If you’re a parent of a small child, you know you’re not going to bed too early. Christmas Eve is the night of the year kids want to stay up in the hope that they’ll see Santa. You need to find a way to encourage them to go to bed, and that is usually with a Christmas movie.
There are a bunch of family movies out there to check out. You don’t have all night, though, so you need a place to start. We have the three must-watch Christmas movies for Christmas Eve 2024. You won’t be disappointed.
We have a mixture of animated and live-action Christmas movies for the whole family. They are sure to be entertaining for the younger kids in the house, and they just never get boring for the adults.
The Polar Express
There is one classic that is a must-watch on Christmas Eve. It’s all about The Polar Express. This is perfect if you have children in the house who are starting to question if Santa is real, especially if they’re still young and you want to keep the magic alive. After all, this movie is all about a kid who doesn’t believe anymore and is surprised on the trip to the North Pole.
The story isn’t just about the magic of Christmas, though. There are other lessons to learn, such as trust, kindness, friendship, and bravery. Even if your kids no longer believe in Santa, this is a great movie to watch for the graphics, the lessons, and the fun.
Watch The Polar Express on Max.
The Nightmare Before Christmas
There is some debate over whether The Nightmare Before Christmas is a Christmas or a Halloween movie. I say that it works for both, but that it is technically a Christmas movie. The main focus of the movie is the season and kidnapping Santa—well Sandy Claws. This is a great movie for the kids who want something entertaining and a little bit scary at the same time.
We get to see Jack Skellington fed up with his own holiday, so he decides to hijack another. Of course, the residents of Halloweentown will happily follow the Pumpkin King. All except one, Sally, who realizes that it isn’t right to take over another holiday. We get to see a story of love, compassion, and humanity at work.
The Nightmare Before Christmas is available to stream on Disney+.
The Christmas Chronicles
Do you need a live-action movie that works for older kids as well as younger ones? The Christmas Chronicles is a must-watch for Christmas Eve 2024. It’s packed with great music, wonderful lessons, and just a fun storyline to get behind.
When Kate and Teddy Pierce decide to get Santa Claus on camera on Christmas Eve, they don’t expect to be dragged into a plot to save Christmas. The plan to capture Santa goes awry with Saint Nick arrested and the reindeer unsure of what to do. Kate and Teddy need to team up to get Santa back on track to deliver his presents.
The Christmas Chronicles (and it’s sequel if you have time!) is available on Netflix.