9 Latino Christmas Movies That’ll Keep You Glued To Abuelita’s Plastic-Coated Couch

Just picture it: you’re stirring a warm mug of cinnamon-spiced hot chocolate or atole (or sipping some coquito!), wearing a cozy sweater your abuela knit for you, and reflecting proudly on your sparkly Christmas tree.

We’re right in the thick of Navidad season, and we’re feeling very festive right about now. This is the time for tamales (or pasteles… or hallacas… or nacatamales), feeling grateful for family time, dancing to Héctor Lavoe in the sala with your abuelos, and of course, watching Latino Christmas movies.

It’s finally Christmastime, and as Latinos, we’re excited to party on the 24th — and do absolutely nothing on the 25th:

Jokes aside, many of us Latinos really do reserve December 25 for eating lechón-stuffed sandwiches, maybe sipping on some leftover ponche navideño, nursing a hangover on the couch with siblings, and yes, watching a whole lot of movies.

And while movies just hit different on el día de Navidad, Latino Christmas movies give the experience an extra oomf. We love watching films that showcase our rich cultural heritage, give us deserved Latino representation, and are simply fun to watch. Plus, watching them with your family will bring you closer to your abuela — it’s science.

While you may have already watched the classic, go-to Latino holiday film, “Nothing Like The Holidays,” we’ve rounded up tons more iconic movies that celebrate what it’s like to celebrate Christmas in our culture.

The following nine films are heartwarming, heartbreaking, or hilarious — depending on what you’re in the mood for. One commonality, though? They’re all festive, spotlight Latinidad in the best way, and make you feel warm and fuzzy inside. Enjoy!

1. “Nothing Like The Holidays”

First, we have the aforementioned 2008 classic, “Nothing Like The Holidays,” bringing an all-star Latino cast including John Leguizamo, Luis Guzmán, Vanessa Ferlito, and more. This is an iconic Latino holiday film for good reason, following a Puerto Rican family living in Chicago’s Humboldt Park as they navigate divorce, military service, cultural clashes, friendship, grief, and sickness.

While the Rodriguez family deals with a fair share of difficult situations, love keeps them (almost!) sane. Tune into this one if you’re looking for a drama-comedy with lots of heart, Latino Navidad traditions, and some relatable chisme.

As a critic from Behind the Lens accurately described, this film is about “the power of family— love, laughter, dysfunction and fun.”

Watch “Nothing Like The Holidays” on MAX, Amazon Prime Video, and Hulu.

2. “¡Feliz Christmas, Merry Navidad!”

When it comes to Latino Christmas movies, a major hidden gem is 1999’s “¡Feliz Christmas, Merry Navidad!” Directed by the late Cuban-American filmmaker Luis Palomo, the film is still watched around the world every holiday season on YouTube (Palomo seems to have uploaded himself before his passing).

The movie follows a woman named Elena whose husband is murdered, leading her to journey back to her hometown in Mexico with her young son. There, the grieving child finds out the meaning of Christmas by meeting two special friends along the way. Interestingly enough, the movie is based on the director’s own cross-cultural experience, bringing in both English and Spanish.

Watch “¡Feliz Christmas, Merry Navidad!” on YouTube and VIX.

3. “Holiday In Santa Fe”

One of our favorite Latino Christmas films ever, an absolute must-watch is “Holiday In Santa Fe,” starring Mario Lopez, Emeraude Toubia, and Aimee Garcia. For one, the movie script was written by Mexican-American powerhouse Cristela Alonzo, who gave us the iconic ABC sitcom “Cristela.”

This feel-good movie is just as potent, following a greeting card exec named Belinda who must buy out a Mexican-American, family-owned Christmas ornament business named Casa de Milagro. While the idea sounds a bit off-kilter, it’s all oh so festive, exhibiting Casa de Milagro’s beautiful holiday decor, the family’s cultural traditions, and Belinda’s romance with one of the shop’s owners, Tony.

Even more, the movie was fully filmed in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and has seriously beautiful cinematography for all the Christmas cheer.

Watch “Holiday In Santa Fe” on Hulu, Sling TV, and Amazon Prime Video.

4. “How The Gringo Stole Christmas”

Just released this year for the festive season, actor-comedian George Lopez‘s latest film, “How The Gringo Stole Christmas,” will have you rolling on the floor. The heartfelt comedy portrays a Mexican-American father named Bennie, portrayed by Lopez, who can’t hide his dismay at his daughter Claudia’s “gringo” boyfriend, Leif.

Tons of cultural clashes ensue, with the overprotective father saying at one point, “I wanted a brown Christmas… I wanted a traditional Christmas, con las abuelas, el tío, las tías, los tamales.” A comedy with a majority-Latino cast, including Emily Tosta and Mariana Treviño, the just-released film makes for a great family watch.

While the reviews aren’t great — Rotten Tomatoes‘ audience score is at 41% — one critic explains that the film’s characters “work as an ensemble, creating a believable family dynamic — chihuahua included.” Okay, we’re sold. Plus, as director Angel Gracia explained to Movies We Texted About, the movie’s writer, Ezequiel Martinez Jr., a “born and raised Chicano from East LA,” based it on his own life.

“Well, it’s my friends and family, this is the hood. This is my people, this is my grandma,” Gracia remembered Martinez Jr. telling him.

Watch “How The Gringo Stole Christmas” on Hulu, Sling TV, and Amazon Prime Video.

5. “Christmas With You”

Sure, comedies are great — but what if you just want a low-stakes, sweet Latino Christmas rom-com? Well, you’ve come to the right place. We present to you Netflix’s 2022 holiday film, “Christmas With You,” starring Mexican-Puerto Rican actress Aimee García, Freddie Prinze Jr., and Deja Monique Cruz, who is of Puerto Rican heritage.

In the film, García plays a pop star named Angelina who burnt out from her career, while Cruz plays Cristina, a young fan. Angelina catches wind of Cristina’s fandom through an internet post and decides to meet the teen just before her quinceañera. The famous singer doesn’t expect to fall for Cristina’s single father, Miguel — but of course she does.

With one Variety reviewer describing this one as “sweet, sticky and snappy as a candy cane,” prepare for ultimate holiday fuzziness. And if you’re a big Freddie Prince Jr. fan, this might be you after watching:

Watch “Christmas With You” on Netflix.

6. “Hope Street Holiday”

We adore “Hope Street Holiday,” a Christmas movie that Afro-Latina filmmaker Isadora Ortega, who is of Dominican, Cuban, and Haitian heritage, co-wrote and stars in. Ortega plays Galia García, a high-powered Los Angeles attorney whose boyfriend just broke up with her for being “obsessed” with her career.

After the breakup, García heads back to her hometown, going on a healing journey while grieving the loss of her mother and her best friend. “Hope Street Holiday” brings much-needed Afro-Latino representation to the screen— it’s actually the first American holiday film with Afro-Latino actors portraying the main characters.

It also brings so much fun, including three tías chismosas, Dominican dialect, cozy sancocho, a Caribbean-tinged soundtrack, and sparks of romance, too.

As Ortega described to NJ, “If we are not putting our own people in our shows and in our movies — no matter the shape, size or color— Hollywood is seeing that and they’re taking notes.”

Watch “Hope Street Holiday” on Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV.

7. “A Not So Merry Christmas”

Initially released as “Reviviendo la Navidad,” Netflix’s Mexican Christmas film “A Not So Merry Christmas” is a mix of comedy, fantasy, and drama for good measure. The 2022 film follows a man named Chuy, who has been cursed to repeat Christmas Eve over and over again for the rest of his life.

A character seemingly inspired by Ebenezer Scrooge in “A Christmas Carol,” Chuy is grumpy — even Grinch-y — and soon learns some big life lessons. The Mexican film, which was filmed in Mexico City, brings an all-star cast including Mauricio Ochmann and Ana Brenda Contreras.

It was also Netflix Mexico’s most-watched film in December 2022. As per Vogue México, this film will “bring more than a few laughs, and some tears,” and is perfect to watch with your abuelitos.

Watch “A Not So Merry Christmas” on Netflix.

8. “El Sabor de La Navidad”

Moreover, the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival-selected Mexican dramedy, “El Sabor de la Navidad,” is yet another holiday must-watch. Produced by Salma Hayek, the newly released film blends three parallel stories to unveil the meaning of Christmas, showcasing beautiful food like tamales and chiles on the fire.

Set in Ciudad de México, the movie introduces us to Valeria, a chef who can’t help but enamor her kitchen helper, Gerardo. We also meet a family Valeria is catering to, which is feeling serious tension around the holidays. Viewers also get two friends who dress up as Santa Claus for a street fair — and somehow all of these three stories intertwine by the end.

Directed by Mexican filmmaker Alejandro Lozano with a Latino cast, this is the perfect Latino Christmas film. Producer Hayek put it like this to Variety: “We believe in projects that represent the community in the right way, but also makes them think, makes them feel proud of who we are.”

Watch “El Sabor de la Navidad” on VIX and Amazon Prime Video.

9. “Merry Textmas”

As far as Latino Christmas movies go, “Merry Textmas” hits all the must-haves: funny, irreverent, and just a bit (okay, very) chaotic. The Lifetime movie portrays a woman named Gaby, played by Ariana Ron Pedrique, who accidentally adds a stranger to her family group chat — and invites him to spend Christmas with her family in Oaxaca, Mexico.

While this might seem like the makings of a psycho-horror film, it is a Lifetime movie… so it turns out to be sweet and romantic (phew!). Is it random? Yes. But Gaby’s family antics are seriously relatable, making for a chill watch that may inspire quite a few chuckles.

Watch “Merry Textmas” on Lifetime Movie Club and Amazon Prime Video.