It truly is the most wonderful time of the year. Like many of you Scriptoeris readers, I like to ring in the holiday season by watching Christmas films with my loved ones while drinking hot chocolate, curled up under a blanket. With the hustle and bustle of last minute Christmas shopping and planning large family gatherings, it is important to cherish these relaxing moments with those we hold dear to us. Christmas movies are not only there for entertainment; they can also teach us many lessons in friendship, loyalty, and generosity.
It’s A Wonderful Life
This 1946 Christmas classic starring James Stewart and Donna Reed showcases a frustrated business-owner, George Bailey who doubts the significance of his existence. An angel, Clarence, visits him Christmas Eve to show George what the world would look like if he was never born. In this black-and-white movie, , the Bailey family and people of Bedford Falls teach us all just how important our actions are.
At the end of the film when George is reunited with his family, faced with declaring bankruptcy for his family-owned bank, he is surprised by the financial support of his community. Hundreds of Bedford Falls citizens visit his home to pay back their love and give donations, paying back the Bailey family after their generosity over the years for their loyal customers. It’s A Wonderful Life shows us how no good deed goes unnoticed and that a strong community is built of charitable neighbors who help those in need.
Christmas Vacation
National Lampoons’ Christmas Vacation, featuring Chevy Chase as Clark Griswold is full of laughs. In this Christmas comedy, the Griswolds host their family dinner which quickly turns their plans into disaster. With scenes of Clark getting stuck in the attic while the family is out Christmas shopping, not being able to turn on the Christmas lights after hours of preparations and unknowingly kidnapping his boss, this dysfunctional family endures many roadblocks in search of the perfect Christmas.
There are many life lessons that can be taken away from Christmas Vacation. Family is of the utmost importance, especially in the holiday season. No matter how dysfunctional or crazy your family may seem, they are the best people to surround yourself with. Christmas gatherings don’t have to follow every plan in order to be perfect.
How The Grinch Stole Christmas
How the Grinch Stole Christmas, both animated and remade to star Jim Carrey in 2000, is about a green, misunderstood creature who wants to steal Christmas because of his deep hatred for the holiday. After befriended by small Cindy Lou Who of Whoville, The Grinch reevaluates his plans for ruining Christmas and returns to Whoville. He finally finds love and acceptance in the end of the film.
The fictional tale of the Grinch teaches us to be kind to others and that we are all more alike than we are different. Cindy shows that one good deed can change a person’s life. We must reach out to our neighbors during the holidays, and we should always remember the real meaning of Christmas; it’s not about all the gifts under the Christmas tree, but rather cherishing those we hold dear to us.
A Christmas Carol
A Christmas Carol is a classic story, written by Charles Dickens, that has been animated, remade, and even turned into a musical over the past decades. This fictional tale features Miser Ebenezer Scrooge, an old, bitter man obsessed with wealth. Scrooge is visited on Christmas Eve by three ghosts (Past, Present, and Future) and faced with the challenge of changing his soul to become a better person. The movie is the classic tale of self-redemption.
A Christmas Carol shows us that regardless of our past actions, we can always move forward and make up for past mistakes. Every day is a chance to be the best you you can be. Charity is a noble virtue, and money is best when shared with neighbors in need.
White Christmas
Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye star in Irving Berlina’s White Christmas, produced in 1954. This classic is about a song-and-dance male duo that teams up with a sister act to save their former WWII commanding general’s hotel, Pine Tree Ski Lodge. Featuring scenes of romance, comedy, and music, White Christmas makes for the perfect Holiday film.
Bob and Phil, the male performers, follow Betty and Judy, the female song-and-dance act, to Vermont and find themselves at a failing ski resort on account of no snow. Both duos decide to host a variety show at the lodge, which is then broadcasted on national television, bringing dozens of guests as snowfall comes. White Christmas teaches us the importance of honoring those who serve in the military and to be thankful for those who help you grow.