10 Best Recent New Year’s Movies to Watch With Your Children

How do you create a festive atmosphere for the whole family? Cook something delicious and watch a cozy movie.

This is a list of movies that will cheer up not only you, but also your kids.

1. Candy Cane Lane, 2023

Just before Christmas, marketer Chris receives the unwelcome news that he was fired. The traditional street decorating contest, for which Chris and his family have been preparing, is not so encouraging anymore. This year, however, there is a large cash prize for winning the contest.

Chris finds a specialty store that sells holiday decorations. He buys a magical tree that will win the contest one hundred percent. There are special conditions attached to the tree in small print, but of course Chris does not read them.

2. Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey, 2020

Jeronicus Jangle is the world's greatest toy inventor, who developed a magical method for creating a sentient puppet. After celebrating the birth of the prototype, he leaves his magic shop under the supervision of a young apprentice. The doll, terrified that it will soon be just one of many in a line of the same toys, persuades the man to steal Jangle's work.

The inventor bids farewell to his former glory for many years. Everything changes when his granddaughter comes to visit and inherits his magical touch. Together, they bring magic back to the family toy store.

3. 8-Bit Christmas, 2021

Annie wants nothing more than a phone for Christmas. Her dad Jake constantly embarrasses his daughter by contacting her through her friends, but remains adamant. Jake tells his daughter about his own childhood dream of a Christmas present. Only in his case, it was a brand-new Nintendo.

The story is divided into two timelines and takes us to the late 80's, where Jake is also unable to get what he wants from his parents. It's not only a captivating tale for kids, but also a nostalgic trip for parents with a taste for the 80s.

4. Slumberland, 2022

A girl named Nemo lives with her joyful father on an island isolated from civilization. When her father dies, Nemo is sent to live with uncle Philip, whom she has never met. He is the opposite of his brother: unsociable and interested only in door locks.

Nemo hides from reality in dreams. In them, the girl meets Flip, a character from her father's fairy tales, a man with goat horns. He explains that Nemo must help him find a pearl, which will help Flip remember who he is.

5. A Christmas Carol, 2020

This adaptation is the most innovative take on Charles Dickens' classic story. It magically combines elements of theatrical performance, choreography and drawing, woven together in a child's imagination.

The text is read by famous actors – Carey Mulligan, Martin Freeman and Daniel Kaluuya. Through unusual characters, the famous story is transformed into a bold interpretation that is definitely a must-see for the whole family.

6. Teddy’s Christmas, 2022

At the Christmas market, Mariann sees real magic: a teddy bear suddenly sneezes. The little girl always gets into trouble because of her imagination, but now she is absolutely sure of what she has seen.

This Norwegian movie may not be as big as The Adventures of Paddington, but it is absolutely charming and cozy. By the way, you can get into the fairy tale by arriving in Oslo – some of the scenes were filmed at the Norwegian Museum of Cultural History.

7. Noelle, 2019

Noelle and Nick are descended from an ancient family of Santas. For 3,000 years, the men in their family put on a red coat and went out to deliver gifts to children. Now it's Nick's turn, but he can't fit down the chimney and is afraid of deer. On the eve of the holidays, the new Santa Claus runs away. Now Noelle has to leave her home for the first time in order to find her brother.

Noelle is a wonderful story that shows that any walls can be broken down with self-confidence and love for what you do.

8. The Princess Switch, 2018

Stacy is a baker from Chicago who is invited to a Christmas baking competition in a fictional European country. There she meets the local princess, Margaret. And they are like two peas in a pod. Margaret is about to be married and dreams of escaping the castle walls for a taste of normal life.

The movie starring Vanessa Hudgens has become a trilogy and will appeal not only to children, but also to parents nostalgic for 2000s hits such as The Parent Trap and The Princess Diaries.

9. A Boy Called Christmas, 2021

According to the story (told by Maggie Smith herself, by the way), many years ago, no one knew about Christmas. In those days, in the Finnish wilderness, a boy named Nikolas lived with his father. After the death of their mother, their life has been joyless. It was also difficult for other inhabitants of the land, so the king sent a group of people to search for the lost hope.

Nikolas' father also joins the expedition, leaving his son alone with his aunt. The boy tries to wait for his father, but his hope slowly dies. In his own hat he finds a map to the land of the elves, where he can find that very hope.

10. Klaus, 2019

This brilliant animated movie should be in every Christmas and New Year's list, which is why it’s here. Klaus’ director Sergio Pablos previously worked for Disney. During that time, he helped create hits like Tarzan and Aladdin, but became famous for writing the Despicable Me franchise.

All the while, he had the idea for a hand-drawn New Year's animation. For the sake of his dream project, Pablos even founded his own animation studio and was able to get funding from Netflix.

The streaming company entrusted the Spanish storyteller with its first original animated film, and for good reason: Klaus instantly became a holiday classic, earning an Oscar nomination and the love of viewers around the world.