10 Movies Like A Merry Little Ex-Mas You Must See

Directed by Steve Carr, Netflix’s ‘A Merry Little Ex-Mas’ tells the story of Kate (Alicia Silverstone) and Everett Holden (Oliver Hudson), a middle-aged couple in Winterlight, Vermont, on the brink of divorce. Having raised their children, Gabriel and Sienna, in the town, their marriage has become monotonous, leading them to plan for a separation. With Christmas approaching, the estranged couple intends to spend one final holiday together as a family, all while navigating their own complicated feelings and those of their children.

However, despite their intentions, they may discover that moving on is much harder than they anticipated. The Christmas romantic comedy film thoughtfully explores the themes of family, love, and loyalty. The romantic themes of the film, combined with festive visual elements of Christmas, add to the flavor of the narrative. These movies, similar to ‘A Merry Little Ex-Mas, ‘ feature heartwarming stories and will be worthy additions to your watchlist.

10. Christmas with the Campbells (2022)

AMC+’s ‘Christmas With the Campbells’ follows the adventures of Jesse (Brittany Snow), who runs into an unexpected complication before Christmas, when her lover Shawn Campbell (Alex Moffat) breaks up with her. Despite the split in the relationship, Shawn’s parents, Robert (George Wendt) and Liz Campbell (Julia Duffy), want to spend time with Jesse during the Christmas holidays. While staying with the Campbells, Jesse crosses paths with David (Justin Long), Shawn’s cousin, and develops romantic feelings for him. When Shawn returns to the house, she deals with complex emotions about him and must decide if she has to pursue a life with David. Helmed by Clare Niederpruem, the romantic comedy film celebrates the Christmas spirit and the complexities of romantic connections like ‘A Merry Little Ex-Mas,’ while also containing similar visual elements.

9. Your Christmas Or Mine? (2022)

In Prime Video’s ‘Your Christmas Or Mine?,’ Lovers Hayley (Cora Kirk) and James (Asa Butterfield) say goodbye to each other at a London train station, two days before Christmas, unable to bear the thought of being apart for the holidays. In a spontaneous moment, they both decide to surprise each other by swapping trains, aiming to celebrate Christmas at their partner’s home. This simultaneous decision results in them arriving at each other’s family residences instead. James’ family is affluent, while Hayley’s comes from a humble working-class background.

As they immerse themselves in their respective partners’ family life, the experience compels the two lovers to delve into deeper questions about the nature of their relationship. Akin to ‘A Merry Little Ex-Mas,’ the British romantic comedy film directed by Jim O’Hanlon, explores familial bonds and the challenges of love, set during the Christmas season. Both stories feature chaotic holidays and quirky characters.

8. Dear Christmas (2020)

Lifetime’s ‘Dear Christmas,’ directed by Emily Moss Wilson, is the tale of Natalie Morgan (Melissa Joan Hart), the host of the popular podcast “Holiday Love,” which features holiday romance stories. Her listeners and the world perceive her as an expert on the subject. However, despite her public persona, she has never actually experienced love herself. While back in her hometown for Christmas, she unexpectedly finds herself drawn to local firefighter Chris Massey (Jason Priestley), leading to a holiday adventure of love and connection. The romantic drama film, due to its portrayal of complex relationships, the theme of Christmas, and unexpected romances, is spiritually connected to the world of ‘A Merry Little Ex-Mas,’ and its characters.

7. Holidate (2020)

Directed by John Whitesell, Netflix’s ‘Holidate’ is the story of Sloane Benson (Emma Roberts), who crosses paths with Jackson Piretti (Luke Bracey) at a store during the Christmas season. Since both of them are single, they come up with an unusual plan, which is to pretend to be each other’s lovers till the holidays are over. Hoping to build a fake image of happiness in front of others, their lives get complicated when they start to develop feelings for each other. On the lines of ‘A Merry Little Ex-Mas,’ the romantic comedy film features a complex dynamic between the two lead characters. In the stories, the characters find it difficult to stick to mechanically designed plans due to the complexities of love.

6. The Noel Diary (2022)

Based on the eponymous book by Richard Paul Evans, ‘The Noel Diary’ is the story of an author named Jacob Turner (Justin Hartley). Returning home after twenty years, he must settle his recently deceased mother’s estate before Christmas. While sorting through two decades of clutter at the estate, he discovers an old diary belonging to a woman named Noel Ellis (Essence Atkins), which may hold secrets about his past. Just as he gets hold of the diary, he crosses paths with Rachel Campbell (Barrett Doss), who is Noel’s daughter. Directed by Charles Shyer, Netflix’s Christmas romantic comedy drama film deals with love, family, and secrets. Like ‘A Merry Little Ex-Mas,’ it celebrates the theme of Christmas, while also navigating familial emotions and relationships through the experiences of the main characters.

5. Happiest Season (2020)

Hulu’s ‘Happiest Season,’ a romantic comedy directed by Clea DuVall, tells the story of two lovers, Abby Holland (Kristen Stewart) and Harper Caldwell (Mackenzie Davis). The bond between the two gets complicated when Harper invites Abby to her family’s Christmas vacation, having kept her sexual identity a secret from them. This secret, maintained by her lover, brings chaos into Abby’s life and forces both women to navigate trust issues and other difficulties. Like ‘A Merry Little Ex-Mas,’ the film explores unforeseen romantic challenges faced by the main characters. The concepts of family and loyalty play a vital role in the narratives, which are both set during the Christmas season. The visual choices in the movies also connect them on a spiritual level.

4. Love Hard (2021)

In Netflix’s ‘Love Hard,’ an LA-based journalist named Natalie Bauer (Nina Dobrev) believes her romance luck has changed after connecting with a handsome man named Tag (Darren Barnet) on a dating app. She impulsively flies to New York to surprise him for the holidays, only to find that she has been deceived by Josh Lin (Jimmy O. Yang), who has been using Tag’s identity online. This leads to complex emotions, unexpected connections, and chaos in the lives of the protagonist and the two men in the romantic comedy film directed by Hernán Jiménez. On the lines of ‘A Merry Little Ex-Mas,’ the story features chaotic character dynamics and layered depictions of romance, complemented by the flavor of Christmas.

3. Last Christmas (2019)

Directed by Paul Feig, ‘Last Christmas’ follows Kate Andrich (Emilia Clarke), a young woman who works as an elf in a Christmas-based store in London. Challenged by her tendency to make bad decisions, she is in a chaotic phase, but still hopes to achieve success as a musician. Her life unexpectedly changes when she meets Tom Webster (Henry Golding), a charming, mysterious man who inspires her to confront her past and rediscover joy. Inspired by the music of George Michael and Wham!, the British romantic comedy film delves deeper into the intriguing relationship between Kate and Tom as they go through unforeseen challenges. Due to its commentary on relationships, the utilization of Christmas themes, and complex main characters, the movie is connected to the world of ‘A Merry Little Ex-Mas’ and its characters.

2. An Unexpected Christmas (2021)

In Hallmark’s ‘An Unexpected Christmas,’ to avoid upsetting his family during Christmas, Jamie (Tyler Hynes) convinces his former lover Emily (Bethany Joy Lenz) to pretend they are still a couple after a chance encounter at the train station in his hometown. The former couple spends a week at his family’s home, engaging in various holiday activities as part of their elaborate lie. However, when they continue to be part of the ruse, they may discover that they still have feelings for each other. This leads to chaotic and unexpected dynamics between the two. Directed by Michael Robison, the romantic drama film bears a resemblance to ‘A Merry Little Ex-Mas’ due to its portrayal of family dynamics, chaotic situations, unexpected romances, and similar visual tones.

1. EXmas (2023)

Amazon Freevee’s ‘EXmas’ is the tale of Ali Moyer (Leighton Meester) and Graham Stoop (Robbie Amell), two individuals who were formerly engaged. Despite the separation, Ali still shares a healthy relationship with her ex-fiancée’s family. When Graham returns home for Christmas, he is shocked to see that Ali is the guest of honor and a vital part of the celebrations. This leads to a challenging scenario for the two of them, as they must simultaneously deal with past feelings and present ones. While Graham hopes to persuade Ali to leave somehow, she intends to establish her presence. As the holiday season gets chaotic, the main characters navigate scenarios that may change their feelings for each other.

The romantic comedy film, directed by Jonah Feingold, shares similarities with ‘A Merry Little Ex-Mas’ as it takes place within familial settings during the Christmas season. Both stories are strongly connected, as they each deal with a couple that has broken up. In the narratives, the themes of lost love, new connections, and chaotic plot elements are common.