It's time to fully embrace the Christmas season without judgment. You know what that means - holiday movies packed with beloved Christmas tropes.
While you might love a good seasonal film, it's just a fact that some of the best Christmas movies include the same tired themes and storylines you've seen a thousand times before. Christmas will be ruined if Santa doesn't arrive! We have to teach the angry Grinch the true meaning of Christmas! Gifts mean nothing without the gift of family! Do these sentiments sound familiar? They should. You've only seen them in every Christmas movie to ever be created.
While each trope manages to transforms itself into a tear-inducing storyline, it's understandable if you're ready for some fresh content.
Photo: National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation / Warner Bros.
What happens if Santa can't make it to Christmas? Well, according to this trope, someone has to sub in for the primary personality of the season. Whether Santa is sick, missing, captured, or even deceased, someone has to fill the black boots or risk the ruin of the holiday season.
Superheroes save the entire world from impending danger, but holiday movie protagonists save Christmas from looming disaster. This trope puts Christmas itself in danger, then follows the movie characters as they struggle to save the holiday season.
This Christmas movie trope revolves around the inclusion of a sickeningly sweet child that people just can't resist. Whether precocious, terribly naive, or just plain cute, the story centers on this child and their need to have a good Christmas.
Forget time with family, presents, and personal growth. According to this movie trope, none of that means anything in comparison to falling in love, and Christmas is the best time to do it. Whether unrequited or returned, Christmas is the season of love. Keep your eyes peeled for your life partner!
What's Christmas without a big holiday performance? This trope follows the protagonists as they prepare for a final, holiday-worthy show. Whether big or small, it often involves lots of preparation, a musical performance, and a chance for each character to discover what they truly want.
This Christmas movie trope takes the jolly and happy Santa Claus and turns him into... something very bad. Instead of a dedicated herald of the season, this Santa is often concerned with his own needs rather than the needs of the children. It may also feature an imposter who takes over the red suit and doesn't live up to the typical Santa duties.
