With one simple tweet, Netflix gave us a Christmas miracle!

On a long flight to Australia this summer, I lamented the ability to not be able to binge Narcos for the 18 hours in the air. I mean, my library would let me rent shows to watch offline and have them disappear. Apple does the same thing. Why couldn’t Netflix?

Well now they have. Netflix has! Many of your favorite streaming series and movies are already available for download, with more on the way, so there is plenty of content available for those times when you are offline.

The new feature is included in all plans and available for phones and tablets on Android and iOS, just update your Netflix app and you’ll have the ability to download on Netflix.

Here’s how to do it:

When you log in on a mobile device after the update (no desktop options), you should get a splash screen inviting you to take you to the downloads section.

Not every show on Netflix is available for download, so scan this section to find what you want.

Simply scan for the show you want, and click on the arrow pointing down button to save the file locally to your device.

To find your shows to play back, select the menu (the three lines in the top left) and you’ll see a list of your downloaded files along with other settings.

Eeach program has a different shelf life. If a saved episode expires in less than seven days, your app’s My Downloads section will show you a countdown. Other programs will have to be completed within 48 hours of the first time you press play. An hour long program takes up about 300MB of space, you can clear your downloads from the settings menus.

Airplane mode. Road trip mode. Perfect for the big holiday traveling season ahead mode. I am so in love with this. Whether you’ve got a cross country flight or a long drive to Grandma’s, here are the Netflix shows you need to get loaded up for the kids and yourself as you head home for the holidays.

KIDS

Trollhunters

Available starting December 23, this imaginative series from the mind of Guiellermo del Toro follows a fifteen-year old teenager who stumbles upon a magical amulet that gives him the title of Trollhunter, defender of the trolls that live below the human town of Arcadia.

Anton Yelchin (Chekhov in the Star Trek reboots who passed away shortly after recording his dialogue), Kelsey Grammer and Ron Perlman star in the series.

Beat Bugs

With 50 Beatles’ songs licensed for the show and covered by today’s artists, Beat Bugs has the best soundtrack on Netflix. Hands down. The series is centred around five young bugs who live in an overgrown suburban backyard and learn life lessons while having adventures. Really though, you’re going to love the fact that your kids have “real music” running through their heads after watching the show.

Eddie The Eagle

My boys are starting to drift out of animation when it comes to features, and I’m thrilled. We’ve watched Freaky Friday, The Parent Trap, The Goonies, and other classics on Netflix lately for ‘family movie night’. Next up on our roster is something more current, Eddie The Eagle tells the true story of the ski jumping star of the 1988 Calgary Olympics.

It’s a fish out of water, you can do anything, determined kind of story that will do wonders for your kids’ self confidence. It’s a fun and funny film everyone will love.

Christmasy Classics:

If you need to get the kids in the spirit on the road, check out Arthur Christmas or Jim Carrey in
How The Grinch Stole Christmas.

MOM AND DAD

The Crown

No expense was spared on this recreation of the early years of Queen Elizabeth (they spent $85 000 recreating Liz’s wedding dress for the series). Scheduled to go at least 4 seasons (that should take us near to present day)

Black Mirror

If the present day news cycle isn’t enough to mess with your mind, this panicked look at what the near future holds should fully push you off kilter. Best described as a modern day Twilight Zone, Black Mirror tackles our obsessions with technology, the perils of oversharing, how gaming could become true life, and what the after life holds. They’re tough to watch because the fictional realities seem frighteningly familiar.

Next generation stars Bryce Dallas Howard (Ron Howard‘s daughter) and Wyatt Russell (Goldie and Kurt‘s son) soar in their respective episodes. Each episode tells a chilling stand-alone story, so feel free to pick up and put down any episode in the catalog.

Barry

To understate it, things are about to change radically at the White House. The timing of this look back at the early years of Barack Obama (yes, they called him Barry back in the day) arriving on December 16 is perfect.

Centered around his early 80s years at Columbia University in New York City, Barry tackles many of the social struggles Obama would find himself facing 35 yrs later as president.

Christmasy classics:

If you need a little Christmas pick me up on the road, Love, Actually never disappoints and last year’s release of a A Very Murray Christmas is so perfect, it’s become a classic already.

Disclosure: I’m a member of the Netflix Stream Team

 

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