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SALT LAKE CITY — So this is Christmas, and chances are you’ve got a house full of extended family members hoping to not get bored after they’ve stuffed themselves with all the holiday treats they can manage.
Many families have perennial holiday traditions to fill up their schedules during Christmastime. But if you’re out of ideas and looking for something that will entertain the multiple generations in your house, streaming a movie or TV show might be the way to go.
Here are some titles available to stream that have widespread appeal sure to interest all your Christmas guests. Hopefully, this list will help you spend less time arguing over what to watch and more time relaxing and digesting all that starchy and sugary food.
Netflix
“The Christmas Chronicles” (2018)
The typically gruff Kurt Russell might seem an ill-advised choice to play Santa Claus. But “Christmas Chronicles” producer Chris Columbus, who previously directed “Home Alone” and several “Harry Potter” movies, knows what he’s doing when it comes to feel-good family films.
The critics seem to agree. The Netflix original film currently holds a 71 percent rating on the review aggregator site.
The film tells the story of a sister and brother who plan to catch Santa on camera on Christmas Eve. The yuletide escapade turns into an unexpected adventure.
“The Great British Baking Show: Holidays”
Lovers of scrumptious pastries are likely already familiar with the original version of “The Great British Baking Show.” A group of amateur British bakers are pitted against each other in the competitive cooking show and are eliminated week-by-week until a champion emerges.
The “Holidays” edition of the show sees the contestants baking sweet Christmastime treats.
And don’t let the show’s American-named judge Paul Hollywood fool you — this programme is as prim-and-proper British as they come. While other reality cooking shows might lean into controversy, “The Great British Baking Show” sets itself apart by focusing on the craftsmanship of the contestants and dialing down the drama.
“Close Encounters of the Third Kind” (1977)
Okay, so this doesn’t have a Christmas or holiday tie-in. But chances are some of the younger members of your family haven’t seen this Steven Spielberg classic, and the adults will likely welcome the nostalgia infusion.
A crucial addition to the extraterrestrial cinema genre, “Close Encounters” tells the story of a man who becomes obsessed with UFOs after a brief brush with aliens.
Though the special effects might seem a little out of date, “Close Encounters” is all you need to understand why Spielberg is regarded as one of the greatest filmmakers ever.
The sweeping visuals, beautiful music and captivating suspense will have you gazing at the screen with the same sense of awe and wonder with which the characters in “Close Encounters” look toward the skies.
“How The Grinch Stole Christmas” (2000)
While it might not be his best performance as a zany, green-faced humanoid, Jim Carrey does what he’s best at in this Ron Howard-directed version of the Christmastime classic.
The remake puts a snarky spin on the Dr. Seuss story and also stars Jeffrey Tambor and Molly Shannon as citizens of Whoville. It may not be as pristine as the 1966 animated version, but if you’re looking for something a little different that will make the kids chuckle, this is a good option.
Hulu
“It’s Christmastime Again, Charlie Brown” (1992)
Everyone is familiar with the poignant storytelling and jazzy soundtrack of “A Charlie Brown Christmas.” This collection of stories sees the Peanuts gang preparing for Christmas in their own unique ways.
“The Nightmare Before Christmas” (1993)
While the stop-motion cult classic is sometimes more associated with Halloween, the Jack Skellington story is still at least partially a Christmas one, too.
In the Tim Burton-penned film, Jack, the king of Halloween Town, opens a portal to Christmas Town and is entranced by the unfamiliar holiday. Composer Danny Elfman wrote the songs for the macabre musical.
Though Burton didn’t direct the movie, “The Nightmare Before Christmas” has his singular gothic style all over it.
Amazon Prime Video
“It’s A Wonderful Life” (1946)
The Jimmy Stewart holiday classic might be overly sappy and too long, but no Christmas cinema list is complete without “It’s a Wonderful Life.”
Directed by Old Hollywood legend Frank Capra, the movie chronicles the life of a frustrated businessman living in an American small town who becomes convinced he hasn’t lived up to his potential.
If you can make it through the admittedly slow first 90 minutes, the film’s final act will show you in glorious cinematic fashion why George Bailey’s life is truly wonderful. Cap that off with what might be the greatest ending scene in movie history (yeah, I said it) and you have a Christmas masterpiece that’s well worth your while.
The movie is available now on Amazon Prime Video, but if you’re in the Salt Lake area and you’d rather get out of the house, “It’s a Wonderful Life” will be playing at the Broadway Theater this week.