There’s nothing like a classic Christmas movie – whether that’s A Wonderful Life or Die Hard! A tried and true Xmas flick can’t fail to put you in the festive mood. And sitting down to a movie together makes it ever better - sharing great scenes or making each other laugh with a killer heckle!

But gathering together in one place isn’t always possible. Whether you’re staying safe and having a smaller Christmas than usual, or you have far flung friends, Tele Party lets you watch movies together.

But how? Here’s where we step in to help…

More than just Netflix

The Chrome extension, which used to be called Netflix Party, allows you to watch Netflix, Disney, Hulu and HBO is sync with friends. Great news, as you can now with a whole heap more films, TV shows and documentaries together. So, worries about dropping spoilers.

How to host a Tele Party

1. Download the Tele Party extension for Chrome.

2. Open up one of the compatible platforms and start playing a video.

3. You’ll see a red TP symbol in the top right corner of your browser. Click on it.

4. You’ll be given a URL which you can share with friends. Now it’s a party!

Watch and chat

The great thing about Tele Party is that you can watch and chat at the same time. There’s a text function that lets you react in real time – great for sharing thoughts or deploying the right emoji at the right time. Comedy? 😂 That unexpected twist? 😱

It’s also a great way of requesting a toilet break or a pause on the movie to refill your popcorn.

Are there alternatives?

Yes, if you prefer to chat through a video stream, check out Scener – another Chrome extension. It offers a virtual movie theatre with a video chat function down the side. Just don’t forget to turn your webcams on! It also allows you to turn video or audio off at any time. So if there’s an unmissable scene, you can agree to be quiet during that bit and then regroup after to discuss.

In fact, there are tons of options out there, including Amazon Prime Watch Party, Hulu Watch Party and Plex Watch Together. That means you’re bound to find an option that works for everybody.

Top Christmas movies to watch together

Home Alone (1990)

No matter how many times you watch it, there’s nothing like it to get you in the festive mood. React together as Kevin McAllister’s household traps put The Wet Bandits through festive hell. Plus, there are plenty of quotables you’re all bound to know. You guys give up, or are ya thirsty for more?

Miracle on 34th Street (1947)

Got a grumpy scrooge joining the party? It doesn’t matter how bah humbug they think they are, their hearts will melt with this classic but unlikely tale of Santa Claus’ only recorded court appearance.

The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)

For when you like your Christmas flicks with a sinister twist. Tim Burton’s animated take on the festivities includes skeletons, ghouls and ghosts. A great group movie with horror and humour.

Frozen (2013)

If you’ve got kids joining you for the party, Frozen never fails. This Disney favourite follows Anna’s attempts to save her home from infinite winter – tell us about it. If you don’t all join in with “Let it go” you might as well pack up the Christmas tree right now.

Jingle All The Way (1996)

Arnold Schwarzenegger stars in the most bizarre of Xmas movies. Arnold plays a stressed-out father going to insane lengths to get a Turbo Man doll for his son. This is a ‘so bad it’s good’ type of film, so great for a group who like their Christmas films a bit tongue in cheek.

Looking for more movie tips? Check out our pick of the best festive films on Netflix and Prime Video!