Whether you prefer the timeless sentimentality of It’s a Wonderful Life, the comedic charm of Elf or Home Alone, or the action-packed chaos of Die Hard (yes, it definitely counts), Christmas movies are a cherished part of holiday traditions. These films have grown into a cultural staple, bringing joy and comfort during the festive season.
If you’ve noticed an ever-expanding selection of these holiday classics and newcomers, you’re not imagining things. Parrot Analytics data confirms that the supply of Christmas movies has surged over the last two decades, growing sixfold from 2000 to 2023. The peak of new Christmas movie releases came in 2020, a time when audiences turned to feel-good content amidst global challenges.
While supply growth has slowed in recent years, the appeal of holiday movies remains undeniable. Streamers, in particular, are capitalizing on this trend, with Parrot Analytics’ Streaming Economics data estimating that global streaming platforms generated over $130 million in revenue from holiday movies in Q4 2023 alone.
From rising supply to streaming-driven revenues and evolving demand patterns, the data tells a compelling story of how Christmas and holiday-themed movies have adapted to—and thrived in—the changing entertainment landscape.
Christmas Movie Supply Trends (2000-2023)
- The total number of Christmas movies increased 600% between 2000 and 2023.
- 2020 was a peak in the number of new Christmas movies premiering, perhaps tied to covid production constraints easing by year end and demand for feel good content.
- The yearly percentage growth in the number of new Christmas movie premieres has declined each year since 2020, and 2024 so far is trending in the same direction.
Global Streaming Revenue
- Looking at a wider range of ‘Holiday’ movies — including Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years — shows how much this content is bringing into major global streamers.
- The revenue contribution of holiday movies to major streamers has increased every year from 2021 to 2023.
- Holiday movies contributed $132M in global revenue to major streamers in Q4 2023. This is up from $121M in Q4 2022 and $90M in Q4 2021.
Peak Demand for Christmas Movies
- Perhaps unsurprisingly, demand for Christmas movies build during the months of November and December, peak on December 25, and the sharply fall off are consumers move on to the New Year and beyond.
- The peak US demand for Christmas movies has increased every year from 2019 to 2023, although this is largely impacted by increased supply.
- In 2024, as of early December, the seasonal growth in demand for Christmas movies is rising at a slower pace than in the past four years.