Want to stream a holiday movie? Here are a few titles, including some with South Bend ties

Streaming services have meant more holiday films are more readily available this time of year. That means hundreds of options beyond Hallmark marathons and the classics that traditionally air as Christmas approaches.

As adults take holiday vacations and kids stay home and camp out on the couch, here are a few of the top options for streaming movies while you wait for Santa.

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'Home Alone' streaming

The first three "Home Alone" films are available on Disney+: the classics, "Home Alone" and "Home Alone 2: Lost in New York," and, again, another sequel most people don't care about, "Home Alone 3." And something I didn't know, so we will focus on the first two.

These films follow the 1990s John Hughes pattern of bad guys getting a special kind of justice. In this case, that includes a small child literally setting them on fire and throwing cans of paint at them. Once again, these are films that might require additional discussions with smaller children. The good news is the slapstick comedy still translates. The 2021 sequel, "Home Sweet Home Alone," is tolerable, but some of the violence just doesn't work in the way it did in the ❜90s.

Local connection: In the first movie, the children are afraid of a snow-clearing neighbor who is rumored to have moved in after he killed his family and half his neighborhood as "The South Bend Shovel Slayer."

'A Christmas Story' streaming

HBOMax offers the original "A Christmas Story," the sequel that no one's probably ever watched or cared about, and this year's new "A Christmas Story Christmas."

Due to some problematic parts in the original — child abuse, racism and other things that just don't age well — parents might be reluctant to show it to their kids. Or it could be an opportunity to engage in a discussion about how the world has changed.

"A Christmas Story Christmas" could translate to children who haven't seen the original as a standalone movie. For those of us who have watched the original for our entire lives, it's predictable and cheesy in the best way. It also has some truly hilarious moments.

Both movies bring home important realities: No family is perfect, and no holiday is perfect.

Local connection: The 1983 original film is based on Hammond, Ind., native Jean Shepherd’s 1966 book “In God We Trust: All Others Pay Cash.” And, although the town is named Hohman, Ind., in the film, it’s really a fictionalized version of Hammond, which has a Hohman Avenue, as well as a Warren G. Harding Elementary School and Cleveland Street, both mentioned in the film.

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"Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" streaming on Amazon Prime

It's not the holiday season without this stop-motion classic. But once again, we run into problematic moments: Santa is the worst. Donner is even worse. But it could open things up for meaningful conversations about bullying and bigotry.

At only 55 minutes, it's a great "OK, fine, one more movie before bedtime" option, and as a visual work of art, it's still impressing.

Local connection: The classic Christmas tale this special is based on was originally written as an advertising tool for Niles resident Aaron Montgomery Ward's retail store chain.

"Prancer" streaming on HBOMax

A little reminiscent of "E.T.," a little girl finds a reindeer she becomes convinced belongs to Santa Claus. As various townsfolk, including the local butcher, seek control over Prancer, 8-year-old Jessica is determined to help him escape and be reunited with his co-workers in time for Christmas.

Local connection: The film takes place in Three Oaks, and it was filmed in Three Oaks, New Carlisle and LaPorte, by director John Hancock, who still lives in the area.

"Elf" streaming on HBOMax

The perfect way to stop yourself from eating too many holiday treats is to watch Will Ferrell eat a pile of spaghetti with candy and maple syrup poured on top. The thought of eating that alone creates more of a stomachache than eating several sugar cookies in one sitting.

"Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey" streaming on Netflix

The 2020 Netflix film stars Forest Whitaker and Keegan-Michael Key as a once-joyful toymaker and the apprentice who betrays him. Decades later, the toymaker’s kind and curious granddaughter visits and rekindles his dormant creativity. Also stars Madalen Mills , Hugh Bonneville, Anika Noni Rose, Phylicia Rashad and Lisa Davina Phillip.

"The Grinch" streaming on Amazon Prime

Several options are available for this classic story of a lonely, hurt outsider who seeks to destroy Christmas for his happy neighbors. All three can be found on streaming services. The 2018 computer animation starring Benedict Cumberbatch expands on the original character of Cindy Lou Who, giving her depth as a child who's wise beyond her years when it comes to the spirit of the holidays.

"Spirited" streaming on Apple TV+

Will Ferrell is back in a new Christmas comedy, this time alongside Ryan Reynolds. This "Christmas Carol" adaptation is... a lot. A lot of music, a lot of migraine-inducing-flashing lights, a lot of really impressive dance numbers that are hard to look away from. It's the kind of movie that kids won't be able to look away from, and parents might be happy to keep on in the background and catch snippets of from time to time as they work on holiday chores.

Is that a holiday movie?

Some movies find their way onto holiday lists, even if they aren't focused on anything holiday related. These include binge-able series that are perfect for long hours with the family, such as "Harry Potter" and "Lord of the Rings" (both on HBOMAX). But there are some picks that aren't technically about the holidays, but do incorporate the holiday season. Streaming services have confirmed that the following are officially holiday movies:

• "Batman Returns" (HBOMax)

• "Die Hard" (Netflix)

• "Eyes Wide Shut" (Netflix)

• "Gremlins" (HBOMax)

• "You've Got Mail" (HBOMax)

Stream a virtual yule log

When you've hit your limit of cheesy movies, quiet things down and set the mood with streaming fireplaces. Here are a few of the offerings:

• A Christmas Fireplace (Apple TV+)

• Arendelle Castle Yule Log (Disney+)

• Fireplace for your Home: Birchwood Edition (Netflix)

• Fireplace for your Home: Classic Edition (Netflix)

• Game of Thrones Fireplace (HBO Max)

• Happiest Season: Holiday Yule Log (Hulu)

• Hogwarts Holidays: Fireplace (HBOMax)

• Rick and Morty: Yule Log (HBO Max)

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More holiday movies streaming on Netflix

• "A Bad Moms Christmas"

• "A Christmas Prince"

• "A Very Murray Christmas"

• "Christmas Inheritance"

• "Holidate"

• "Klaus"

• "Shaun the Sheep: The Flight Before Christmas"

• "White Christmas"

More holiday movies streaming on Hulu

• "Happiest Season"

• "Snow Day"

• "The Man Who Invented Christmas"

• "Jingle All the Way"

• "12 Dates of Christmas"

• "Deck the Halls"

• "The Best Man Holiday"

• "Last Christmas"

• "Trolls: Holiday in Harmony"

• "A Merry Friggin' Christmas"

• "The Family Stone"

• "Christmas Cupid"

More holiday movies streaming on HBOMax

Along with curated holiday episodes of television shows, HBO's steaming "Holiday Wonderland" section also includes the following:

• "8-Bit Christmas"

• "A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas"

• "Four Christmases"

• "Fred Claus"

• "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" (the live-action Jim Carrey one)

• "Jack Frost"

• "The Polar Express"

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More holiday movies streaming on Amazon Prime

• "A Miser Brothers' Christmas"

• "Arthur Christmas"

• "Christmas Carol" (1984)

• "Christmas with the Kranks"

• "It's A Wonderful Life"

• "Last Holiday"

• "Miracle on 34th Street" (both the 1947 and 1994 editions)

• "Scrooged"

• Tyler Perry's "A Madea Christmas"

More holiday movies streaming on Peacock

• "5 More Sleeps 'Til Christmas"

• "The Dog Who Saved Christmas"

• "The Housewives of the North Pole"

• "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" (the original animated version)

• "Krampus"

• "The Legend of Frosty the Snowman"

• "Love Actually"

• "Miracle on 34th Street" (1947)

• "Miracle on 19th Street"

More holiday movies streaming on Disney+

• "Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas"

• "Ernest Saves Christmas"

• "I'll Be Home for Christmas"

• "Noelle"

• "Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas"

• "Mickey's Twice Upon a Christmas"

• "Mickey's Christmas Carol"

• "The Muppet Christmas Carol"

• "The Nightmare Before Christmas"

• "The Santa Clause," "Santa Clause 2" and "Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause"

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More holiday movies streaming on Apple TV+

• "A Charlie Brown Christmas"

• "It's Christmastime Again, Charlie Brown"

• Mariah Carey's "Magical Christmas Special"

• "Mariah's Christmas: The Magic Continues"

• "'Twas the Fight Before Christmas"

• "A Year Without Santa Claus"

• "The Snowman"

South Bend Tribune Staff contributed to this report.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Christmas films, including some with South Bend ties, you can stream