Showmax is counting down to Christmas with new festive season movies coming every day until 25 December

Here’s a taste of the highlights from this advent calendar for film fans, including some rather untraditional options that may make you rethink everything you thought you knew about the genre:

SNOWBOUND FOR CHRISTMAS | From 11 December

Prepare for stunning scenes and some good ol’ fashioned chemistry in Snowbound for Christmas. When an executive assistant ends up trapped in a luxury resort with her boss during a work trip a few days to Christmas, the pair spark some holiday magic.

The movie stars Zarrin Darell-Martin (Falling Skies, Room) and Henderson Wade (Riverdale, American Horror Story).

A NEW CHRISTMAS | From 19 December

Trailer: https://youtu.be/fR91deoZrHw

A New Christmas tells the story of Kabir, a lonely medical student in New York, estranged from his wife and grieving the loss of his mother. When he meets Kioni (Grace Wacuka), a charming film student from Kenya, she persuades him to show her the city’s Christmas decorations, thereby leading him to rediscover the magic of the holiday season and get his life back on track.

The movie stars Bollywood actress, Preeti Gupta (Kasturi, Kahaani Ghar Ghar Kii), Indian dancer/writer/director, Swati Bhise and Paula Rossman (The Amazing Spider-Man 2).

GREYSON FAMILY CHRISTMAS | From 20 December

Trailer: https://youtu.be/W7_rFEViFVk

You know there’s bound to be some drama when an African-American brings home a white partner to their parents.

Activist liberal progressive law student Maya brings her new boyfriend home for the holidays neglecting to tell her family that he’s white. Guess who’s coming to Christmas dinner?

Greyson Family Christmas has an IMDb rating of 7.5 and stars Robinne Lee (Deliver Us From Eva, Hitch), Carol Sutton (Ray, Steel Magnolias) and Kalilah Harris (Being Mary Jane).

BAKING SPIRITS BRIGHT | From 24 December 

Trailer: https://youtu.be/1uPTTEkwDwA

Baking Spirits Bright tells the story of Mira Varma who works in her family’s fruitcake business and takes pride in it, despite the decline of the confection’s popularity. 

When her parents hire Brady Phillips to boost sales for the holidays, Mira fights to hold on to the heart of the company she loves so much.

The movie stars Rekha Sharma (Star Trek), Dion Johnstone (Ties That Bind) and Ryan Williams (Arrow, Supergirl).

A CHRISTMAS FAMILY REUNION | From 25 December 

Family drama – check, romance – check, all-around Christmas feel-good vibes – double check!

Event planner Amy Kessler is hired to help rising singer Tiffanie Christmas plan her holiday family reunion. Along the way Amy must navigate some challenging family dynamics, especially amongst Tiffanie’s aunts as well as her own growing feelings for Tiffanie’s cousin, Calvin. Will she be able to pull off an amazing Christmas family reunion? 

A Christmas Family Reunion features African-American OG, Vanessa Estelle Williams (Soul Food), Asia’h Epperson (Greenleaf) and Michelle Argyris (Devil Seed, Shadowhunters).

ONCE UPON A SESAME STREET CHRISTMAS | Stream now

There’s no place more magical than Sesame Street – especially during the holidays! Join Elmo, Grover, Big Bird and their friends for the magical, musical 50-minute special Once Upon a Sesame Street Christmas, in which Elmo’s father tells him a bedtime story about the time, way back, when joy, kindness and caring first came to Sesame Street.

The show which won an Emmy for Outstanding Children’s Programme also includes special guests Emmy, Tony and Grammy winner Audra McDonald (The Good Fight), Emmy-winning comedian Jim Gaffigan (Hotel Transylvania 3), and Zosia Mamet (The Flight Attendant).

Other Christmas specials to look out for on Showmax include Peppa Pig Christmas Party and Timmy Time Christmas Surprise.

STICK MAN | Stream now

“Stick Man lives in the family tree with his Stick Lady Love and their stick children three,” until he’s taken further and further away from home on an epic adventure across the seasons.

Animated in Cape Town by Triggerfish and co-directed by South African Daniel Snaddon (Zog, The Snail and the Whale), this 27-minute BBC One Christmas special by Magic Light Pictures (The Gruffalo, Revolting Rhymes) won the top prizes at leading animation festivals like Annecy and Kidscreen, among others.

Based on the much-loved picture book by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, Stick Man is voiced by the likes of Martin Freeman (Black Panther, The Hobbit) and Hugh Bonneville (Downton Abbey), with Jennifer Saunders (Absolutely Fabulous) narrating.

Also look out for the Oscar-nominated animation The Polar Express, about a young boy’s magical Christmas Eve journey to the North Pole.

THE MAN WHO INVENTED CHRISTMAS | Stream now

Teen Choice winner Dan Stevens (Downton Abbey) stars as Charles Dickens, while the late, great Christopher Plummer (The Sound of Music) is Scrooge inThe Man Who Invented Christmas, about the creation of A Christmas Carol, the timeless tale that redefined Christmas.

The Man Who Invented Christmas is at #25 on Rotten Tomatoes’ list of the best Christmas films of all time. As the critics’ consensus there says, “The Man Who Invented Christmas adds holiday magic to the writing of A Christmas Carol, putting a sweetly revisionist spin on the story behind a classic yuletide tale.”

A CHRISTMAS FEAST | Stream now

A warm slice of life story that follows a large Italian family on Christmas Eve, A Christmas Feast (aka Feast of the Seven Fishes) has an 88% critics’ rating onRotten Tomatoes – a Christmas miracle for a Christmas film.

Rising star Skyler Gisondo (The Righteous Gemstones, Booksmart), Madison Iseman (Jumanji: The Next Level), and Addison Timlin (Fallen) star alongside the likes of Joe Pantoliano (The Matrix, Memento) and Ray Abruzzo (The Sopranos, The Practice).

LAST CHRISTMAS | Stream now

Emilia Clarke (Game of Thrones), Henry Golding (Crazy Rich Asians), Michelle Yeoh (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) and Emma Thompson (Years and Years) star for director Paul Feig (Bridesmaids) in the romantic comedy Last Christmas.

Kate (Clarke) harrumphs around London, a bundle of bad decisions accompanied by the jangle of bells on her shoes, another irritating consequence from her job as an elf in a year-round Christmas shop.

Tom (Golding) seems too good to be true when he walks into her life and starts to see through so many of Kate’s barriers. As London transforms for the most wonderful time of the year, nothing should work for these two. But sometimes, you gotta let the snow fall where it may; you gotta listen to your heart.

Last Christmas features new music from Grammy winner George Michael, as well as his bittersweet holiday classic of the film’s title. The film was the 62nd biggest box office hit of 2019.

OFFICE CHRISTMAS PARTY | Stream now

When his uptight CEO sister threatens to shut down his branch, the branch manager throws an epic Christmas party in order to land a big client and save the day, but the party gets way out of hand…

Office Christmas Party stars Emmy winners Jennifer Aniston (Friends, The Morning Show), Jason Bateman (Ozark), Courtney B. Vance (Lovecraft Country), Rob Corddry (Ballers), and Kate McKinnon (Bombshell, Ghostbusters), as well as the likes of Critics’ Choice winner T.J. Miller (Silicon Valley), Kids’ Choice nominee Olivia Munn (The Newsroom) and Critics’ Choice Super nominee Abbey Lee (Lovecraft Country, Mad Max: Fury Road).

A BAD MOMS CHRISTMAS | Stream now

As if creating a perfect holiday for their families wasn’t hard enough, our three under-appreciated and over-burdened moms now have to do it all while entertaining their own mothers, who have dropped in unexpectedly.

A Bad Moms Christmas reunites People’s Choice winner Kristen Bell (The Good Place), People’s Choice nominee Mila Kunis (Black Swan), and Emmy nominee Kathryn Hahn (Mrs. Fletcher) as the bad moms, with Emmy winner Christine Baranski (The Good Fight), Oscar winner Susan Sarandon (Ray Donovan) and Emmy nominee Cheryl Hines (Curb Your Enthusiasm) as their mothers.

FATMAN | Stream now

Oscar winner Mel Gibson (Mad Max, Braveheart) stars as a rowdy, unorthodox Santa Claus who must contend with a hitman sent by a spoiled kid, who’s looking for revenge after receiving a lump of coal for Christmas.

Oscar nominee Marianne Jean-Baptiste (Secrets & Lies, Without a Trace, Homecoming) and Emmy nominee Walton Goggins (Ant-Man and the Wasp, The Righteous Gemstones, Justified) co-star.

Alternatively, you can catch Mel in Lethal Weapon, dubbed “the most relatable holiday action film in the blood-stained Christmas canon” by Den of Geek.

For even more magical Christmas movies, with new titles being added daily until Christmas, check out https://www.showmax.com/eng/boxset/8cuo7bbk-christmas-countdown-collection.