Merry Queersmas and happy holigays! While Hallmark, Lifetime, Netflix, Max, Prime, Hulu, and more are certainly known for their abundant straight/cis holiday romances and family comedies, queer holiday romance and family movies do exist! We have more Christmas, Thanksgiving, holiday, seasonal, and new year movies and miniseries than you might think. Representation can be so important for queer people, and these films normalize queer relationships, gender expressions, and identities for everyone. Joy is revolutionary, hope is our fuel, peace is our dream, and love wins in every form: romantic, platonic, familial, and more.
Fair warning that while some of these are produced by major studios like the streamers and networks above, some of these are very indie, and they vary in quality of writing, acting, and cinematography. Also read the linked description for content, rating, and where to watch.
Save this list and check off the ones you’ve seen as you go!
- Friends and Family Christmas (2023)
- Under the Christmas Tree (2021)
- Merry & Gay/Christmas with Love (2022)
- New York Christmas Wedding (2020)
- Christmas at the Ranch (2021)
- Looking for Her (2022)
- The Holiday Sitter (2022)
- Christmas on Cherry Lane (2023)
- Christmas House 1 and 2 (2020/2021)
- Holidazed miniseries (2024)
- The Christmas Setup (2020)
- City of Trees (2019)
- Make the Yuletide Gay (2009)
- Happiest Season (2020)
- Let It Snow (2019)
- Single All the Way (2021)
- With Love miniseries (2021)
- Zoey’s Extraordinary Christmas (2021)
- The Christmas Lottery (2020)
- A Jenkins Family Christmas (2021)
- Christmas on the Farm (2021)
- Season of Love (2019) – (Tello)
- The Holiday Club (2024) (Tello)
- Holiday I Do (2023) (Tello)
- Last ExMas (2024)
- Dashing in December (2020)
- Aging Out (2024) short film
- Merry Happy Whatever (2019) (miniseries)
- What’s Cooking (2000) – (Thanksgiving movie)
- A Christmas to Treasure (2022)
- The Holiday Exchange (2024)
- Shared Rooms (2016)
- Friends, Foes, and Fireworks (2017)
- A Christmas in New York (2016)
- I Hate New Years (2020)
- Christmas with You (2022)
- The Christmas Clapback (2022)
- Mixed Christmas (2024)
- Is Nugget Dead? A Christmas Story (2024)
- Lez Bomb (2018)
I’ve seen all of them currently available for streaming as of 2024. While I didn’t love them all, I will refrain from commenting because what didn’t resonate with me might be exactly what you need!
I’ll update with more as more are released each year. Let me know if you have more to suggest! The only criteria are that an LGBTQIA+ person is a major character (not necessarily the main one, though), it is overall a positive/affirming message in regards to queer rights and dignity, and that it is a holiday-centered romance that takes place primarily around November, December, or early January.