‘Tis the season to curl up on the couch and binge-watch your favorite holiday movies—or maybe even write one over the holidays. But what is it about these movies that so perfectly evokes the spirit of Christmas? Why do we keep coming back to them year after year?
Hundreds of holiday movies are released every year, but only a few truly capture the feeling of the season. These classics stand out for their brilliant storytelling, clever use of metaphors, and empathetic touch that tug at our heartstrings (How could you not cry in 1944? Meet me in St. Louis?
Let’s explore some of the best Christmas movies and learn the lessons writers can use to create their own holiday classics.
Script for this article
christmas story (1983)
screenwriter: Gene Shepard, Leigh Brown and Bob Clark
One of the most classic holiday movies of all time, christmas story Taking the audience into a very special Christmas spent by young Ralphie (played by Peter Billingsley) in the 1940s. Told through flashbacks and narration by an adult Rafi (Gene Shepard), the film evokes the nostalgia we all feel when we look back on our childhood Christmases.
Nostalgia is a powerful tool, especially during the holidays. Whether you’re writing about Christmas 2003 or coming up with a modern holiday story, consider drawing inspiration from your own cherished memories. An embarrassing gift from a distant relative, a quirky family tradition, or the joy of receiving the perfect gift can all inject authenticity and warmth into your story.
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family stone (2005)
screenwriter: Thomas Bezucha
The holidays bring everyone together, which means laughter, drama, family history, and the occasional misunderstanding all surround the Christmas tree. although love actually (2003) is a fun ensemble film that ties all the storylines together at the end, family stone It’s a masterclass in balancing multiple characters and their stories, and despite the heartbreak that happened during the holidays, it all worked out well in the end.
When Everett (Dermott Mulroney) returns home with the intention of proposing to his uptight girlfriend Meredith (Sarah Jessica Parker), his eccentric and outgoing family lets him Back to the roots. While the story begins with this strained relationship, screenwriter Thomas Bezucha guides the changing dynamics in the house through the female characters and their pursuits of love, happiness, and peace.
family stone is a masterclass in overall writing without making each vignette feel disjointed or disjointed from the main storyline. In the end, each story is important because they bring the family closer together and solve their problems.
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Read more: Screenwriting 101: Writing for an Ensemble Cast
bad santa (2003)
screenwriter: Glenn Ficarra, John Requa and Arnie Marx
The true meaning of Christmas doesn’t have to be told through a feel-good story. Taken from bad santaA raunchy story about a professional thief and department store Santa who must learn the true meaning of the seasons after accidentally becoming a stand-in father.
This dark comedy has become an iconic holiday movie for adults because of its Christmas spirit, which is buried deep beneath the absurd comedy that no kid is ready to hear. Similar to the Grinch, Willy’s (Billy Bob Thornton) heart grows three times bigger by the end of the story as he learns that the true meaning of Christmas is being with the people you love and doing right thing.
If you want to capture the true meaning of the season in your holiday script, introduce a protagonist who is the complete opposite of what the season represents. Whether it’s a corporate machine working on Christmas Eve or a drunk Santa crying in a bar, there are countless ways to create characters that audiences will root for as they grow to embrace the season and its iconic traditions.
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Gremlins (1984)
screenwriter: Chris Columbus
Not every Christmas movie is driven by the holiday season. Although action fans have Die Hard (1989) Ring in the Season, Horror Fans Are Going to Own Joe Dante’s Gremlins.
This idiosyncratic holiday horror film follows Billy (Zach Galligan), who accidentally triggers hell in his hometown after his Christmas present turns into a demonic gremlin. This is not a traditional holiday movie, but a horror story set against a holiday backdrop. It also helps establish some of the characters’ backstories, especially Kate (Phoebe Cates), whose father died one tragic Christmas day while trying to climb down a chimney while dressed as Santa Claus.
Genre shifts will continue to drive films and concepts forward. Combining holiday elements with other genre tropes can create a timeless story that breaks the mold of traditional holiday movies and provides a great palette cleanser for viewers who may be tired of all the warmth and joy of the season.
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Read more: Christmas horror movies that spark holiday scares
white christmas (1954)
screenwriter: Melvin Frank, Norman Krasner, Norman Panama
Very few holiday movies end on a sad note, and that’s because the magic of Christmas means the characters get everything they want at the end of the day. A typical example is white christmasA musical spectacle about a group of people who try to put on a Christmas show to save a ski town that’s suffering from a severe snow shortage.
In the end, the performance was such a sensation that the entire ski resort was covered in snow. Logically, this may not make sense, but the magic of Christmas allows everyone to grant what they want, so the movie can end on a happy note.
When writing about holiday movies, a happy ending is ideal, but making sure the magic of Christmas helps the characters realize their deepest wishes is part of the fun of watching seasonal holiday movies. Sure, we may know how the movie ends, but the familiarity is comforting and puts us in the Christmas spirit.
Plus, who doesn’t love the iconic line: “It’s a Christmas miracle!” It’s a classic line that really rings in the Christmas bells.
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home alone (1990)
screenwriter: John Hughes
To make a truly classic Christmas movie, you must firmly grasp the four basic principles of Christmas. The four fundamental principles of Christmas, created by Den of Geeks, include festive excess, iconography, generosity and family. home alone These four elements are perfectly embodied, making it the best script to learn how to use these elements to your advantage.
From describing every house on the block covered in Christmas lights, to Kevin (Macaulay Culkin) learning that the true magic of Christmas lies in family after bonding with his scary neighbor, home alone It’s everything you want from a holiday. Call it nostalgia or the abundance of Christmas decorations and music throughout the movie, but home alone The look and story are filled with the spirit of Christmas.
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Holiday movies aren’t going anywhere. Whether you’re adding a festival-spec script to your portfolio or completing a writing assignment, these films provide endless inspiration for creating stories that will stand the test of time.
Who knows? You might just write the next holiday classic.
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