Spoiler Warning: Beware of minor spoilers for some of the films on this list.
I love Christmas – it’s the most wonderful time of the year, don’t you know! And there are some absolutely phenomenal Christmas films that are on everyone’s must-watch list every single year. You know the ones: films that we’ve watched at this time of year for almost as long as we can remember; films that have come to define every aspect of the word “Christmas.”
And I thought it could be fun to take a look at five of them and explain why they’re not really Christmas films!
That’s right, it’s time for a little bit of festive controversy as I pick out five “Christmas” films that aren’t really Christmas films! Instead, I would argue that these films are in other genres entirely, or are only tangentially related to Christmas either by being set at that time of year or even just by association.
Before we get into the list, an important caveat: this is just for fun! I don’t think the debate around what is or isn’t a “Christmas” film is something that needs to be taken seriously at all, and I’m making this list with tongue firmly embedded in cheek. It’s also one person’s entirely subjective opinion – so please try not to get too upset if I call out your favourite Christmas film!
I enjoy all of the films on this list, and regularly watch them at this time of year. But for reasons I’ll try my best to explain, I don’t necessarily consider them to be true “Christmas” films in every sense of the phrase. Definitions of what constitutes a Christmas film may vary – and it might be enough to say that a film set at Christmas, released at Christmas, or that has developed an association with Christmas over the years counts. But I’m going to argue that those reasons are not enough – for a film to truly be a Christmas film its plot has to be directly tied up with Christmas!
So let’s jump into the list, shall we?
Film #1:
The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
Wait, this film literally has the word “Christmas” in its name! Not only that, but it sees protagonist Jack Skellington take the reins of Santa’s sleigh on Christmas Eve… so how can it possibly not be a Christmas film? Well, that’s simple: it’s a Halloween film best enjoyed in the autumn.
Most of the action in The Nightmare Before Christmas takes place in Halloween Town, and practically all of the principal characters are Halloween Town residents who are inspired by the monsters and ghouls of horror fiction and folklore. Although the plot touches on Christmas and sees characters visit Christmas Town, those scenes and sequences are told from the point of view of the denizens of Halloween Town – and their take on Christmas is very much a spooky one!
For that reason, The Nightmare Before Christmas is a great film to watch in between Halloween and Christmas – say, in the middle of November! But as Christmas gets closer, we should really be leaving Halloween behind to focus on what lies ahead. For me, The Nightmare Before Christmas is too strongly rooted in Halloween, and decked out with the trappings of that holiday, to truly be considered a Christmas film.
That being said, I love how the film shows Halloween Town characters discovering Christmas for the first time, and how they work to save Christmas – after putting it in danger! There are some fun moments amidst the frights and scares… but it’s still very much a film that’s best enjoyed before Christmas time fully arrives!
Film #2:
Love Actually (2003)
This is simple: Love Actually is a film set at Christmas, not a Christmas film. Are we clear on that? Good! Wait, what do you mean I have to fill three-and-a-half more paragraphs? D’oh!
As stated, Love Actually may be set at Christmas, but setting alone does not – in my view – make for a Christmas film! Many of this romantic comedy’s storylines have nothing whatsoever to do with Christmas, and the simple fact that they play out in front of an occasionally festive backdrop doesn’t magically make the entire film a Christmas film!
Because of Love Actually’s narrative structure, some of its storylines and characters arguably have more to do with Christmas than others. Billy Mack, for instance, is desperately chasing the Christmas number one single, and the kids are taking part in a school’s nativity play. But other characters really don’t do anything Christmassy at all during their time on screen, with their stories taking them in different directions.
I enjoyed Love Actually when it was released – and to think it’s celebrating its twentieth anniversary this year makes me feel old! But I must confess that I was surprised to see it hailed as a “Christmas” film in the years after its release. To me, it has much more in common with writer Richard Curtis’ other rom-coms like Four Weddings and a Funeral and Notting Hill than it does with bona fide Christmas films.
Film #3:
Frozen (2013)
Frozen just isn’t a Christmas film, okay? It’s set in the middle of summer! And the princesses of the magical kingdom of Arendelle may not even celebrate Christmas for all we know; the holiday isn’t mentioned once!
A lot of people seem to associate Frozen with Christmas for two reasons: it was originally released shortly before Christmas, and it’s full of ice and snow thanks to Elsa’s magical powers. But there’s more to a Christmas film than a magical blizzard – and while Frozen may have a cute winter aesthetic going for it, as well as some well-animated snow, that’s not enough to make me believe it’s truly a Christmas film. And I say that with sincere apologies to everyone under the age of ten!
The story of Frozen is set in the summer time; it’s only Elsa’s magic that causes Arendelle to freeze over. And the snow and ice is presented as a genuine danger to the kingdom’s inhabitants – hardly the carefree presentation of a white Christmas that we’d expect to see in a proper Christmas film! Many films use ice, snow, and blizzards to great effect – but we don’t call all of them “Christmas” films, and with good reason!
As more of the kids who grew up watching Frozen come of age, I expect its status as a “Christmas” film will only be further cemented. We’ve already seen songs like Do You Want To Build A Snowman showing up on Christmas compilation albums and playlists… so this idea of Frozen as a Christmas film clearly isn’t going away any time soon.
Film #4:
Die Hard (1988)
Uh oh, now we’re really getting into some controversial territory! Look, here’s the way I see it: I don’t dispute that Die Hard is set at Christmas and has some of the visual and musical trappings of the holiday season. That’s indisputable. But Die Hard is an action film set at Christmas time – not a Christmas film.
A couple of years ago, I saw somewhere online a homemade Christmas ornament featuring protagonist John McClane crawling through the ventilation ducts at Nakatomi Plaza. That was creative and cute – but the action movie trope of sneaking around in a crawlspace isn’t exactly something that screams “Christmas” to me!
One of the best tests of whether something can truly be considered a Christmas film is this: can you comfortably watch it outside of the Christmas season? I’d have no issue watching Die Hard in the middle of summer – because its plot doesn’t hinge on Christmas, its characters aren’t interested in Christmas, and fundamentally, nothing about the film would change if its office Christmas party was instead a birthday party or a Fourth of July celebration.
And that’s the key to understanding Die Hard’s place on this list. It’s an action film with a few incidental Christmas trappings, and it’s been hyped up by fans as a “Christmas” film on the internet in recent years – but it isn’t. Being set at Christmas does not automatically make for a Christmas film!
Film #5:
Trading Places (1983)
I’ve only seen the comedy film Trading Places a couple of times; I think it’s more popular in the United States than it is over here. But it’s a film that’s often discussed in a Christmas context – and seems to be on many people’s list of Christmas favourites!
As with Die Hard above, though, Trading Places is definitely a film set at Christmas time… but that doesn’t necessarily make it a true Christmas film. It’s a comedy, it’s a wacky adventure, and it’s a film that calls out and criticises racism as well as the weird excesses of wealth and capitalism. And those are all good things; Trading Places is funny! But again, that doesn’t make it a Christmas film.
The Christmas setting and the film’s annual airings on television in December have combined to make it a film that a lot of folks associate with the holidays. If you grew up watching Trading Places every year, there’s no doubt it’s become a part of your household’s festive tradition! We all have our own little Christmas traditions that we stick to – and that’s totally okay.
But for me, Trading Places is another film that can really be watched and enjoyed at any time of year. Nothing in its story is exclusive to the festive period – and that’s actually a good thing! It means Trading Places is a film that can be enjoyed on its own merit year-round.
So that’s it!
We’ve picked out five not-really-Christmas films! But I can already think of several more… so come back next December to see which other so-called “Christmas” films are going to be targeted!
As I said at the beginning, I hope you’ve taken this list in the spirit of festive fun. It’s meant to be a bit of silliness as the big day approaches – and while I will make the case for all five of these films not really being 100% Christmassy, I’m not about to die on that hill – or get into a massive argument about it!
So I hope this has brought you a bit of light-hearted festive cheer as Christmas draws nearer. The big day will be upon us before we realise it! I have a couple of other festive ideas that may (or may not) make their way onto the website before then, so please stay tuned! And Merry Christmas!
All of the films discussed above are the copyright of their respective studio, distributor, company, etc. This article contains the thoughts and opinions of one person only and is not intended to cause any offence.
Trekking with Dennis 