TV writer picks 10 of the best Christmas films for kids including U rated
Christmas is only days away, which means many mums, dads and kids will be taking a well-earned break and enjoying some festive films. This year, there’s plenty of great Christmas films on TV and streaming platforms that are suitable for the little ones and will keep them entertained over the festive break.
Streaming platforms including Disney+, Apple TV+ and Amazon’s Prime Video offer some great animated blockbusters and beloved Christmas classics that are rated U and PG, giving parents peace of mind that the kids aren’t watching something they shouldn’t. These films can be streamed with a host of great money-saving deals, while some can even be watched for free by signing up for Amazon’s 30-day free trial or Apple TV+’s seven-day free trial.
Disney+ is now available for as little as £4.99 a month, while signing up for a year gives members the equivalent of two months free. Sky offers an awesome bundle that includes Sky TV, Sky Stream and Netflix, with members able to claim six free months of Apple TV+ and save more than £143 – while adding Sky Cinema and Paramount+ can save a further £125.
READ MORE: The best TV shows to binge watch on Sky and Now this Christmas
So if you’re looking for some festive films that the little ones can enjoy, we’ve done the leg work for you. Here, we have compiled a list of 10 of the best Christmas films for children along with their official age ratings from the British Board of Film Classification.
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The Muppets Christmas Carol – U
The Muppets Christmas Carol (Disney)Starring Oscar-winner Michael Caine, the Christmas classic sees a host of Muppets including Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy and The Great Gonzo performing their own heart-warming rendition of Charles Dickens’ classic tale. The film takes place on one fateful Christmas Eve, as greedy penny-pincher Ebenezer Scrooge (Caine) is visited by the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future.
Alongside kind and humble Bob Cratchit (Kermit) and his family, the spirits open Scrooge’s eyes – and his heart – to the true meaning of Christmas.
Click here to stream The Muppets Christmas Carol on Disney+.
The Grinch – U
The GrinchThis 2018 feature-length animation overtook Home Alone to become the highest grossing Christmas film of all time. Benedict Cumberbatch lends his voice to the titular cynical grump, who goes on a mission to steal Christmas, only to have his heart changed by a young girl’s generous holiday spirit.
Funny, heartwarming and visually stunning, The Grinch is a universal story about the spirit of Christmas and the indomitable power of optimism. Its live-action predecessor How the Grinch Stole Christmas starring Jim Carrey is also available to stream and is rated PG.
Click here to stream The Grinch for free on Prime Video.
Home Alone – PG
Home Alone (Publicity Picture)Macaulay Culkin became a Christmas icon thanks to this beloved 1990 comedy in which little Kevin McCallister (Culkin) is inadvertently left behind while his family goes on a Christmas trip to Paris. When a pair of bungling burglars known as the Wet Bandits arrive to rob Kevin’s suburban home, the youngster attempts to fight them off with a series of DIY booby traps.
Click here to stream Home Alone on Disney+.
The Velveteen Rabbit – U
The Velveteen Rabbit (Apple TV+)Based on the treasured and timeless children’s book by Margery Williams, this new live-action film celebrates the magic of unconditional love. When seven-year-old William (Phoenix Laroche) receives a new favourite toy for Christmas, he discovers a lifelong friend and unlocks a world of magic.
The 40-minute special features a star-studded cast, with the voices of Helena Bonham Carter, Nicola Coughlan, Alex Lawther, Paterson Joseph, Clive Rowe and Bethany Antonia.
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Click here to stream The Velveteen Rabbit for free on Apple TV+.
The Nightmare Before Christmas – PG
The Nightmare Before Christmas (Disney)Tim Burton’s 1993 animated musical offers a unique blend of the macabre and festive, making it the perfect film for both Halloween and Christmas. The film centres on the fantastically dark world of Jack Skellington, the King of Halloween Town.
Bored with the same old spooky routine, he longs for something more and soon one day finds himself in the cheer-filled land of Christmas Town. When Jack decides to bring this joyful holiday back to his horrible hometown, his dream to fill Santa’s shoes unravels, leaving Sally – the rag doll who loves him – to stitch things together and avert a nightmare for good boys and girls everywhere.
Click here to stream The Nightmare Before Christmas on Disney+.
Arthur Christmas – U
Arthur ChristmasCelebrated animation studio Aardman tweaks the traditional Santa story to create a hi-tech North Pole HQ where millions of presents are distributed by a giant supersonic sleigh guided by smart tablet. But when Father Christmas (Jim Broadbent) inadvertently overlooks one small child on Christmas Eve, his accident-prone son Arthur (James McAvoy) must step into the breach and deliver that last present.
Click here to watch Arthur Christmas on Sky with a money-saving deal.
Jack Frost – PG
Jack Frost (Warner Bros.)Michael Keaton stars in this heartwarming Christmas fantasy-comedy as a father who can’t keep his promises. A year after his father’s death on Christmas Day, a young boy (Joseph Cross) builds a snowman and dresses it with his father's hat, scarf and gloves.
That night, the boy’s wish comes true as his father returns to life as the snowman.
Click here to stream Jack Frost for free on Prime Video.
A Christmas Story – PG
A Christmas Story (Warner Bros.)This heart-warming, hysterical and sweetly nostalgic family comedy is set in the final days before Christmas in early 1940s America. Nine-year-old Ralphie (Peter Billingsley) wants one thing from Santa Clause more than anything else: a Red Ryder Carbine Action BB gun.
As he trudges through the snow to school, faces the neighbourhood bully and visits a malevolent department store Santa Clause, Ralphie connives, conspires and campaigns for the most fabulous Christmas present ever in this holiday film.
Click here to stream A Christmas Story for free on Prime Video.
The Polar Express – U
The Polar Express (Castle Rock/Shangri-La/Kobal/REX/Shutterstock)This festive fantasy-adventure takes place on Christmas Eve, after the town has gone to sleep and a disillusioned young boy boards a magical train known as The Polar Express. The conductor (Tom Hanks) invites him on board to take an extraordinary journey to the North Pole with many other pyjama-clad children.
There, he receives an extraordinary gift only those who still believe in Santa can experience. Tom Hanks lends his voice and motion capture to six different characters in the film, including the Conductor and Santa Claus
Click here to watch The Polar Express on Sky with a money-saving deal.
Klaus – PG
Klaus (Netflix)In this an Oscar-nominated and BAFTA-winning adventure-comedy, selfish postman Jesper (Jason Schwartzman) distinguishes himself as the postal academy’s worst student, so he is stationed on a frozen island above the Arctic Circle. Jesper is about to give up when he finds an ally in local teacher Alva (Rashida Jones) and discovers Klaus (J.K. Simmons), a mysterious carpenter who lives alone in a cabin full of handmade toys.
These unlikely friendships return laughter to Smeerensburg, forging a new legacy of generous neighbours, magical lore and stockings hung by the chimney with care
Click here to stream Klaus on Netflix with a money-saving Sky deal.
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