Holiday queens, Christmas lesbians and a bunch of queer ranchers?

It’s December, which means for many of us, it’s officially the holiday season! In 2020, we got a taste of queer-inclusive holiday films, and there are a bunch more to look forward to this year. From Netflix’s first gay holiday film Single All The Way to RuPaul’s latest, The Bitch Who Stole Christmas, to Lifetime’s first lesbian-led romance, Under the Christmas Tree, this list has plenty of LGBTQ2S+ festive films, TV shows and festivals to stream throughout the month of December. 

Frameline Voices

Streaming now on Here TV in Canada and the U.S.

American LGBTQ2S+ streaming service Here TV has partnered with non-profit film distributor Frameline Distribution to relaunch Frameline Voices, a curated program of queer and trans films. While more titles will hit the streaming service in January, one of the films available now is Flex (directed by Matt Porter) about a man exploring the grey areas of his own sexuality after going through an unexpected breakup.

Whistler Film Festival 

Dec. 1 to 31 both in-person and streaming online in Canada

The Whistler Film Festival will be streaming online this year for Canadian residents throughout the month of December. One LGBTQ2S+ offering includes Dawn, Her Dad and the Tractor, premiering Dec. 17. Trans YouTuber ​​Maya Henry plays Dawn MacGinnis, a young trans woman from Nova Scotia who returns home for her mother’s funeral. While there, she tries to rebuild the relationship with her estranged father by helping him restore his broken-down tractor. 

Christmas at the Ranch 

Dec. 1 on Tello Films 

The heartwarming queer holiday romcom, Christmas at the Ranch, will begin streaming Dec. 1 on Tello Films, a network that aims to amplify lesbians and queer women in film. After the death of her parents, Haley (Laur Allen), a power broker living in the city, returns to the country with her brother to try to save her family’s land from being seized by the bank. When she reluctantly arrives just prior to Christmas, she has an unfortunate run-in with the ranch hand, Kate (Amanda Righetti). Amid the chaos of family drama, Haley discovers that love doesn’t always happen according to plan. 

The Bitch Who Stole Christmas

Dec. 2 on VH1 in the U.S. 

The largest Drag Race cast in history has united for RuPaul’s new movie, The Bitch Who Stole Christmas, dropping on VH1, Dec. 2. The film follows a workaholic fashion journalist (Halston’s Krysta Rodriguez) who travels to a Christmas-obsessed town on an assignment from her editor (RuPaul) only to discover a group of housewives plotting to destroy the holiday in its entirety. Joining Mama Ru in the film are Drag Race superstars Ginger Minj, Brooke Lynn Hytes, Peppermint, Jan, Latrice Royale, Jaymes Mansfield, Gottmik, Morgan McMichaels, Porkchop, Chad Michaels, Heidi N Closet, Kelly Mantle, Kimora Blac, Laganja Estranja, Manila Luzon, Mayhem Miller, Pandora Boxx, Raven, Rock M. Sakura and Kylie Sonique Love. And yes, Michelle, Ross and Carson make special appearances, too. 

Single All The Way 

Dec. 2 on Netflix

Netflix’s highly-anticipated first gay holiday film, Single All The Way, will be available to watch starting Dec. 2. The romcom follows Peter (Michael Urie) who convinces his best friend Nick (Philemon Chambers) to join him for the holidays and pretend that they’re dating in an attempt to avoid his family bothering him about being perpetually single. But the plan goes awry when Peter’s mother sets him up on a blind date with her handsome trainer, James (Luke Macfarlane). The holiday flick also stars Jennifer Coolidge, Barry Bostwick and Jennifer Robertson.

Virtual reading of The Normal Heart

Dec. 4 at noon and 5 p.m. PT online

ONE Archives, the LGBTQ2S+ archives at the University of Southern California, presents a staged reading of Larry Kramer’s Tony Award-winning play The Normal Heart, from 1985. The play focuses on the rise of the HIV/AIDS crisis in New York City in the early 1980s. The cast includes Sterling K. Brown, Laverne Cox, Guillermo Díaz, Vincent Rodriguez III and more; a Q&A with director Paris Barclay and cast members will follow the reading.

Beyto

Dec. 7 on DVD and digital

Gitta Gersill’s gay drama Beyto, based on the novel by award-winning writer Yusuf Yesilöz, comes to digital and DVD on Dec. 7. The film centres on Beyto (Burak Ates), a young, gregarious Turkish man. When he falls in love with his swimming coach, Mike (Dimitri Stapfer), his perfect world seems to fall apart. For Beyto’s parents there is only one way to maintain the tradition and honour of their family: marry off their son to a woman as soon as possible. 

I am Syd Stone 

Dec. 7 on DVD and digital

The 2020 six-episode series I am Syd Stone is available on DVD and digital beginning Dec. 7. Directed by Denis Theriault, the drama follows Syd Stone (Travis Nelson), a former A-list actor who is now reluctantly shooting a B-movie in a small town. While getting drunk in a hotel bar, he makes an instant connection with Matt (Benjamin Charles Watson), a young lawyer on the verge of his biggest case yet. 

The Housewives of the North Pole 

Dec. 9 on Peacock

Breaking Bad actress Betsy Brandt and Real Housewives icon Kyle Richards star in The Housewives of the North Pole, coming to Peacock on Dec. 9. Trish (Richards) and Diana (Brandt) are known as “the Christmas Queens” of a town in Vermont called North Pole, where they’ve dominated the local holiday house decorating competition for years. When their friendship ends after a serious fight, a hungry magazine writer visits the town with a plan to write an exposé titled, “Real Housewives of the North Pole.” The cast also includes Desperate Housewives actor Alec Mapa. 

Messiah/Complex

Dec. 12–Jan. 9 online

Toronto’s Against the Grain Theatre is once again presenting its surprise international hit from last year: their gorgeous-sounding, beautifully shot version of Handel’s “Messiah,” filmed on location across Canada and sung in Arabic, Dene, English, French, Inuktitut and Southern Tutchone, and accompanied by the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. Co-directed by Joel Ivany and Reneltta Arluk, the production features soloists Jonathon Adams, Looee Arreak, Spencer Britten, Rihab Chaieb, Catherine Daniel, Deantha Edmunds, Leela Gilday, Miriam Khalil, Andrea Lett, Diyet van Lieshout, Julie Lumsden and Elliot Madore. It’s a very queer and very Indigenous take on a holiday classic.

With Love, Christmas

Dec. 17 on Prime Video

With Love, Prime Video’s first holiday miniseries with queer characters and storylines, will be available to stream starting Dec. 17. The series follows the Diaz siblings, Lily and Jorge (Emeraude Toubia and Mark Indelicato), who are both on a mission to find love during the holidays. Lily and Jorge’s cousin Sol Perez (Isis King) is a non-binary oncology resident who is finally opening themselves up to love with their handsome doctor colleague.

The Christmas House 2: Deck Those Halls

Dec. 18 on Hallmark

The sequel to The Christmas House—Hallmark’s first original Christmas movie featuring a same-sex couple—will be available on the Hallmark Channel starting Dec. 18. The Christmas House 2: Deck Those Halls brings back the original cast, but this time Mike (Robert Buckley) gets roped into competing in a Christmas house-decorating reality TV show against his brother. 

Under the Christmas Tree

Dec. 19 on Lifetime

Lifetime is featuring its first lesbian-led romance in the holiday romance Under the Christmas Tree, premiering on Dec. 19. The film stars marketing whiz Alma (Elise Bauman) who crosses paths with “Christmas tree whisperer” Charlie (Tattiawna Jones). Sparks fly between the two and some Christmas fairy dust pushes them to take leaps of faith and fight for love and Christmas magic.

Queer Eye (Season 6)

Dec. 31 on Netflix

Giddy-up Karamo Brown, Jonathan Van Ness, Antoni Porowski, Tan France and Bobby Berk! Netflix’s Queer Eye returns for its sixth season on Dec. 31, and the fab five are heading to Austin, Texas. 

The Great British Bake Off

Date to be confirmed on Netflix

Cast members of the AIDS-era drama It’s a Sin are reuniting for a Great British Bake Off special in what’s being called “the gayest crossover in history.” Olly Alexander, Lydia West, Nathaniel Curtis and Shaun Dooley will compete for the title of most festive baker in this one-of-a-kind Christmas special.