Movies like My Grandpa is Santa (2021)
The best movies like My Grandpa is Santa (2021) are Noelle (2019), A Flintstone Christmas (1977) and Elf (2003). If My Grandpa is Santa hooked you with its comedy and family, these 30 similar films are what to watch next, and every pick says why it matches.
Quick picks
- Highest ratedHow the Grinch Stole Christmas! (1966)7.5/10 from 1,178 votes
- NewestFamily Switch (2023)Released 2023
Noelle (2019)
Kris Kringle's daughter, Noelle, sets off on a mission to find and bring back her brother, after he gets cold feet when it's his turn to take over as Santa.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both family & comedy
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisA Flintstone Christmas (1977)
Santa has an accident at Fred's house on Christmas Eve, Fred and Barney have to continue his run for him.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy & family
Worth the HypeMovies like thisElf (2003)
When young Buddy falls into Santa's gift sack on Christmas Eve, he's transported back to the North Pole and raised as a toy-making elf by Santa's helpers. But as he grows into adulthood, he can't shake the nagging feeling that he doesn't belong. Buddy vows to visit Manhattan and find his real dad, a workaholic.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy & family
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisI'll Be Home for Christmas (1998)
Estranged from his father, college student Jake is lured home to New York for Christmas with the promise of receiving a classic Porsche as a gift. When the bullying football team dumps him in the desert in a Santa suit, Jake is left without identification or money to help him make the journey. Meanwhile, his girlfriend, Allie, does not know where he is, and accepts a cross-country ride from Jake's rival, Eddie.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy & family
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisA Christmas Story Christmas (2022)
Follows Ralphie, now adult, who returns to the house on Cleveland Street to give his kids a magical Christmas like the one he had as a child, reconnecting with childhood friends, and reconciling the passing of his Old Man.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy & family
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisDashing Through the Snow (2023)
Eddie Garrick is a good-hearted man who has lost his belief in the wonder of Christmas. While spending time with his nine-year-old daughter Charlotte on Christmas Eve, he befriends a mysterious man in a red suit named Nick.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both family & comedy
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Santa Clause 2 (2002)
Better watch out! The big guy in red is coming to town once again. This time, Scott Calvin -- also known as Santa Claus -- finds out there's an obscure clause in his contract requiring him to take on a wife. He has to leave the North Pole to fulfill his obligations, or else he'll be forced to give up his Yuletide gig.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy & family
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Naughty Nine (2023)
Fifth-grader Andy finds himself without a present from Santa on Christmas morning. Realizing he must have landed on the “naughty list” and feeling unfairly maligned, Andy pulls together a team of eight other naughty-listers to help him execute an elaborate heist on Santa’s Village at the North Pole to get the presents they feel they deserve.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both family & comedy
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisFamily Switch (2023)
When the Walker family members switch bodies with each other during a rare planetary alignment, their hilarious journey to find their way back to normal will bring them closer together than they ever thought possible.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy & family
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisJingle All the Way (1996)
Howard Langston, a salesman for a mattress company, is constantly kept busy at his job, disappointing his son. After he misses his son's karate exposition, Howard vows to make it up to him by buying an action figure of his son's favorite television hero for Christmas. Unfortunately for Howard, it is Christmas Eve, and every store is sold out of Turbo Man. Now, Howard must travel all over town and compete with everybody else to find a Turbo Man action figure.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both family & comedy
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisMerry Christmas, Drake & Josh (2008)
Step brothers Drake and Josh must give a foster family the best Christmas ever or face years in jail for a Christmas party gone wrong.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy & family
Worth the HypeMovies like thisHow the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)
The Grinch decides to rob Whoville of Christmas - but a dash of kindness from little Cindy Lou Who and her family may be enough to melt his heart...
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both family & comedy
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisBlizzard (2003)
A young girl's aunt tells her the tale of a young ice skater and an enchanted reindeer.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both family & comedy
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisPrep & Landing: Naughty vs. Nice (2011)
Lanny and Wayne are at it again! With the Big 2-5 fast approaching, Wayne and Lanny must race to recover classified North Pole technology which has fallen into the hands of a computer-hacking Naughty Kid! Desperate to prevent Christmas from descending into chaos, Wayne seeks out the foremost Naughty Kid expert to aid in the mission: a bombastic member of the Coal Bucket Brigade who also happens to be his estranged brother, Noel.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy & family
Worth the HypeMovies like thisThe Year Without a Santa Claus (1974)
Feeling forgotten by the children of the world, old St. Nick decides to skip his gift-giving journey and take a vacation. Mrs. Claus and two spunky little elves, Jingle and Jangle, set out to see to where all the season's cheer has disappeared. Aided by a magical snowfall, they reawaken the spirit of Christmas in children's hearts and put Santa back in action.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both family
Worth the HypeMovies like thisHelp for the Holidays (2012)
Although she loves Christmas, Santa’s elf Christine (Summer Glau) wonders if there could be more to life than making toys in the North Pole. When Santa receives an emergency wish from a little boy in Los Angeles, he puts Christine on a special assignment, sending her to L.A. to give the VanCamp family—mom Sara (Eva La Rue), dad Scott (Dan Gauthier), and their two kids Ally (Izabela Vidovic) and Will (Mason Cook)—a holiday wake-up call. Will Christine fail her assignment and be sent back to the North Pole for good, or will the VanCamps come to their senses about the meaning of Christmas?
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both family
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisOne Magic Christmas (1985)
Ginny Grainger, a young mother, rediscovers the joy and beauty of Christmas, thanks to the unshakable faith of her six-year-old daughter Abbie and Gideon, Ginny's very own guardian angel.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both family
SnoozefestMovies like thisThe Search for Santa Paws (2010)
When Santa and his new best friend, Paws, discover that the boys and girls of the world have lost the spirit of the season, they take a trip to New York City. But after Santa loses his memory, it's up to Paws, a faithful orphan named Quinn, her new friend Will, and a wonderful group of magical talking dogs to save St. Nick and show the world what Christmas is really all about.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both family
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisSanta Paws 2: The Santa Pups (2012)
When Mrs. Claus travels to Pineville, the merriest place on the planet, a quartet of magical puppies stow away on her sled, granting joyful wishes to the town's boys and girls. However, something goes terribly wrong - the Christmas spirit begins to disappear. Now, the Santa Pups and Mrs. Claus must race to save Christmas magic from running out for all.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both family
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Boss Baby: Christmas Bonus (2022)
Christmas Eve takes a twisty turn when the Boss Baby accidentally swaps places with one of Santa's elves and gets stranded at the North Pole.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both family
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisCharlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005)
A young boy wins a tour through the most magnificent chocolate factory in the world, led by the world's most unusual candy maker.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both comedy & family
Worth the HypeMovies like thisThe Santa Clause (1994)
On Christmas Eve, divorced dad Scott Calvin and his son discover Santa Claus has fallen off their roof. When Scott takes the reins of the magical sleigh, he finds he is now the new Santa, and must convince a world of disbelievers, including himself.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both comedy & family
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisHow the Grinch Stole Christmas! (1966)
Bitter and hateful, the Grinch is irritated at the thought of a nearby village having a happy time celebrating Christmas. Disguised as Santa Claus, with his dog made to look like a reindeer, he decides to raid the village to steal all the Christmas things.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both family & comedy
Worth the HypeMovies like thisMickey's Twice Upon a Christmas (2004)
Santa Claus, Mickey Mouse and all his Disney pals star in an original movie about the importance of opening your heart to the true spirit of Christmas. Stubborn old Donald tries in vain to resist the joys of the season, and Mickey and Pluto learn a great lesson about the power of friendship.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both comedy & family
Worth the HypeMovies like thisAll I Want For Christmas (1991)
Siblings Ethan and Hallie O'Fallon plot to get their divorced parents back together in time for Christmas.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both family & comedy
SnoozefestMovies like thisSanta Claus (1959)
Pitch, the mean-spirited devil, is trying to ruin Christmas. Santa Claus teams up with Merlin the Magician and the children of the world in order to save the day!
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both family & comedy
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Claus Family 3 (2022)
When the delivery of presents goes wrong and Grandpa Noël gets in trouble, siblings Jules and Noor must work together to save Christmas.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both family & comedy
SnoozefestMovies like thisThe Christmas Chronicles: Part Two (2020)
Kate Pierce is reluctantly spending Christmas with her mom’s new boyfriend and his son Jack. But when the North Pole and Christmas are threatened to be destroyed, Kate and Jack are unexpectedly pulled into a new adventure with Santa Claus.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both family & comedy
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Action Pack Saves Christmas (2022)
The Action Pack teams up with Santa Claus to save the day when greedy Teddy Von Taker plots to steal all of the Christmas cheer from Hope Springs.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both family
Everything Is Illuminated (2005)
A young Jewish American man endeavors—with the help of eccentric, distant relatives—to find the woman who saved his grandfather during World War II—in a Ukrainian village which was ultimately razed by the Nazis.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both comedy
Worth the HypeMovies like this
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Frequently asked questions
What are the best movies like My Grandpa is Santa?
The closest matches to My Grandpa is Santa are Noelle (2019), A Flintstone Christmas (1977) and Elf (2003). Below are 27 more, each with the reason it matches.
What should I watch after My Grandpa is Santa?
Start with Noelle (2019), the closest match to My Grandpa is Santa.
What is the highest-rated movie like My Grandpa is Santa?
How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (1966), rated 7.5/10 by 1,178 TMDB users.
What is the newest movie like My Grandpa is Santa?
Family Switch (2023) is the most recent release on this list.
How are movies similar to My Grandpa is Santa chosen?
First come films that Trakt’s viewers watch alongside My Grandpa is Santa, then TMDB’s recommendations and films it rates as similar in story and genre. Each pick says which signal put it there.