7 Christmas Movies You Can Watch with Hulu’s 99-Cent Black Friday Deal to Kick Off the Holiday Season

It’s December, the countdown to Christmas is on, and holiday movies are ready to be watched—and the clock is ticking, too. Best Black Friday Streaming DealsCertainly. One of our favorites from years past is returning this year: Hulu is offering a whopping 90% off. This means the streamer will charge just 99 cents per month for an entire year if you sign up before December 3rd.

Whether you’re feeling the Christmas spirit or hoping to kickstart some less-Grinch-like feelings, my gift to you is a few hand-picked top-tier holiday movies to stream on Hulu. Yes, some may require an add-on, but when a basic Hulu subscription costs less than a dollar a month, it’s a small price to pay for hours of holiday feel-good movies. Besides, you can find more discounts in our Hulu Black Friday Deals to make it worth it. For even more information on the best discounts right now, visit our Black Friday Entertainment Specials live blog.

Get a Black Friday discount on your Hulu subscriptions before you start streaming

Die Hard

The debate seems to be over Die Hard A must-have on any holiday movie list. Bruce Willis has rarely been better than his portrayal of NYPD detective John McClane (at least in the early films), and in the Christmas action movie “OG” he delivers his best one-liners. McClane climbs through vents, walks through broken glass and jumps from buildings in an attempt to save his wife Holly (Bonnie Bedelia) and her colleagues from a group of international terrorists and thieves. McClane is the Christmas hero we all need in our lives. Well, everything except Alan RickmanClinical villain Hans Gruber. But in the end he will fall in love with him…

Stream on Hulu

Jingle all the way

Howard Langston (Arnold Schwarzenegger) holds a giant candy cane in the movie

(Image credit: 20th Century Studios)

From Arnie’s brief foray into family life in the ’90s, Austrian Oak plays family man Howard Langston who, having promised his son (Darth Vader’s unborn child Jake Lloyd) this year’s must-have toy, sets out on Christmas Eve to find one of the last remaining Turbo Man action figures. A story that any parent of a certain age can relate to, Howard is ridiculed from store after store before turning to the black market, radio show giveaways and crooked Santas, all the while facing competition from the increasingly manic postman Sinbad Myron. It’s silly and silly, but it’s a lot of fun and filled with nostalgia for those of us who still yearn for ’90s Christmases.

Stream on Hulu

Gremlins

Gizmo (voiced by Howie Mundell) sits at a keyboard wearing a Santa hat in Gremlins.

(Image credit: Warner Bros.)

Not your typical holiday movie Gremlins However, it is full of Christmas spirit as the small town of Kingston Falls is besieged by mischievous monsters. When Billy Pelzer (Zach Galligan) gets a little creature named Mogwai for Christmas, there are only three rules to follow. But when one is accidentally broken, a night of carnage and chaos ensues. Incredibly funny, endlessly innovative and a little scary, Gremlins. perfect for those looking for something darker this holiday season. Directed by Joe Dante, screenplay Home alone directed by Chris Columbus, it’s also incredibly entertaining, with all the charm you’d expect from something produced by Steven Spielberg. The practical effects alone make Gremlins worth watching, but it would be a real Scrooge who wouldn’t fall in love with Mogwai Gizmo the moment he appeared on screen.

Requires Max add-on starting at $9.99.

A Christmas Story

Ralphie (Peter Billingsley) sits on Santa's lap in A Christmas Story.

(Image credit: Warner Bros.)

American holiday classic, oddly enough, from the director Black Christmas, A Christmas Story is a nostalgic, dreamy journey back to childhood as young Ralphie (Peter Billingsley) experiences the ups and downs of the holiday season. There are scary Santas, tongues stuck to lamp posts and lamps shaped like feet, but it all comes together to create a wonderful depiction of the most magical time of the year for a child, whether you have a Red Ryder BB gun or not. While you’re there, check out the belated sequel A Christmas Story Christmas which follows Ralphie as an adult returning to his childhood home to give his children the magical Christmas he remembers. There are old friends, a lot of bad luck, and coming to terms with the Old Man’s death, which packs quite an emotional punch. A Christmas Story is your ultimate gift, and the sequel is an absolutely entertaining stocking filler.

Requires Max add-on starting at $9.99.

National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation

Ellen (Beverly D'Angelo) and Clark Griswold (Chevy Chase) in National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation

(Image credit: Warner Bros.)

Continuation of the same fun National Lampoon’s Vacation and even less funny European holidays, Christmas holidays works for both those unfamiliar with the Griswold family and longtime fans. John Hughes the written film is about family, especially family.American Dad Clarke is looking forward to the holidays and his attempts to have a “good old family Christmas.” From choosing the perfect tree and taking care of the in-laws to setting up the best holiday lights in town, Clark’s failed efforts are full of holiday fun. Grab a moose mug, pour in some eggnog, and get ready for the happiest Christmas since… well, you know the rest.

Requires Max add-on starting at $9.99.

Elf

Buddy the Elf (Will Ferrell) is freaking out at the department store in Elf.

(Image credit: Warner Bros.)

Starring Will Ferrell in its best form, Elf At its core, it’s a story about growing up and how the magic of Christmas tends to wane with age. Meet Buddy (Ferrell), a human elf whose infectious optimism and wide-eyed wonder at the world will have you feeling like a kid again on Christmas morning in no time. Making his way to the scene of Santa’s murder from the orphanage he was staying at, Buddy always knew that he didn’t quite fit in with the rest of the elves. Thus begins a journey from the magical North Pole to the harsh reality of New York, in an attempt to find and reunite with his biological father (James Caan). Things aren’t going smoothly, of course, but Buddy’s fish-out-of-water shenanigans in the Big Apple are pure holiday magic.

Requires Max add-on starting at $9.99.

The night before

Issac (Seth Rogen), Chris (Anthony Mackie) and Ethan (Jospeh Gordon-Levitt) dance on a giant synthesizer in The Night Before

(Image credit: STARZ)

Definitely for adults only, Seth Rogen teams up with the guys behind This is the end And Neighbours apply your usual humor to the holidays. Rogen plays Issac, who, along with friends Ethan (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) and Chris (Anthony Mackie), spends every Christmas Eve in New York. But with adult life bearing down on them like a sleigh ride, that tradition will soon come to an end – but not before they find their way to The Nutcracker, the Holy Grail of Christmas parties. Along the way there is karaoke, a giant piano and a hilarious scene with Rogen, a church and a bag of drugs. This isn’t a holiday family meal then, but for those looking for an alternative to the sugary, sugary movies that are usually on rotation this time of year. The night before this is a must see.

Requires the STARZ add-on, which will currently only cost you $0.99 more.