Movies you didn’t know were Christmas movies (in light of the season beginning)
-Alex Perry

Many say that just because a movie takes place at Christmas, that does not mean it is a Christmas movie; however, I disagree. If a movie takes place at Christmas time, it should be considered a “Christmas movie” because the writers, directors, and producers of the movie set it at a specific time for a specific reason. If a movie is set during the summer, it is because that season has certain qualities like weather, activity, holidays, and time that make it different from the other seasons. The themes of Christmas also help to establish themes in a movie. So, if a movie takes place during Christmas, that means Christmas is an important aspect of the movie, which therefore makes it a Christmas movie. Here are some of my favorite movies that you may not have known are Christmas movies.

1. The Shining: The Shining is a horror movie based on a novel by Stephen King. It takes place in a massive hotel called The Overlook, in the Rocky Mountains. The main character, a writer by the name of Jack Torrence, becomes a caretaker of the hotel when it is closed during the winter, and brings his family along with him. There is no alcohol, no other people, and no TV, which Jack originally appreciates because he is able to concentrate on his writing. However, his isolation eventually leads him to go crazy and attempt to murder his entire family. The setting of this movie is important to the plot because the snow covering the mountains surrounding the hotel only creates a stronger sense of isolation for this family, as there is no escape. The other elements of this movie that make it a Christmas movie are the cozy aspects, like the clothing being warm, the food being made, mugs of warm drinks being carried around, the soft yellow lights illuminating the halls, and the overall Christmas atmosphere this movie holds despite its frightening story.

2. Die Hard: From what I’ve heard, there seems to be a debate about whether Die Hard is a Christmas movie or not, so I’m here to tell you why it is. The setting of the story takes place at a Christmas party, which immediately establishes it (to people who are watching it for the first time) as a cozy, feel-good movie. The interaction between John McClane and Holly Gennaro adds an air of romance, which is common in Christmas movies. However, the movie takes a turn once the villain, Hans Gruber, is introduced. The office building where the once-flourishing party was being held is locked down, so terrorists can open the safe and rob it. John McClane then has to fight for his life, and I won’t spoil it, but I will say that at the end of the movie, snow is falling from the sky, and it has a very Christmas-y feeling to it.

3. Edward Scissorhands: This movie, directed by Tim Burton, begins with a grandmother telling a child about how the snow reminds her of when she was younger. Right away, the movie has an air of Christmas to it because of the coziness inside the house, the storytelling, and the snow falling delicately outside the window. The story the grandma is telling takes place in the summer, when she was a teenage girl. She falls in love with a man with scissors for hands, whose creator died and left him all alone in a castle on the outskirts of town. An important part of this movie is when it becomes winter, and this man shows his love to the girl by carving an ice sculpture for her. The whole basis of this movie is set on a characteristic of winter. Also, since Christmas is the season of love and hope, it adds to the love and hope that are the main themes in the movie.

4. The Ref: This movie is about a couple who get held hostage by a criminal trying to hide from the cops until he can leave the country. However, this thief is not aware of what he got himself into until he has to “ref” the couple who are constantly fighting. The reason Christmas is important in this movie is that while the couple is being held hostage, their family goes over to their house for dinner and presents, and the thief has to pretend to be one of the couple’s guests. This adds a comic aspect to the movie, which improves the plot and makes it more enjoyable. It also connects to the fact that Christmas is about family, because this family rips each other apart. The couple who are the main characters of the movie soon learn that to survive, they have to work together, and they plan to attempt to fix their relationship. The comedy that takes place in this movie, and the happy ending, also contribute to the fact that it is a Christmas movie.

I highly recommend adding even one of these movies to your Christmas watch list, as they are all very well-made and definitely worth checking out. They are all interesting experiences to sit through, and the type of movies where you can cozy up with a mug of hot chocolate and some popcorn and thoroughly enjoy them.