When December comes around, watching Christmas movies is one seasonal tradition that is widely practiced and enjoyed. That’s because movies about the holidays often provide us with a sense of nostalgia and joy.
“Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love.”
–Hamilton Wright Mabie
Christmas movies often promote messages of love, family, kindness, generosity, and the spirit of giving. These themes align with the values associated with the holiday season, emphasizing the importance of compassion, togetherness, and the joy of sharing.
“The Joy of brightening other lives, bearing each others’ burdens, easing each other’s loads and supplanting empty hearts and lives with generous gifts becomes for us the magic of the holidays.”
–W. C. Jones
They provide an opportunity for us to experience the joy and magic associated with Christmas, even offering a form of temporary escape by allowing us to immerse ourselves in heartwarming stories, magical settings, and feel-good moments.
I would not even hazard a guess as to how many Christmas movies have been made in the last 75 years but it certainly must be in the thousands, ranging from classic favorites to newer releases. The number continues to grow with the creation of new content each holiday season.
There are the timeless Christmas classics like It’s a Wonderful Life” (1946), Miracle on 34th Street” (1947) , “White Christmas (1954) and A Charlie Brown Christmas” (1965). These movies have stood the test of time and continue to be cherished during the holiday season.
Of course there’s the ever popular family movies like Home Alone (1990), Jack Frost (1988), The Grinch (2000), The Polar Express (2004), Elf (2003) and The Santa Clause (1994) and even some quirky ones like The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993), a favourite of my daughter since she was 5 years old) all offering a mix of heartwarming messages of kindness and joy, with moments of laughter, and imagination.
“Movies touch our hearts and awaken our vision, and change the way we see things. They take us to other places; they open doors and minds.”
– Martin Scorsese
My list of personal favourites because they combine romance and humor, great for cozy holiday viewing include The Holiday (2006), Love Actually (2003), The Family Stone (2005), Bridget Jones Diary (2001) and all of the Downton Abbey Christmas Specials.
Until today.
Now, I have another to add to my list, because today I watched Spirited, a 2022 remake of the numerous adaptations of the Scrooge classic. What makes this one distinctive, is that it’s a musical and it’s told from the perspective of the ghosts who take a modern Scrooge-like character through his past, present and future. Oh yes, it stars Ryan Reynolds, Will Farrel and Octavia Spencer.
What made it so compelling for me was that the message clearly wants to help people embrace a mindset of positivity, compassion and kindness.
If the new approach to telling the story, and the star power doesn’t convince you to watch this movie, then perhaps samples of the lyrics to two of the movie’s songs will entice you. songs
Do a Little Good
So can we do a little good?
Maybe give a little more?
Work a little harder than we did the day before
It only takes a littlе good
And some doin’ what you can
Takin’ every chancе to make the choice to be a better man
So do a little good
Each act of kindness, no matter how small, has the potential to positively shape the world we live in. Acts of kindness set an example for others, inspiring a ripple effect. When people witness and experience kindness, they are more likely to adopt and perpetuate similar positive behaviors, creating a cultural shift toward compassion.
Ripple
If you wanna make a ripple
If you wanna makе a wave
Playing safe and thinking small
Doesn’t movе the ball at all
There’s humanity to save
Can we really make a ripple
With our feet up while we float
Too afraid to rock the boat
If we never test the waters we’ll never know
Just how far the ripples go
These messages are intended to evoke a sense of warmth and goodwill, While acts of kindness alone may not solve all the complex challenges humanity faces, collectively they can be a transformative force in creating a more harmonious and sustainable future.
If you watch one new movie this Christmas then may I recommend Spirited and may it become part of the beloved films you watch every year.
