These Holiday Movie Night Ideas Will Have You Jingling All The Way To The Couch

First thing's first: Dressing the part is necessary. This is a holiday movie night, after all, and that calls for matching fleece or silk jammies. You can go the silly route and spring for matching reindeer onesies ($27, JCPenny) or opt for silk sets ($15, Boohoo) to show your Insta followers you're squad goals.

The key to Christmas decor is the lighting. String up some fairy lights over your TV set, windows, or around the couch to give your room a cozy holiday glow. Get creative with your lighting by switching out the everyday fairy lights for a star snowflake set ($14, Walmart). The more, the merrier.

A great way to spruce up your movie night is to make it a game. You can tailor each game to the movie you're watching by setting up a few rules based on what happens in the film and drink some hot cocoa each time it occurs.

For example, take a sip every time someone says "expecto patronum" in Harry Potter. Or, you can hang a Santa hat on the corner of your TV and drink every time someone ends up underneath it.

Another way to set this night apart from the rest is by switching up your screen. If you're in a dorm, check your university's library or tech department for projector rentals to give your movie night a true vintage feel. You can also buy a budget-friendly projector ($56, Amazon) and set it up with throw pillows and cozy blankets galore.

It's not a proper movie night without the popcorn. Instead of munching on the classic salty treat, opt for a bucket of popcorn that's loaded with M&M's, sprinkles, and pretzels. You can make your own Christmas Crunch or grab some pre-made Moose Much ($8, Macy's) for a tasty twist on the movie night staple.

Building a pillow fort is a great way to keep cozy throughout the season, and it's an endless source of creativity. Can you build a fort that's higher? One that has a ton of pillows? Decorate the inside of the fort?

Before you choose a movie, see which one of your BFFs can create the pillow fort to end all pillow forts. Try stringing up your fairy lights inside the fort and pushing all the cushions together to create one large space for everyone to cuddle up in together.

Cold weather means protecting your skin from dehydration. While watching your favorite rom-com, lay out your favorite face masks and nail polishes on the coffee table. This cute penguin face mask ($4, Target) is a great and fun way to incorporate self-care into your life this time of year.

If you're in a long-distance relationship or you want to schedule much-needed catch-up time with your long-distance besties, plan a virtual watch party.

By logging onto Zoom, one person can share their screen so you can all watch the film together. If everyone else mutes their own video chat, and uses another video chatting service, like FaceTime or Google Hangouts, you can continue to chat about the film in real time.

You can make your night last longer by planning a collaborative dinner together. Grab some pizza dough and your housemates to decorate your pizzas together. If you're watching with friends via Zoom, you can chose the same recipe to try and show off your delicious creations before the movie begins.

One thing to be thankful for this time of year is the plethora of new holiday movies on Hallmark and your fave streaming services. For example, Netflix released a slew of new holiday flicks, including Operation Christmas Drop, a fake-romance-turned-real in Holidate, and a sequel to The Princess Switch, starring Vanessa Hudgens.

Check out a complete list so you never miss a chance to gush over your new movie crush when they grace the screen.