12 days of Christmas movies

Mariah Carey is fully thawed and battling Boney M at the supermarkets. Moms and dads are preparing a fridge for the Christmas meats. Children are scuttling about with secret projects and being begged or ordered to clean the house for visitors. And from now until 25 December, we’re getting into the holiday spirit! 

But not every Christmas-themed movie has the word Christmas in the title. So along with some obvious picks, we’ve also checked our list (twice) for action movies, romance, kids’ classics and dramas with a holiday theme and those silly season vibes.

12 December

Under the mistletoe: Bridget Jones’s Diary

This classic romantic comedy, based on Helen Fielding’s novel of the same name, is set in a snowy London around the December holidays. Singleton Bridget Jones (Renée Zellweger) is on a chaotic journey toward love, starting at her mom’s annual New Year turkey curry buffet, where Bridget runs into childhood friend Mark (Colin Firth). Alas, she is put off by his ugly Christmas jersey, and he thinks she’s rude and vulgar. So Bridget takes a detour on her road to true love by falling under the spell of her roguish boss, Daniel Cleaver (Hugh Grant) instead. The film follows her disastrous year all the way to the next December, when a romantic reunion in the snow awaits. If for nothing else, watch it for the most realistic street brawl between toffs ever committed to film.

Also watch: Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason, and Bridget Jones’s Baby.

13 December

Away in a manger: Babe

This charming live-action holiday classic film is based on the novel The Sheep-Pig by Dick King-Smith, which centres on a plucky pig named Babe. Kind farmer Arthur Hoggett (James Cromwell) wins Babe the piglet (voiced by Christine Cavanaugh) and takes them home. But after a goose runs around shrieking “Christmas means carnage!”, Babe realises that they’ll have to make themselves useful if they don’t want to wind up becoming Christmas lunch. 

14 December

Home for the holidays: Almost Christmas

Drama-comedy that’ll make grown up families relate so hard! Retired widower Walter Meyers (Danny Glover) invites his daughters Cheryl (Kimberly Elise) and Rachel (Gabrielle Union) and sons Christian (Romany Malco) and Evan (Jessie Usher) home for their first Christmas since their mother’s death. With everyone’s struggles it’ll take a Christmas miracle to keep them together. 

Stream Almost Christmas from 14 December.

15 December

Violent night: Lethal Weapon

Straight-laced, by-the-book cop Roger Murtaugh (Danny Glover) is ready for retirement when he’s saddled with a loose-cannon partner, Martin Riggs (Mel Gibson) who’s lost the will to live. Set in Los Angeles, Lethal Weapon opens with the song Jingle Bell Rock playing before a woman takes a plunge off a balcony decorated with Chritsmas lights. There’s a shootout at a Christmas tree lot, and there are festive family dinners if anyone can survive long enough to eat them. Despite grim (and sometimes funny) violence, the film has a hopeful message about finding family. PS: All four Lethal Weapon films are on Showmax.

Also watch: The Bourne Identity, Silent Night, Detective Knight: Redemption.

16 December

Christmas classics: Dr Seuss’ The Grinch & Dr Seuss’ How The Grinch Stole Christmas

Animated Christmas comedy Dr Seuss’ The Grinch is based on the children’s picture book How The Grinch Stole Christmas. Narrated by Pharrell Williams, with the voices of Benedict Cumberbatch as The Grinch, Rashida Jones as Donna Who, Kenan Thompson as Bricklebaum, and Angela Lansbury as Mayor McGerkle. 

The story takes place in the Christmas-obsessed town of Whoville, whose citizens’ relentless cheer bedevills their neighbour, the Grinch. One year, though, when the Grinch gives a child named Cindy some sarcastic advice, she and her friends decide to lay a trap for Santa Claus, while the Grinch sneaks off to steal Christmas. For the same (ish) story but with Jim Carrey as the live-action Grinch, Taylor Momsen as Cindy Lou Who, and Christine Baranski as Martha May Whovier, watch Dr Seuss’ How The Grinch Stole Christmas.

Stream Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch & Dr. Seuss’ How The Grinch Stole Christmas from 16 December.

17 December

Merry Kitschmas: Santa’s Got Style

Looking to put the kitsch in Christmas with some holiday romance? When shopping mall exec Madison (Kathryn Davis) is told to do something new and exciting for the holidays, she decides what they really need is a Santa with swag! Enter stylish, handsome young Ethan (Franco Lo Presti), Madison’s BFF. And maybe it’s just the white beard that’s making her see him differently, but Madison finds herself wanting to sit on Santa’s knee. Ho ho ho.

Also watch: Christmas in the Caribbean, The Great Holiday Bake War, A Hollywood Christmas

18 December

Ho ho holidays: Genie

Christmas fantasy movie from British writer-creator Richard Curtis. When Bernard (Paapa Essiedu) stumbles across a genie named Flora (Melissa McCarthy) who can grant unlimited wishes, his holiday dreams of winning back his family and pleasing his exacting boss (Alan Cumming) suddenly seem within reach – but Bernard wants to put some of his crazier wishes to the test first. And along the way he introduces Flora, who’s been trapped in her jewellery box for roughly 2 000 years, to the modern world.

19 December

Holiday hang with the gang: The Best Man Holiday

Celebrate the season with a touching and funny reconciliation story between Harper (Taye Diggs) and his former best friend Lance (Morris Chestnut). This sequel to The Best Man takes place at a Christmas reunion between university friends. Now, along with their already shaky trust issues thanks to Harper sleeping with Lance’s girlfriend (now wife), Harper is writing an unauthorised biography of Lance. Someone’s getting fossil fuels in their stocking!

20 December

Christmas calamities: The First Noelle

Long-time BFFs Terrance (Todd Anthony) and Noelle (Novi Brown) have just decided to try dating when Terrance lands a swanky job in London and they decide to break up again. When Terrance returns to Atlanta, Noelle thinks they’ll start things up again – until Terrance introduces her to his fiancée, Noelle (Lala Milan). And to make things worse, the first Noelle’s promotion at work hinges on her landing Noelle number two as a client. 

Also watch: Christmas Down Under

21 December

Tinsel and trauma: Sworn Justice: Taken Before Christmas

In this fun BET original action drama, a mysterious person tells both Detective Sophie Porter (Mishael Morgan) and her DA boyfriend Ty Jarrett (Leland B. Martin) that their partner has been kidnapped. In the midst of the chaotic holiday season, their phone and computer access is blocked, and they have to follow instructions from a sinister voice. They’d better work fast, because Sophie’s mom Laila (Vivica A Fox) is expecting her at Christmas Service, and the preacher waits for no-one.

Stream Sworn Justice: Taken Before Christmas from 16 December

22 December

Family game night: Jumanji: The Next Level

Cue up the Christmas carols for the soundtrack! Two years after the adventures in Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, Spencer (Alex Wolff) returns from college to visit his Grandpa Eddie for the holidays, while also planning to meet up with his friends Fridge (Ser’Darius Blain), Bethany (Madison Iseman), and Martha (Morgan Turner). But when Spencer gets trapped inside the Jumanji game again while trying to become the character Dr Smolder Bravestone (Dwayne Johnson), he drags Eddie (Danny DeVito) and Eddie’s estranged friend Milo (Danny Glover) – who turn into Dr Smolder Bravestone and Franklin “Mouse” Finbar (Kevin Hart) – into the game with him. To save them, the gang have to play a new level of Jumanji, with Martha as Ruby Roundhouse (Karen Gillan), Fridge as Professor Sheldon Oberon (Jack Black), and Bethany as a black stallion named Cyclone! 

23 December

The spirit of giving: Last Christmas

Mother of Dragons Emilia Clarke and Crazy Rich Asian Henry Goulding star in this sweet fixer-upper romance co-written by actress Emma Thompson. Would-be singer Kate (Emilia) works as an Elf at a year-round Christmas-themed shop in central London, where she meets and starts chatting with a charming man named Tom (Henry). Back home, Kate’s life is filled with drama and bitterness. She’s getting evicted, and her parents, who’re Yugoslavian immigrants (Emma Thompson plays the mom, Petra), are struggling financially and emotionally. After Kate starts talking to Henry, though, she slowly starts to find the spirit of selfless love and generosity. Prepare to sob, and look out for a rather on-the-nose performance of Wham’s Last Christmas. 

Stream Last Christmas from 16 December.

24 December

Kids’ stocking stuffers: A Christmas Mystery

Family adventure-drama. For 100 years the local folk of Pleasant Bay have believed that their good luck stems from a set of jingle bells that the Stubbins family claim fell right of Santa’s sleigh. So the town is in an uproar when the sheriff (Eddie Cibrian) arrests museum janitor George Bottoms (Drew Powell) for stealing the bells. Convinced George is innocent, his 11-year-old son Kenny (Santino Barnard) and his best friend Violet (Violet McGraw) set out to find the real culprit and restore the town’s luck.

Also watch: Christmas Unfiltered, Christmas is Cancelled, The Heist Before Christmas (from 16 December).

25 December

Cats are for Christmas: Tabby McTat

Animation adapted from the bestselling Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler picture book of the same name. A musical cat named Tabby McTat (Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísú) and a talented busker named Fred (Rob Brydon) are best friends. But what will become of the busker’s cat, left alone on the streets of London, after Fred falls and breaks his leg and is whisked away in an ambulance? Part of the movie shows Tabby walking through the snowy streets at Christmas and missing his friend (so have the tissues ready), but also finding a home for his extra loud son. 

Also watch: The Nutcracker and the Magic Flute, Blippi And Meekah’s Very Merry Treasure Hunt, and all the Magic Light Pictures’ Donaldson-Scheffler adaptations, which are holiday classics: The Gruffalo; The Gruffalo’s Child; Room on the Broom; The Highway Rat; Zog; The Snail and the Whale; Zog and the Flying Doctors; Superworm; The Smeds and the Smoos.

Bonus local picks: Home for the holidays

Christmas Clothes (South Africa)

Set in Soweto on Christmas Eve, this heartwarming family movie follows teenager Nqubeko (Omhle Tshabalala) on a quest to reclaim his stolen Christmas clothes from a neighbourhood bully (Tshepo Mohale). With Thami Mngqolo and Khanya Sosibo as Nqubeko’s parents. 

Also watch: A Royal Christmas Surprise, A Merry X-Mess, Gog’Shezi’s Christmas, A Zulu Christmas, A White Christmas 2.

A Familiar Christmas (Kenya)

Kenya’s first-ever Christmas feature, written by Natasha Likimani and directed and produced by Reuben Odanga, follows the Moran family, who are gearing up to spend the Christmas holiday together for the first time in three years. But their plans for a loving holiday reunion are disrupted when secrets and a meddling mother wreak havoc in the household. With Maureen Kunga, Pascal Tokodi, Alice Mbeyu, Dennis Musyoka, Keith Chuaga, Charles Agengo, Ruth Kamanzi, Ann Muli, and Hannah Wanjiku.