It’s November and that means the holiday countdown is officially on! This year, Netflix has some exciting new original series and movies to help you get into the festive spirit.
We can’t wait to sip hot cocoa and nibble on Christmas cookies while escaping this year with a good ol’ Netflix binge. For the ultimate virtual-viewing party, add Wiretap to your Chrome browser so you and your friends can comment on Santa’s latest adventures or sentimental holiday romcoms from the comfort of your couch.
Check out our 2020 Bingemas guide below, and for more holiday-viewing suggestions, you can find our previous guides here.
Holidate (available now)
When two holiday-hating singles — Sloane (Emma Roberts) and Jackson (Luke Bracey) — meet on a terrible Christmas, they make a pact to be each other’s “holidate” for every festivity throughout the year. While they insist there are no romantic sparks between them, their shared loathing for everything from Valentine’s Day to Halloween brings up feelings that they can’t deny. It’s a raunchy, hilarious romp with a star-studded supporting cast, featuring Frances Fisher, Jessica Capshaw, Andrew Bachelor, and Kristin Chenoweth.
Operation Christmas Drop (available now)
Congressional aide Erica Miller (Kat Graham) skips Christmas with her family to investigate a seaside Air Force base in the Pacific that her boss wants to defund. Her guide, Captain Andrew Jantz (Alexander Ludwig), introduces her to Operation: Christmas Drop, a tradition where gifts and supplies are parachuted to remote islands. Experiencing the customs and community of the region opens Erica’s eyes and heart, and furthering her career becomes less of a priority.
Dash & Lily (available now)
Based on the bestselling novel by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan (the authors of Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist), this 10-part limited series takes place in New York during the holiday season. A romance blossoms between cynical Dash and optimistic Lily as they trade dares and share their dreams through a notebook they pass back and forth at locations all across NYC, starting with the “legendary home of 18 miles of books,” The Strand.
Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey (available now)
This holiday musical event stars Forest Whitaker as Jeronicus Jangle, a legendary toymaker who is betrayed by his trusted apprentice, played by Keegan-Michael Key. It’s up to Jangle’s inventive granddaughter, Journey (newcomer Madalen Mills), to restore the magic of the season. The film also stars Phylicia Rashad, Anika Noni Rose, Hugh Bonneville, and Ricky Martin, and features original songs by John Legend and Usher.
The Princess Switch: Switched Again (available now)
In the follow up to the 2018 holiday film, Vanessa Hudgens returns as Princess Stacy and Duchess Margaret, plus a third look-alike character, Margaret’s party girl cousin, Fiona. As Margaret unexpectedly inherits the throne to Montenaro, her relationship with boyfriend Kevin is in trouble. Princess Stacy of Belgravia steps in to get them back together, but not before a handsome royal intent on stealing Margaret’s heart enters the picture, and ambitious cousin Fiona complicates things even more.
Dolly Parton’s Christmas on the Square (available now)
A highlight of this holiday season is the latest Netflix project from living legend Dolly Parton. Christmas on the Square stars Christine Baranski as Regina Fuller, a cold-hearted woman who returns to her small hometown after her father’s death to evict everyone and sell the land to a mall developer. Will the townspeople, an old flame, and an actual angel (played by Dolly herself) be able to change Regina’s mind in time to save Christmas? The movie, directed by Debbie Allen, features 14 original songs with music and lyrics by Dolly Parton.
The Christmas Chronicles: Part 2 (available now)
Kurt Russell returns as Santa Claus in the sequel to 2018’s The Christmas Chronicles, along with Goldie Hawn reprising her role as Mrs. Claus. Once again, siblings Kate and Teddy head on an adventure with Santa Claus, this time to save the North Pole and Christmas from a magical troublemaker, Belsnickel. Written and directed by Chris Columbus (Home Alone), it’s a fun holiday adventure for the entire family.
Sugar Rush Christmas: Season 2 (available now)
The baking competition show is back this year with its second Christmas edition. Watch as teams of professional bakers work against the ticking clock to create impressive and delicious holiday treats. Guest judges haven’t been announced yet, but contestants will be competing for a $10,000 prize.
Dance Dreams: Hot Chocolate Nutcracker (available now)
Shonda Rhimes’ Shondaland productions brings us this spotlight on entertainment industry icon Debbie Allen. It follows a group of young dancers as they prepare for Allen’s annual Hot Chocolate Nutcracker production, a re-imagining of Tchaikovsky’s classic holiday ballet.
How to Ruin Christmas (December – Date TBA)
In this original series from South Africa, family rebel Tumi begrudgingly returns home to her dysfunctional family for the first time in years and manages to ruin her sister’s Christmas wedding before it even begins. Will she be able to get the festivities back on track and save the wedding?
Which Netflix Originals are you most excited for this holiday season? Let us know in the comments, and don’t forget to add Wiretap to Chrome to see posts and reactions from friends and fans around the world as you watch!
Images Courtesy of Netflix
