Best Christmas Movies and Shows for Teens

Winter break is fast approaching, and it’s time to deck those halls and watch those Christmas movies! Have a family movie night or let them play in the background while you bake cookies or try any of these fun Christmas activities for teens. Here is a list of the best Christmas movies for teens and tweens that they’ll actually watch with you!

Best Christmas Movies for Teens and Tweens

These Christmas movies for teens has something for everyone. What teens like is subjective and can often change. This Christmas movies list includes comedy, romance, and action.

Movies will range from rated PG to rated R, depending on what parents are comfortable with. And some will be full-blown Christmas and holiday cheer, while others feature a Christmas scene or two. Check out these best New Year’s Eve movies for teens once the countdown begins!

Elf

A holiday and Christmas classic. I don’t care how old or young, you are, every kid and teen has heard of Buddy the Elf and his infectious Christmas spirit can touch the hearts of every last Scrooge. It’s age appropriate for almost everyone and Will Ferrell is hilarious! You can check out this Elf Parents Guide, though, if you want a better breakdown for kids and take a peek at these hilarious Elf quotes.

Elf is rated PG for some mild language and rude humor.

Little Women

Greta Gerwig’s Little Women was in my top 3 movies of 2019. A bit more of a modern spin to the traditional story, plus bonus Timothée Chalamet and Florence Pugh, this star-studded cast is sure to be a hit with the teen crowd. With a Christmas setting and several winter scenes, it hits the holiday notes. If you’re not into Jane Austen, though, you may want to skip it. This Little Women Parents Guide will tell you all you need to know.

Little Women is rated PG.

Dash & Lily

Dash & Lily is a cute holiday teen series on Netflix that is a little mature for younger viewers. A whirlwind holiday romance builds as cynical Dash and optimistic Lily trade dares, dreams and desires in the notebook they pass back and forth at locations all across New York City. It’s quirky, different, and unique, and one of my teens’ favorite series.

Dash & Lily is rated TV-14 for language and mature content.

National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation

Christmas Vacation is one of the best Christmas movies for teens who like comedy and raunchy humor. It makes many families laugh and has inspired Christmas merch and Clark Griswold quotes and light displays for decades. This Christmas Vacation Parents Guide will break down some of the more inappropriate scenes.

The Griswold family’s plans for a big family Christmas predictably turn into a big disaster.

Christmas Vacation is rated PG-13 for language, rude humor, and sexual content.

Die Hard

For the ones who need some Christmas action in their lives and don’t mind 4-letter words, Die Hard is for you. It’s a shoot ’em up, explosion-filled, adventure. Often the topic of arguments for whether Die Hard is a Christmas movie, many fans say yes! Perhaps an edited version may be better suited for your teens, but that is up to you. Check out this Die Hard parents guide for more information.

An NYPD officer tries to save his wife and several others taken hostage by German terrorists during a Christmas party at the Nakatomi Plaza in Los Angeles.

Die Hard is rated R for action and language.

Home Alone

Another Christmas classic, Home Alone is funny, more kid-friendly, but still has some edge to it. An eight-year-old troublemaker must protect his house from a pair of burglars when he is accidentally left home alone by his family during Christmas vacation.

Home Alone is a great Christmas movie to watch with the family!

Home Alone is rated PG for rude humor and language.

Spirited

Spirited is streaming on AppleTV+. This twist on A Christmas Carol stars Will Ferrell and Ryan Reynolds. They’re a great comedic duo, but also can get a little raunchy. Read this Spirited Parents Guide for things to watch for.

Spirited is Rated PG-13.

More Holiday Movies for Teens

This is a list of some of the best holiday comedies including rom-coms for teens. This is an unofficial poll by my girlfriends who have added these Christmas movies as their must-watch films with their own teens.

Just be aware that these Christmas movies for teens have mature content with some rude humor and sexual innuendos and jokes.