Have Yourself a Merry Little Movie Debate
Some movies are festive. Some are definitely not. And then there’s that wild middle category—the films people fight about every December. Are they Christmas movies? Are they just movies that happen to take place at Christmas? Let’s settle nothing and argue everything.
"Die Hard" (1988)
The internet’s favorite holiday debate. It’s got Christmas music, office parties, gift-wrapped explosives—and yet half the world insists it’s just an action movie with tinsel. Yippee-ki-yay, seasonal or not, it shows up on more December watchlists than actual Christmas classics.
Screenshot from Die hard, 20th Century Studios (1998)
"Gremlins" (1984)
Snow? Check. Christmas gifts? Check. A cute creature that turns into a horrifying demon gang? Also check. Some swear it’s a Christmas staple; others say it’s “festive chaos” at best. Either way, Gizmo makes a surprisingly adorable holiday mascot.
Screenshot from Gremlins, Warner Bros. (1984)
"Batman Returns" (1992)
It’s got snow, lights, mistletoe, and Danny DeVito biting people. A Christmas movie? Depends on your tolerance for brooding capes in December. Many fans consider it Burton’s dark-Christmas masterpiece—even if it’s basically a spooky snow globe filled with trauma.
Sunset Boulevard, Getty Images
"Edward Scissorhands" (1990)
It’s dreamy, snowy, and full of wintery vibes. But is it Christmas? People argue both sides like they’re defending the Constitution. The movie practically invented magical suburban holiday melancholy—yet plenty insist it’s a fairy tale that just happens to end with snow.
Screenshot from Edward Scissorhands, 20th Century Fox (1990)
"Lethal Weapon" (1987)
Buddy cops, shootouts, guitar riffs, and… Christmas carols? Shane Black set this chaos during the holidays for a reason, but fans still split on whether that counts. Some say it’s secretly the better “action-Christmas movie.” Others say please stop making every explosion festive.
Screenshot from Lethal Weapon, Warner Bros. (1987)
"Rocky IV" (1985)
Most people forget it’s set during Christmas until they notice the tree in the background and Paulie wearing a bizarre holiday robot ensemble. Is it a Christmas movie? Not really. Does it get rewatched every December by dads everywhere? Absolutely.
Screenshot from Rocky IV, United Artists (1985)
"Eyes Wide Shut" (1999)
Kubrick’s final film takes place entirely during the holiday season, complete with Christmas lights on every surface. Is it festive? In the most terrifying way possible. Anyone calling this a Christmas movie is trying to start a fight—and probably succeeding.
Screenshot from Eyes Wide Shut, Warner Bros. Pictures (1999)
"Iron Man 3" (2013)
Another Shane Black special. Tony Stark deals with PTSD, bad guys, and holiday decorations all at once. Some fans insist the Christmas setting makes the story more emotional; others say it’s just Marvel being Marvel. Either way, it’s a December rewatch for many.
Screenshot from Iron Man 3, Marvel (2013)
"The Nightmare Before Christmas" (1993)
The eternal question: Christmas movie or Halloween movie? Even the merch doesn’t know. For some fans, it’s peak holiday crossover energy. For others, it’s strictly spooky season. Honestly, it might be the only film that counts as both without cheating.
Screenshot from The Nightmare Before Christmas, Walt Disney Pictures(1993)
"Just Friends" (2005)
It’s snowy, it’s cozy, it’s chaotic, and it has enough Christmas scenes to count. But plenty of people say it’s more “rom-com that happens during the holidays” than Christmas movie. Either way, people rewatch it every year like it’s mandatory.
Screenshot from Just Friends, New Line Cinema (2005)
"Shazam!" (2019)
It’s full of Christmas lights, family themes, gift-season chaos—and a villain who throws people out of windows. Many say that combination automatically makes it a Christmas movie. Others say superhero antics don’t qualify. Still, its cozy-plus-chaos vibe fits December surprisingly well.
Screenshot from Shazam!, Warner Bros. (2019)
"Catch Me If You Can" (2002)
It spans years, but Christmas pops up everywhere as a recurring emotional anchor. Some viewers say that makes it low-key a Christmas movie. Others insist that’s a stretch. Either way, it’s become a holiday background-movie staple for a surprising number of families.
Screenshot from Catch Me If You Can, DreamWorks (2002)
"Frozen" (2013)
It has snow. So much snow. Endless snow. But not a single Christmas tree. Still, parents put it on every December like it’s a legal requirement. Some argue the winter magic is enough to count; others say please, we’re begging you, let it go.
Screenshot from Frozen, Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures (2013)
"Kiss Kiss Bang Bang" (2005)
A Christmas noir with sarcasm instead of sleigh bells. It’s hilarious, sharp, and drenched in holiday lights. Many fans fully claim it as a Christmas movie; others think that’s just Los Angeles pretending it snows there. And yes—because it’s Shane Black—of course it’s set at Christmas.
Screenshot from Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, Warner Bros. (2005)
"Prometheus" (2012)
Yes… this one. People point to that brief Christmas-holiday reference on the ship and try to argue it counts. Most viewers reject that immediately. But every December, someone somewhere drags it into the debate—and frankly, that’s the funniest part.
Screenshot from Prometheus, 20th Century Studios (2012)
"The Long Kiss Goodnight" (1996)
Another Shane Black–adjacent holiday action favorite, packed with snow, carols, explosions, and Geena Davis being incredible. Some call it “Die Hard but colder,” others insist it’s not a Christmas movie at all. Either way, it screams December energy.
Screenshot from The Long Kiss Goodnight, New Line Cinema (1996)
"While You Were Sleeping" (1995)
Set entirely around the holidays, full of twinkle lights, family chaos, and romantic misunderstandings—yet some people still say it’s “just a rom-com.” Tell that to the Christmas tree in every third shot. This one quietly dominates holiday watchlists.
Screenshot from While You Were Sleeping, Hollywood Pictures (1995)
"Trading Places" (1983)
It’s festive, it’s funny, it’s chaotic wall-to-wall December—but people argue about this one constantly. Some swear it belongs in the Christmas canon; others say a movie featuring Dan Aykroyd in a filthy Santa suit shouldn’t qualify. They’re both right.
Screenshot from Trading Places, Paramount (1983)
"Hustlers" (2019)
Yes, it technically has a Christmas segment. And yes, someone online will argue that makes it a Christmas movie. Is that a stretch? Absolutely. Does the debate return every year like clockwork? Also absolutely.
Screenshot from Hustler, Annapurna Pictures (2019)
"Mean Girls" (2004)
It’s not a Christmas movie… but that Jingle Bell Rock performance is so iconic it somehow ends up in holiday montages anyway. Some viewers insist the single Christmas scene earns it seasonal status. Others say that’s deranged logic—and we respect it.
Screenshot from Mean Girls, Paramount (2004)
"American Psycho" (2000)
Bateman walks through holiday displays, attends seasonal parties, and monologues through Christmas decor. Does that make it festive? Absolutely not. But it’s become a weird December rewatch for people who like their holidays… darker.
Screenshot from American Psycho, Lionsgate (2000)
"Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone" (2001)
Huge Christmas scenes, huge nostalgia, huge debate. Some say the Christmas moments are too magical not to count. Others say “it takes place over an entire school year—stop this madness.” Yet families throw it on every December without fail.
Screenshot from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, Warner Bros. Pictures (2001)
"The Hudsucker Proxy" (1994)
It’s full of whimsical holiday imagery, snowy cityscapes, and corporate chaos that somehow feels strangely festive. Some fans swear it’s a stealth Christmas movie; others insist it’s just Coen Brothers weirdness wrapped in tinsel. Either way, it’s December-friendly in a very odd way.
Screenshot from The Hudsucker Proxy, Warner Bros. (1994)
"Three Days of the Condor" (1975)
People forget it’s set at Christmastime until the holiday decorations pop up in the background. Then the arguments begin. Some say the seasonal setting adds tension; others say Cold War paranoia is not exactly cozy viewing. The debate returns every year, quietly but fiercely.
Screenshot from Three Days of the Condor, Paramount Pictures (1975)
"Toy Story" (1995)
It literally ends on Christmas morning… which is enough for some fans to declare it holiday canon. Others say it’s strictly a kids’ adventure with one seasonal scene. But every December, someone somewhere claims it absolutely counts—and honestly, that tradition alone is festive.
Screenshot from Toy Story, Walt Disney Pictures (1995)
"Logan" (2017)
Holiday decorations, wintery vibes, and a story partly framed around Christmas. Fans argue whether that makes this gritty superhero drama a Christmas movie. Most say no—but a surprising number of people rewatch it in December anyway, because nothing says “holiday spirit” like emotional destruction.
Screenshot from Logan, 20th Century Fox (2017)
"The Ref" (1994)
A dysfunctional family Christmas, a burglar turned hostage mediator, and enough holiday stress to power a thousand Christmas comedies. Some call it an underrated Christmas classic; others say it’s too cynical to qualify. Either way, it’s very December-coded chaos.
Screenshot from The Ref, Touchstone Pictures (1994)
"Bridget Jones’s Diary" (2001)
Ugly Christmas sweaters. Holiday parties. Romantic tension framed by festive awkwardness. It’s undeniably December-coded—but some insist it’s still “just a rom-com.” Tell that to the Christmas cardigan that launched a thousand memes. This one quietly sneaks onto holiday watchlists every year.
Screenshot from Bridget Jones’s Diary, Universal Pictures (2001)
"The Apartment" (1960)
Office Christmas parties, lonely holidays, and New Year’s heartbreak wrapped in one of the greatest movies ever made. Some people treat it as a holiday staple; others say it’s simply a masterpiece that happens to take place during Christmas. Either way, it hits different in December.
Screenshot from The Apartment, United Artists (1960)
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