Christmas for tweens — a Screenwise List | Screenwise
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Christmas for tweens

A list by Nora

These wholesome holiday films celebrate family, friendship, and courage. They are perfect for a ten-year-old looking for stories that capture the true spirit of the season.

  1. 1
    Arthur Christmas

    Arthur Christmas

    Movie · 2011

    WISE score 82

    “Santa's awkward son goes rogue to deliver one forgotten present—because every kid matters, even if you're just a statistical blip to corporate Christmas.”

    IMDb 7.1RT 93%
  2. 2
    Angela's Christmas

    Angela's Christmas

    Movie · 2017

    WISE score 78

    “A gentle Irish Christmas tale about a kind-hearted child—sweet values, but your kids might find it a bit slow and old-timey.”

    IMDb 7.0
  3. 3
    The Polar Express

    The Polar Express

    Movie · 2004

    WISE score 68

    “Tom Hanks plays everyone in this motion-capture Christmas journey that's either magical or nightmare fuel, depending on who you ask.”

    IMDb 6.6RT 55%
  4. 4
    Home Alone

    Home Alone

    Movie · 1990

    WISE score 58

    “The Christmas classic where an 8-year-old defends his house with paint cans and blowtorches—heartwarming AND borderline Home Depot assault.”

    IMDb 7.7RT 66%
  5. 5
    Prancer

    Prancer

    Movie · 1989

    WISE score 74

    “An 8-year-old girl hides a wounded reindeer in her barn while her Sam Elliott-stached dad struggles to keep the family farm afloat.”

  6. 6
    Noelle

    Noelle

    Movie · 2019

    WISE score 68

    “Santa's daughter goes on a mission to find her brother—a perfectly safe, perfectly forgettable Disney+ Christmas movie that exists.”

    IMDb 6.3RT 56%
  7. 7
    The Santa Clause

    The Santa Clause

    Movie · 1994

    WISE score 58

    “Tim Allen becomes Santa after the original falls off his roof—it's a '90s holiday staple that your kids might find painfully slow.”

    IMDb 6.6RT 73%
  8. 8
    The Santa Clause 2

    The Santa Clause 2

    Movie · 2002

    WISE score 68

    “Tim Allen's Santa needs a wife or he loses his job—basically a Hallmark movie at the North Pole, but with a bigger budget and actual elves.”

    IMDb 5.8RT 56%
  9. 9
    The Santa Clause 3 The Escape Clause

    “Jack Frost crashes the North Pole in this third Santa Clause outing—safe for kids but even elves would call it a bit stale.”

    IMDb 4.9RT 17%
  10. 10
    Miracle On 34th Street

    “The 1994 Santa-goes-to-court remake: sweet and safe, but your kids will probably ask to watch Elf instead.”

    IMDb 6.6RT 59%
  11. 11
    Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas

    “Mickey and pals deliver three Christmas tales with maximum wholesomeness and 1999-era animation charm that your kids might tolerate once.”

    IMDb 7.1RT 50%
  12. 12
    Prep & Landing

    Prep & Landing

    TV Show · 2009

    WISE score 82

    “Santa's elite prep team gets a workplace comedy makeover in this clever, heartwarming Disney holiday short about a grumpy elf and his rookie partner.”

    IMDb 7.5
  13. 13
    The Christmas Chronicles

    “Kurt Russell's cool-guy Santa crashes his sleigh and needs two kids to save Christmas—it's Die Hard meets Elf, minus the violence.”

    IMDb 7.0RT 67%
  14. 14
    The Christmas Chronicles: Part Two

    “Kurt Russell's Santa returns for a paint-by-numbers sequel that's safe, seasonal, and thoroughly skippable.”

  15. 15
    The Nutcracker

    The Nutcracker

    Movie · 1993

    WISE score 48

    “A 1993 ballet-on-film that's safe for little kids but will bore most of them senseless—Christmas magic meets theatrical pacing.”

    IMDb 5.8RT 50%
  16. 16
    The Nutcracker and the Four Realms

    “Disney's lavish but lifeless Nutcracker adaptation: all sugar plum frosting, no actual cake underneath.”

  17. 17
    Klaus

    Klaus

    Movie · 2019

    WISE score 88

    “A selfish mailman accidentally invents Santa Claus—and learns to be a decent human in the process.”

    IMDb 8.2RT 95%
  18. 18
    If You Give a Mouse a Christmas Cookie

    “A gentle holiday special where Mouse's runaway chain of distractions nearly ruins the local pageant until his animal friends step in to steady the ship.”

  19. 19
    An American Girl Story - Maryellen 1955: Extraordinary Christmas

    “A 1955 Florida Christmas special where middle-child Maryellen learns that helping a friend recovering from polio beats throwing a flashy holiday party.”

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