20 Best LGBTQ Christmas Movies of All Time
There was a time when members of the LGBTQ community hardly ever had a Christmas movie that was all about. In most times, they had to settle for a secondary character that only added color to the movie while playing behind the primary characters.
However, because of how representation has become prominent in the film industry today, there are now more LGBTQ Christmas movies. This is why we are here to look at the best LGBTQ Christmas movies of all time.
Unlike the usual vanilla Christmas movie that you see, LGBTQ Christmas movies are unique because of the color that the main characters add and the different perspectives that you see whenever you are watching these films. This is why LGBTQ Christmas movies are not only great for those who belong to this group but also for any other person willing to enjoy a good Christmas movie.
Best LGBTQ Christmas Movies
As we grow more diverse in today’s more open world, there are now plenty of different LGBTQ Christmas movies you can see in the film industry and we have the 20 best LGBTQ Christmas movies that you may want to enjoy with your significant other or with family or friends.
1. Single All the Way (2021)
Single All the Way has a familiar plot that you may have seen in a lot of other films in the past, but the big difference here is that it was made to be gay and fit for Christmas. And even though the plot may be familiar, we don’t even care because of how cute the movie actually is.
The movie starts off with plant daddy Peter, who heads home to New Hampshire with his best friend to pretend that they are together because of how his mom has always been nagging him about his single status. However, the nagging mom actually ends up setting him up with a nice man in her attempt as an early Christmas gift.
But things eventually change when Peter and his best friend actually fall for one another despite the fact that they were only acting.
2. Under the Christmas Tree (2021)
While plenty of different LGBTQ Christmas movies focuses on gay relationships between men, Under the Christmas Tree focuses on a nice lesbian couple, as Lifetime’s first attempt at a lesbian Christmas movie is actually a pretty good film you might want to catch.
Of course, considering that this is a relatively new movie that you can watch in time for Christmas, there isn’t much we can say about it without spoiling the entire plot.
Nevertheless, Under the Christmas Tree revolves around Alma, who is pushed by her Maine-based parents to be in a lesbian relationship with a stranger that’s new to town. It might sound a bit cheesy with some predictable moments, but it’s actually very fun and memorable in a way that’s entertaining and not overly cheesy.
3. Happiest Season (2020)
Happiest Season stars Twilight star Kristen Stewart in a movie that was billed as a romantic comedy film but actually isn’t. It has a plot or genre that is quite unique to it, but that doesn’t take away the fact that this film is actually something you want to try to catch if you want to enjoy a good LGBTQ film this Christmas.
The good thing about Happiest Season is that it comes with a heartwarming plot that goes well with an amazing cast Aubrey Plaza and Mackenzie Davis, who are just as attractive as Kristen Stewart. With such eye candies, it’s really going to be a good movie to catch if you want to enjoy a good lesbian holiday flick.
4. Christmas at the Ranch (2021)
Let’s now look at another Christmas movie that comes with another familiar plot. Christmas at the Ranch is an LGBT Christmas movie that follows the small-town girl-turned city-girl cliché. As such, the protagonist here is a corporate girl who worked her way up the corporate ladder but now has to come home to her small town for the holidays.
Of course, following the usual cliché formula, she falls in love with the family ranch hand, except this time we are talking about two women. Despite the predictable plot and the cheesiness that comes with it, it is still a pretty charming film that you should try watching during the holidays.
5. Imagine Me and You (2005)
Imagine Me and You is one of the oldest Christmas movies that talks about LGBTQ at a time when people were not yet too keen on the entire diversity topic in Hollywood. However, we can say for sure that this is a trail-blazing film that members of the LGBTQ community would love.
During her wedding, Rachel is drawn to Luce and becomes close friends with her. She eventually learns that Luce is actually a lesbian, which intrigues Rachel even though she is happily married. This forces her to question her own sexual orientation, as she is falling for Luce.
As such, Rachel is in the middle of choosing between her stable marriage or the prospect of an exciting new life with Luce.
6. Season of Love
Season of Love isn’t just a good song but is actually a good rom com movie that explores lesbian relationships during the time of Christmas. Essentially speaking, we can say that Season of Love is kind of like the lesbian version of Love Actually because of how it explores more than one focus couple.
What you will see in Season of Love is the romantic connection between three different couples that have their own different stories. And the best part about it is that you will see different and unique perspectives from all three of these lesbian relationships.
7. The Christmas Setup (2020)
Lifetime entered the LGBT Christmas movie scene with The Christmas Setup. The movie explores the love story between two handsome and fit men, who are actually husbands in real life. And while there might be a few moments of cliché in this film, we promise that this is a film that has its merits.
The Christmas Setup follows Hugo, who has to go home to Milwaukee with his best friend so that they can enjoy Christmas together with his mom. He then runs into Patrick, who was once his teenage crush and is now a tech billionaire. Thanks to his pushy mom, Hugo was able to form a romantic relationship with Patrick.
8. The Bitch Who Stole Christmas (2021)
Yes, this is a RuPaul movie. This is actually RuPaul’s first-ever Christmas movie, and we see her acting as the gay version of the Grinch. RuPaul plays the role of a fashion editor who sends a journalist to a small town that cannot get enough of Christmas. However, instead of discovering a Christmas-loving town, she realizes that the town is actually more than she bargained for.
While the film doesn’t stand out in a lot of areas, Drag Race fans will love this movie because of how it features a lot of Drag Race alumni, who had a lot of color and comedy to the film, all while helping the plot go to where it should be.
9. City of Trees (2019)
City of Trees is actually a coming-of-age movie that follows Ainsley, who is in her 20s, as she heads home to enjoy the holidays with her family. It’s been several years since she went home, but she realizes that she has to face the unresolved teenage feelings that she left behind when she left her hometown years ago.
In that regard, the movie focuses almost solely on Ainsley, as she tries to make sense of the past that she left behind, all while reuniting with Sophie, who has become quite a different character over the years of her absence. This gives you an indie feel because of how it seems so simple yet sincere at the same time.
10. Dashing in December (2020)
Dashing in December is another movie that is set on a ranch. This time, however, it focuses on gay men, as we see Wyatt arriving home in his small town to find out that his mother is actually planning to sell their ranch. Wyatt begins to shed the corporate attire and goes straight to his old cowboy pants in an attempt to help out with the ranch.
It was through helping out with the ranch that Wyatt met Heath in what quickly became a cowboy love affair between the two. In that sense, it is much like Brokeback Mountain but is a bit more positive and optimistic. Of course, we also see a Christmas miracle that allows the central characters to have their cake and eat it too, so to speak.
11. Carol (2015)
Carol is simply one of the most popular lesbian Christmas movies of all time, thanks to the fantastic performances of Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara, who were simply amazing in this film. This film is actually based on the lesbian pulp novel The Price of Salt.
The film is set in the 50s, as Carol tells the love story between Blanchett and Mara, who are both struggling with their own life. Set during Christmas, Carol explores the development of the love story between the two characters, who met by chance when Blancett left her winter gloves in the toy counter where Mara works.
This leads Mara to try to return the gloves to their owner, and the rest is history.
12. The Christmas House 2: Deck Those Halls (2021)
The Christmas House 2: Deck Those Halls is actually a sequel film to the original The Christmas House, which is actually one of the first queer Christmas films of the modern-day. We are only talking about this film first because it seems like the better of the two.
While The Christmas House 2 doesn’t necessarily focus too much on an LGBT couple, it still is great because of how it focuses more on the family. The major theme of this film is family competition, as the husbands, Brandon and Jake, are up against Mike in a competition about who between them has the better house in terms of decoration.
13. Zoey’s Extraordinary Christmas (2021)
Zoey’s Extraordinary Christmas is actually a spin-off film that continues the hit NBC series Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist. In that sense, it would be better if you watched the series first before you watched the film. However, while the movie may be connected to the series, you can still enjoy the movie without watching all of the episodes. And it might be a good way for you to get into the series.
Zoey’s Extraordinary Christmas picks up where the series left off, as Zoey is now looking to celebrate and prepare for Christmas without her father. She is then reunited with her gay sidekick, who helps her with the preparations, as you are in for plenty of fan service despite the cancellation of this amazing musical series.
14. The Jenkins Family Christmas (2021)
Following the death of their father, sisters Baneatta and Beverly are in the midst of trying to keep their Christmas traditions alive even though they do have resentments and problems with one another. Then came an unknown half-sister, who was seemingly set to ruin the entire holiday celebrations.
Baneatta’s gay son Kenny is actually the LGBTQ representation in this film, as he brings along his boyfriend Logan to their home for the holidays. However, the problem is that Kenny and Logan pretty much got a negative reception from the family, as we explore the themes of acceptance in this Christmas movie.
15. With Love (2021)
With Love is actually Amazon’s Prime first-ever LGBTQ holiday movie. The film is not actually a film but is actually a five-part miniseries that follows a different holiday of the year in every episode. Of course, you will be watching the Christmas episode here.
While the main star isn’t the queer one in this film (as she is actually struggling in a love triangle that involves two male lovers), the LGBTQ side of things comes in the form of Lily’s brother, Jorge, who went home for Christmas. And we also see trans model Isis King playing the role of the family’s cousin named Sol.
16. Anna and the Apocalypse (2017)
Yes, we are very aware that you are not expecting a zombie musical to appear on a list full of festive LGBTQ Christmas movies. But trust us when we say that Anna and the Apocalypse is a very surprising film that you should actually try watching for the entertainment factor of the entire movie’s plot.
Anna and Apocalypse focuses on a zombie apocalypse that happens in the middle of Christmas in a small town in Scotland. And the LGBTQ representation can be seen in Anna’s lesbian best friend, who helps her fight off a horde of flesh-eating zombies.
17. Let it Snow (2019)
Let it snow is a film that primarily targets Gen Z people because of how it was written to target younger adults. The film is actually based on the three-part anthology written by different authors such as John Green, Maureen Johnson, and Lauren Myracle.
The story of the film revolves around a group of teens that live in a town that was snowed in by a blizzard that doesn’t seem to show any signs of stopping any time soon. Meanwhile, the queer part of the movie makes itself apparent in the character, Dorrie, who has a crush on a closeted cheerleader.
18. Moonlit Winter (2019)
We are going to temporarily depart from the usual English-oriented LGBTQ movies to bring you an Asian LGBT Christmas movie that is all about love. While the movie isn’t all about Christmas but happens in winter, Moonlit Winter explores a divorced mother and her teenage daughter, who venture from South Korea to Hokkaido in Japan.
The reason for doing so is that the mother actually wants to try to let out her repressed feelings after receiving a letter from a woman she fell in love with years ago. She retraces her footsteps back to her younger self as she rediscovers love in a snowy yet gorgeous backdrop.
19. A New York Christmas Wedding (2020)
A New York Christmas Wedding is all about another hometown Christmas story that allows you to relive your childhood memories in a way that is similar to how the main character relives her repressed feelings for a childhood best friend that she had always had feelings for.
In the movie, we see Jenny questioning her upcoming marriage with her soon-to-be husband when seeing her childhood best friend brings up her feelings once again. However, a guardian angel transports her to an alternate reality where she gets to live out her alternative life as the lover of her childhood best friend for 24 hours.
It isn’t the best movie in terms of its writing and budget, but it does have its appeal.
20. Love the Coopers (2015)
Love the Coopers isn’t the most stellar LGBTQ Christmas film, but it does have a few good moments. It also has a stacked cast that includes Anthony Mackie (you may know him as The Falcon or the New Captain America in Marvel), who is actually a closeted police officer. But with the help of the Cooper family, he is able to come to terms with his sexuality in the middle of the holiday season.
