Paramount+ has leaned into the holidays the last few seasons, adding a mix of family classics, animated specials, and grown-up holiday comedies to its seasonal lineup.
Whether you want old-school wonder, raunchy comedy, or kid-friendly animated cheer, Paramount+’s “’Tis the Season” collections and December additions give subscribers a one-stop playlist for December viewing.
Christmas movies on Paramount Plus
Several of the titles below (classics like Miracle on 34th Street as well as newer TV specials and family films) were included in Paramount+’s recent holiday programming announcements and December additions.
Miracle on 34th Street (1947)
Age rating: PG
A bona fide Christmas classic, the 1947 Miracle on 34th Street follows a kindly old man (Kris Kringle) who fills in as Macy’s Santa — only to insist he is the real Santa Claus. The movie mixes courtroom drama, small-town belief, and warm family moments as a skeptical mother and her daughter slowly learn to accept a little Christmas magic. It’s gentle, sentimental, and helped define the modern film idea of Santa; the film is preserved in the U.S. National Film Registry for cultural significance.
A Christmas Carol (1984)
Age rating: PG
George C. Scott headlines this faithful, atmospheric TV adaptation of Dickens’s novella. The story follows Ebenezer Scrooge’s bitter, miserly life and his transformation after visits from the three Christmas spirits; this version is admired for Scott’s stern, bone-deep Scrooge and for sticking closely to the original book’s tone. Expect moody Victorian sets, an emphasis on character, and emotional catharsis as Scrooge learns compassion.
Ernest Saves Christmas (1988)
Age rating: PG.
This family comedy follows Jim Varney’s goofy Ernest P. Worrell as he befriends an aging Santa and sets out to help find a successor, leading to zany misadventures and slapstick goodwill. It’s broad, very kid-friendly humour built around Ernest’s wide-eyed optimism and simple schemes; the stakes are light (saving Christmas traditions rather than the world) and the tone is warm and silly.
Miracle on 34th Street (1994) — remake
Age rating: PG
The 1994 remake updates the original’s premise: after a Macy’s Santa claims to be the real Kris Kringle, the film explores how belief affects a modern family and the legal test of the man’s sanity. Starring Richard Attenborough as Kris and a family-centered cast, it keeps the sentimental beats while modernizing jokes and situations for ’90s audiences. It leans family-friendly with a contemporary feel.
Scrooged (1988)
Age rating: PG-13.
Scrooged is a darkly comic, modernized Dickens riff starring Bill Murray as cynical TV executive Frank Cross, who’s forced to confront his callous life after three supernatural visitations on Christmas Eve. The movie blends slapstick, surreal fantasy sequences, and surprisingly sharp emotional beats — it’s edgier and more adult than traditional family fare, using satire to lampoon TV culture and corporate holiday spectacle.
A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas (2011)
Age rating: R.
A stoner-comedy holiday caper: years after the first films, Harold and Kumar’s strained friendship explodes into chaos when a missing package, a burnt tree, and an ill-timed series of misadventures force them on an across-town quest to save Harold’s Christmas celebration. Expect crude humor, absurd set pieces, and R-rated jokes — this is holiday entertainment clearly aimed at adults and fans of the franchise.
Fatman (2020)
Age rating: R.
Fatman is a dark, action-tinged holiday film with Mel Gibson as a world-weary, hard-nosed Chris Cringle who runs a failing, militarized North Pole operation. When a rich kid hires a hitman after getting coal, Santa’s life turns into a violent, moral test that blends black comedy and gritty action — not a traditional family special, but an adult-oriented, off-beat take on Santa mythology.
A PAW Patrol Christmas (special)
This hour-long PAW Patrol holiday special sends the pups on a rescue mission to save Christmas after Santa falls ill, weaving music and kid-friendly heroics into the story and teaching teamwork, generosity, and the real meaning of giving. It’s designed for preschoolers and early elementary viewers, with a bright, action-packed format built around problem solving.
Age rating: TV-G
Adam Sandler’s Eight Crazy Nights (2002)
Age rating: PG-13.
This adult-leaning animated holiday film follows Davey Stone (voiced by Sandler), a troubled man who’s forced into community service during Hanukkah and who, through encounters with oddball characters and a reformed spirit arc, rediscovers moral ground. It’s crude, profane at times, and uses adult humor — not a children’s cartoon — and is widely classified PG-13 for crude/sexual humor and drinking references.
Snow Day (2000)
Age rating: PG
A family comedy about a community-wide surprise day off after a massive snowstorm: kids revel in unscheduled freedom, while parents and teens deal with crushes, rivalries, and the small dramas of suburban life. It’s an innocent, kid-targeted comedy with physical gags, slapstick, and a light romantic subplot — a good pick for family viewing.
Reindeer in Here (TV special/animated)
Age rating: TV-G.
An animated holiday special (family/kids) about Blizzard (Blizz), a young reindeer with one smaller antler who teams up with friends to protect the future of Christmas. It’s a colorful, short animated tale focused on belonging and courage with a warm, kid-centered message and simple stakes suitable for young audiences.
The Loud House Christmas (2021)
Age rating: TV-G
Based on the Nickelodeon series The Loud House, this TV special brings Lincoln Loud and his large family into a holiday adventure built for kids: family chaos, heartfelt apologies, and the loud, affectionate dynamic that defines the show. It’s safe and very kid-friendly — perfect for elementary-age viewers and fans of the series.
If you’re building a week-long countdown to Christmas, mix and match: start with kid favorites like A Loud House Christmas and PAW Patrol, slot in family comedies such as Snow Day or Ernest Saves Christmas in the afternoon, and save adult picks (A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas, Fatman, Eight Crazy Nights, or Scrooged) for after the kids are in bed.
Paramount+ has been actively promoting these titles as part of its December holiday slate, so you’ll likely find them in the app’s seasonal row — but availability can vary by country and by subscription tier, so if you want I can quickly verify availability for your country/region (India / US / UK) and give exact Paramount+ links for each title.