New York Holiday Movies for Your Watchlist

New York transforms into a magical wonderland during the holiday season, making it the perfect backdrop for countless movies and shows. From heartwarming classics to laugh-out-loud comedies, here’s a New Yorker's guide to what to watch this holiday season.

Iconic Holiday Movies and Shows Set in New York

Christmas Classics in New York

• Miracle on 34th Street (1947): The timeless classic takes you to iconic NYC landmarks like Macy’s Herald Square and the New York Supreme Court, where a man claiming to be Santa Claus defends his identity in the heartwarming holiday tale.
• It’s a Wonderful Life (1946): Though set in the fictional Bedford Falls, it’s widely believed to represent Seneca Falls, NY. This holiday favorite shows how one man’s life can profoundly impact an entire community. Seneca Falls embraces the movie with a yearly festival with this year's taking place December 13-15.
• Scrooged (1988): In this modern twist on A Christmas Carol, ruthless TV executive Frank Cross is forced to confront his selfish ways after firing an employee on Christmas Eve. Visited by three ghosts, Frank embarks on a journey to reflect on his past, present, and future, and discovers a chance to redeem himself and rekindle lost love.

Read More: The Best Christmas Tree Farms in Utica New York

Rom-Com Holiday Favorites

• When Harry Met Sally (1989): This romantic comedy builds to a climactic New Year’s Eve scene in Manhattan, showcasing landmarks like Katz’s Delicatessen, Washington Square Park, and the Met.
• Serendipity (2001): A charming story of love and fate that features Bloomingdale’s and Central Park’s ice-skating rink during the holiday season.
• The Family Man (2000): Nicolas Cage stars in this Manhattan-based romantic dramedy, which offers a holiday twist on It’s a Wonderful Life with scenes at St. Patrick’s Cathedral and Fifth Avenue.
• Mistletoe Over Manhattan (2011): Santa considers retirement but Mrs. Claus is determined to help him find his spirit of Christmas... back where it all started, in New York.
• A Holiday in Harlem (2021): Jazmin finally stops avoiding home and returns to celebrate the holidays with her family.
• A New York Wedding (2020): We find Jennifer prepping for her Christmas Eve wedding when she gets visited by an angel named Azrael. Azrael makes Jennifer question her choices after being shown what her life could have been like.
• The Night Before (2015): A holiday movie where we follow three friends on their Christmas Eve tradition of creating the ultimate celebration.
• The Apartment (1960): The Apartment follows a lonely insurance worker named C.C. Baxter who uses his Upper West Side apartment to get ahead at work by letting his boss use it for his affair. It might not be a holiday movie exactly, but it does unfold during Christmas.
• Love Hard (2021): Determined to find love, Natalie signs up for a dating app. She falls in love with a guy fro New York, who is really (spoiler) a catfish.
• Something From Tiffany's (2022): Rachel is a New Yorker whose life is turned upside-down when she finds a stunning engagement ring that wasn't meant for her.
• A New York Christmas (2016): This movie follows a Manhattan hotel's guests during the week before Christmas, as they try to figure out being in love.
• Christmas at the Plaza (2021): Jessica and Nick team up to work on an exhibition about the history of Christmas at The Plaza Hotel in New York. Jessica finds herself interested in Nick though she has a boyfriend. Oh, the drama!
• New Year’s Eve (2011): Set against the glittering backdrop of Times Square, this ensemble rom-com celebrates fresh starts with a star-studded cast and visits to Tiffany’s and Lincoln Center.

Read More: Holiday Activities That Are Unique to Central New York

Family-Friendly Holiday Hits

• Elf (2003): Buddy the Elf brings joy and chaos to NYC landmarks like the Empire State Building and Central Park in this modern Christmas classic.
• Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992): Follow Kevin McCallister as he explores NYC’s holiday charm, from the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree to The Plaza Hotel and Central Park.
• All I Want for Christmas(1991): Siblings Ethan and Hallie only want one thing for Christmas: their divorced parents back together. The duo scheme to break up their mother's engagement and bring their parents back together as Christmas day approaches.
• Eloise at Christmas Time (2003): Eloise is a charming six-year-old girl who lives in New York's Plaza Hotel. When the daughter of the hotel's owner prepares to get married, Eloise tries to play matchmaker.

Holiday Adventures in the City

• Santa Claus: The Movie (1985): This origin story of Santa Claus brings holiday cheer to iconic NYC locations like the Brooklyn Bridge and Manhattan skyscrapers.
• Dash & Lily (2020): In this Netflix series we follow a romantic scavenger hunt through NYC to holiday hotspots like Macy’s and Grand Central Terminal.
• It Happened on Fifth Avenue (1947): A heartwarming holiday classic where a homeless man moves into a millionaire's vacant New York City mansion for the winter. Unaware of each other's true identities, he and the owner's estranged family create unexpected friendships, leading to festive misadventures and a renewed sense of community.
• A Little Princess (1995): A single dad sends his only daughter, Sara to a NY boarding school when he gets drafted to fight in World War I. Her world is turned upside down when she gets news that her father was killed in combat.
• Spirited (2022): Scrooge takes on one last mission before retiring, by helping Clint, an "unredeemable" media consultant.
• Rent (2005): It's not technically a Christmas movie, but it begins on Christmas Eve. This classic revolves around a group of New Yorkers as they navigate love and careers while dealing with poverty and AIDS in the '80s.
• A Very Murray Christmas (2015): Bill Murray gets nervous as he receives several cancellations from his guests because of a snowstorm that hits that same day as his holiday special. But, he can't afford to scrap the show, so he decides to do it anyway.