What constitutes a "Christmas Movie"?

[TipsyTraveler]

I haven't seen any of the movies in the OP so I can't weigh in on those specifically, but I'd say for a movie to be considered a Christmas movie, Christmas needs to be central to the plot and/or setting. A Christmas Story revolves around what Santa's going to bring for Christmas. Clearly a Christmas movie. Home Alone's plot is primarily about thwarting burglars, but every scene and much of the storyline revolve around Christmas. It would've been a massively different story if it had taken place in August, so it's definitely a Christmas movie. Bad Santa isn't a typical "merriment and good cheer" story but you couldn't have the story without Christmas, so it's also a Christmas movie.

A dead giveaway is anything that resolves with a happy ending on Christmas Day is probably a bona fide Christmas movie. Lol.

 

[L&Lfan]

Lady and the Tramp always seemed very Christmassy to me.....maybe because I first saw it at Christmastime 1971.

 

[wenrob]

I think A Wonderful Life is most definitely a Christmas movie. Not because of when it takes place but because of the feelings it generates and the fact that the suicide attempt and coming back from it all happened at Christmas.

Die Hard is just a good movie. I don't see it as a Christmas movie, although my sons always insisted it got added to our annual night of Christmas movies. To me, Christmas movies have to give you that Christmas "feeling" whether its of family, joy, whatever.



I find it funny that whichever channel it is that runs a month of Halloween movies and a month of Christmas movies always includes Harry Potter in both when its really neither, imho.

There’s Joy and Family in Die Hard.

Recently heard a critic give his list of best holiday movies and he included "Die Hard". His argument was it revolved around the holiday period and explored the theme of family and salvation. I couldn't disagree with his well thought out soliloquy as much of what he said made sense on the level he presented it BUT "Yippee-ki-yay..." just doesn't touch my heart in a Joy to the World kind of way, LOL.

Best movie line EVER. I use it all the time.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

Disney's The Small One (1978) is a Christmas featurette but I think it's been withdrawn from circulation due to its religious content. Does anyone know if it will air on Disney Channel or Free Form or any other Disney outlet?

It's on Amazon for streaming. It was included in the 2009 DVD Walt Disney Animation Collection: Classic Short Films: Volume 7: Mickey's Christmas Carol, but I believe that is out of stock now.

 

[luvsJack]

There’s Joy and Family in Die Hard.


Best movie line EVER. I use it all the time.

LOL and hey, anything with Bruce Willis can be a Christmas movie, a Thanksgiving movie, a Fourth of July movie, etc. etc etc. . .

I will watch any time.

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

Meet Me In St. Louis is one of my all time favorite movies.
Actually it ends with Spring on opening day of the fair.
Yes I'd consider it a Christmas movie as it has a portion that takes place around Christmas time.
It also has the song "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" in it so yeah definitely Christmas movie.

It's A Wonderful Life mostly shows scenes that are not around Christmas but its clearly a Christmas movie.

I think a Christmas movie just has to have something to do with Christmas somewhere in it.

 

[PollyannaMom]

Does the story have to relate to Christmas in some way, or does it have to take place at Christmas only? What about a movie that takes place over months or years but ends with Christmas?

For example, Meet Me in St. Louis is four vignettes, one for each season and ends with Christmas. Is that truly a Christmas movie? It's a Wonderful Life is a life story and ends at Christmas. Is that really a Christmas movie?

Die Hard and Die Hard 2 take place at Christmas. So does Batman Returns and Gremlins.

White Christmas takes place during two Christmases with a montage in between. Holiday Inn, meanwhile, takes place over multiple holidays.

To me, Holiday Inn and Meet Me in St. Louis aren't Christmas movies. It's a Wonderful Life is kinda a Christmas movie.

Thoughts?

Meet Me in St. Louis - no
It's a Wonderful Life - yes
Die Hard / Batman / Gremlins - no
White Christmas & Holiday Inn - yes

My kids battle over A Nightmare Before Christmas. I’ve never watched the whole thing through...

I can't get through it either. (But even when I tried, it was at Halloween, not Christmas.)

To me, Christmas movies have to give you that Christmas "feeling" whether its of family, joy, whatever.

I think that's a big part of it, as is a Christmas setting (if not for the whole movie, at least for the ending - which must be happy!) But the setting alone isn't enough. Gremlins (to use one of the examples above) is set at Christmastime, but the moral is "follow the darn directions" not "Christmas fixes everything"...and it's also kind of gory. Gory is not "Christmas-y".

I find it funny that whichever channel it is that runs a month of Halloween movies and a month of Christmas movies always includes Harry Potter in both when its really neither, imho.

Yeah, Freeform. I've never understood it, but I don't knock it! I love the Harry potter movies, so I'll watch them in any season.

 

[Disneylover99]

The whole movie takes place around several days starting before Christmas and going through New Year's. In one memorable scene, Aykroyd crashes his old firm's Christmas party dressed as Santa Claus, which ends with him getting really drunk, stuffing meat from the buffet table into the pockets of his red coat, and then trying to eat it through his synthetic beard on the bus. It's a gag-worthy moment.

In addition to the timing of the movie, there are Christmas (and Christian) themes throughout. For one thing, it's about how everyone can thrive, even those who are poor beggars, if given the right chance by someone. Dan Aykroyd's character gets back on his feet through the help of a prostitute he meets (Ophelia, played by Jamie Lee Curtis). During his down period, Aykroyd goes through a "no room at the inn" experience, when trying to visit his friends at his old tennis club (who are shunning him).

Trading Places: The Best Christmas Movie

I haven't seen this movie in years, but it sounds like a Christmas movie to me.

 

[NYCgrrl]

When I was a kiddo (back in the 1800's) the movie that opened the holiday TV season for us was "March of the Wooden Soldiers" starring Laurel and Hardy!

It was shown...on Thanksgiving Day or maybe that weekend. No kid who had their druthers missed it.

 

[Disneylover99]

When I was a kiddo (back in the 1800's) the movie that opened the holiday TV season for us was "March of the Wooden Soldiers" starring Laurel and Hardy!

It was shown...on Thanksgiving Day or maybe that weekend. No kid who had their druthers missed it.

I was born in the same century as you and I love the Laurel and Hardy movie "Babes in Toyland!" Is that the same movie? I think it might be.

 

[NYCgrrl]

You got the title right! @ Disneylover99.

 

[dish rag]

It's up to the viewer. Whatever they want it to be.

 

[amcnj]

I was born in the same century as you and I love the Laurel and Hardy movie "Babes in Toyland!" Is that the same movie? I think it might be.

I looked forward to it every year. It was always called March of the Wooden Soldiers when I watched it yearly decades ago, but I just saw it this year and it was called Babes in Toyland. Also shown on Thanksgiving way back then were King Kong and Mighty Joe Young, though I never knew why. I assumed the Wooden Soldiers tie in was after Thanksgiving started the retail Christmas season, and that movie involves getting ready for Christmas with the toy building and all.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

It's not Christmas until Hans Gruber falls from Nakatomi Plaza.

 

[johnsontrio]

My favorite movie to watch during the holidays and my favorite CD to listen to during the holidays is The Preacher's Wife. Whitney Houston had an amazing God given talent even though she was a deeply flawed individual. I love the message of the movie and most will argue that it isn't even a Christmas movie.

I also love her in the live action Cinderella!

 

[L&Lfan]

Disney's 1961 Babes in Toyland is another film I associate with Christmas.

 

[GracieKam]

Ok...I will admit I watch way too many Hallmark/Liifetime movies but here goes:
Main character is likeable but has a flaw revolving Christmas
Main character is either looking forward to or dreading Christmas
Main character is single
Wow...main character meets another single person
Awwww.....romance!
Uh oh! Something happens to make the new couple re-think their relationship
Now comes the life lesson/true meaning of the season
Couple back together
Happy ending!

 

[Disneylover99]

You got the title right! @ Disneylover99.

I think we're both right. I just read that it had alternate titles. In the States it was released as March of the Wooden Soldiers.

 

[rickybobby]

And who decided "Auld Lang's Eye" by Dan Fogelberg is a Christmas song? He just happened to see his old lover in the liquor store on Christmas Eve. I know.

 

[L&Lfan]

Likewise, when did My Favorite Things from Sound of Music become a Christmas song?