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Christmas Watchlist Countdown 2022

32 days of the best Christmas movies to countdown to the day itself.

Think of this as a Christmas movie advent calendar to keep you excited through the season! In my family, Christmas begins as soon as Thanksgiving leftovers have been Tetris-packed into the fridge. Therefore, this calendar begins on Thanksgiving day!


I chose some kind of obscure and some "barely Christmas" movies for November to start us off. From there, the movies better and better leading up to Christmas day. I plan on making these movies an evening ritual with family, friends, and holiday treats :)


November

Nov. 24th (Thanksgiving Day) - Rise of the Guardians

This family-friendly animated adventure follows Jack Frost, Sandman, Santa Claus, The Easter Bunny, and the Tooth Fairy as they defend holiday magic from the evil Pitch Black.



Nov 25th - (New!) Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special

We're getting a GotG Christmas special on the 25th! Marvel fans' favorite animal-alien-human bunch travel to Earth in order to find Quill (Chris Pratt) the perfect Christmas present.


Nov 26th - The Willoughbys

This is not a Christmas movie but its central theme is about how family can be chosen, which is very Christmasy in nature. It's a feel-good animated adventure with a dreamy soundtrack (listen to "I Chose" by Alessia Cara from this movie's soundtrack).


Nov 27th - Slumberland

After her father passes away, a young girl is catapulted into a mystical realm she thought was merely a bedtime story.




Nov 28th - Happiest Season

This Hulu original came out last year and stars some of our relatable comedy faves such as Dan Levy, Aubrey Plaza, and Kristen Stewart. In this movie, Abby spends Christmas with her girlfriend who hasn't come out to her family.


Nov 29th - Lego Star Wars Holiday Special

I had to include at least one Star Wars movie in this watchlist! In this special, Rey finds herself in a battle with Darth Vader across space and time as she searches for knowledge from the past.



Nov 30th - Daddy's Home 2

Here's a comedy to end November! In this movie, father and step-father, and their fathers, battle it out to give their kids the best Christmas ever.




December

Dec 1st - How the Grinch Stole Christmas

THE GRINCH. Need I say more? Kicking off December with this classic story starring Jim Carrey. I could go on about how funny and cute this movie is but you already know.




Dec 2nd - (New!) Scrooge: A Christmas Carol

Another newbie! Scrooge: A Christmas Carol comes out on December 2nd on Netflix. This animated reimagining of the tale of Ebenezer Scrooge includes more songs, more plot, and just as many stunning visuals.



Dec 3rd - Mickey's Twice Upon a Christmas

This one's a favorite in my household for all the cozy nostalgic feels! This movie encompasses a few Christmas tales starring Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Daisy, Goofy, and the rest of the Disney crew.



Dec 4th - The Nutcracker and the Four Realms

This whimsical Christmas adventure is perfect for both kids and adults. The main character, Clara, sets off to a magical land that was built by her late mother. While there must protect what her mother built from the evil Mother Ginger.



Dec 5th- The Santa Clauses

As he nears his 65th birthday, Scott Calvin, aka Santa, begins looking for someone to fill his shoes.





Dec 6th - Home Alone 3

Alex finds himself home alone and has to outsmart home intruders on his own when his parents don't believe him. While this movie doesn't feature Kevin and the McAllisters, it's still a cute and cozy watch.



Dec 7th - Godmothered

In this flick, an inexperienced fairy godmother (Jillian Bell) wants to prove herself by reaching out to a girl (Isla Fisher) whose wish was ignored.




Dec 8th - Arthur Christmas

Santa's son, Arthur, must deliver a misplaced present to a girl two hours before Christmas day. This endearing movie is sure to make you laugh and satisfy your visual wintry desires.




Dec 9th - (New!) Guillermo Del Toro's Pinnochio (comes out dec 9 on Netflix)

While this isn't a Christmas movie, it is a new and exciting retelling of the classic story of Pinnochio. This movie comes out on the ninth of December on Netflix.



Dec 10th - Elf

This one needs no introduction! Follow Buddy the elf (Will Ferrell) as he searches for his real father in New York City.





Dec 11th - The Christmas Chronicles

Kurt Russel is Santa Claus in this Christmas Eve escapade! Two children help Santa get back on track after they accidentally cause him to crash his sleigh.




Dec 12th - (New!) Pentatonix Around the World for the Holidays

A cappella group Pentatonix, famous for their Christmas song renditions, search for inspiration from cultures around the world for their new Christmas album(which is out now). This special streams on Disney Plus on December second.


Dec 13th - The Phineas and Ferb Christmas Vacation

Another childhood favorite! In this two-part special, Phineas and Ferb build a rest stop for Santa on the roof of their house to thank him. Doofenshmirtz builds an inator to get all of Danville on the naughty list.


Dec 14th - The Claus Family

Jules, who hates Christmas, discovers that his grandpa is Santa Claus. For the first time, he's tasked with helping Santa deliver presents.




Dec 15th - The Christmas Chronicles 2

Kate and Teddy Pierce are back but as teenagers, as they are reunited with Santa. They help Santa and Mrs. Clause save Christmas from a Naughty ex-elf.





Dec 16th - Noelle

Santa Claus's daughter, Noelle, takes over the gig after Santa himself passes away and her brother backs out.






Dec 17th - The Claus Family 2

Jules gears up for another Christmas helping his grandpa Noel, but things don't go to plan when he receives a letter from a girl with a unique Christmas wish.





Dec 18th - Jingle Jangle

A black Christmas movie!!! A discouraged toymaker (Forest Whitaker) finds new hope after his granddaughter takes an interest in toymaking.





Dec 19th - A Boy Called Christmas

From one of my favorite authors, Matt Haig, comes this adorable tale of the origin of Christmas. There's a kindhearted boy, a talking mouse, a reindeer, a fairy, a magical village, and plenty of other elements that make this movie wonderful.



Dec 20th - Klaus

A postman is tasked with opening up a new post office in a town that sends no letters. Eventually, that changes when the town children begin receiving toys after writing to a local craftsman. Warning: keep your tissues close because this one's a tear-jerker!



Dec 21st - The Polar Express

Hot hot hot, hot chocolate and a magical train to the North Pole take a boy on a wonderful Christmas Eve adventure.





Dec 22nd - Home Alone

This one is holiday gold. KEVIN! accidentally gets left at home while the rest of his family goes on Christmas vacation. He fights off home intruders, decorates his house, and gets into a ton of mischief.




Dec 23rd - Jim Carrey's A Christmas Carol

In this classic tale, Ebenezer Scrooge is visited by the ghost of his late business partner, Jacob Marley, and the spirits of Christmas Past, Present, and Yet to Come.





Christmas Eve - Dr. Seuss's The Grinch

This one is my personal favorite rendition of the story of The Grinch! It's got the same story (more or less) but with beautiful graphics and a stunning soundtrack.





Christmas Day - Home Alone 2

In first place, the holiday movie to out-Christmas them all is Home Alone 2 for its festive NYC scenes and themes of friendship and childlike wonder. Of course, Kevin gets left behind again, except this time he's wound up in NYC.


 

Merry Christmas ya filthy animals!!! I hope this gave you some holiday watchlist inspo! If you've been bitten by the Christmas bug like me, you'll love some of the posts below.


If you want to see more of my day-to-day (and follow along as I watch all of these movies) you can find me on insta @ariels_view.

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