Christmas Narratives have a funny spot in the season: it’s a couple of steps away from the pious “reason for the season” religious services, and the godless consumerism of Black Friday. After a long day of shopping, one might go to the movie theater and watch a holiday movie. After coming home from church, a family getting together might put on It’s a Wonderful Life, a movie I have plenty of fond memories watching on Christmas Eve.
What I love most about Christmas movies (well, a lot of them, perhaps not all) is that they have a focus on making the character a better person. From Charles Dickens to Buddy the Elf, it’s often been about opening your heart, returning home, and believing. And honestly, that’s just beautiful.
It’s all about loving others, having faith, and opening your heart. And being good for Santa Claus. And just having a good time.
The Grinch, George Bailey, Ebeneezer Scrooge, Walter Hobbs; all of these characters find themselves enriched by the end of the story. It’s heartwarming.
“His heart grew three sizes that day.”
“No man is a failure who has friends.”
“The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear!”
“God bless us, every one!”
“That’s what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown.”
Christmas stories are the kind that enrich the audience. They’re the sort of stories that we carry around in our hearts, these are what makes the season what it is. We channel these stories and the Christmas mythology to be better people. December is just a wonderful time to be alive.
One slight problem I ought to acknowledge is a lack of narrative for other religious holidays. Certainly, we have all these movies and songs for Christmas, but Hanukkah? There’s no movies, but they do have “On Christmas I Got Nothing” and “The Hanukkah Song” (which, like most things created by Adam Sandler, is arguably not a worthwhile narrative). And I certainly have never heard of a movie about Kwanzaa. We don’t see quite enough of these, and this is something that should change.
Also, can we hear some Festivus music on the radio? Please?!
But seriously, I wish everyone happy holidays this December! 🙂 What’s your favorite Christmas movie, song, etc.?
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Reblogged this on Pop Cultural Studies and commented:
It’s the most wonderful time of the year!
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