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
Arthur Christmas
Movie · 2011
“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
Angela's Christmas
Movie · 2017
“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
The Polar Express
Movie · 2004
“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
Home Alone
Movie · 1990
“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
Prancer
Movie · 1989
“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
Noelle
Movie · 2019
“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
The Santa Clause
Movie · 1994
“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
The Santa Clause 2
Movie · 2002
“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
The Santa Clause 3 The Escape Clause
Movie · 2006
“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
Miracle On 34th Street
Movie · 1994
“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
Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas
Movie · 1999
“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
Prep & Landing
TV Show · 2009
“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
The Christmas Chronicles
Movie · 2025
“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
The Christmas Chronicles: Part Two
Movie · 2020
“Kurt Russell's Santa returns for a paint-by-numbers sequel that's safe, seasonal, and thoroughly skippable.”
- 15
The Nutcracker
Movie · 1993
“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
The Nutcracker and the Four Realms
Movie · 2018
“Disney's lavish but lifeless Nutcracker adaptation: all sugar plum frosting, no actual cake underneath.”
- 17
Klaus
Movie · 2019
“A selfish mailman accidentally invents Santa Claus—and learns to be a decent human in the process.”
IMDb 8.2RT 95% - 18
If You Give a Mouse a Christmas Cookie
Movie · 2016
“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
“A 1955 Florida Christmas special where middle-child Maryellen learns that helping a friend recovering from polio beats throwing a flashy holiday party.”
Got your own favorites?
Make a list like this in about a minute — we suggest the picks, you choose.
More Lists to Explore
Enchanting Tales and Animal Adventures for Third Graders
by 2nd Grade Books · 27 picks
A collection of engaging books featuring majestic elephants, clever snakes, mysterious water creatures, and classic fairy tales perfect for a 3rd grade reader.
Anime for tweens
by Nora · 29 picks
These gentle and imaginative anime selections are perfect for nine-year-olds who enjoy magical stories, heartwarming friendships, and inspiring journeys.
Halloween for tweens
by Nora · 18 picks
These spooky-but-gentle Halloween movies are perfect for a 9-year-old who wants to get into the holiday spirit without any scary violence or intense frights.
Wholesome tween picks
by Nora · 50 picks
Heartwarming movies and shows perfect for 9-10 year olds who love stories about school, family, and finding their place in the world. These gentle picks focus on positive connections and personal discovery.
10 Football Movies to Consider
by John Perritt · 10 picks
John Perritt's football movie picks from his Family Movie Night newsletter (johnperritt.substack.com), from Rudy and Remember the Titans to American Underdog. Several are based on true stories, and a few are for older kids, so check the content first.
Our Family Christmas Movie List
by John Perritt · 10 picks
The Christmas movies the Perritt family queues up every December, in the order they watch them, from Rudolph on the drive home from the tree farm to Christmas Vacation, plus a few that sometimes make the rotation. From John Perritt's Family Movie Night newsletter (johnperritt.substack.com). The Family Man is John and his wife's date-night pick, not one for the kids.