{"id":1047581,"date":"2026-01-18T00:47:46","date_gmt":"2026-01-18T00:47:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.polygon.com\/what-to-watch\/67547\/best-christmas-movies-netflix-amazon-hbo-max-hulu"},"modified":"2026-01-18T00:47:46","modified_gmt":"2026-01-18T00:47:46","slug":"the-best-christmas-movies-to-watch-on-netflix-amazon-max-and-more-right-now","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/arcader.org\/news\/the-best-christmas-movies-to-watch-on-netflix-amazon-max-and-more-right-now\/","title":{"rendered":"The best Christmas movies to watch on Netflix, Amazon, Max, and more right now"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Christmas season is in full swing, and with it comes the annual feast of all things Yuletide-themed and appropriately festive on streaming. Christmas is a holiday that\u2019s inspired a wealth of enduring comedies about the value of family, community, love, and selflessness during the darkest and coldest time of the year. It\u2019s also spawned no shortage of films that push at the boundaries of those well-worn tropes, twisting their holly-jolly exterior into cerebral and occasionally macabre stories that probe at the very darkness the holiday is meant to fend off.<\/p>\n

In the spirit of the season and all its incarnations, we\u2019ve pulled together a list of treasured classics and eclectic oddities for audiences to watch in the lead-up to Christmas. Like with Santa\u2019s big \u2019ol toy sack, there\u2019s something here for everyone!<\/p>\n

Christmas rom-coms? We\u2019ve got Christmas rom-coms. Christmas-tinged superhero flicks? You bet. Christmas horror? Yeah, we\u2019ve got some of those too. From undersung hits to all-time classics, here are the best Christmas movies to watch at home this holiday season. Our latest update added Klaus<\/em>, Dash & Lily<\/em>, Anna and the Apocalypse<\/em>, Tokyo Godfathers<\/em>, Twelve Hundred Ghosts<\/em>, Scrooged<\/em>, and The Night Before<\/em>. <\/p>\n

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A Christmas Prince<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"Rose<\/p>\n

Where to watch: <\/strong>Netflix<\/a><\/p>\n

If you\u2019re looking for 100% confectionary fluff (and aren\u2019t pumping Hallmark\u2019s Christmas schedule directly into your veins), give this so-much-better-than-you-think-it\u2019ll-be Netflix Original a whirl. Amber (iZombie<\/em>\u2019s Rose McIver) is a journalist sent to the made-up land of Aldovia for the royal passing-of-the-torch to bad-boy bachelor Prince Richard (Ben Lamb). Amber winds up going undercover in the castle to get all the scoops, but… she gets in too deep! The magic of the Christmas season makes everything too romantic, and awww, you know the rest. \u2014Matt Patches<\/em><\/p>\n

Anna and the Apocalypse<\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Where to watch:<\/strong> AMC Plus, Shudder; for free with ads on Tubi, the Roku Channel, and Pluto; for rent on Amazon<\/a>, Apple TV<\/a>, and Google Play<\/p>\n

John McPhail\u2019s 2017 zombie apocalypse Christmas musical Anna and the Apocalypse <\/em>aims at the heretofore-uncharted midpoint between Shaun of the Dead<\/em> and High School Musical<\/em>: It\u2019s gory but goofy, equally filled with blood-spraying decapitations and \u201cWhat do I want to do with my life after high school?\u201d angst. And it treats both those stressors seriously, even respectfully<\/a> \u2014\u00a0at least as respectfully as a tongue-in-cheek musical can. Show up for the cheery number where protagonist Anna (Ella Hunt) one-ups Shaun by not just sailing through the zombie-induced collapse of society without noticing, but managing to sing the whole time. Stay for the frantic, bizarre, deeply unexpected villain song about the upside of a Christmas zombie apocalypse. \u2014Tasha Robinson<\/em><\/p>\n

Batman Returns<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"Bruce<\/p>\n

Where to watch: <\/strong>Max<\/a> or for rent on Amazon<\/a>, Apple TV<\/a>, and Google Play<\/p>\n

Is Batman Returns<\/em> a superhero movie that happens to take place around Christmas, or a gothic Christmas film that happens to have superheroes and villains in it? In any case, Tim Burton\u2019s 1992 follow-up to his original Batman<\/em> is an awesome film filled with cool visuals, exciting action sequences, attempted murder, and a nail-biting finale centered around kidnapped babies, a bat-shaped boat, and an army of rocket-strapped kamikaze penguins. It\u2019s also a story about two strange people who find comfort in each other\u2019s strangeness, an orphan who grows up to seek revenge against the parents and society that shunned him, and a nefarious industrialist looking to make a quick buck at any cost. Though it may test the limits of what you might consider a \u201cChristmas movie,\u201d Batman Returns<\/em> is a fantastic seasonal watch and a fun, weird film for the whole family. \u2014Toussaint Egan<\/em><\/p>\n

Better Watch Out<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Where to watch<\/strong>: Peacock; for free with a library card on Hoopla or Kanopy; for free with ads on Tubi, Pluto TV, Plex, and Crackle<\/p>\n

Better Watch Out<\/em> feels like a reaction piece 26 years removed from the original Home Alone<\/em>. The latter is a family comedy film whose premise could\u2019ve easily been played out like a home invasion horror movie, if not for the plucky Ferris Bueller-esque charisma of Macaulay Culkin and the dopey oafishness of Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern. Better Watch Out<\/em> inverts that dynamic, introducing inventive twists and turns that take the unspoken horror story at the heart of that aforementioned film and transforms it into something way darker and more disturbing. This is a not feel-good Christmas story; this is a psychological horror movie that plays with the idea of whether or not the behaviors of a kid like Kevin McCallister could be considered a sign of latent sociopathy. To say any more would risk spoiling the film, but rest assured: Better Watch Out<\/em> is an engrossing holiday horror drama if you have the stomach for its occasionally gory thrills. \u2014TE<\/em><\/p>\n

Black Christmas<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"Olivia<\/p>\n

Where to watch: <\/strong>Prime Video<\/a>, AMC Plus, Peacock, Shudder; for free with a library card on Kanopy; for free with ads on Freevee, Pluto TV, Tubi, and the Roku Channel<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re looking for a straightforward, tinsel-lined horror movie, you can\u2019t do better than Bob Clark\u2019s Canadian slasher flick. (Apologies to Jack Frost<\/em>, the serial-killer snowman movie \u2014 Black Christmas<\/em> is just better!) Originally released in the U.S. as Silent Night, Evil Night<\/em>, the low-budget horror movie crackles like a warm fire blown by a chilly gust of wind. Clark uses shadows and lurking horrors to turn a sorority house into a something ripped from a Shirley Jackson paperback cover, and while the transgressions within don\u2019t find too much inspiration in Christmas iconography, there is a \u201cwrapping job\u201d that will leave you gasping. \u2014MP<\/em><\/p>\n

Christmas in Connecticut<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"Barabara<\/p>\n

Where to watch: <\/strong>Prime Video or for rent on Amazon<\/a>, Apple TV<\/a>, and Google Play<\/p>\n

Few movie stars have ever had the impact on the industry as Barbara Stanwyck, and Christmas in Connecticut <\/em>is a delightful Christmas rom-com showcasing her charm and movie star charisma.<\/p>\n

Stanwyck plays Elizabeth Lane, a food writer who purports to write about her life as a Connecticut housewife living on a farm with her husband and baby. There\u2019s just one problem: She\u2019s made the whole thing up. Her publisher \u2014 completely unaware that Lane is actually single, lives in New York, and can\u2019t cook \u2014 decides Lane should host a lavish Christmas dinner for a soldier returning from war (Dennis Morgan), who is also a big fan. What follows is a delightful screwball comedy that was a smash hit at the time, and continues to thrill decades later. <\/p>\n

If you\u2019re looking for more Stanwyck excellence, you can\u2019t go wrong with the all-time classic Double Indemnity<\/em>, but I also love her pre-code crime drama Night Nurse<\/em>, co-starring an evil Clark Gable. Both are available for rental or purchase on Amazon, Apple, and Google Play. \u2014Pete Volk<\/em><\/p>\n

Dash & Lily <\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Where to watch: <\/strong>Netflix<\/p>\n

Cheating here with a TV show, but it\u2019s a limited series that\u2019s only eight half-hour episodes and it\u2019s absolutely become required holiday viewing for me every year. Dash & Lily<\/em> is a romantic comedy that follows two lonely teenagers in New York, who leave each other little dares and challenges in a journal without ever meeting face-to-face. They are drawn to each other on paper and motivated by one another to step outside their comfort zones. But what happens when they cross paths in person? <\/p>\n

It\u2019s an adorable romance, but my favorite part of Dash & Lily<\/em> is that it takes place in a blissful alternate universe where doing popular holiday activities in New York isn\u2019t<\/em> claustrophobically crowded. Oh, how I long for that to be true!\u00a0\u2014Petrana Radulovic<\/em><\/p>\n

Hawkeye<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"Kate<\/p>\n

Where to watch: <\/strong>Disney Plus<\/p>\n

I\u2019m cheating a bit here, since this is a show and not a movie, but what is a six-episode miniseries if not a very long movie? Hawkeye <\/em>is one of the better MCU TV efforts<\/a>, leaning on the movie star charisma of Hailee Steinfeld as aspiring super-archer Kate Bishop as she teams up with her idol, Clint Barton. <\/p>\n

Adapted from the very fun comic run by Matt Fraction and David Aja, Hawkeye <\/em>is great Christmas fare, too. The show is set during holiday times, and much of the show\u2019s conflict is set around getting Barton\u2019s family back in time for Christmas. It\u2019s the kind of TV Marvel should feel like it can make more of \u2014 fewer massive universe stakes, more fun times hanging out with super pals. \u2014PV<\/em><\/p>\n

Home Alone<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"Macaulay<\/p>\n

Where to watch: <\/strong>Disney Plus<\/a> or for rent on Amazon<\/a>, Apple TV<\/a>, and Google Play<\/p>\n

Hopefully, I don\u2019t have to tell you that Home Alone<\/em> is a very good movie. I don\u2019t have to talk about how well it captures a child\u2019s-eye view of suburban life (being terrified of your house\u2019s boiler for no reason), the number of immortal one-liners in it (\u201cKeep the change, ya filthy animal\u201d), the music (John Williams!), or the character acting (Joe Pesci! Catherine O\u2019Hara! JOHN CANDY).<\/p>\n

Somewhere inside this fusion of the writing talents of John Hughes and the directing prowess of Chris Columbus is a message about how sometimes parents act in boneheaded ways toward their children, but the best of them can find a way to reconnect and apologize \u2014 inside a beautiful box wrapped in crisp writing, comedic timing, and a reverse-heist plot line. \u2014Susana Polo<\/em><\/p>\n

It\u2019s a Wonderful Life<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"it\u2019s<\/p>\n

Where to watch:<\/strong> Prime Video<\/a>, Plex, for free with a library card on Hoopla<\/a>, for free with ads on Freevee, or for rent on Apple TV<\/a><\/p>\n

If you haven\u2019t seen It\u2019s a Wonderful Life<\/em> or if it\u2019s just been a while, then you might not know how the film, from intro to credits, is unapologetically weird and transgressive. All that Christmas Carol<\/em>-esque stuff in which an \u201cangel\u201d shows George Bailey (James Stewart) what his town would have looked like had he never existed is just a fraction of the film. It\u2019s preceded by 30 years<\/em> of Bailey\u2019s life, punctuated by the Great Depression and World War II. And that helpful angel? He and his \u201cboss\u201d are introduced as sentient cosmic dust. The film is a holiday cobbler stuffed with bits of Charles Dickens, Rod Serling, and Billy Wilder. Don\u2019t let its reputation as sappy holiday detritus get in the way you enjoying of an exceptional film \u2014 Christmas or otherwise. \u2014Chris Plante<\/em><\/p>\n

Jingle All the Way<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"Sinbad<\/p>\n

Where to watch: <\/strong>Disney Plus, Prime Video, Hulu, or for rent on Apple TV<\/a> and Google Play<\/p>\n

What\u2019s more Christmas-y than a story of a loving parent going to whatever lengths necessary to preserve their child\u2019s happiness? \u201980s action icon Arnold Schwarzenegger, in a patently bizarre turn of reverse typecasting, stars in Jingle All the Way<\/em> as Howard Langston, a mattress salesman whose workaholic attitude comes at the cost of his duties as a family man and father. Desperate to fulfill his son\u2019s Christmas wish, Howard embarks on a search for a Turbo-Man action figure. Problem is: It\u2019s Christmas Eve and they\u2019re all but entirely sold out. Complicating his mission is Myron (Sinbad), a postal worker and fellow negligent father who shares the same goal. Jingle All the Way<\/em> is a Christmas comedy that focuses on the exasperation and escalating stakes between Howard and Myron amid a gauntlet of ruthless holiday shoppers and a jetpack-enabled finale. If that doesn\u2019t scream \u201cChristmas\u201d to you, I don\u2019t know what does. \u2014TE<\/em><\/p>\n

Klaus<\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Where to watch:<\/strong> Netflix<\/p>\n

Santa Claus movies too often rely on snarky self-awareness, with a million jokes about the more fantastical bits of Santa mythos. Klaus<\/em>, however, is unflinchingly earnest in its approach to the Santa story. It\u2019s also wonderfully gorgeous, animated in a very distinct hand-drawn style that feels like a cozy mug of hot cocoa.<\/p>\n

Klaus follows a lazy postman named Jesper, who gets stationed in a remote town of Smeerenburg on the distant Nordic island of Svalbard with instructions to increase the postal output \u2014 or else be cut off from his family\u2019s postal fortune. Since all of Smeerenburg is basically embroiled in a bitter feud, the already hard task is near impossible. That is until Jesper meets a lone woodcarver named Klaus with a workshop full of toys. There are enough laughs to keep the movie breezy, but it\u2019s also a deeply emotional story that slowly builds till the final moments. \u2014PR<\/em><\/p>\n

Le Pupille<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

Where to watch: <\/strong>Disney Plus<\/p>\n

Italian director Alice Rohrwacher won Best Screenplay at Cannes with Happy as Lazzaro<\/em>, and her new movie, La Chimera<\/em>, <\/em>has received rave reviews on the festival circuit. But around Christmas time, her delightful short Le Pupille <\/em>is a must-watch.<\/p>\n

37 minutes of pure charm and joy, Le Pupille <\/em>is set during World War II and follows a group of girls at a Catholic boarding school. One of the girls, Serafina, is an outcast who inadvertently draws the nuns\u2019 attention through an act of unintended mischief. This incident snowballs into an avalanche of rebellious behavior, culminating in an uproarious and hilarious crescendo.<\/p>\n

Beautifully shot on film, Rohrwacher\u2019s short is both a funny, charming Christmas watch and a gorgeous, deeply felt movie about childhood. Add it to your holiday rotation \u2014 you won\u2019t regret it. \u2014PV<\/em><\/p>\n

Mickey\u2019s Christmas Carol<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"Scrooge<\/p>\n

Where to watch:<\/strong> Disney Plus<\/a> or for rent on Amazon<\/a> and Apple TV<\/a><\/p>\n

If you watch one adaptation of A Christmas Carol<\/em> this season, watch The Muppet Christmas Carol <\/em>(more on that in a second). If you watch two adaptations of A Christmas Carol<\/em>\u2026 you should probably watch the Patrick Stewart one, actually.<\/p>\n

But if you watch THREE CHRISTMAS CAROLS THIS SEASON, take some time to consider Mickey\u2019s Christmas Carol<\/em>, directed by longtime Disney animator\/writer Burny Mattinson. The tight 26-minute special gets a jump start by mining Disney\u2019s history of anthropomorphic animal animation for character designs, making it a Kingdom Hearts-worthy mashup of works as disparate as Robin Hood<\/em>, The Wind in the Willows<\/em>, Pinocchio<\/em>, and The Aristocats<\/em>. And though it may answer an obvious question \u2014 \u201cWhat if Scrooge McDuck was literally his namesake?\u201d \u2014 in an obvious way, the whole thing is surprisingly well done, thanks to rousing vocal performances, the vivacity of hand-drawn animation, and a willingness to actually get really scary<\/a> in a way that the modern House of Mouse tends to eschew. \u2014SP<\/em><\/p>\n

The Muppet Christmas Carol<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

Where to watch: <\/strong>Disney Plus<\/a> or for rent on Amazon<\/a> and Apple TV<\/a><\/p>\n

I didn\u2019t grow up with Christmas movies, but my partner did. Every Christmas Eve, their family watches The Muppet Christmas Carol<\/em>, and it\u2019s a delightful tradition that I feel blessed to be a part of now.<\/p>\n

You know the deal \u2014 it\u2019s a classic story, but with Muppets. This time, it\u2019s Charles Dickens\u2019 A Christmas Carol<\/em>, with generational talents Michael Caine as Ebenezer Scrooge and Kermit the Frog as Bob Cratchit.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a delightful time filled with memorable songs, one-liner jokes, and the usual Muppet nonsense. But what really pulls the whole thing together is Caine\u2019s moving performance as Scrooge. He treats this Muppet project like he\u2019s performing Shakespeare at The Globe, and it brings an emotional center to what would otherwise be a very enjoyable Muppet romp. \u2014PV<\/em><\/p>\n

National Lampoon\u2019s Christmas Vacation<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"Chevy<\/p>\n

Where to watch<\/strong>: Max or for rent on Amazon<\/a>, Apple TV<\/a>, and Google Play<\/p>\n

I had never seen National Lampoon\u2019s Christmas Vacation<\/em> until a few years ago when a friend of mine, aghast in utter disbelief at this fact, finally forced me to sit down and watch it with them. I understand now why my friend was so shocked: It\u2019s a hilarious comedy, so hilarious in fact that I\u2019m surprised I hadn\u2019t seen it sooner. Chevy Chase is pitch-perfect in the role of Clark Griswold, a salaryman and put-upon father at his wit\u2019s end trying to pull off the perfect family Christmas celebration. As each of his carefully laid plans either hits a snag or utterly falls apart, so too does Clark\u2019s disposition, transforming from a mild-mannered family man into a living powder keg of seething rage barely holding it together under a facade of holiday cheer. At least he\u2019s got a Christmas bonus coming up, right? \u2014TE<\/em><\/p>\n

The Night Before<\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Where to watch:<\/strong> Starz or for rent on Amazon<\/a>, Apple TV<\/a>, and Google Play<\/p>\n

I grew up Jewish, which means I\u2019m generally on the outside looking in when it comes to Christmas and Christmas-themed celebrations. Naturally, that means the Christmas movies I\u2019m drawn to tend to come at the holiday from a different vantage point. The Night Before <\/em>certainly isn\u2019t the most Christmas-y of Christmas movies, but it is one of the funniest.<\/p>\n

The Night Before<\/em> is a Christmas movie from a majority Jewish-raised lead creative team, including writer-director Jonathan Levine and stars Seth Rogen (who produced along with longtime creative partner Evan Goldberg) and Joseph Gordon-Levitt. It\u2019s a ridiculous stoner comedy about a group of childhood friends (Gordon-Levitt, Rogen, and Anthony Mackie) who have a long-held Christmas tradition of finding the best party in the city. But some of the friends are more grown-up than others, and when they decide this is the last year they\u2019ll hold this tradition, things get extremely out of hand very quickly. \u2014PV<\/em><\/p>\n

The Nightmare Before Christmas<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

Where to watch: <\/strong>Disney Plus<\/a> or for rent on Amazon<\/a>, Apple TV<\/a>, and Google Play<\/p>\n

Christmas movie? Halloween movie? Split the difference: Tim Burton and stop-motion animator Henry Selick\u2019s macabre holiday musical is the perfect Thanksgiving movie. The story of Jack Skellington figuring out how to stay in his holiday lane is still a quirky sight to see, with lots of strange details packed into the every frame. If you\u2019ve seen this one too many times, fall down the YouTube rabbit hole of Danny Elfman performing the soundtrack live<\/a>. \u2014MP<\/em><\/p>\n

The Santa Clause<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"Charlie<\/p>\n

Where to watch: <\/strong>Disney Plus<\/a> or for rent on Amazon<\/a>, Apple TV<\/a>, and Google Play<\/p>\n

The Santa Clause<\/em> is a classic Christmas comedy, one that offers a whimsical (albeit slightly macabre) answer for how \u2019ol Kris Kringle is such a perennial symbol of the holiday despite ostensibly being a bajillion years old. Tim Allen stars as Scott Calvin, a divorced father and toy salesman who, in a Highlander<\/em>-esque twist of fate, accidentally kills Santa Claus and subsequently becomes the next man in line to hold his title and responsibilities. Through the struggle of coming to grips with his new identity while trying to convince others of his new role, Scott grows as both a person and as a father, learning the true meaning of Christmas through the firsthand embodiment of one of its most central figures. It\u2019s heartwarming and hilarious in a way that\u2019s stood the test of time and a feel-good Christmas movie for the whole family. And there\u2019s a new show out, which we are dutifully watching to track the appearances of Bernard the Hot Elf<\/a>. \u2014MP<\/em><\/p>\n

Scrooged<\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Where to watch:<\/strong> Prime Video<\/a>, Paramount Plus, for free with ads on Pluto, or for rent on Apple TV<\/a> and Google Play<\/p>\n

For decades, \u201cChristmas movie\u201d meant a feel-good family experience, maybe with a little bit of a dark side (the original A Christmas Carol<\/em> is grim<\/em>, y\u2019all) but still comforting and uplifting. Then cynicism started to be seen as cultural sophistication, and transgressive Christmas movies became the norm, from black comedies like Bad Santa <\/em>to horror movies like Krampus <\/em>to over-the-top action movies like Violent Night<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n

Richard Donner\u2019s 1988 Bill Murray vehicle Scrooged<\/em> landed right in the middle of that cultural shift, and it balances perfectly on the line between keeping traditional Christmas whimsy intact and going for something darker.\u00a0Its humor is rough but not cruel, and its messages are positive, but not so sugary-sentimental that they give you instant cavities. It\u2019s yet another retelling of A Christmas Carol<\/em>, in which snide, above-it-all TV exec Frank Cross (Murray) gets a kick in the pants from the traditional three ghosts.<\/p>\n

But the casting and framing has a subversive spin that\u2019s meant to feel both modern and off-kilter \u2014 the two ghosts that actually speak are played by New York Dolls\u2019 David Johansen and a cheerfully sadistic Carol Kane, with M*A*S*H<\/em>\u2019s Jamie Farr in the Jacob Marley role. And the script, by Mitch Glazer and longtime Saturday Night Live <\/em>veteran Michael O\u2019Donoghue, is playful but cutting, full of memorable lines that Murray makes iconic. It\u2019s the perfect Christmas movie for cranky cynics with a secret (or just deeply buried) soft spot for holiday cheer. \u2014TR<\/em><\/p>\n

The Shop Around the Corner<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"(L-R)<\/p>\n

Where to watch: <\/strong>MGM Plus or for rent on Amazon, Apple TV, and Google Play<\/p>\n

One of the all-time great directors and one of the all-time great movie stars team up for one of the all-time great Christmas movies. If you\u2019re a fan of You\u2019ve Got Mail<\/em>, you owe it to yourself to watch the fantastic original.<\/p>\n

From the masterful Ernst Lubitsch, this romantic comedy follows a salesman (James Stewart) and a new employee at his shop (Margaret Sullavan), who can\u2019t stand each other. They get in frequent arguments at work, and the only thing that keeps them going through their misery is a secret love they anonymously write to \u2014 each other.<\/p>\n

The Shop Around the Corner<\/em> is endearingly sweet, uproariously funny, and a Christmas classic for good reason. \u2014PV<\/em><\/p>\n

Tokyo Godfathers<\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Where to watch:<\/strong> Prime Video<\/a> or for free with ads on The Roku Channel<\/p>\n

The great Satoshi Kon was inspired by the John Ford film 3 Godfathers <\/em>\u2014 itself a retelling of the biblical Three Wise Men, but in the American West \u2014 for this beautiful Christmas story about found family and the people left behind by society. It is more grounded than Kon\u2019s other work, but no less stirring.<\/p>\n

On Christmas Eve, three unhoused people find an abandoned newborn baby. The three of them decide to try and find the child\u2019s parents on a cold night in Tokyo. Through this simple premise, Kon is able to tell a gorgeous story about determining who you are in the face of what you are told, and about how important and difficult caring for people can be. Tokyo Godfathers<\/em> is also a tale about the push and pull of wanting to be invisible \u2014 because sometimes that means being safe \u2014 and wanting to be seen. It\u2019s a wonderful story for all seasons, but especially for Christmas. \u2014PV<\/em><\/p>\n

Twelve Hundred Ghosts<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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