FILM
In Defence Of: Christmas Films
I
n our eclectic mix of Christmas traditions, Christmas films are perhaps the most modern of the bunch. Happily sitting alongside the food, carols and family gatherings, they occupy a unique place in the holiday scene. Said unique place is, more often than not, the living room which acts as the central hub in which the festive activities are hosted. The roots of the Christmas film are undoubtedly entangled with the idea of sitting down to watch something at Christmas as a group. We are encouraged to treasure our time together - whether that be with family, friends or even pets - and put aside day to day divides. I would argue that the Christmas film does this better than any other tradition. For starters, it lets the group relax and share the enjoyment of something. If the film is a Christmas classic, such as the poignant picture, The Snowman, or a modern favourite, like the Nativity series, it can allow for some good-natured nostalgia and cheerful bemusement as some of the scenarios are rewatched (the brilliance of David Tennant as twin teachers in Nativity 2 for instance). The wide appeal of Christmas films, thanks to a variety of plots for everyone, means that people have a shared enjoyment in their shared film. Some Christmas films have been labelled ‘cheesy’ in the past. Whilst I am not about to challenge that, I am just going to reason that those kinds of Christmas films are tongue-in-cheek and are not meant to be taken seriously. They were designed to be a fun Christmas-filled package. People can cut between watching them and enjoying each other’s company socially. The Quality Street tin can be passed around and people can settle down to a simple group activity.
26
CELEBRATIONS
