I will say, for many of us adults, Christmas movies are a non-negotiable holiday tradition. Yes, we might argue over which movie to watch but we all make time during the festive season to sit down and watch a movie or two. I thought that in honour of this, I would explore the history of Christmas movies and how they became what they are now! And I will finish with my top 5 classic Christmas movies, if you need suggestions!
Is Die Hard a Christmas movie?
Before we get into the history of Christmas movies:
Do NOT, I repeat, do NOT be the person who starts the argument of whether or not Die Hard is a Christmas movie. This bickering will not sway anyone to the other side of the argument, and you do not appear intelligent, cool, or anything positive for starting this fight (no matter what stance you take). This is an awkward argument to have, and holiday gatherings typically are not a debate venue.
If you think Die Hard is a Christmas movie, watch it as many times as you want in December! And if you don’t, just skip it! In any case, leave everyone else out of it. (Said as someone who has had to stand by at multiple parties where people argued for far too long.)
The History of Christmas Movies
It may surprise you to learn that the first Christmas film ever made was created in 1898 in the United Kingdom and is a two minute silent film titled Santa Claus. I’ve linked it above if you are interested in watching. (There is an 1897 clip titled Santa Claus Filling Stockings but it’s quite brief.)
Christmas has long been a popular topic for movies, though that has ramped up throughout the years. (Interestingly, Christmas movies tend not to be overly religious.) As special effects changed and evolved through the addition of sound, colour, technical effects, CGI, and VFX, we see movies becoming bigger and bigger. (Compare the Jim Carrey Grinch with the Benedict Cumberbatch Grinch.)
Christmas movies become cemented as a tradition when televisions enter the home. They were obviously popular before but being able to watch them in the comfort of your home allows them to be included in many family traditions. And when we see Betamax and then VCR enter the market, it gives the individual even more flexibility.
Theatrical releases for Christmas films continued into the twenty-first century with different holiday themed films appearing each year. However, it does seem like the Covid pandemic has affected that. Movie theatres have seen a drastic fall in ticket sales for all films, so the shift to streaming releases does make sense.
5 Classic Christmas Movies
I thought I would do a top five list of classic Christmas movies to accompany this post! While favourite Christmas movies are a personal question (see… Die Hard…), you do often see these movies referenced. And although some are not my own must-see movies each holiday season, I think everyone should see them at least once.
It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)
In this classic film, an angry businessman is visited by an angel who helps him change his perspective by showing him an alternate life.
This is a Christmas movie that I will maybe watch once a decade- I find it wildly depressing and quite frankly, upsetting. My dad really enjoys it, though, and cinephiles tend to watch it frequently.
It’s a Wonderful Life has its own interesting history- it was nominated for five Academy Awards but didn’t win any, and was not particularly popular when it was released. However, the copyright expired in 1974 and thus television stations everywhere began broadcasting it without a licensing fee. It then became a holiday staple and has largely remained so. (Licensing fees have been required again since 1993, if you are curious.)
White Christmas (1954)
White Christmas is one of my favourite movies of all time, and I rewatch it multiple times each holiday season. In it, two friends and former Army-members join together with two sisters to help save their former general’s struggling inn with a Christmas show.
I remember watching this in my early childhood and being mesmerised. As a dancer, the performances left tiny me speechless, and still do.
Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney, and Vera-Ellen were all exceptional performers, and White Christmas is no exception. It was the highest grossing-movie of 1954; with adjustment to today, it grossed $136,000,000 USD. The bright colours, entertaining dance numbers, beloved Christmas songs, and big names were a recipe for success! (“Sisters”, anyone??)
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964)
So, I have made a bold choice in including a television special in a list of classic Christmas movies but I stand by that. I think that it is fairly impressive that it is a beloved holiday mainstay, despite not being a traditional movie.
In this stop-motion movie, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer is joined by Hermey the Elf and Yukon Cornelius as he makes his way back home after he is kicked out of his reindeer herd. We visit the Island of Misfit Toys and meet the misunderstood Bumble the Abominable Snow Monster. Narrated by Burl Ives as Sam the Snowman, this is the holiday movie of my childhood.
This movie has always been popular but merchandising continues to ramp up. I’ve got Rudolph and Sam Funko Pops, as well as the Rudolph palette from ColourPop!- there is no shortage of official Rudolph items if you want them.
A Christmas Story (1983)
In A Christmas Story, a boy named Ralphie asks for a Red Ryder BB Gun for Christmas. We the audience see Ralphie’s attempts to beg every adult for the BB gun in the lead up and then Christmas Day. As one might expect, hijinks ensue from Ralphie and his brother, his friends, his parents, and the community.
I have to admit, I hate this movie with the fire of a thousand suns. I grew up in Canada in the late 1990s and early 2000s, and we got the American channel TBS that showed A Christmas Story for 24 hours straight on 24 December. My family outvoted me and it was on for probably 16 hours continuously, and I didn’t love it to begin with.
Despite my own history with Ralphie’s story, I knew I had to include it on the list. “You’ll shoot your eye out” and the leg lamp are just too ingrained in Western holiday culture to ignore. (I have noticed that the leg lamp is only becoming more popular- I saw it on paper plates, wrapping paper, and napkins when I was shopping for holiday baking ingredients.)
I don’t know what it says about me as someone who loves Christmas that I’m two for five in this list. (I stand by it, though!)
Elf (2003)
I debated between Elf and Love Actually for the last spot on this list, as I wanted to include the twenty-first century. I know that Love Actually is very popular in the UK (and moderately popular in North America), but it seems to be somewhat split with The Holiday. And quite frankly, Elf has had a musical made of it, which nails it for me.
In this 2003 film, Will Ferrell is Buddy, a human who was raised by elves at the North Pole and travels to New York City as an adult to find his father.
Now, I know that Elf is polarising. You either love it or you hate it. I personally love it- it’s fun, it’s got so many great quotes, and I love the pure joy and exuberance of the movie. And I adore the musical. The songs are catchy and heartfelt and are a great option if you want some festive listening but don’t want the same old, same old.
What are your top 5 classic Christmas movies?
Cheers,
The Historian
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