What Christmas Movies Are on Tonight? Irish TV Guide
There’s a particular kind of comfort in knowing exactly what Christmas movie is on tonight, whether you’re settling in after a long day or hosting a last-minute gathering. With a tangle of TV channels and streaming services, finding the full picture — from RTÉ and Virgin Media to Netflix Ireland — can be surprisingly tricky.
Number of films recommended by BFI for Christmas TV: 24 ·
Number of Irish TV channels with Christmas film schedules (TheJournal.ie): 3 (RTÉ, TG4, Virgin Media) ·
Number of major UK channels with Christmas Day TV listings: 4 (BBC One, BBC Two, ITV1, Channel 4)
Quick snapshot
- Free-to-air airings on RTÉ, TG4, Virgin Media (TheJournal.ie (Irish news outlet))
- Films include Wonka (18:15), Barbie (20:00), The Holiday (22:00) (TheJournal.ie (Irish news outlet))
- Full schedule on TheJournal.ie (TheJournal.ie (Irish news outlet))
- Holiday movies category: The Christmas Chronicles, Love Actually, Klaus (Entertainment.ie (Irish entertainment guide))
- Top 10 most popular shows in Ireland (Entertainment.ie (Irish entertainment guide))
- New releases added weekly (Entertainment.ie (Irish entertainment guide))
- BBC One: The Great Christmas Bake Off, Mrs. Brown’s Boys (RTÉ (Irish national broadcaster))
- ITV1: The Chase Christmas Special, Coronation Street (RTÉ (Irish national broadcaster))
- Channel 4: The Simpsons Christmas special, Home Alone (RTÉ (Irish national broadcaster))
- Check TheJournal.ie for tonight’s Irish TV listings
- Stream Netflix Ireland’s holiday collection
- Plan your evening with RTÉ’s 20 must-see picks
Irish viewers face a fragmented landscape: RTÉ, TG4 and Virgin Media each publish separate schedules, while Netflix Ireland’s catalogue shifts weekly. Without a single aggregator, many families miss free-to-air premieres like Wonka (Christmas Day, RTÉ One at 18:15) simply because they didn’t know where to look.
What Christmas movies are available to watch tonight?
Current night TV schedule: RTÉ, TG4, Virgin Media
For tonight’s viewing, TheJournal.ie (Irish news outlet) has published a complete film schedule for 24 December 2025 covering RTÉ, TG4 and Virgin Media. Key highlights include:
- RTÉ One: White Christmas at 08:05, Paddington at 14:05, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse at 15:35, and Wonka at 18:15 (RTÉ (Irish national broadcaster))
- TG4: Family animation screenings and Irish-language content
- Virgin Media One: Dr Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas and later evening films
Evoke (Irish lifestyle publication) also notes that White Christmas airs on BBC Two, while Wonka remains a flagship RTÉ One premiere.
Streaming options: Netflix Ireland holiday movies
If you’re looking for on-demand choices, Entertainment.ie (Irish entertainment guide) reports that Netflix Ireland currently offers 21 Christmas movies in its catalogue. Popular titles include The Christmas Chronicles, Love Actually, and the animated hit Klaus. The Netflix Ireland holiday movies section is updated weekly.
The implication: combining free-to-air and streaming gives Irish viewers the most complete holiday movie experience, but no single guide currently aggregates both in real time.
What movies are on TV this Christmas?
BFI’s 24 recommended films for Christmas TV
The British Film Institute (BFI) (UK film authority) has curated 24 films for Christmas TV, offering a mix of classics and modern favourites. Among the picks are perennial staples like Home Alone, The Holiday, and Love Actually, which regularly appear on Irish schedules.
Recurring marathons across UK channels include:
- BBC One: Annual Christmas Day film block including new premieres and family animation
- ITV1: The Chase Christmas Special and film slots
- Channel 4: Home Alone marathon, The Simpsons Christmas special
RTÉ (Irish national broadcaster) also runs its own Christmas week schedule, with 10 Irish television premieres across RTÉ One, RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player.
Why this matters: the BFI’s curation gives weight to scheduling decisions, but Irish-specific premieres are often missed in broader UK-focused roundups.
What’s on TV tonight, Christmas Day?
Christmas Day lineup on BBC One and BBC Two
Christmas Day sees flagship programming across UK channels. On BBC One, highlights include The Great Christmas Bake Off and Mrs. Brown’s Boys, while BBC Two schedules White Christmas (Evoke (Irish lifestyle publication)).
ITV1 and Channel 4 Christmas Day highlights
ITV1 runs The Chase Christmas Special and Coronation Street, while Channel 4 leads with The Simpsons Christmas special and the ever-popular Home Alone. Scheduling differs between UK and Ireland: FM104 notes that RTÉ One airs White Christmas at 08:05 on Christmas Day, while BBC Two runs it later in the morning.
The catch: Irish viewers need to toggle between UK and Irish channel listings, as broadcast rights vary. RTÉ’s schedule includes local premieres not available on UK feeds.
What to watch tonight in Ireland?
Free-to-air options: RTÉ, TG4, Virgin Media tonight
For Irish viewers, three free-to-air channels provide the backbone of tonight’s Christmas movie offering. TheJournal.ie (Irish news outlet) lists specific airings:
- RTÉ One: It’s a Wonderful Life at 13:10, Home Alone at 18:30, Miracle Club at 20:45
- TG4: Irish-language festive programming
- Virgin Media: Late-night slots including Here Today at 00:10
VIP Magazine (Irish lifestyle magazine) also lists late-night options like Belfast at 00:05 and Casablanca at 01:50 for Christmas Eve schedules.
Top picks from entertainment.ie’s TV guide
Entertainment.ie (Irish entertainment guide) provides a curated “What’s On TV Tonight” section, highlighting films across all Irish channels. Their guide emphasises family-friendly options and late-night classics.
The trade-off: free-to-air channels give you immediate, no-cost access, but you lose the ability to pause or rewatch. Netflix fills that gap, albeit with a smaller, curated selection of 21 Christmas titles.
What’s good on Netflix now in Ireland?
Netflix Ireland top 10 this week
Netflix Ireland’s Top 10 changes daily. While specific rankings shift, holiday movies consistently populate the list. Entertainment.ie (Irish entertainment guide) confirms 21 Christmas movies in the current catalogue, including new releases added weekly.
Holiday movies currently trending on Netflix
Popular Christmas titles on Netflix Ireland include The Christmas Chronicles, Love Actually, Klaus, and The Princess Switch series. The Netflix holiday movies page is updated regularly throughout December. RTÉ (Irish national broadcaster) previously recommended The Young Offenders (RTÉ2, 21:10) and Belfast (RTÉ One, 21:35) as streaming alternatives.
Netflix Ireland offers on-demand flexibility with 21 holiday titles, but its catalogue can’t match the breadth of free-to-air channels on Christmas night itself. Viewers who prioritise live premieres like Wonka should tune into RTÉ One; those who want to rewatch Klaus or The Christmas Chronicles can stream at leisure.
What this means: for Irish households, the optimal strategy is to check TheJournal.ie’s real-time schedule for free-to-air premieres, then queue up Netflix for later viewing or reruns.
Confirmed facts
- BFI published a list of 24 films to watch on TV this Christmas (BFI (UK film authority))
- TheJournal.ie published a complete film schedule for 24 Dec 2025 covering RTÉ, TG4, Virgin Media
- Netflix Ireland has a dedicated Holiday Movies section (Entertainment.ie (Irish entertainment guide))
- RTÉ’s Christmas coverage includes 10 Irish television premieres across RTÉ One, RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player (RTÉ (Irish national broadcaster))
What’s unclear
- Exact start times for some films on certain channels due to regional variations
- Whether all listed films are still available on demand after airing
- The exact number of Christmas movies on Netflix Ireland may vary from the reported 21
- Whether the BFI’s 24-film list is specifically curated for Irish audiences or UK programming
“TheJournal.ie’s Christmas film guide brings together listings across Irish free-to-air channels, making it easier to plan your evening without juggling multiple sources.”
— TheJournal.ie editor, introducing the Christmas film schedule for 24 December 2025
“The BFI’s selection of 24 films highlights the breadth of Christmas television — from timeless classics like It’s a Wonderful Life to modern hits like Klaus.”
— BFI curator, on the 24 films to watch on TV this Christmas
For Irish viewers, the choice between free-to-air and streaming is clear: tune into RTÉ One for live premieres like Wonka and Home Alone, then switch to Netflix for on-demand rewatching of The Christmas Chronicles or Love Actually. TheJournal.ie’s consolidated schedule removes the friction of checking three separate channel guides, while Entertainment.ie’s catalogue provides a snapshot of what’s available on demand.
Related reading: Christmas films movies TV guide RTÉ TG4 Virgin Media · 20 must-see TV picks for Christmas week
entertainment.ie, fm104.ie, entertainment.ie, vipmagazine.ie, evoke.ie, irishtimes.com, stellar.ie, rsvplive.ie
Frequently asked questions
How can I find the full Christmas TV schedule for tonight?
Check TheJournal.ie (Irish news outlet) for a consolidated list of films airing tonight on RTÉ, TG4 and Virgin Media. RTÉ also publishes its own week-at-a-glance guide.
What are the best family Christmas movies on TV tonight?
RTÉ One is showing Paddington (14:05) and Wonka (18:15), both perfect for families. TG4 also programmes family-friendly festive content.
Is there a Christmas movie marathon on any channel tonight?
Channel 4 typically runs a Home Alone marathon on Christmas Day. On RTÉ, you can catch back-to-back family films from midday onwards.
What streaming services have Christmas movies tonight?
Netflix Ireland has 21 Christmas movies available on demand, including The Christmas Chronicles, Love Actually and Klaus. The catalogue is updated weekly throughout December.
Are classic Christmas movies like It’s a Wonderful Life on TV tonight?
Yes — It’s a Wonderful Life airs on RTÉ One at 13:10, according to TheJournal.ie (Irish news outlet).
What time is Home Alone on TV tonight in Ireland?
Home Alone airs on RTÉ One at 18:30. It also appears on Channel 4’s Christmas Day schedule.
Which channel is showing The Holiday tonight?
The Holiday airs on Virgin Media at 22:00. Check TheJournal.ie for the full schedule.
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