You wake up on December 1st, and you’re woken up by “All I Want for Christmas is You” by Mariah Carey blasting on the radio. That’s right, it’s the holiday season. If you hadn’t already started watching “A Year Without a Santa Claus” or “Frosty the Snowman” the day after Halloween— first of all, why not? Secondly, grab your hot chocolate and put on your ugliest sweater. It’s movie night.
Christmas movies are the space heater of the season, warming the hearts of many. Themes portrayed describe goodwill and love, and they bring cheer, no matter what may be going on.
Personally, I just find life to be a little hard, just in general. There seems to be a test every other day between all my classes, and time feels like it moves a little faster, too. With some unexpected event waiting around the corner for me with a frying pan at nearly every turn, some comic relief is needed.
“My favorites have to be the Santa Clause movies. [They’re] a little make believe, but I love Christmas comedies,” said festive fanatic Gregory Bennett (’21). “My family and I watch them every Friday in December, and we have movie marathons on the weekends.”
It’s simple, the happy ending you see in every holiday movie bring most people that watch it joy; nothing quite beats sitting under a blanket fort watching a classic with loved ones. The opposition will say they all end the same… with what? Happiness? Sincerest apologies for that one.
People who hate Christmas movies tend to just be grinches, but why do they have such disdain for holiday spirit? Christmas connoisseur Carissa Mileto (‘20) said it’s “probably because they are boring and don’t know what a good movie is. I feel bad for them because they’re missing out on so much.”
I’ll humor the idea for a bit. Sure, some movies like “Love, Actually” and “The Princess Switch” (both available on Netflix) may have similar, perhaps unrealistic plotlines, but with hundreds of movies about one day, there’s bound to be some overlap. Sorry for the surplus of love.
“Some people think they’re all kind of predictable, I guess. I used to be one of those people, but now I love Christmas” said Malorie Flynn (‘19), whose family now “has the Hallmark channel on at all times in December.”
Hallmark movies are a guilty pleasure this season, like eating raw cookie dough or spending way too much money on ‘personal presents.’ Maybe it’s not your cup of tea (or hot cocoa), but why bother actively hating on 136 movies? Don’t you have a tree to decorate or something?
‘Tis the season for love and giving, and if all you’re giving is hate, I’ve got a feeling you’ll be getting coal this Christmas. If you’re ready to protest Christmas movies, take note from the famous Ebenezer Scrooge, and make some changes. Get jolly, grinches, or some haunting visits may await you.
So watch a holiday movie or two, maybe it’ll make your heart grow a much needed three sizes larger.