40 Best Choices! List of G Rated Christmas Movies To Watch

Below are 40 G-rated Christmas movies that will surely appeal to everyone in your family demographic. We have comedy, drama, romance, animation, and some wonderful titles that everyone can enjoy together.

If you’re a teacher or educator, you might also find this list of movies handy for appropriate viewing options around the holiday. This list is also helpful for churches and Sunday School options.

According to FilmRatings.com, there was not a single G-rated feature-length film released by a major studio in 2023. This is a distressing statistic for those seeking out family-friendly fare.

Thankfully, through the wonders of technology, we have the opportunity to stream, rent, or purchase terrific G-rated movies from the past that can potentially become family favorites of the future.

Why Are Some of My Favorite Kid-Friendly Holiday Movies Not Listed?

Believe it or not, many classic family Christmas favorites, like A CHRISTMAS STORY are not G-rated. Hard to believe, isn’t it? So you won’t see it or ELF or other popular titles on this list.

Are you a fan of THE SANTA CLAUSE? Well, interestingly enough, the original was rated PG, but the two sequels were rated G. That’s why you’ll find parts two and three below, without number one.

MICKEY’S ONCE UPON A CHRISTMAS is unrated, but MICKEY’S TWICE UPON A CHRISTMAS received a G rating. Sometimes it gets so confusing that you want to pull your hair out.

You also won’t find iconic motion pictures like IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE or MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET. That is because the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) did not start assigning ratings for films until 1968.

I could make an educated guess as to the ratings of movies prior to 1968, but I’ll leave that up to you as the parent, guardian, or educator.

Also missing are perennial TV specials like RUDOLPH, THE RED-NOSED REINDEER, and FROSTY THE SNOWMAN. You will find these on other websites incorrectly listed as G-rated fare; however, the MPAA only issues ratings for theatrical releases.

You will now see television shows and specials with such ratings as TV-G, TV-Y, and TV-14. These TV Parental Guidelines are issues of the network and/or the producer of the show. And this started way after Rudy and Frosty.

Guidelines for Choosing G-Rated Christmas Movies

In doing research for this article, I was surprised to find some confusion in determining the legitimate rating of certain movies. It appears as though some sites guess, others use their judgment, and still others are just flat-out wrong.

Some television movies and direct-to-video films show MPAA ratings without having theatrical releases. I’m sure there’s a good reason behind these anomalies, but who wants to do that much research!?!?

For a title to be included on the list below, I had to confirm the G-rating at FilmRatings.com and at least one other source – either the Internet Movie Database (IMDb) or Google.

When possible, I also checked Amazon to see if a DVD was available so I could confirm the G-rating on the DVD box.

I also only chose titles that are readily available for streaming, rental, or purchase. There were several interesting movies, especially some older films, that I had to bypass because they were sadly not available.

For the most part, I also avoided niche films that are geared toward a specific audience.

G-Rated Christmas Movies

Without further ado, here are my G-rated Christmas movie discoveries for you in alphabetical order, along with a brief plot synopsis for each.

Some are familiar classics, but I hope you find at least a title or two that you’ve never heard of. There’s nothing better than discovering a new family favorite, especially during the holiday season.

And when you need a break in between movies, visit The Hot Spot to test your Christmas movie trivia knowledge. And don’t forget about our free Christmas movie trivia printables.

1) All I Want For Christmas (1991)

Ethan and Hallie O’Fallon are two siblings who wish that their divorced mom would reunite with their dad. As Christmas approaches, the kids manage to lock their mother’s fiancé in an ice cream truck and have him whisked off to New Jersey, all in an attempt to make their mom believe that she’s been stood up. The ploy works, and ex-husband Michael is waiting in the wings.

2) The Boy Who Saved Christmas (1998)

Santa’s evil twin attempts to pervert the course of Christmas, forcing children to bring gifts to him. Can one brave youngster foil his plan and restore festive cheer to the world?

3) A Christmas Adventure…from a Book Called Wisley’s Tales (2001)

A snowstorm forces Santa to crash land in the woods and his reindeer run away when circus animals frighten them.

4) A Christmas Carol: Scrooge’s Ghastly Tale (2006)

This imaginary adaptation casts the famous Dickens characters as anthropomorphic animals; Scrooge and his relatives are skunks, Bob Cratchit and his family are rabbits, Jacob Marley is a cricket, and the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Yet to Come are a stork, a kangaroo, and a walrus, respectively.

5) Christmas Lodge (2011)

Mary decides to restore the dilapidated lodge where she spent the holidays with her family growing up.

6) A Christmas Proposal (2021)

Hoping to impress his family during a Christmas visit, a hotshot Seattle attorney asks a down-on-her-luck chef to pose as his girlfriend. Their business arrangement soon gets complicated as real sparks begin to fly during the holiday season.

7) Christmas Takes Flight (2021)

A number-crunching CEO buys a family-owned airline and cancels the airline’s annual holiday charitable benefit. A pilot rallies the community to help save the event and unexpectedly finds herself falling for the magnate in the process.

8) The Christmas Tree (1969)

A French-American millionaire, his girlfriend and his war buddy try to grant his dying son’s every wish.

9) A Dennis the Menace Christmas (2007)

A mischievous boy tries to show his neighbor the holiday spirit while hoping Santa Claus grants his wish for a bicycle.

10) The Flight Before Christmas (2008)

A young reindeer who suffers from vertigo learns to overcome his fear, takes flying lessons from a clumsy flying squirrel, and heads to the North pole to save a troubled Santa and his fleet of flying reindeer.

11) Glisten and the Merry Mission (2023)

When a toy shortage hits Santa’s Workshop before Christmas, young elfling Marzipan must go on an adventure to find Glisten, a magical snow deer.

12) Journey to the Christmas Star (2012)

A girl goes on a hazardous journey to find the Christmas star and free a kingdom from a curse.

13) Little Brother, Big Trouble: A Christmas Adventure (2012)

On Christmas Eve, Niko the reindeer gets help from his friends as he searches high and low for his missing brother.

14) A Magic Christmas (2014)

A loving mother is obsessed with getting a huge promotion at work. When she is forced to take a family vacation at Christmas, Kris Kringle show her what life would be like without the love of her family.

15) Mandie and the Forgotten Christmas (2011)

Young sleuth Mandie is sent to a boarding school in 1900, where she struggles to fit in and cope with the headmistress’ rules and regulations. While exploring the out-of-bounds attic, she stumbles on a long-buried secret and a puzzle that tests her skills.

16) Mariah Carey’s All I Want for Christmas is You (2017)

Young Mariah desperately wants a puppy for Christmas. To prove she’s responsible, Mariah pet-sits a mischievous puppy named Jack, but it’s not long before the playful pooch turns the Careys’ Christmas family holiday upside down.

17) Merry Christmas Officer Hansel (2022)

Everyone thinks new recruit Hansel is too small to be a K-9 dog, but when a greedy package thief is ruining the holidays, little Officer Hansel must go on a mission to catch him and save Christmas.

18) Mickey’s Christmas Carol (1983)

An all-time Christmas classic gets a fun Disney twist as greedy Scrooge learns to embrace the spirit of the season.

19) Mickey’s Twice Upon a Christmas (2004)

 computer-animated omnibus featuring five shorts starring classic Disney characters. The shorts include “Belles of Ice,” in which Daisy Duck and Minnie Mouse’s friendship comes under strain during an ice skating competition; “Christmas Impossible,” where Huey, Dewey and Louie travel to the North Pole to try to remove themselves from Santa’s naughty list; and “Mickey’s Dog-Gone Christmas,” in which Pluto runs away from home after ruining Mickey Mouse’s Christmas decorations.

20) The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)

The Muppets perform the classic Dickens holiday tale, with Kermit the Frog playing Bob Cratchit, the put-upon clerk of stingy Ebenezer Scrooge. Other Muppets weave in and out of the story, while Scrooge receives visits from spirits of three Christmases. They show him the error of his self-serving ways, but the miserable old man seems to be past any hope of redemption and happiness.

21) Noelle (2019)

Kris Kringle’s daughter is full of Christmas spirit but wishes she could do something important like her brother Nick, who will take over for their father this Christmas. When Nick is about to crumble like a gingerbread cookie from all the pressure, Noelle suggests he take a break and get away…but when he doesn’t return, Noelle must find her brother and bring him back in time to save Christmas.

22) Nutcracker: The Motion Picture (1986)

In this Pacific Northwest Ballet performance, it is Christmas Eve and festivities are under way. Clara is excited when her godfather arrives with a bag full of gifts, one of which is an intriguing wooden nutcracker. That night, while the rest of the household is sleeping, Clara visits the Christmas tree to inspect her nutcracker and soon finds herself immersed in a dream world that is both dark and enchanting.

23) The Polar Express (2004)

When a doubting young boy takes an extraordinary train ride to the North Pole, he embarks on a journey of self-discovery that shows him that the wonder of life never fades for those who believe.

24) One Magic Christmas (1985)

Ginny has a difficult time mustering Christmas spirit due to her husband Jack’s unemployment and her humble position as a grocery store clerk. With the holiday fast approaching, their daughter Abbie goes to deliver her letter to Santa. On her way, Abbie meets Gideon, an angel intent on saving Christmas from Ginny’s poor attitude. With Gideon’s magical assistance, Ginny learns how things could be much worse.

25) Santa Buddies (2009)

Budderball, B-Dawg, Rosebud, Buddha, and Mudbud return for this fantastic festive journey to the magical world of the North Pole. When Puppy Paws, the feisty son of Santa Paws, forgets the true meaning of the season, the Buddies must remind him that Christmas is not about what you get; it’s about what you give.

26) The Santa Clause 2 (2002)

Scott Calvin has been in the role of Santa for the past eight years, and his loyal elves consider him the best one ever. But the world of the “Merry Old Soul” turns upside down when he’s dealt a double whammy of news: Not only has his son landed on this year’s naughty list, but Scott discovers that he must marry by Christmas Eve or he will stop being Santa Claus forever.

27) The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause (2006)

Christmas cheer turns into holiday chaos when Scott Calvin invites his in-laws for a visit and must, simultaneously, contend with Jack Frost’s scheme to take over the North Pole. Scott, his family, and Head Elf Curtis must join forces to foil the nefarious plot.

28) Scrooge (1970)

Ebenezer Scrooge is the definition of a miser. He is rich but completely stingy with his money, and he exploits the good nature of his employee, Bob Cratchit. On Christmas Eve, however, Scrooge is in store for a rude awakening when he is visited by the ghost of his old business partner Jacob Marley, who informs him that he is going to be visited by three ghosts.

29) Too Close for Christmas (2020)

A woman’s feelings start to change when she reluctantly spends Christmas with the man responsible for ending her last relationship.

30) 12 Christmas Wishes for My Dog (2011)

A woman visits a life coach, who encourages her to make twelve wishes that she feels would improve her life. When the things she asked for start coming true, she discovers the consequences are not always easy to deal with.

Christmas Movies Rated TV-G

I know I promised you 40 titles, so in addition to the 30 above, below are 10 TV movies that are rated TV-G. As I shared earlier, this is one of the ratings assigned by the network and/or producer that is akin to the MPAA rating for theatrical films. You’ll find a lot of Hallmark Christmas movies with this rating or one similar.

All of these titles have had their TV-G rating confirmed on Amazon.

1) All I Want for Christmas (2007)

Anxious to help his widowed mom, ten-year-old Jesse enters a national essay contest and wins with an entry entitled “All I Want for Christmas Is a Husband for My Mom.” Soon, his mom is in the national spotlight and dazzled into accepting a proposal from a wealthy man she may not love.

2) Christmas at Pemberley Manor (2018)

In search of the perfect Christmas party venue, an event planner tries to convince the owner of a charming estate not to sell the property yet. In the process, she manages to make the man fall in love with both Christmas and her.

3) A Christmas in Royal Fashion (2018)

A handsome prince hopes to convince an American fashion company to bring more business to his kingdom. He hosts a Christmas fashion show, where he meets an intriguing young assistant.

4) A Christmas Tree Miracle (2013)

A dysfunctional family loses everything when Father David loses his job. They are taken in by an old Christmas tree farmer and, by sticking together, manage to overcome all of the obstacles in their path.

5) A Cinderella Christmas (2016)

At a holiday masquerade ball, fledgling event planner Angie Wells and wealthy playboy Nicholas Karmichael, who needs to marry to retain his inheritance, meet and fall for each other anonymously. While Nicholas tries to locate the girl of his dreams, Angie must choose between pursuing her lifelong dream of running a business or following her heart.

6) A Cookie Cutter Christmas (2014)

Two school teachers take their rivalry to a new level while they scramble to win a holiday baking contest and the affections of a handsome single father.

7) No Time Like Christmas (2019)

When a woman finds her old boyfriend’s engraved watch at a vintage jewelry shop, her sister believes it is a sign, and secretly plots to play cupid.

8) A Prince for Christmas (2015)

A prince from Europe meets a charming waitress when he travels to America during the Christmas holiday to escape an arranged marriage.

9) Random Acts of Christmas (2019)

While uncovering who is behind the random acts of Christmas popping up around her city, an investigative journalist meets a competing reporter who captures her heart.

10) A Wedding for Christmas (2018)

Haley escapes her small town and builds a life in Los Angeles as a wedding planner. When her sister asks her to plan her wedding, Haley returns to her childhood town and reunites with a childhood flame.

I hope some of the above titles can unite your family during the holiday season or give you suggestions for a Christmas viewing party at school.

We all know that some of our best holiday memories center around a warm fire, a bucket of popcorn, and sitting together, sharing laughter and tears. I pray that you find many more of these cherished times in your future.

If you’d love to dive even further into the world of G-rated Christmas options, I’d recommend taking a look at the IMDb for their suggestions or visiting Common Sense Media. Both are wonderful resources.

Please comment below if you have other G-rated suggestions or if you’ve seen any of the movies listed above. We love to hear your thoughts.

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