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5 delightful movies on Hulu for kids to celebrate Christmas in July

Christmas movies in July? Why not!

Celebrating Christmas in July brings the fun spirit of the season into the summer when we’re missing the fun of hot cocoa, candy canes, and snowmen. And it doesn’t hurt to remind kids that Santa is always watching….

These five movies can be streamed on Hulu on a TV, tablet, or phone to bring some holiday cheer into your kid’s summer vacation. They’re all suitable for toddlers, preschoolers, and elementary-school children and some even feature big-name voice talents like Tom Hanks. Watch these as a family or take a break and let your child get sucked into the magical world of Christmas on their tablet for a little break.

Curious George: A Very Monkey Christmas

This one-hour 2009 animated movie with a TVG (“general audience”) rating shows the cute problem of Curious George and the Man in the Yellow Hat trying to figure out what to get each other for Christmas. Young kids who are already fans of Curious George or those who have never heard of him alike will enjoy this sweet tale.

My Little Pony: A Very Minty Christmas

This My Little Pony Christmas special from 2005 is 45 minutes long and shows what happens when Minty Pony breaks the magical candy cane that brings Santa to Ponyville every year. Will she be able to fix it in time? With the lowest rating of TVY (the “all children” rating that means it was specifically made for ages 2-6), kids of any age can watch this unattended.

Pixi Saves Christmas

This movie is an animated kids movie, but at 90 minutes long it is a bit above the age level of the first two movies above. In this 2018 film, an elf named Pixi needs to save Christmas after a former Christmas Genie steals it. Pixi’s voice is acted by Kate Bristol who has voiced characters in several Pokémon titles.

The Doc McStuffins Christmas Special

Season 5, Episode 3 of Doc McStuffins on Hulu is “The Doc McStuffins Christmas Special.” Doc needs to time travel to save Christmas! You can also check out Season 2, Episode 11 of Doc McStuffins for “A Very McStuffins Christmas,” in which Doc and her friends travel to the North Pole to Santa’s workshop. Both episodes are 24 minutes and rated TVY.

The Polar Express

This family classic is rated G and is one that can be watched again and again over the years. This 2005 movie with a 100-minute runtime stars the voice of Tom Hanks as the conductor aboard The Polar Express, a magical train that takes a boy on an exciting adventure late on Christmas Eve.

So, who says you can’t celebrate the joys of the holiday season wearing a bathing suit and sunglasses? It’s a great time to remind yourself you’re halfway back to getting to the big day and to remind kids to stay on the nice list year-round. Being half a year away from the last time they celebrated Christmas will make these movies feel brand-new and different because it’s out of season.

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Sarah Prager
Sarah is a writer and mom who lives in Massachusetts. Her writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Atlantic, National…
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