It’s that magical time of year when pajamas are considered formalwear, hot chocolate counts as a personality trait, and watching holiday movies becomes a competitive sport. Festive comedies, in particular, remind us that no matter how unhinged our own families get, there’s always a cinematic clan out there burning more cookies, embarrassing more relatives, and causing more property damage — all in the name of Christmas cheer.
Here are 12 comedy-packed Christmas movies guaranteed to brighten your watchlist (and distract you from that one strand of lights that refuses to work).
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Best. Christmas. Ever!
Charlotte (Heather Graham) dreads her overly perfect frenemy Jackie’s annual holiday newsletter, so when fate drops her family at Jackie’s doorstep, she sets out to expose the cracks in her flawless façade. Naturally, this plan snowballs into festive mayhem.
Why you should watch it: Because nothing says “holiday spirit” like trying to prove your friend is secretly a disaster.
1h 21m • 10+ • 2023
The Christmas Chronicles
Kurt Russell gives Santa swagger as two mischievous kids stow away in his sleigh and accidentally cause a Christmas-level crisis — complete with a sleigh crash, scattered presents, and a brief stint in jail.
Why you should watch it: Kurt Russell’s Santa is so charismatic you’ll briefly wonder if you should start hitting the gym.
1h 45m • 7+ • 2018
Family Switch
The Walkers think their holiday chaos has peaked… until a cosmic glitch swaps everyone’s bodies, including the baby and the dog. Yes, the dog.
Why you should watch it: It’s the only movie where the family pet might out-act the humans.
1h 45m • 7+ • 2023
Holidate
Sloane (Emma Roberts) and Jackson (Luke Bracey) agree to be each other’s holiday plus-ones all year long — a flawless plan until emotions crash the party uninvited.
Why you should watch it: It’s scientific proof that feelings are the true holiday menace.
1h 44m • 16+ • 2020
Holiday Rush
A beloved radio DJ loses his job right before Christmas, forcing his family to downsize, regroup, and bond through the chaos — with laughs and heart to spare.
Why you should watch it: It’s a comforting reminder that everyone’s finances go off the rails in December.
1h 34m • 7+ • 2019
Love Hard
Natalie (Nina Dobrev) flies across the country to meet her online crush… and discovers she’s been catfished. The real guy? Awkward. The potential romance? Complicated. The family dinner scenes? Pure comedy gold.
Why you should watch it: Because sometimes the real holiday magic is the chaotic lie we told along the way.
1h 46m • 18+ • 2021
Our Little Secret
Lindsay Lohan stars as Avery, who learns her ex and her new partner are siblings — a discovery that forces everyone into one very tense, very festive family gathering.
Why you should watch it: It’s the emotional equivalent of bumping into your ex at Target while holding bulk toilet paper.
1h 41m • 13+ • 2024
The Princess Switch
Vanessa Hudgens doubles up as a baker and a duchess who trade places and tumble into each other’s holiday romances. The sequels multiply the chaos — and Hudgens — even further.
Why you should watch it: It’s like a holiday cookie: sweet, predictable, and impossible to resist.
1h 42m • 7+ • 2018
Single All the Way
Peter convinces his best friend Nick to pose as his boyfriend to avoid family pity — but things get complicated when his mom introduces him to another potential suitor.
Why you should watch it: Jennifer Coolidge is in it. Need I say more?
1h 41m • 18+ • 2021
Christmas with the Kranks
The Kranks try to skip Christmas in favor of a tropical getaway, sparking outrage, chaos, and a full-scale neighborhood rebellion.
Why you should watch it: You’ll feel so much better about skipping your own neighborhood potluck.
1h 38m • 7+ • 2004
Hot Frosty
A competition snowman magically turns into a handsome, slightly clueless human — and promptly falls for the woman who accessorized him.
Why you should watch it: It’s the only time you’ll root for a romance where one partner used to be literal precipitation.
1h 32m • 13+ • 2024
The Merry Gentlemen
Ashley returns home broke and rallies local men to perform a Christmas-themed burlesque show to save her family’s bar — a plan that delivers accidental comedy, heart, and questionable choreography.
Why you should watch it: It proves there’s no crisis that can’t be approached with glitter and mildly embarrassing dance moves.
2024 • 1h+