KDTime: Wait... Was That A Christmas Movie?

Episode 148

Movies That Sneak in Christmas Without Being Christmas Movies

When most people think of Christmas movies, classics like Home Alone, Elf, or The Santa Clause usually come to mind. But what about the movies that quietly include Christmas without making it the main event?

Some films use the holiday as the backdrop for a major plot point. Others feature a memorable Christmas scene that adds warmth, nostalgia, or even a little chaos before the story moves on. These moments may only last a few minutes, but they're often some of the most memorable parts of the movie.

Take Jumanji (1995), for example. The story ends at a Christmas party thrown by Alan and Sarah Parrish in hopes of meeting Judy & Peter's parents. They remember the children but the children are meeting them for the first time. It's sweet moment for Alan & Sarah because they are together with a child one the way and everyone they love and care about is accounted for. And it's a short 2 minute scene celebrating togetherness at Christmas time. Even the movie had nothing to do with Christmas; could you consider this a Christmas movie?

Then there are movies like Harry Potter franchise, where Christmas at Hogwarts has become one of the coziest scenes in the entire franchise. While the story is about friendship, magic, and discovering a hidden world, those holiday moments have become fan favorites and make the film a popular winter rewatch.

Comedy has its share of memorable Christmas moments too. Who can forget the iconic "Jingle Bell Rock" performance in Mean Girls? It's only one scene, but it has become part of holiday pop culture. You'd think more people would talk about the Halloween scene that was moments before but no it's this one.

Of course, no conversation about holiday movie moments is complete without The Nightmare Before Christmas. Is it a Halloween movie because it takes place in Halloween Town? Or is it a Christmas movie because most of the story revolves around Jack Skellington discovering Christmas? It's a debate that has lasted for decades, and there's still no universal answer. I say it's both!

Ultimately, these movies prove that a film doesn't have to revolve around Santa, presents, or saving Christmas to capture a little holiday magic. Sometimes, a single scene, a snowy backdrop, or a memorable Christmas sequence is enough to make audiences revisit it every winter.

So what do you think? Does one Christmas scene make a movie a Christmas movie? Watch the movie Die Hard if you don't believe me.

Give a listen to the full episode on KDTime as I break down some of our favorite movies with sneaky Christmas moments and tackle one of pop culture's biggest holiday debates.

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