Festive movies are the best watch with your loved ones during the holiday season. There is nothing quite like a Christmas film to bring a little bit of warmth, joy and nostalgia and to create the right atmosphere to celebrate. But you don’t have to pay top dollar to access a great selection of movies. This means you can enjoy free Christmas movies on YouTube for 2024.
In this guide, we’ll unveil the list of the best free Christmas movies for this season and how to balance your holiday while staying safe.
Tips to find free Christmas movies on YouTube
Getting into the Christmas spirit doesn’t always have to cost you money.
You can easily watch free Christmas movies on YouTube and have yourself a merry Christmas without spending a dime.
The fact that so many videos are uploaded everyday can make it extremely overwhelming to try and find the flawless Christmas movie to watch.
With an overwhelming amount of content, you could almost say it’s impossible. But there are a few strategies to make looking easier.
With that in mind, a little bit of knowledge regarding where to look and how to use your YouTube search tools is all you need to get a selection of free holiday movies.
With the right perspective, it can be quite easy to find the perfect Christmas movie for the perfect Christmas mood.
- Explore YouTube’s free movies section: Check out YouTube’s “Free Movies” section for ad supported holiday films that are available for free.
- Look for public domain films: Search for and watch older Christmas films that have come into the public domain and are free for you to watch, and share.
- Follow channels offering free movies: Watch free movies by subscribing to channels who specialize in posting free movies.
- Use specific search terms: To aid you to find specifically what it is you desire, Search for terms like, free Christmas movies, Christmas classics full length or holiday movies 2024.
- Utilize filters: This will then filter your results by upload date to find the freshest movies uploaded, or view count to find the most popular ones.
Enjoy a happy Christmas with your family using parental control.
Top 5 YouTube channels for Christmas movies
The holidays are a surprisingly excellent time to sit down and watch a Christmas film. And YouTube has an ample supply of channels that feature free Christmas movies for everyone.
If you’re hunting for the classics or old holiday cinematic magic, you’ll find many classics to enjoy on YouTube.
1. Public Domain movies
Free, classic, public domain Christmas films are featured on this channel. Everyone loves the well known holiday classics such as A Christmas Carol.
Older titles that are not under copyright are free and available to view in the Public Domain Movies channel.
If you want to watch traditional holiday films but don’t want to spend a penny, this is the channel for you.
From the golden age of cinema, a variety of films is available from all time classics to watch for free. This is the perfect way to get some old school holiday cheer without any cost.
2. Christmas movie classics
Throughout the years, this channel has become a must see destination for generations to find their favorite classic Christmas movies.
It’s filled with all the heartwarming stories we love of the holiday season, from the original Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer to It’s a Wonderful Life.
Nostalgic fans will love this channel for movies to rewatch every Christmas.
3. Christmas movies to watch
For streaming a large variety of Christmas films, you don’t want to pass this channel. It has it all from family friendly animated films, to classic live action holiday movies.
You’ll find Miracle on 34th Street and other more modern holiday movie classics here.
With a curated playlist that’s good for all, it’s the ultimate place to start a holiday movie marathon.
4. Free Christmas movies
The Free Christmas Movies channel has entirely devoted itself to offering free holiday films, and a great part of these are full length movies you can access.
Most of the films are from the public domain and so you can legally watch or share them.
For those looking for an ad-free way to watch Christmas movies without a subscription, then it’s a good option.
It’s a great resource for all kinds of festive films, some of the rarer, less well known titles of which are perfect if you’re after something a little different.
5. Timeless movies
Timeless Movies channel is known for its collection of classic films, and offers a great variety of Christmas movies, many from the public domain.
That makes it ideal for folks who want a vintage holiday film.
A little bit of everything from the land of Christmas specials, from animated to live action, makes Timeless Movies features a little bit of everything classic.
They are free to watch and a reliable resource if you are looking for classic Christmas cheer any time of the day, anytime of year.
10 Best free Christmas movies on YouTube
This is a great time of year to be getting together with family to watch some of those classic Christmas movies.
YouTube also gives you the chance to stream a whole rich variety of holiday films for free.
1. Finding John Christmas (2003)
In Finding John Christmas Peter Falk is about an angel called Max who has been asked to deliver some joy to a family who need it the most during Christmas time.
Accidentally helping the wrong family adds complication to Max’s mission, yet the story continues into a heart warming and comedic adventure to correct Max’s mistake.
- Rating: 6.3/10
- Genre: Drama, Family, Fantasy
- Starring: Valerie Bertinelli, William Russ, Peter Falk
- Suitable Viewing Age: PG
2. When Angels Come to Town (2004)
Max must try to repair his mistake, and repair his relationships before Christmas arrives or never see them again.
The film combines the fantasy with family drama and the whole thing is very Christmas driven.
A great story for families and anyone who loves stories of the magic of Christmas and second chances.
- Rating: 6.7/10
- Genre: Fantasy, Family, Drama
- Starring: Tammy Blanchard, Seann Gallagher, Peter Falk
- Suitable Viewing Age: TV-PG
3. A Christmas Carol (1984)
The film features Ebenezer Scrooge grumpily played by George C. Scott, and brings us through the past, present and future as Scrooge meets his fate.
Strong performances, amazing set, and a true retelling makes this version a holiday favorite for families and fans of the original story every year.
- Rating: 7.8/10
- Genre: Family, Fantasy
- Starring: George C. Scott, Frank Finlay, Angela Pleasance
- Suitable Viewing Age: PG
4. The Little Princess (1939)
Over Christmas Sara tries to keep up her optimism and kindness and teach others what the holidays should be about.
The movie mixes drama and family film style, it’s friendly for youngsters and those who love heartwarming resilience and hope stories.
- Rating: 7.4/10
- Genre: Family, Drama
- Starring: Shirley Temple
- Suitable Viewing Age: G
5. Miracle on 34th Street (1947)
In Miracle on 34th Street Edmund Gwenn is a department store Santa Claus, who insists he is the real thing, and ends up in court where a corporation takes him on.
It’s a really heartwarming film about belief, magic of Christmas and the power of kindness.
- Rating: 7.9/10
- Genre: Family, Fantasy
- Starring: Maureen O’Hara, John Payne, Edmund Gwenn
- Suitable Viewing Age: G
6. The Snowman (1982)
The Snowman is a darling little animated film, based on Raymond Briggs’ book.
Basically a film where a young boy builds a snowman and his creation comes to life, they take him on a journey to the North Pole.
- Rating: 8.2/10
- Genre: Animation, Family
- Starring: Raymond Briggs (author of original book)
- Suitable Viewing Age: G
7. The Polar Express (2004)
Tom Hanks is in the animated film The Polar Express, based on the Chris Van Allsburg children’s book.
The story is of a young boy that boards a magical train to the north pole on Christmas Eve and everything follows that boy’s journey.
- Rating: 6.6/10
- Genre: Animation, Adventure, Family
- Starring: Tom Hanks
- Suitable Viewing Age: G
8. Scrooge (1970)
Filled with songs you’ll remember along with the vibrant performances, this version of the classic tale is a good time for the whole family.
Festive music and the film’s unique take on the set does the traditional redemption and transformation story.
- Rating: 7.5/10
- Genre: Musical, Family, Fantasy
- Starring: Albert Finney
- Suitable Viewing Age: PG
9. Holiday Affair (1949)
It’s a romantic comedy set in post World War II New York, made into a Christmas movie. Janet Leigh is a widow caught between two men.
As the protagonists try to get to know each other in the film, it’s a relish for holiday spirit, and romance is done great.
- Rating: 7.5/10
- Genre: Musical, Family, Fantasy
- Starring: Albert Finney
- Suitable Viewing Age: PG
10. Christmas Eve (1947)
That day was the one reserved for Christmas Eve and it was also the day a group of strangers lived in New York.
They too, are rediscovering the joy of the holiday season as they move through their own challenges.
- Rating: 6.8/10
- Genre: Drama, Family
- Starring: George Raft, Joan Leslie
- Suitable Viewing Age: PG
How to select the suitable Christmas movies for kids?
When selecting movies, parents should be looking for movies that are either rated G or PG, and have positive, age appropriate themes such as kindness and family.
Do not watch movies with scary scenes or mature scenes. There are places like Common Sense Media that actually provide reviews on whether a certain movie is good for your kids.
As well as this, parents should also be watching over screen time, and establish limits to promote healthy viewing habits when enjoying festive films together.
Balancing holiday fun with safe viewing habits
Enjoying the holidays is great, but be sure to enjoy it with festive fun and safe viewing habits that are well balanced.
Holiday movies and shows only make the season more exciting, but a combination of screen time and other activities will help round out the festivities.
The necessity of setting screen time limits during the holidays
There are plenty of festive movies and fun content to get into during the holiday season, but trying to limit the amount of screen time that kids can spend isn’t always easy.
If you’ve placed the limit on screen time, it helps to keep things balanced and let them enjoy the holidays in a healthy way.
According to a study of the American Academy of Pediatrics, a lot of screen time can affect quality of sleep, physical activity and social contacts, that’s why setting some limitations is significant.
Family viewing guidelines
Putting family viewing guidelines into place allows you to watch age appropriate content and enjoy the holiday season.
Parents need to set up rules about what types of movies or shows are acceptable and be sure the movies or shows match the family values and maturity level of the child.
Also, make the movie watching communal, where parents and children watch together, discuss together what’s on the movie screen.
Encouraging non-screen holiday activities
Movies are a popular way to celebrate the season, but finding non-screen activities will help your child make memories and be involved with the meaning of the holiday.
Kids can paint with parents to decorate houses, bake cookies, craft homemade presents, go ice skating or caroling outside.
These are creative, physical and quality family time activities.
How to keep kids safe viewing movies on YouTube?
Keeping kids safe when watching YouTube movies are crucial to stop them from seeing bad content while monitoring their screen time.
There are tools like YouTube Kids that keep the environment more controlled and limit your kids from seeing age-appropriate videos.
Use YouTube’s parental control
Parents hoping to manage what their children can watch and ensure a safer overall experience will be pleased to know that YouTube provides built-in parental control features.
Additionally, for younger children, there is YouTube Kids, an app that tailors itself to kids in a more controlled environment.
Step 1. Download and install the YouTube app.
Step 2. Start the app to get started.
Step 3. In the top right corner, tap on your profile picture.
Step 4. Now, move to “Settings.”
Step 5. Tap the “General” button, and under “Restricted Mode,” toggle it on to filter inappropriate content.
Use FlashGet Kids
FlashGet Kids is a parental control program that protects your child from watching bad movies on YouTube and other online activities.
App blocking can block access to inappropriate apps and manage screen time limits to make sure your kids don’t spend too much time on screen.
Its real-time activity monitoring, therefore, empowers parents to supervise their kids and determine what to watch and avoid.
There is also screen mirroring during YouTube sessions, and parents can share or monitor their child’s screen with it.
Last thoughts
For a family gathering, there are so many of these free Christmas movies available on YouTube to brighten one’s evening.
There’s something for everyone, whether you prefer classics or modern festive fun.
However, make sure you check out safety viewing tactics for these holiday favorites, especially for younger audiences.
So if you want to enjoy these movies safely, you need to go for FlashGet Kids, a very good parental control app.
The app allows you to monitor your kid’s activity in real time and block inappropriate apps so that you can all have safe holiday time.
