Santa is bringing presents for good little streaming services, and right now Netflix is dominated by ho-ho-holiday content. Here are the top picks.<\/b>
\nYou’d lose your mind counting all the movies on Netflix, but most estimates put it at around 7,000 at any given time. Some are obviously more worthwhile than others. I’ve put on my streaming cap to recommend a few for the week, using a variety of metrics like popularity, ratings on IMDb and Rotten Tomatoes, and personal preference. This week, Netflix has started to drop its new holiday movie slate, and some are already popping to the top. Here’s what you should watch this week.My Secret Santa
It’s always a fun game to figure out which of Netflix’s myriad holiday offerings will top the charts (last year it was Hot Frosty), and so far 2025’s Christmas winner seems to be My Secret Santa, starring Alexandra Breckenridge from Virgin River as a single mom who disguises herself as an old man to pose as Santa at a ski resort after she loses her job. Does she meet a hunky man her own age? Do sparks fly? Are there hijinks and a happy ending? You already know the answers, and that’s part of the charm of movies like this.
Director: Mike Rohl
Cast: Alexandra Breckenridge, Ryan Eggold, Tia Mowry
Genre: Comedy
Rating: TV-PG
IMDb Rating: 5.7\/10Jingle Bell Heist
Christmas is the season for crime, and if you want a lighthearted romp that’s a bit on the seedy side (but not too much), we enjoyed Jingle Bell Heist. Olivia Holt and Connor Swindells star as a pair of petty thieves who become entangled with each other while plotting to rob a department store over the holidays. Of course, things escalate to ridiculous extremes, and some of the plot twists are ridiculous, but it’s a fun time overall.
Director: Michael Fimognari
Cast: Olivia Holt, Connor Swindells, Lucy Punch
Genre: Comedy
Rating: TV-14
IMDb Rating: 5.7\/10Jay Kelly
Coming in at #5 on Netflix’s top 10 this week is Noah Baumbach’s excellent Jay Kelly, a ramshackle road trip flick that plumbs some real emotional depths. George Clooney stars as the titular Kelly, a famous actor at a turning point in his life as his daughter prepares to leave home for college. When she turns down a trip together, Jay heads off to Europe after her, accompanied by his long-suffering manager. Great performances, including one of Clooney’s best, make this one more than worth your time.
Director: Noah Baumbach
Cast: George Clooney, Adam Sandler, Laura Dern
Genre: Comedy-Drama
Rating: R
IMDb Rating: 6.6\/10Christmas Bloody Christmas
Sick of all these glad tidings and good cheer? Why not spill some blood for the holiday season? Christmas Bloody Christmas is a campy and gory slasher that’s worth a watch. When a robotic Santa Claus gets glitched out and starts to revert to its original programming as a killer automaton developed by the US Army, a female record shop owner has to find a way to stop the yuletide Terminator before sleigh bells ring. It’s no masterpiece, but it’s quite fun.
Director: Joe Begos
Cast: Riley Dandy, Sam Delich, Jonah Ray
Genre: Horror
Rating: TV-MA
IMDb Rating: 5.1\/10
Want to see everything that’s new on Netflix this month? We’ve got you covered.<\/p>\n