by Aelwen Iredale
What makes a Christmas movie a Christmas movie? Is it the snow, the time of year, the message of love and happy endings? Peace-on-Earth and all that? Or is it just the Christmas carols, gingerbread houses, and lights decked out throughout every set? As a former Hallmark employee, I know all about what makes a Christmas movie a proper Christmas movie.
Ingredients for a Christmas Movie:
- Happens around Christmas (obviously)
- Christmas Carols (cheesy and sweet)
- Christmas decorations (again, you have to show it’s Christmas)
- Family reunion (people coming together at a magical time of the year)
- Woman or man obsessed with their job (who will come to realize love trumps all)
- Romance (love conquers all other obstacles)
- Peace on Earth (everyone wants the world to come together on Christmas)
- Joy (Joy to the World and all that)
And there is one Christmas movie that has all this and more — Die Hard. Die Hard is absolutely a Christmas movie, through and through.
I know, I know. Some people will claim that Die Hard isn’t a Christmas movie because it has guns, violence, and death. So what? Christmas movies have death in them. They can be scary and still be Christmas movies. How many Hallmark movies have we seen where the main character talks about how she can’t go to her local festival anymore, because her mom died and that was something they did together? Not to mention A Christmas Carol (Muppet or otherwise, but we all know which one is the best) features Scrooge being traumatized by ghosts and the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come. (I would be scared, too, if people told me I was going to be hated, die alone, and be enchained for all eternity). It has death, and it is scary, but A Christmas Carol is still undoubtedly a Christmas movie. In comparison, the only new idea Die Hard brings to the genre is guns—that’s their version of scary ghosts (Americans, you know?).
As for the traditional ingredients for a Christmas movie, Die Hard has all of those, too, not just the spookier elements A Christmas Carol embraces or trauma Hallmark uses to give sad backstories to their leading women.
- Happens around Christmas.
Die Hard takes place from Christmas Eve into Christmas Day, so the filmmakers could not be more aligned with the season.
- Christmas Carols
Die Hard features “Ode to Joy” and an instrumental version of “Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!”
- Christmas decorations
Nakatomi Plaza has multiple garlands, wreaths, and Christmas trees at the staff holiday party.
- Family reunion
John McClane, the hero of the story, is fighting to make sure his wife, Holly, doesn’t die at the hands of terrorists, and at the end of the film, they are reunited with their kids.
- Woman or man obsessed with their job
Holly, going by her maiden name Gennaro, and John separated but did not divorce due to being equally devoted to their jobs and John refusing to move so Holly could move up the ranks of her company.
- Romance
Holly and John have experienced strife, but by the end of Die Hard, they are more in love than ever and realizing how hard the other is fighting to be with them. Their relationship has been rekindled.
- Peace on Earth
What do Americans love more than exercising their rights? In Die Hard, Americans protect freedom and peace with the second-amendment right to bear arms (a trifecta).
- Joy
Who isn’t happy and celebrating when terrorists haven’t killed a bunch of innocent office workers?
Die Hard has all the elements of a Christmas movie. The entire film is a father trying to return to his wife and kids and protecting others’ freedom. What is more beautiful and wholesome than that? A bit of violence doesn’t change those themes. So, go on and celebrate Christmas with an amazing Christmas movie—Die Hard. Happy Holidays and “Ho, Ho, Ho, mother—!”