My idea of a Christmas movie may differ from yours

Everybody puts a cast iron gate around the requirements to belong to the genre.

Let’s enlighten the masses on something important: The Christmas movie genre is loose. The necessary elements required to enter it aren’t as detailed as some make them out to be. While some require a character to be named Santa in the cast and some magic, the holiday music and themes do just fine. Just don’t tell that to the old-fashioned “Where’s the Christmas spirit?” crowd. They’re extra picky. The same souls who denounce films from genres are the ones who complain until their breath is out about Star Wars movies and the validity of the Kansas City Chiefs’ success.

Yes, Die Hard is a Christmas movie, at least to me. Die Hard 2 is also a Christmas movie, as is Lethal Weapon. Why do these unconventional X-mas entries fit the bill? They make me feel and think about Christmas. It’s as simple as that. The parties, clothes, music, and certain key elements (the wrapping paper on McClane’s gun) make the connection easy if you’re not building the wall between what is and what isn’t with cast iron pipe.

John McClane spreads the Christmas cheer by killing a bad guy and writing ho-ho-ho on his sweater before sending him down a few floors to his extra malevolent brother. He spreads it all around by taking out the rest of the bad guys, all for the luxurious pleasure of spending the late night in an emergency room or on a cot in his ex-wife’s home. They kiss under snowflakes in the end as a Christmas song plays during the credits. When you finish John McTiernan’s movie, Christmas is on your mind.

Call it a different tier of Christmas movie, one that sits lower than It’s A Wonderful Life and Santa Clause. The Family Man or Miracle on 34th Street fits the traditional bill for the genre, but that doesn’t overrule one with enough elements to make you feel like snowfall and presents under a bought tree.

For some, it’s a chaotic thought process. They get angry and argumentative at a post that mentions Die Hard and Christmas, even though it’s set at Christmas. To them, it’s like enjoying provel cheese on pizza or saying Patrick Mahomes is as good as Tom Brady if you took away the cheating. A good film critic friend mentioned liking the movie less due to the overexposure it gets this time of year. That’s a bit much, but the Bruce Willis actioner provokes a reaction.

A Christmas movie should be whatever makes you think, feel, or get excited for Dec. 25. It doesn’t have to be more complicated than the emotion that a movie naturally builds up, but with a nice cherry on top due to an uber-popular holiday.

I’ll open the comments section so you can share your opinions on this subject. Does blood running down McClane’s shoulder count as red enough to be Santa’s coat, or do you need the classic touches? Please comment below, and also consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.