6 Classic Disney Movies to Watch During the Holiday Season

When I thought of this idea to write about 6 Disney classic holiday movies to get you in holiday spirit I was internally jumping for joy because I knew this would be an easy write up. I was wrong because while putting the list together I was only able to include roughly 4 movies that were specifically holiday themed. The rest were regular movies that had nothing to do with the Holiday season. So then I started to wonder what now that I am an adult (most days lol) what do I really love about the holidays? And the answer to that was simple, I like traveling back to that nostalgic feeling of being a child with no awareness of the entirety of the world. And for me, that means rewatching all of my favorite Disney movies  during holiday breaks bunkered down in my room. 

Princess Diaries

This is the classic coming of age princess movie but done completely right. There wasn’t anyone else that could have played these roles other than Anne Hathaway and Julie Andrews. Seeing Mia blossom intro a real life princess but also staying true to the core of who she is so inspiring when I reflect on the story as an adult. But as a child I viewed it as the possibility that anything can happen no matter what your circumstances are. I chose to believe that in my world anything can happen even if that means you would eventually end up being a princess. The Princess Diaries helped me continue to believe that the world is a magical place.

The Santa Clause with Tim Allen 

Are you really a millennial if you don’t know who Tim Allen is? I remember watching him on the home improvement show that used to air on Nickelodeon. These classic holiday movies from the ’90s and early 2000s shaped a generation’s sense of family, humor, and seasonal traditions. Per wikipedia, The Santa Clause is about a divorced dad with a high level corporate job that becomes Santa Clause because he scared Santa which caused him to fall from the roof. That Christmas spirit magic was transferred to him, but of course Scott (Tim Allen), had no idea what was going on because he did not believe in Santa. The Santa Clause remains one of the most beloved classic Christmas movies, combining humor, family dynamics, and holiday magic that resonates with viewers of all ages.

The Cheetah Girls

The Cheetah Girls introduced audiences to relatable characters, teen friendship, and the early 2000s pop culture scene that defined Disney Channel movies of that era. They were the source behind my fantasy of wanting to be in a pop star girl group. The variety of the girls and their personal family stories made the movie feel more real. The one thing that Disney was great at was writing movies with real life scenarios that every little kid could relate to in the real world. Although this is not a Christmas movie you could surely watch this movie during the holiday season. with a group of your friends from school and have the best time arguing about which cheetah girl you all will be while practicing your own choreography in front of the T.V. 

The Lizzie McGuire Movie

This movie has to be my favorite all time movie that Disney has ever produced. I loved everything about the suburban early 00s bedroom that was a slightly curated pre teen/teen mess. Her bedroom was just one of the Disney channel teen bedrooms that I loved. The actual movie plot was a peak teenage fantasy of falling in love and becoming an international pop star all while on a school trip. Being able to sneak away from the class with a complete stranger that wouldn’t kidnap you!?!? This Disney movie provided a fantasy in a world that was rapidly becoming scary and violent post 9/11. That’s the one thing that us millennials could all count on Disney for and that was to provide a fantasy for us to slip away into to tune out the negativity of the world around us. 

Smart House

Smart house is what I thought the future would be like for us when I first watched this movie. The concept of having a personal virtual assistant that can take care of all the mundane task of chores throughout the house and also providing motherly comfort sounded lovely in the beginning of the movie. If you haven’t seen this gem of a movie the plot is basically a personal assistant computer technology that essentially helps a single dad keep the house running while raising two kids. The dad starts to date and introduces his girlfriend to his children and his son, Nick, did not approve of. Nick took matters into his own hands by reprogramming P.A.T to be more motherly to try to replace his dad’s new girlfriend. Although it is not Christmas themed, Smart House is a prime example of a tech-themed family movie that combines fantasy with real-life lessons about responsibility, grief, and family bonds.

Honey, I shrunk the kids & Honey, I Blew Up The Kids

Saved the best for last! These movies are another Disney Classics that everyone had to see growing up in the early 2000s. This franchise is all about a scientist and inventor that had been working on a project that was intended to shrink and grow certain objects. Wayne, the inventor, was not having any luck so instead all of his objects were being blown up. Wayne started to obsess over fixing his machine that his family started to worry. He left for a conference and a “freak” accident happens that ended up fixing the problem but shrinking his kids in the process. It’s such a cult classic and you could turn this on for a family movie night.

Final Thoughts

This wraps up our list for 6 classic Disney movies that you could watch during the holiday season if you are looking to feel nostalgic. Disney, in my opinion, is a well machine that, most of the time, has the right formula. Nowadays they are still having success with their animated movies and live action remakes. These holiday-friendly Disney movies are perfect for streaming or rewatching with family to relive the nostalgia of early 2000s childhood favorites.

Let’s chat in the comments, what is your favorite Disney movie?