The Best Holiday Movies on Peacock: From Christmas Classics to Animated Hits

We're officially in the thick of the holiday season, and that means all the usual activities. People are baking, wrapping gifts, putting up decorations, and when all that's done, kicking back on the couch for some holiday classics on their favorite streaming service. 

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If it's your turn to relax with some seasonal favorites, Peacock has you covered with its "Season's Streaming" section, a one-stop shop for all things holiday from competition shows to TV specials to Hallmark movies. There's so much that you could keep watching well into the New Year, but if you're looking for the best of the best, there are a few very clear highlights. Let's take a closer look at the best holiday movies you can stream on Peacock right now.

The Best Holiday Movies to Stream on Peacock

Dr. Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas (1966)

If you're looking for a straight-up Christmas classic, the original TV adaptation of Dr. Seuss' beloved tale of the Grinch is a great place to start. The animation, overseen by the legendary Chuck Jones, is timeless, and the narration by Boris Karloff will put you in the Christmas spirit in its own, slightly spooky way. Plus, it's quick enough that the kids can watch it and still be done by bedtime, with a wonderful holiday message in their heads.

Watch it here on Peacock!

The Grinch (2018)

Love The Grinch but want a modern update? Illumination's 2018 re-imagining of the classic Seuss tale, starring Benedict Cumberbatch as the title character, is the deep dive into the world of the Dr. Seuss that you're looking for. It retains the same delightful visuals and warm holiday message of the original, but adds new characters, new situations, and a comedic throughline that the kids will definitely appreciate whether they're 2 or 22.

Watch it here on Peacock!

Miracle on 34th Street (1947)

Christmas movies don't get much more classic than this one. A holiday tradition for nearly 80 years, Miracle on 34th Street is the timeless tale of a mysterious stranger who becomes Macy's department store Santa (Edmund Gwenn), winning over an entire city, an entire nation, and one very important family in the process. Gwenn remains the standard by which all other movie Santas are measured, and the film's ending will leave everyone in the family feeling warm, toasty, and ready for Christmas morning.

Watch it here on Peacock!

Miracle on 34th Street (1994)

If you're going to remake a film as incredible as Miracle on 34th Street, you need to bring something special to the table. Fortunately, the John Hughes-written update to the original 1947 film is definitely something special. Though Macy's is substituted for the fictional Cole's department store in the newer version, it features the same classic story of a department store Santa (Richard Attenborough in an astonishing performance) who claims to be the genuine article, and changes the whole of the city in the process. It's a film that ventures into sacred holiday territory, and succeeds beautifully.

Watch it here on Peacock!

Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas (1977)

Long before The Muppet Christmas Carol, there was Emmet Otter and his family, trying to win a talent show with their own home-grown instruments in a talent show against electric bands who stand a better chance. It's been nearly 50 years, and it's still a heartwarming, adorable, hilarious, wonderful reminder of everything the Muppet performers could achieve even without the biggest characters in the company, and if you still haven't seen it, this is the perfect time.

Watch it here on Peacock!

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It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie (2002)

The first Muppet TV movie, and the last Muppet project produced before Disney acquired the Jim Henson Company, It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie is a reminder of the cultural dominance of Muppets every time they're given a little room to run. Set in the Muppet Theater at Christmas time, the film follows the Muppets as they try to save their theater from foreclosure with a Christmas show, and blends that classic plot device with an homage to It's a Wonderful Life. It's not the most famous, or even the second most-famous, Muppet Christmas show, but if you're a fan of these characters, you won't want to miss it.

Watch it here on Peacock!

The Family Man (2000)

If you're looking for something a bit more grown-up, perhaps to watch when the kids head to bed, you can always revisit The Family Man, a 2000 holiday fable starring Nicolas Cage as a successful, yet lonely, businessman who gets a helpful glimpse into the life he could have had if he'd made somewhat different choices. Cage is wonderful in the leading role, Tea Leoni is great as the love of his life, and Don Cheadle makes a charming appearance as an angel. It's a modern It's A Wonderful Life in some truly fulfilling ways.

Watch it here on Peacock!

I'll Be Home for Christmas (1998)

If you're a '90s kid, then you remember that Jonathan Taylor Thomas was everywhere in that decade, and that includes Christmas films. This bite of holiday nostalgia stars Thomas as a college student who's promised his father's classic Porsche if he can make it all the way across the country to be home in time for Christmas dinner. The problem? He traded in his airline tickets, and now he has to embark on the road trip of a lifetime. A holiday comedy with distinctly '90s vibes, it'll take you back to peak JTT.

Watch it here on Peacock!

Mixed Nuts (1994)

The legendary Nora Ephron contributed this Christmas comedy to the holiday canon, and it's the perfect antidote for when you're tired of the same old stuff and you're looking for something with a little bit of an edge to it. Set on Christmas Eve in California, the film follows a group of misfits as they try to make it through a very wild evening involving an ex-con, a suicide prevention hotline, a fruitcake, and more. A dark comedy with a killer ensemble cast led by Steve Martin, it's a Christmas film for when the overly sweet stuff just isn't doing it for you.

Watch it here on Peacock!

Rise of the Guardians (2012)

Let's be clear about something up front, just in case people get confused: The holiday Rise of the Guardians centers around is actually Easter, but that doesn't matter when the film spends so much of its time focusing on epic fantasy versions of Santa Claus and Jack Frost. This DreamWorks Animation effort, based on William Joyce's beloved children's books, follows Santa, Jack Frost, the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy, and the Sandman, as they try to save the world from a nightmarish monster, and if you've watched all the same Christmas cartoons over and over again this year, it's exactly the change of pace you're looking for.

Watch it here on Peacock!