Hollywood puts out Christmas movies faster than Santa flies up a chimney, but the same can’t be said for that other popular December holiday — Hanukkah. With a much smaller list of titles to choose from, finding what movies are out there is the first challenge. The second challenge is finding where you can watch them. So to make things easier for you, we’ve put together a list of the best Hanukkah movies to stream this season.
Similar to our list of the Best Thanksgiving movies, which all include at least one Thanksgiving scene, we’ve kept our list narrowed down to those with at least one reference to the Jewish festival. Furthermore, every movie listed is currently available on at least one streaming service, although a few titles will require waiting for the right time and putting your cloud DVR to use.
Our top pick for streamer with the best Hanukkah movies
With this type of list, which streamer is “best” often depends on which genre(s) you like to watch the most. However, most streaming Hanukkah movies fall somewhere on the comedy-romance spectrum, so we’ve got them in just 3 categories – kids, comedies and rom-coms, and romance.
One streaming service stands above the others with 9 of the 12 movies on our list, and those films fairly evenly distributed across the 3 categories. So we’ll say right off the bat that DirecTV Stream is the streamer with the best selection of Hanukkah movies.
However, don’t click subscribe just yet. Because DirecTV Stream doesn’t have all the movies. So read on for the complete list and see where you can stream each Hanukkah movie this year.
What’s not streaming for Hanukkah
One of the most well-known Hanukkah movies is Adam Sandler’s Eight Crazy Nights. But this animated comedy “classic” (hey, it’s 20 years old) isn’t in any streamer’s library.
If you want to watch it, you can get it as a digital rental (or purchase, if you love it that much) just about everywhere you can rent movies online, including Amazon Prime Video and DirecTV Stream. Just know that – in case you haven’t seen it – it’s not for little kids. Ages 14+ seems to be the consensus on Common Sense Media for this one.
3 Hanukkah movies for the kids to stream
This is a well-rounded category with an animated feature, a comedy and a drama for the family to watch this Hanukkah.
An American Tail (1986)
This animated musical comedy-drama is an adventure film about a mouse emigrating to America, the opening scene is of his family celebrating Hanukkah in the Ukraine.
This heartwarming movie about overcoming adversity and prejudice, and striving for the American Dream, is great for kids 5 and up – although some might find a few scenes frightening.
Stream An American Tail only on:
Full-Court Miracle (2003)
This Disney Channel Original movie is based on the true story of Lamont Carr. And (aside from Eight Crazy Nights) it’s the only Hanukkah sports movie on our radar. The story focuses on the Philadelphia Hebrew Academy’s struggling basketball team.
Determined to get out of their slump during the Hanukkah season, they seek out their own Judah Maccabee to coach them to victory. Full of references to Jewish traditions, Hanukkah plays a key role in Full-Court Miracle. And packed with positive messages, it’s good for kids 7 and older.
Stream Full-Court Miracle on:
Full-Court Miracle aired on Disney Channel last year at the end of November, but it’s not clear if it will air this year as well. If it does, you can get Disney Channel on:
Keep your eye on the Flixed Disney Channel Guide, as it tells you everything that’s airing for the next 7 days.
Switchmas (2012)
Previously called Ira Finkelstein’s Christmas and All I Want Is Christmas, the title is certainly fitting. And, as the title suggests, the movie employs the old switcheroo plot device.
En route to visit grandparents he barely knows, Ira Finkelstein swaps winter vacations with a kid he meets at the airport. Part Parent Trap, part Home Alone, Switchmas will be enjoyed by kids 7+, but the clichés will have parents rolling their eyes.
Stream Switchmas on:
Sling TV (with add-on)
Amazon Prime Video (with add-on)
YouTube TV (with add-on)
Switchmas is also available on UP Faith & Family, part of the UPtv network, which you can read more about here. It comes as a standalone service or an add-on with the services mentioned above.
5 Hanukkah comedies and rom-coms to stream
As romance seems to be a big draw with Hanukkah movies, we’ve grouped comedies and rom-coms together.
Little Fockers (2010)
The third film and final film in the Stiller/Deniro trilogy may get the bronze medal, but it was still a box office hit. Bringing Dustin Hoffman and Barbara Streisand into the fold, it plays on the tried and true trope of Waspy and Jewish parents coming (or crashing) together – this time at a Hanukkah-Christmas party.
It’s a bit more adult-oriented than the first 2 in the series, but it should be fine for kids 14 and up.
Stream Little Fockers on:
Hitched for the Holidays (2012)
90s teen heartthrob Joey Lawrence stars in another “cultures collide” rom-com that also works in the “grief about being single” angle.
He meets Julie, who’s facing the same problem with her Jewish parents. Naturally, they pretend to be dating for their Christmas and Hanukkah family gatherings. But they soon realize that – wait for it – they might not be pretending after all.
Stream Hitched for the Holidays on:
Hitched for the Holidays also airs on Hallmark Channel. It’s available through TV Everywhere or you can watch it on:
Sling TV (add-on required)
You can refer to the Flixed Hallmark Channel Guide to see what’s airing over the next 7 days.
The Night Before (2015)
Seth Rogen posted on social media that the movie is “Made by Jews, is about Christmas, and opens on Thanksgiving.” And although it is a Christmas movie, Rogen wears a Hanukkah sweater throughout – including to Midnight Mass, where he famously declares “We did not kill Jesus!” after vomiting in the aisle.
Obviously this stoner holiday comedy is not for kids and is best for older teens and up.
Stream The Night Before on:
You can use your YouTube TV credentials to log in to IFC’s on-demand platform to stream The Night Before. Our in-depth look at streaming services with IFC has all you need to watch the channel without cable.
Mistletoe & Menorahs (2019)
Christy Dickinson loooves Christmas. And hearing that she can land the big account with her knowledge of holiday traditions, she figures it’s in the bag. But things take a turn for the worse when she learns the holiday in question isn’t Christmas. It’s Hanukkah!
Fortunately, she meets Johnson – a (Jewish) teacher who’s in a similar bind with his new girlfriend’s (Christian) parents. Agreeing to a holiday cultural exchange, their differences will – of course – bring them together.
Stream Mistletoe & Menorahs on:
Double Holiday (2019)
Angling for the big promotion, Rebecca puts her own Hanukkah plans on hold when the CEO asks her to plan the company Christmas party. There’s just one catch. Her annoying colleague – and main competition – Chris will be planning it with her.
As they clash heads, they realize that they’ll have to – get this – work together to pull it off. Chris learns about her Hanukkah traditions and their feelings for each other grow, but will competing for the promotion stand in the way of love?
Stream Double Holiday only on:
- Hulu
While not in the Hallmark Movies Now on-demand library, Hallmark Channel airs Double Holiday on December 23. You can watch it live on:
Sling TV (add-on required)
4 Hanukkah romance movies to stream
Call Me by Your Name (2017)
This award-winning and critically acclaimed coming-of-age film is not specifically about Hanukkah. But being Jewish is one of the things that brings the 2 main characters together. And the final scene takes place on the last night of Hanukkah.
It’s the only LGBTQ film with a touch of Hanukkah in it. However, with strong sexual content and an age gap that drew a fair amount of criticism, it’s for audiences 16 and older.
Stream Call Me by Your Name on:
Love, Lights, Hanukkah! (2020)
While Christina is busy getting her restaurant ready for the Christmas season, a DNA kit reveals that she’s Jewish! Following the online leads, she discovers a new family – and a new romance – over the 8 days of Hanukkah.
It’s a Hallmark Channel movie, so it’s tame enough for kids – although it’s unlikely they’ll want to watch it.
This one isn’t available to stream on-demand, but you can watch it on a streaming service with Hallmark Channel. It airs on December 19.
Watch Love, Lights, Hanukkah on:
Sling TV (add-on required)
Eight Gifts of Hanukkah (2021)
Optometrist Sarah juggles dating 2 men at once and childhood friend Daniel is always there for support. Things get even more complicated when her ex-husband comes back into the picture saying he regrets their divorce.
Sarah starts receiving anonymous gifts from a secret admirer – one for each night of Hanukkah – and they’re absolutely perfect. Whoever’s sending them is obviously the answer to her complicated love life.
It’s another Hallmark Channel movie, so it’s safe for all audiences.
This is another one that isn’t available to stream on-demand, but you can watch it with a streaming service that has Hallmark Channel, where it airs on December 21.
Watch Eight Gifts of Hanukkah on:
Sling TV (add-on required)
Menorah in the Middle (2022)
Small-town girl Sarah arrives home for Hanukkah with new fiancé Chad — who is not Jewish. Will the self-centered, overly muscled, workaholic financier fit in with the family that’s run the same bakery for 3 generations? Or will an old high school romance with (Jewish) neighbor Ben rekindle enough for her to call off the engagement? And even more importantly — will they save the family bakery? Oh, the drama!
The story takes place over Hanukkah, and Jewish traditions play a featured role throughout the film. It’s fine for the whole family to watch, but it likely won’t hold the interest of kids of any age.
Stream Menorah in the Middle only on:
Final thoughts…
Finding where to stream Hanukkah movies is almost as difficult as trying to find Hanukkah movies themselves. So, as mentioned in the intro, a few of these films are on streaming services through a live-TV channel. Fortunately, they all have a cloud DVR, so there’s no need to watch these movies at 4 AM.
DirecTV Stream is the clear winner with 6 movies in its on-demand library and 3 more via Hallmark Channel.
Hulu comes in tied for second with 3 on-demand movies and 3 more with Hallmark Channel — if you upgrade to Hulu + Live TV. fuboTV also has 3 Hanukkah movies in its on-demand library and 3 more on Hallmark Channel.
We hope this helps with your holiday streaming decisions. Happy Hanukkah!
Douglas Wright
Douglas Wright is a freelance writer based in Japan. A former web designer and technical writer, he left beautiful Vancouver for bustling Tokyo, where he spent a decade recruiting for software and high-tech firms. No longer commuting through the world’s busiest train station, he writes fiction and a wide range of formats for clients around the world. When he gets AFK, he’s either outdoors with his two boys, streaming a show with his wife, or reading a book over a French-pressed, hand-ground coffee.