Charlie Brown Christmas to In Bruges- Best Christmas movies and shows to stream on Apple TV this holiday season

Watching anything during the holidays rarely ever comes down to one shared choice. One wants colour and songs, another wants nostalgia. One might even wait until the kids are asleep and then look for something sharper or maybe even a little bleak. Apple TV’s Christmas catalogue is here to work around that reality. This time, the holiday watchlist includes a mix of originals, familiar favourites, and rentals that fit very different moods and age brackets.

The First Snow of Fraggle Rock

Fraggle Rock has made a comeback in pop culture. This new seasonal special builds on that return. The First Snow of Fraggle Rock centres on Gobo, stuck in a creative rut while trying to write an annual holiday song. The stakes are low, the tone is gentle, and everything moves at an easy pace. It is aimed at kids who have aged out of Sesame Street but are not ready for ghosts, existential dread, or darker Christmas storytelling.

A Charlie Brown Christmas

Sixty years on, A Charlie Brown Christmas still lands. The themes feel oddly grown-up for a children’s special. It takes on commercialisation, loneliness, and the pressure to perform happiness, then balances all of it with humour and warmth. It also does not shy away from the holiday’s religious roots, which sets it apart from most modern Christmas programming. Snoopy’s antics help, of course, but the honesty is what keeps it relevant.

Mariah Carey’s Magical Christmas Special

Mariah Carey has long since accepted her place as Christmas royalty, and this special leans all the way in. The Apple TV version pairs her with Ariana Grande and Jennifer Hudson, turning the whole thing into a vocal showcase. It is glossy, loud, and proudly excessive. If subtlety is not what you are after, this delivers big notes and bigger energy.

A Carpool Karaoke Christmas

Not everyone wants Christmas music on a loop for a month. This is where A Carpool Karaoke Christmas fits in. Hosted by Zane Lowe, the special features extended drives with Dua Lipa, Lady Gaga, and Chappell Roan. Holiday songs are part of the mix, but so are their own hits. The vibe stays casual, chatty and easy to watch in short bursts.

Spirited

Will Ferrell and Ryan Reynolds team up for a musical riff on Spirited. Ferrell plays the Ghost of Christmas Present, assigned to redeem Reynolds’ thoroughly modern Scrooge. It is big, loud, and knowingly over the top. For anyone who is watched Elf enough times this season but still wants Ferrell in festive mode, this feels like a reasonable alternative.

The Family Plan 2

Mark Wahlberg returns with another holiday-set action comedy, this time hopping between London and Paris. The formula does not change much. It has a former operative, a family trip, and things spiral fast. It is broad, familiar, and clearly built for low-effort viewing. You do not need to concentrate too hard, and that is the point.

The Holdovers

One of the strongest recent Christmas films available to rent on Apple TV, The Holdovers reunites Paul Giamatti with director Alexander Payne. Set at a boarding school over the holidays, it follows a cranky teacher tasked with supervising students who cannot go home. Giamatti is excellent, Dominic Sessa makes a strong debut, and Da’Vine Joy Randolph’s Oscar-winning performance as a grieving cafeteria manager anchors the film emotionally. It is quiet, observant, and never sentimental.

The Apartment

Billy Wilder’s classic plays out in the stretch between Christmas and New Year’s, using the season as a backdrop rather than a selling point. Jack Lemmon and Shirley MacLaine carry a story about ambition, loneliness, and moral compromise, all wrapped in sharp dialogue. It is bittersweet without being cynical, and far more honest than most holiday romances.

In Bruges

Best saved for late-night viewing, In Bruges takes place in the days leading up to Christmas. Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson play hitmen hiding out in a picturesque Belgian town, grappling with guilt, frustration, and boredom. It is dark, funny, and unexpectedly reflective. Not festive in the traditional sense, but oddly fitting if you need a break from unfiltered cheer.

FAQs

Are all Christmas titles on Apple TV included with a subscription?

No, some films are available as rentals rather than included with Apple TV+.

Is there family-friendly Christmas content on Apple TV?

Yes, titles like The First Snow of Fraggle Rock and A Charlie Brown Christmas suit younger viewers.

Does Apple TV offer Christmas music specials?

Yes, including Mariah Carey’s Magical Christmas Special and A Carpool Karaoke Christmas.