Elf: Where to watch on TV this Christmas

Will Ferrell’s 2003 comedy has become a modern staple of the festive season for some viewers

There’s nothing quite like putting your feet up at Christmas and watching a great festive film.

While many people still opt for the old classics – films like It’s a Wonderful Life and Miracle on 34th Street – others prefer more recent additions to the Christmas canon.

One seasonal offering that regularly crops up in surveys of favourite Christmas films is Will Ferrell’s 2003 family comedy Elf.

In Elf, Ferrell plays Buddy, a human who was adopted by Santa Claus and raised among his elves, before venturing as a grown man back into human society.

The film was directed by John Favreau (The Mandalorian) and also starred James Caan, Zooey Deschanel and Mary Steenburgen.

Will Ferrell’s Buddy finds himself ill-suited to elf schooling in the 2003 comedy Elf (Entertainment Film Distribution)

In the UK, Elf can currently be streamed on the subscription service Now TV or Sky Go.

It is also being shown most days on various Sky Cinema channels, though will not be broadcast on Freeview this year. It will air on Christmas Eve at 6.15pm on Sky One, and at 4.10pm on Christmas Day on the dedicated channel Sky Cinema Christmas. 

In the US, Elf is unavailable to stream on Netflix, but can be watched on a number of streaming platforms, including fuboTV, Starz, Subs, Eros Now and Sling TV.