Now that December is officially here, it’s time to start decorating a tree, lighting candles with pine scents, and shopping for gifts if you haven’t already felt the Christmas spirit. If all that seems like too much work, all’s not lost. You could easily create a festive atmosphere in your home by curling up with some great Christmas movies.

If you’ve already used your Springbok login to enjoy some festive-themed slots on your favorite online casino and are looking for something fun to keep up the Christmas spirit, here are some top holiday films to stream on Netflix, Hulu,  Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV+, and other streamers in 2023.

1. It’s a Wonderful Life

It’s not easy to turn a movie about a suicide attempt into a joyful family favorite, but Frank Capra and James Stewart, who played the lead roles, succeeded admirably in It’s a Wonderful Life. This poignant fantasy story is perfect for this time of year, and it’s widely regarded as one of the best films ever made. It tells the story of how people impact others’ lives through their own.

2. Home Alone

Nothing is more quintessentially Christmas-like than the film Home Alone, which tells the story of Kevin McCallister, a little boy who inadvertently gets abandoned during his family’s holiday trip. It’s all fun and games until the clumsy burglars, played by Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern, become embroiled in an explosive feud with Kevin (Macaulay Culkin).

3. The Naughty Nine

Andy discovers he’s been added to the naughty list when he wakes up on Christmas morning and finds no gifts under the tree. With the promise of receiving the gifts he believes he is owed, Andy assembles a talented group of mischievous kids to carry out a successful theft at the North Pole. But as time goes on, the youngsters start to understand that Christmas is more about sharing than receiving.

4. National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation

National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation captures the joy and suffering of Christmas better than any other contemporary holiday film. The movie is humorous but also captures the heartbreaking truth of living with other relatives, having unpleasant neighbors, and being let down by the strange gifts you receive on Christmas Day.

Chevy Chase and Beverly D’Angelo reprise their roles as the Griswold matriarchs; Rusty is played by Big Bang Theory’s star Johnny Galecki, and Juliette Lewis plays Audrey. The 97-minute film, directed by Jeremiah S. Chechik, is one for the books.

5. Die Hard

Is there anyone who still refutes that Die Hard is a Christmas movie? If you’re one of them, that still doesn’t detract from the amazing action movie that is Die Hard. In this movie, Bruce Willis plays John McClane, a police officer. In the movie, McClane attempts to free his spouse and other captives at a Christmas celebration that is overrun by terrorists from Germany.

6. The Man Who Invented Christmas

The title of The Man Who Invented Christmas may be overly flattering to Charles Dickens (Dan Stevens). But Dickens did have a significant influence on how people all over the world observe the holidays. That is the extent to which Dickens’ A Christmas Carol has influenced society over the past 180 years.

This great Christmas movie dramatizes the life of Charles Dickens. Even if Dickens is forced to reevaluate his story and his relationship with his own family, the feelings that the images of Scrooge and other characters from A Christmas Carol evoke are real.

7. Family Switch

Seventh on this list is a classic, body-switching comedy about a family. Jennifer Garner, Ed Helms, Brady Noon, and Emma Myers feature in this Netflix film directed by McG. It centers on a family that feels overburdened in the days leading up to Christmas.

Naturally, that disoriented feeling sets off some astrologer’s magic. When they awaken, parents and kids have switched bodies on a day when they are supposed to be attending a college interview or trying out for a job promotion. It is an adaptation of Amy Krouse-Rosenthal’s book Bedtime For Mommy.

8. A Charlie Brown Christmas

To this day, A Charlie Brown Christmas, which debuted in 1965, is still watched by millions annually. Even though the animation is outdated and the film is more than fifty years old, it’s still quite endearing and a great way for anyone to get into the Christmas spirit.

Additionally, this oldie is funny! Who can forget Snoopy’s antics or Lucy’s foolish advice to poor Charlie? Without being overly preachy, A Charlie Brown Christmas appeals to nostalgia for a “simpler time.”

9. A Christmas Tale

In the 2008 comedy-drama A Christmas Tale, Desplechin directs Catherine Deneuve, a French star, and an amazing ensemble of supporting players. The movie, which centers on a family celebrating Christmas after discovering the matriarch had leukemia, is a story of unparalleled dysfunctionality.

A scathing look at the bonds that bind humans, A Christmas Tale is morbid, cynical, and brutally funny. With a strong performance by Deneuve, the movie tackles the more challenging aspects of family relationships and offers a novel perspective on a well-known cliché. A Christmas Tale has an incredibly cynical and unforgiving ending, yet it’s not inherently depressing.

Final thoughts

Nothing puts you in the festive spirit quite like a good Christmas movie. If you don’t know what to watch this holiday season, these nine excellent films are a good place to start.