After watching Netflix’s newest holiday movie Hot Frosty—in which a snowman with abs comes to life and romances the nearest woman—I knew I needed a palate cleanser.
My solution? Rinse the heterosexual taste from my mouth by compiling every lesbian holiday movie I could find and binging them all. The rules were simple: only movies with lesbian main characters and plots. No queer best friends propping up straight storylines allowed!
I’ll be honest—not every movie was a winner. But if you’re ready to sleigh this holiday season with a curated selection of sapphic cheer, check out the list below!
Christmas With Love (2022)
Broadway star Becca returns to her Tennessee hometown for the first time in three years and rekindles a spark with her high school sweetheart Sam, a bartender who wears flannel in nearly every scene. Tension brews between the two as their adorably supportive moms push them back together with the help of the town. While the plot is predictable (a classic mark of the genre), this movie has a few redeeming qualities like lovable side characters, and pretty good writing. If you’re okay with sitting through a few musical numbers, this is a definite watch this season!
Stream on Amazon Prime and Tubi.
Christmas at the Ranch (2021)
Watching this movie made me realize I need more lesbian cowgirl content immediately. Hardworking VP Haley Hollis rushes home to save her family ranch, only to meet shy ranch hand Kate, who’s been wishing for another lesbian to show up in town. While the pacing drags and the romance feels like PG fanfic, it still scratches the itch for a lighthearted holiday movie. Bonus points if you’re a fan of unnecessary montages and rural drama.
Stream on Amazon Prime, Peacock, and Tubi.
Under The Christmas Tree (2021)
Charlie, who can apparently speak to Christmas trees in order to find the perfect one (I don’t ask questions), finds herself tangled in a meet-cute with Alma, a Type-A marketing professional with baby bangs. There’s not much messing around with these two; the flirty eye contact starts immediately and continues throughout. Charlie finds herself spending a few days in Alma’s town as she tries to buy a Christmas tree from Alma’s family. The two struggle through some adorable awkwardness, and Charlie ends up moving to Alma’s town to be with her after only a week. If that’s not lesbian, I don’t know what is.
Stream on Hulu.
A Holiday I Do (2023)
Imagine being the best woman at your ex-husband’s wedding and falling for the lesbian wedding planner. Major drama, right? Unfortunately, this movie doesn’t deliver. The chemistry between Jane and Sue is nonexistent, and the subplot about secret money troubles on a horse ranch (seriously, why so many horses in these movies?) falls flat. Hard pass on spending $3.99 to rent this one.
Available to rent on Amazon.
Mixed Christmas (2023)
This New York weather has me fantasizing about a tropical vacation, so seeing this group of gays decide to head to Miami for Christmas had me immediately jealous. When Aurora and her three besties get to their AirBnb, they find out Aurora’s ex-girlfriend booked the same place. A chaotic Christmas ensues. I personally love a lower budget movie because it feels much more realistic. The dialogue is funny, and every archetype of lesbian is represented: the high-maintenance femme, the gym masc, the romantic, and (of course) the messy ex. The middle of the movie drags a little, but the insane twist ending makes up for it!
Stream on Tubi, Peacock, and Amazon Prime.
Looking for Her (2022)
Buckle up for a slowwwwww burn. Our two leads, Taylor and Olive, don’t even meet each other until 40 minutes into the movie. Taylor hires Olive to pretend to be her girlfriend and spend the holiday with her family, who have finally come around to accept Taylor’s sexuality. Olive brings a playfulness to Taylor’s life, but things get complicated when they hook up.
Stream on Amazon Prime, Tubi, and PlutoTV.
Friends & Family Christmas (2023)
Dani is a Brooklyn photographer who spends all her time at an artist collective, and Amelia is a focused Manhattan lawyer who “doesn’t have time for dating.” The two girls begin fake dating to please their fathers, who are close friends. I enjoy a fake dating plot as much as the next gal, but Dani and Amelia don’t have enough spark to make it stick. Honestly, I fast-forwarded through the last 30 minutes of this one. Not for me, but maybe for you!
Available to rent on Amazon.
City of Trees (2019)
Indie movie lovers, this one’s for you! City of Trees truly captures the sometimes suffocating feeling of returning to your unglamorous hometown. Ainsley visits home for the first time in seven years and begins to form a connection with Sophie, the high school cheerleader turned kind, tree-loving adult. This movie doesn’t have the typical holiday film feel. It’s raw and sweet, and the storyline feels truly lesbian. If you’re okay with low-budget and artsy shots, add this one to your list!
Happiest Season (2020)
I know this movie has many fans, but I am simply not one of them. Harper invites Abby to spend the holiday with her family because Abby’s parents are dead, and it’s a hard holiday for her. Seems nice, right? Wrong. Harper (who, may I remind you, INVITED Abby to come) lied about being out to her family and made Abby pretend to be her straight roommate. This is obviously not believable because Abby is played by Kristen Stewart, and there’s nothing straight-passing about that. While I can understand how difficult it can be to come out to your family, why invite your girlfriend under the guise that your family is accepting? It’s all too much for me. In the end, the couple lives happily ever after, but I’m screaming at Abby to run away.
Stream on Hulu and Disney+.
Holiday Help Desk (2018)
Something short and sweet for the season! This 15-minute film is all about Lauren and Christina, who both find themselves stuck in the office on Christmas. When Christina’s wifi goes out, she calls Lauren in IT for help. The two hit it off on the phone and, in a one-year-later flash forward, we see them get engaged. If you’ve got a short attention span or want to skip the drama and stick to the fluff, this is an easy and adorable flick to watch!
Watch on YouTube.
Curl up with some cocoa and get ready to ho-ho-HOMO it up this season.