Last year I talked about how very often a TV episode will be set at Christmas, with decorations and all, but Christmas has almost nothing to do with the actual story. Now the natural follow up would be movies set at Christmas which have nothing to do with the holiday, but let’s be honest. We all know those films and you’ve probably already thought of five of them just reading this (Die Hard, Gremlins, Lethal Weapon, Batman Returns, Red, etc etc).
So instead I wanted to discuss something similar which I have noticed that kind of confuses me. Christmas movies which seem to forget that Christmas Day is a thing. The story ends on Christmas Eve as if that were the holiday, and we get almost no mention of the actual holiday! Now of course it only makes sense for some movies to centered on Christmas Eve, especially if it involves Santa Claus, but others are a little more head scratching.
Here are five examples, and like last year’s article this is all in good fun. There’s no set rule about what a Christmas movie has to contain and I’m not saying that the fact it doesn’t take place on Christmas Day hurts the film or should hurt you’re enjoyment of it. Now then…..
One Magic Christmas
Why do I keep talking about this boring movie? Anyway, this is a movie about a depressed woman realizing what she really has. This is accomplished by an angel which shows her a version of Christmas Eve where all hell breaks loose. In the end, the angel restores time (in a manner which I still find very clever) allowing her to re-experience the same events but this time with a different attitude, warding off tragedy. It ends with her seeing Santa delivering presents, and that’s it. I would have liked to see an epilogue showing her happy on Christmas Day as way to say that this change would last. But nope, the movie ends on Christmas Eve and that’s that. And if you’re thinking Santa’s in it so it should be OK to end there, actually Santa’s role is pointless filler.
I’ll Be Home for Christmas
Ok so this move is a road trip film, about a kid trying to get home in time for Christmas. His father promises him a car if he does. This all seems fine, but here’s the thing. He’s supposed to make it home for Christmas EVE. Just in time for Christmas dinner,and a big parade in town. Who has a big parade on Christmas Eve?? AT NIGHT?? I don’t even get it, if the kid misses the deadline (6:00) and misses the parade, so what if he’s back by Christmas Day? Isn’t that a little more important? Are they not having Christmas dinner ON CHRISTMAS DAY???? Maybe that’s why this movie bombed.
Christmas with the Kranks
Ok this is one makes a little sense, but raises a big question. So The Kramks decide to skip Christmas including there big Christmas Eve party. Long (and stupid) story short, when they’re daughter announces she is coming home anyway the Krank’s decide to throw the party after all. Again, long story short, the neighbors pitch in and they manage to get the party done in time. Ok that works many people have parties on Christmas Eve, I have no problem with that. But, what happened the next day? No one has any presents for anyone, what did the family do just sit around and stare at each other? The only hint that there is a Christmas Day is when Tim Allen’s character tries to get a tree from a neighbor leaving town, and points out everyone else will need there’s that night and the next day. It doesn’t hurt the movie, unlike I’ll Be Home, but it does raise the question. What was the next day like???
Christmas Vacation
I’ve always found it ironic that a movie called Christmas Vacation takes place before Christmas, isn’t Christmas Vacation the week after? And even when it ends it still isn’t really Christmas yet! The big final set piece takes place on Christmas Eve. And we know the drill, all hell breaks loose as the tree is set on fire, a squirrel trashes the house, and the SWAT team comes in at the end. When it’s all over, Griswold is proud that he managed to succeed in making the perfect Christmas for his family. Yet, Christmas isn’t over yet! What happened the next day when he family woke up with almost no presents (they had been destroyed) in a trashed house? This one is nitpicking but it does make me wonder.
Scrooged
Ah yes. This is the ultimate Christmas Eve movie. Not only does the primary action take place on the day, but the whole movie is about how awesome an evening Christmas Eve is. I mean, that whole speech at the end is really nice but…does Bill Murray’s character not realize that the real holiday is the next day? Maybe he doesn’t since he gets the title of the book wrong. If you don’t know this is a modern take on A Christmas Carol and it’s a great movie that I’ve enjoyed for almost thirty years now. Still, when you really listen to that speech at the end it’s a little to much. It’d be a little much if he was talking about Christmas Day, but Christmas Eve? I’m gonna share the link below, it should the official anthem for Christmas Eve-the one holiday that isn’t really a damn holiday! I hope you too can experience the miracle of Christmas Eve.
Ok ok, as I said this was just in good fun. These are good (well, some are ok at least) Christmas movies and they’re fun to watch this time of year.
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