There are plenty of options for some festive viewing this year with a collection of Christmas classics all available to stream for free.
It can be overwhelming trawling through bumper editions of TV guides or browsing online libraries to find something to watch at the best of times. Add to this the plethora of options from paid-for subscription services and its easy to spend as much time as to find your next watch.
However, several classic movies are available to stream for free at your convenience this year. Here are a small selection of some of the best options to watch at no extra cost at all. From family favourites to ‘iconic’ sequels and classic comedies, you’ll be sure to find something to suit your mood.
How The Grinch Stole Christmas
The live-action adaptation of the classic story by Dr Seuss. Jim Carrey takes on the titular role of the Grinch who along with his canine companion, Max, comes down from his cliffside home and sneaks into town to swipe everything Christmas-related from the residents of Whoville.
However, he might just find his intentions questioned when he encounters a child named Cindy Lou . Consider this your yearly reminder that Cindy Lou is played by former Gossip Girl star turned rock-star with band The Pretty Reckless, Taylor Momsen. Directed by Ron Howard, Jim Carrey’s performance as The Grinch still receives praise and the actor got very excited recently when speaking about a possible sequel.
How The Grinch Stole Christmas is streaming on ITVX
Home Alone 2: Lost in New York
While the original ‘iconic’ Christmas film Home Alone is only available via a streaming service, the sequel can be watched for free. Viewers may wonder how parents can lose the same child twice but you’ll be thankful that they do.
Macaulay Culkin returns as Kevin, although his parents remember to bring him to the airport this time, he manages to get on the wrong plane. While his family head to Florida, Kevin ends up in New York City in the lead up to Christmas. Alone in the Big apple, he manages to blag a room at a fancy hotel only to then bump into his old enemies Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern AKA the Sticky Bandits.
Home Alone 2 is streaming on ITVX
Nativity!
Martin Freeman plays Paul, a primary school teacher who is tasked with putting on the year’s nativity play. Ambition and excitement for the production quickly goes overboard when Paul claims that a Hollywood producer will be attending the performance with an eye to turn it into a film.
Plenty of family friendly hijinks follows but the highlight is naturally when the play finally gets underway. It inspired a few sequels but the original remains a firm favourite among fans.
One posted online: “I can honestly say this is a fantastic Christmas film. I have laughed so much with the fabulous acting from adults and the children. Some sad bits in this too but the storyline is so good. You are there and rooting for the kids to do so well. All comes together in the end. Loved it.”
Nativity! is streaming on BBC iPlayer
Die Hard 2: Die Harder
Like Home Alone, the original Die Hard is only available on paid-for streamers but the first sequel is available for free.
Bruce Willis’ John McClane is waiting to pick up his wife from the airport on Christmas Eve when a group of terrorists take it over, leaving McClane to save Christmas once again. One fan calls the film ‘truly iconic and legendary’ adding: “A great sequel with a great storyline, soundtrack, comedy, action, emotion, and intensity. “
Die Hard 2 Die Harder is streaming on BBC iPlayer
Scrooged
No Christmas film list is complete without at least one version of A Christmas Carol. The one available for free is the Bill Murray starring Scrooged.
Murray plays a television executive whose cold ambition has driven away the love of his life. After firing a staff member on Christmas Eve, he is visited by a series of ghosts who give him a chance to re-evaluate his actions and right the wrongs of his past. Some film fans claim it is ‘one of the must see Christmas movies every year’ with it being one of the most modern interpretations of the Charles Dickens classic.
Scrooged is streaming on Channel 4
Planes, Trains and Automobiles
Steve Martin and John Candy star as unlikely travel companions when their flight is diverted, and embark on a three-day odyssey of misadventures. While the pair are actually trying to travel home in time for Thanksgiving, it has stood the test of time as more of a Christmas title.
Written and Directed by John Hughes who had already delivered iconic films such as Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and would go on to write the first three Home Alone films. The highest rated film on this list on Rotten Tomatoes with 93% as one fan says: “Nothing short of a classic…very funny, heart warming and touching.”
Planes, Trains and Automobiles is streaming on Channel 4