become a classic Christmas movie and one that continues to be popular today. Little Ralphie wants just one thing for Christmas – a Red Ryder Carbine Action Air Rifle.
A Christmas Story Christmas
Comedy/Drama | 1h 38m
After you’ve watched (or rewatched) A Christmas Story, you might want to consider checking out A Christmas Story Christmas. Now an adult, Ralphie turns his attention to making Christmas for his own kids a magical one.
Christmas with the Kranks
Family/Comedy | 1h 34m
After years of making Christmas about their daughter, Luther and Nora decide to skip Christmas this year and head off on a cruise instead. However, those plans quickly fall into disarray when their daughter suddenly decides she is coming home for the holidays.
Elf
Family/Comedy | 1h 30m
Even though he has spent most of his life growing up in the North Pole, Buddy is not a real Elf. In an attempt to understand exactly who he is, and where he comes from, Buddy travels to the bright lights of New York City.
Gremlins
Horror/Comedy | 1h 46m
While some might not consider Gremlins to be a Christmas movie, we do, and one well worth watching at this time of the year.
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation
Comedy/Family | 1h 37m
If you’re traveling to spend Christmas with family and friends this year, hopefully it goes smoother than it does for the Griswolds in National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. A must-watch at this time of the year.
The Polar Express
Family/Adventure | 1h 39m
It’s Christmas Eve and a young boy suddenly finds himself on a magical adventure to the North Pole on the Polar Express. The train couldn’t have come at a better time, as the young boy is beginning to question the very existence of Santa Claus.
Shazam!
Action/Comedy | 2h 12m
If superhero movies are more your thing, Shazam! is definitely one to consider this Christmas. The movie centers around 14-year-old Billy Batson who gains the ability to transform into an adult superhero.
More Christmas Movies To Stream On HBO Max
If none of the movies listed above are filling you with Christmas cheer, the following festive movies are all also available to stream on HBO Max.
- A Christmas Mystery (2022)
- A Christmas Open House (2022)
- A Gingerbread Christmas (2022)
- A Hollywood Christmas (2022)
- Batman Returns (1992)
- The Christmas Showdown (2025)
- Holiday Harmony (2022)
- One Delicious Christmas (2022)
- The Shop Around the Corner (1940)
- Very Merry Mystery (2025)
New to Max?
If you’re new to Max and hoping to check out some of these Christmas movies, the streaming service has three subscription tiers to choose from.
The cheapest is the $10.99/mo ‘With Ads’ plan. As this is an ad-supported plan, subscribers can expect to sit through ads before and during content.
The cheapest way to watch without ads is the $18.49/mo Ad-Free plan. HBO Max also offers a $22.99/mo Ultimate Ad-Free tier that unlocks access to 4K playback (on supported titles), Dolby Atmos support, and the ability to watch on more devices at the same time.
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