I have always been fond of Christmas, don’t get me wrong. I love the atmosphere, the love, the gift giving, the decorating, heck I even love the smell. The only thing I can’t stand is when my mom asks to watch a movie. My reasoning? I usually get overruled in this category.
I always offer films that we collectively like but, oh no, my family wants to watch a Christmas movie because tis the season. I am not sure when my dislike for these kinds of movies started, but I do know when it got worse: when my little sister at six years old decided to make her favorite movie of the year be, This Christmas by Preston A. Whitmore II.
Now this movie is not bad at all, I mean it has Idris Elba and Regina King which is a success in itself. But I think after hearing the same Christmas songs, the same betrayal, the same family fight and making up in the spirit of Christmas over and over and over again drove me to be absolutely sick of it. And if I am sick of that, you can tell how I am sick of pretty much any Christmas movies. Half the time they are the same plots with the same music and an older man in it who seems to know the exact advice to give….and the old man may be a metaphor for Santa Claus. Sorry if I spoiled any Christmas film to anyone but usually the old man is secretly Santa or skinned. Well that can drive a person a little crazy.
In my opinion There are four types of Christmas movies: The Animated, Hallmark Love Story, Family Togetherness, and The Classics. The Animated Christmas movies are my favorite in this category because a lot of the time they do something new. Whether it’s a funky and cool animation style or doing something out of the box, this category is not limited to real life mechanics. Also usually these movies have such a zesty and colorful style .
My second favorite are the classics. This category is where movies like Home Alone, A Christmas Story, The Grinch, and so forth fit in. If it ain’t broke then don’t fix it, and these stories, like the title suggest, are classics; you can’t go wrong putting on one of these.
Now we have the hallmark love story, where we have a boy and a girl (heteronormativity enters the chat) and there’s some misunderstanding: one of them isn’t a fan of Christmas the other is. Eventually, they come together and realize the holiday spirit. Usually I don’t like these because of how cheesy they are, and the struggles aren’t really that relatable for a 20 year old college student in crippling financial debt.
Finally, the Family Togetherness movies, my moms favorite. I absolutely simply cannot stand these movies. and I feel like my mom is going to have a heart attack while reading this. Sorry mom! But these movies grind my gears. They usually take an estranged family and bring them together since it’s the holidays. We hear them complain and fight, and I honestly wonder at one point why they are even a family. Until they have the realization that this is the holidays. This is the season of love, to forgive, and they magically fix it. They glue their pieces together and mend all family troubles. I hate these kinds of movies because half the time I can’t help but think, is it just the holidays? Will they stay connected? I mean I have people who I act nice to during Thanksgiving but otherwise don’t engage in outside of the holidays. I just find it so formulaic, the opposite of what Christmas should be. It should be exciting and joyous and lively.
I want more unhinged Christmas stories, ones that keep you on your toes and can be enjoyable for kids and adults. Once we get out of the stereotypical Christmas movies, then maybe I will give them more of a chance, but for now I choose to pass.