30 Best Thanksgiving Movies and TV Shows on Netflix to Watch With Your Family
Stream these classics and favorites which are all about gratitude.
Thanksgiving morning is all about the rush. Rushing to make the perfect Thanksgiving menu, planning your Turkey-themed decor and making sure there are some Thanksgiving games to keep the little ones entertained while everything cooks. But Thanksgiving afternoon and evening are all about kicking up your feet and enjoying quality time with the people you love.
So, after polishing off Thanksgiving dinner (and all those Thanksgiving desserts, of course), gather your family around the TV to watch the best Thanksgiving movies and TV shows on Netflix. The streaming giant has a whole selection of programs for every age, taste and attention span.
Our list below includes cooking and baking shows with jolly holiday themes, feel-good and tear-jerking holiday movies and even films and programs that aren’t directly connected to the holidays, but come with meaningful holiday season-appropriate themes about family, gratitude and love.
Looking for more Thanksgiving viewing inspiration? Check out our list overflowing with Thanksgiving movies streaming across all platforms. Or if you're ready to welcome the next holiday right after November 24, we have plenty of classic Christmas films and Hanukkah movies to watch, too!
Sugar Rush Christmas (2020)
The turkey's done, the pie is eaten and it's on to the next holiday! In this show, competitive bakers put their skills to the test making over-the-top Christmas sweets.
Friendsgiving (2020)
Just because Friendsgiving doesn't include family members, it doesn't mean they're not complicated. In this movie, plans for a low-key holiday among two friends take a turn when more and more guests show up.
Trolls the Beat Goes On: Funsgiving (2019)
Anything Trolls is always a great choice when young kids are around, and the Funsgiving episode (season 8, episode 3) is all about celebrating a scrumptious holiday together.
Waffles + Mochi (2021)
Now here's something you can watch with the entire family! In this show, two puppet friends (and their occasional bud, Michelle Obama) travel the world learning about food and cooking. There are episodes dedicated to many things you can find on a Thanksgiving table, including potatoes, corn, mushrooms, herbs and spices and salt.
RELATED: Start Celebrating Christmas Early With These Classic Movies
Holiday Rush (2019)
After DJ Rashon "Rush" Williams loses his job, he and his four kids are forced to downsize and move in to his Aunt Jo's house. This comedy-drama brings all the feels and reminds everyone what the holidays are really about.
Te Ata
While not Thanksgiving themed at all, this powerful true story of the world-renown Mary Thompson Fisher, a.k.a Te Ata, is a great way to reflect on our history and educate yourself and others on First American storytelling.
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989)
Want to feel better about any chaos tinging your holiday season? The Griswolds always help with that. Come Christmas, their home gets filled all of their extended family, including a hilarious cousin who ends up actually saving the day.
Holiday Home Makeover With Mr. Christmas (2020)
Get inspiration for your own holiday decorating by watching these family homes transform into stunning winter wonderlands. Each house gets a magical touch from Benjamin “Mr. Christmas” Bradley.
The Pursuit of Happyness (2006)
This movie is about the devotion of a struggling dad and his commitment to succeed for the sake of his son — well, cue the tissues.
The Willoughbys (2020)
Maya Rudolph, Will Forte and Ricky Gervais (as the cat who narrates the story) are all among The Willoughbys' all-star cast. Four siblings come together to get away from their self-centered parents and get new ones. The kids will definitely be grateful for you after watching this!
A Castle for Christmas (2021)
To flee a scandal, a bestselling author journeys to Scotland. There, she falls in love with a castle — but the duke who owns it is in her way. Brooke Shields and Carey Elwes star in this rom-com.
Dolly Parton's Christmas on the Square (2020)
Dolly Parton appropriately plays an angel in this musical film, who is trying to stop a woman who is evicting an entire town during the holiday season.
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind (2019)
Based on a true story, a young Malawian boy named William Kamkwamba hopes to save his village from a drought by building a large windmill. The themes of gratitude and giving to others will have the whole family feeling thankful and inspired.
Vivo (2021)
Let Lin-Manuel Miranda's soaring music lift you up in this animated movie. Although there are themes of loss and grief, the strongest on is that anything is possible with family.
Holidate (2020)
If you're having a hard time with the idea of bringing a romantic interest home to meet your family, Sloane (Emma Roberts) can relate. To avoid the meddling questions from her family, she strikes up an agreement with Jackson (Luke Bracey) to be each other's platonic holiday dates for an entire year. But could an arrangement like that truly last?
Best Leftovers Ever (2020)
Everyone knows that leftovers are the best part of Thanksgiving. In this competition series, clever cooks are tasked with transforming old leftovers into new dishes. In the third episode, they have to use holiday ingredients like glazed ham, apple pie and green bean casserole, so you might be able to get some pointers.
Anne With an E (2019)
PBS has made it a tradition to air a new chapter in the Anne of Green Gables story on Thanksgiving, making Anne synonymous with the holiday. While the PBS specials aren't streaming on Netflix, this acclaimed series, which ran for three seasons, can keep the custom going.
The Great British Baking Show: Holidays (2019)
Of course, any episode The Great British Baking Show would seem appropriate, but if whipping up Thanksgiving treats has whetted the family's appetite for homey culinary creations, they'll love these special, holiday-themed episodes.
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society (2018)
This warm romcom gives you all the homey, cozy feelings you want on Thanksgiving. Set during World War II, it follows a London-based writer who ingratiates herself with a community on a channel island after she learns about their book club.
Ugly Delicious (2018)
No, the title isn't a comment on how your Thanksgiving meal turned out. Instead, in this series, chef David Chang travels around, delving into the history and culture behind certain dishes. The third episode of the first season focuses on Thanksgiving feasts.
Marisa (she/her) has covered all things parenting, from the postpartum period through the empty nest, for Good Housekeeping since 2018; she previously wrote about parents and families at Parents and Working Mother. She lives with her husband and daughter in Brooklyn, where she can be found dominating the audio round at her local bar trivia night or tweeting about movies.
Alesandra is a digital travel and lifestyle journalist based in Los Angeles. Her work has appeared in Good Housekeeping, Woman’s Day, Prevention, Insider, Glamour, Shondaland, AFAR, Parents, TODAY, and countless other online and print outlets. Alesandra has a masters degree in journalism with an emphasis on cultural reporting and criticism from NYU, and a bachelor’s degree from UC Berkeley. An avid traveler, she trots the globe with her husband and their twins.
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