A Christmas movie night with a projector
The tree's up, the family's home, and the biggest screen in the house is a blank wall. Here's how to set up a Christmas film night.
1. Pick the wall
Find the biggest plain, light-coloured wall. Take down pictures if you can, or hang a white sheet or a pull-down screen. Make sure the projector's beam won't be blocked by the tree or by people walking past.
2. Get the room dark (but keep it cosy)
Draw the curtains and switch off the big light. Fairy lights are fine, but keep them behind or beside the audience, never next to the picture. Every bit of light on the wall washes out the picture.
3. Set up the projector
- Put it on a coffee table or shelf facing the wall, at roughly the centre of the picture.
- Move it back until the picture fills the wall (see screen size and distance).
- Square up with keystone and sharpen with focus.
- Connect to WiFi and sign in to your apps before everyone sits down.
4. Sound
A Bluetooth speaker or soundbar near the screen makes films feel like the cinema. For children's films the built-in speaker of the HY300 Ultra is often enough.
5. Film ideas for the family
- Little ones: The Snowman, The Gruffalo's Child, Arthur Christmas.
- Everyone: Elf, The Muppet Christmas Carol, Home Alone, Paddington 2.
- Grown-ups after bedtime: Love Actually, The Holiday, It's a Wonderful Life.
Check what's on your streaming services in advance; availability changes every year.
6. Film in bed on Christmas night
Turn the projector up to the ceiling for a film in bed. Our ceiling projection guide shows how.
A projector as a Christmas gift
Projectors make a good family present: one box, and every room can become a cinema. Order in good time; Amazon shows the last delivery dates for Christmas at checkout.
- Turn 1: compact and simple, good for teenagers' bedrooms.
- HY300 Ultra: built-in speaker, nothing else to buy.
Updated 6 November 2026