MY 2019 HOLIDAY STREAMING GUIDE: 5 newly released Christmas specials for all your holiday needs
- Courtney Hayes
- Dec 2, 2019
- 4 min read
Every year, a flurry of new Christmas movies and television specials are released to get people into the holiday spirit. Giving them a try doesn’t always seem so appealing when there are already so many classics you’re sure to re-watch and love. That’s why this season I’ve waded through the streaming services and collected myself a handful of worth-a-watch Christmas cheer. Read on to find out what new releases are worth getting cozy with this Christmas!
1. KLAUS (Netflix)
Klaus is one of the best new animated Christmas films I’ve seen since the days of watching Rudolph and Frosty with a mug of hot chocolate after a long day of elementary school. This movie has charm, nostalgia, and insight all wrapped together with a neat little bow. It’s a reimagining of the Santa-as-a-toymaker story we’ve probably all seen before, but the animation is beautiful, the dialogue is original, and the story is magical. The voice cast is great and the characters are sure to be family favourites. It’s also really funny and has enough action to keep all ages entertained.
Watch if: you love non-Christmas fare like The Emperor’s New Groove, you’re nostalgic for a classic Christmas story
Watch when: it’s Christmas Day and everyone is opening presents, when you need a family friendly movie that everyone will enjoy
2. THE KACEY MUSGRAVES CHRISTMAS SHOW (Amazon Prime)
Kacey Musgraves’ soft, silky voice is perfect for a holiday special that feels straight out of the 50’s, but with a lot more sparkle and shine. The sets are amazing, the songs are amazing, and though Kacey’s acting is campy, it fits the tone of this vintage Christmas concert. The special is packed with beautiful duets and bits of comedy. You’ll get to see some of your favourite stars and hear some new songs as well as Christmas classics. Musgraves exudes charm and glamour and she’s the perfect person to want to have on your television during the holidays. And when you’re too busy to watch TV, you can listen to an entirely audio version on Spotify.
Watch if: you love Christmas music (and don’t mind some country twang), you want to see a literal Christmas wonderland on your television
Watch when: you’re decorating the Christmas tree, wrapping presents, or having a family game night
3. MERRY HAPPY WHATEVER (Netflix)
This one is a bit different from the others on the list. Netflix has done something new with Merry Happy Whatever because it’s not a Christmas movie or special. Rather, it’s an entire season of a TV show that takes place around the holidays as the Quinn family gathers to celebrate. It’s perfect for watching something slowly with family as it brings back the feeling of watching Christmas episodes of your favourite sitcoms. But it’s also perfect for a long binge when you want something even longer than a movie. I think Netflix is using their streaming powers for good on this one by innovating the types of television that can be made, since people tend to watch entire seasons of them in a short period of time. In Merry Happy Whatever, you will love the outlaw in-laws, the family comedy, and the general antics of holiday tension without going through that tension yourself.
Watch if: you love Christmas episodes of your favourite shows, you love family sitcoms like Home Improvement, or you also have a deathly fear of your in-laws
Watch when: you’re in the mood for something you can watch over the course of a few days or you want something you can binge with your family while you laugh about their (and your) holiday traditions
4. LET IT SNOW (Netflix)
Based on the novel by Maureen Johnson, John Green, and Lauren Myracle, this movie is a teen coming of age story packed with life lessons and heartfelt adolescent romantic drama. It’s fantasy bliss (like a famous musician coming to town and having to stay at your house to hide from fans) but with wonderful teachable moments, like how not everything ends with a perfect happy ending, but that doesn’t mean you can’t still find happiness. It’s a hopeful, festive movie starring some of the best up-and-coming talent in Hollywood. Teens and adults alike can get joy from taking part in this Christmas Eve party. And the best part? It’s not over-glamourized or materialistic and shies away from over-representing social media culture. It may be a modern story, but it feels like a classic.
Watch if: you have teens (or you are a teen), you’ve read the novel when you were younger and want to see these wholesome stories told anew
Watch when: it’s Christmas Eve and you’re sitting by the fire while drinking all the hot cocoa your body can take
5. THE KNIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS (Netflix)
Netflix has its fair share of Hallmark-esque romantic movies without a lot of depth or engaging dialogue, but with lots of wholesome, happy fun. The Knight Before Christmas is like this but it also reminds me of the Disney Channel Christmas movies of old, so I couldn’t help but put it on this list. Blame nostalgia—and Vanessa Hudgens. It has enough action to keep you watching, enough romance to make your heart feel lighter, and it has the ambiance of a well-decorated Christmas cookie. It’s one of those feel-good Christmas films that you won’t regret watching, even if it’s on in the background.
Watch if: you just want to feel good and you’re a sucker for happy endings
Watch when: you’re cooking Christmas dinner or getting through some Holiday baking, you need a cute Christmas movie to watch solo, or you and the family need something light to watch as everyone is arriving for the holidays
So, have you already checked out anything on this list? Do you think there are some 2019 holiday gems that I’m missing out on? Let me know in the comments!
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