The 12 Gays of Christmas: Best Gay Christmas Movies

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! No, not Pride. Or Fleet Week. Or Bear Week. Or the Dyke March. It’s not LGBTQ History Month or Bi Visibility Day, either.

OK, it’s one of the most wonderful times of the year: holiday movie time. If you ask us, that’s pretty much any time of the year. Not just during the “holiday season.” 

That’s because Christmas movies have gotten good — and gay (which is basically the same thing). Holiday movies have gone from maybe featuring a gay sidekick (at most) who spends Christmas sad and alone to starring a gay lead spending Christmas sad and alone. Progress!

All kidding aside, movies about the holidays can suck, but they don’t have to, and these queer holiday movies are living proof.

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12 LGBTQ holiday and Christmas movies

Put on your footie pajamas and get comfy. The holidays have never been this gay.

1. The Holiday Sitter (2022)

We’re starting where all good holiday movies are born — the Hallmark Channel. The Holiday Sitter follows Sam (played by Jonathan Bennett, aka Mean Girls’ Aaron Samuels), a single gay guy who finds himself taking care of his niece and nephew over the holidays. While navigating family duties, he has a little meet-cute with the handsome neighbor, Jason, sparking a sweet holiday romance.

2. Happiest Season (2020)

Happiest Season is a lesbian Christmas movie starring Kristen Stewart alongside Mackenzie Davis, Alison Brie, Dan Levy, and Aubrey Plaza. With a cast like that, Santa must be real!

In Happiest Season, Steward stars as Abby, who plans to propose to her girlfriend Harper (Mackenzie Davis) at Harper’s family Christmas. However, Harper hasn’t come out to her family, and — you guessed it — hijinks ensue. It’s on Hulu, so you can stream it whenever you’re in the mood for some good old-fashioned lesbian yearning.

3. The Bitch Who Stole Christmas (2021) 

You know what’s missing from the holiday movie scene? Drag queens. Thankfully, RuPaul and VH1 brought us The Bitch Who Stole Christmas, a drag-filled queer holiday comedy starring tons of RuPaul’s Drag Race alums. The movie is about a workaholic journalist sent to a Christmas-obsessed town, where drag queens take center stage in a holiday competition. (Sound familiar?)

4. The Christmas Setup (2020)

Nothing says Christmas like Fran Drescher, who stars in this Lifetime film about a lawyer (Ben Lewis) who returns home for the holidays, only to be set up by his mother (Drescher, aka mother) with his high school crush (Blake Lee). There aren’t too many Christmas movies about gay romance, and only one (this one) that stars The Nannie, which means it’s sure to melt your gay little heart. 

5. Christmas With Love (Merry & Gay) (2021)

The list of lesbian Christmas rom-coms only keeps growing, and thank God for that (or Melissa Etheredge — whoever is in charge). This one follows Becca (Dia Frampton), a Broadway star who returns home for Christmas and reconnects with her childhood best friend and former lover, Sam (Andi René Christensen). They meet under the proverbial mistletoe, and the rest, as they say, is LGBTQ holiday history. 

6. The Family Stone (2005)

Buckle up; this is where the gay holidays get serious. The Family Stone might just be one of the most iconic movies of all time, and it just happens to be queer (and about Christmas).

Sarah Jessica Parker, Diane Keaton, Rachel McAdams… need we say more? No other blockbuster was addressing gay issues like The Family Stone, especially during the holidays. You’ll laugh. You’ll cry. You’ll watch it every single year (if you don’t already). 

7. A New York Christmas Wedding (2020)

A New York Christmas Wedding is a real trip. In this surreal movie, Jennifer, who is engaged to a man, is given a glimpse of a life where she pursued her feelings for her best friend, Gabrielle, after she’s visited by her (gay) guardian angel. The ensuing events and tone are positively whiplash-inducing, giving us a new queer twist on old holiday themes.

8. Friends & Family Christmas (2023)

Back on the Hallmark channel, this LGBTQ holiday movie starring Ali Liebert and Humberly González is perfect for anyone who loves a classic friends-to-lovers storyline. Amelia doesn’t want her parents to think she’ll end up old and alone, but Dani doesn’t want to fake a relationship just to prove a point. In the end, the holiday spirit (and love) win.

9. Imagine Me & You (2005)

Though not explicitly a gay Christmas movie, this romantic comedy starring Piper Perabo and Lena Headey follows a woman who realizes she is in love with another woman right after getting married (classic lesbian drama). Set in England (where things are always a little Christmas-coded), this lesbian rom-com is the perfect thing to watch as you cozy up by the fire with a nice hot cup of cocoa. 

10. Scrooge & Marley (2012)

This queer retelling of “A Christmas Carol” portrays a gay Ebenezer “Ben” Scrooge as the wealthy owner of a gay piano bar in Chicago. Ben mistreats and underpays his employees and is generally terrible to be around. That is, until he’s visited by a few ghosts who help him realize the true meaning of Christmas (and get back together with his ex). 

11. Single All the Way (2021)

Two words: Jennifer Coolidge. In Netflix’s Single All the Way, Jennifer Coolidge says, “The gays just know how to do stuff. They’re survivors. And for some reason, they’re always obsessed with me.” And that’s pretty much all you need to know.

It’s on Netflix. Michael Urie is there, which is fun. But, again, mainly watch for some truly iconic moments from Coolidge, who is, as always, unparalleled.

12. The Christmas House (2020)

The Christmas House is another Hallmark Channel TV movie, once again starring Jonathan Bennett (who knew Aaron Samuels loved Christmas this much?). Brandon (Bennett) heads home with his husband, Jake, for the holidays, and, well, that’s kind of it.

There’s more plot, but it doesn’t really have to do with being gay — everyone is accepted, and Brandon and Jake have a (mostly) happy holiday. Notably, The Christmas House is Hallmark’s first Christmas movie to include a gay couple in a major storyline.

Make the Yuletide (and some other stuff) gay

Listen, you don’t have to wait for Christmas to find a big hairy man to slide down your chimney and bring you a little gift (sex). You can do that anytime on Grindr. All you need to do is download the Grindr app. Sooner or later, you’ll find some milk for your cookies.