They may only typically feature for a month or so each year, but Christmas movies are undeniably a beloved aspect of the film industry. People all over the world enjoy watching festive fare leading up to the holiday period, and each December, Christmas movies come once more to the fore. Over the years, the genre has undergone some pretty substantial shifts, so we’ve decided to take a look back over the evolution of Christmas movies.
As far back as 1898, Christmas movies have existed. Though the first ever example was a two-minute silent film showing Santa Claus delivering presents, it’s clear that as long as there have been movies, people have been interested in seeing festive stories unfold. From those earliest days of the genre to the present day, the evolution of Christmas movies has been substantial.
Christmas Movies Began As Simple Adaptations
Through the 1920s and ’30s, Christmas movies were largely adaptations of already popular stories. These included many adaptations of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol and C. Clement Moore’s poem A Visit from St. Nicholas (better known as ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas). This early trend has continued despite the evolution of Christmas movies, with A Christmas Carol in particular being adapted regularly even in recent years.
The Evolution Of Christmas Movies Saw The Rise Of Festive Classics
The 1940s and ’50s saw the birth of multiple classic Christmas movies. Some were musicals, such as White Christmas and Holiday Inn, which are perhaps best known for the songs they unleashed upon the festive season to be sung forevermore. The ’40s also saw the release of It’s a Wonderful Life (which failed upon release but later became a classic) and the original Miracle on 34th Street, which remains a beloved festive staple. The lasting legacy of these films cement the decades involved as landmarks in Christmas movie history.
The ’60s & ’70s Were Filled With Animated Christmas Movies
With the 1960s, a new trend developed for the Christmas movie genre. The likes of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Frosty the Snowman, A Charlie Brown Christmas, and How the Grinch Stole Christmas marked the beginning of a wave of popular animated movies released for the holiday season. This continued into the 1970s, with Santa Claus is Coming to Town and The Year Without Santa Claus carrying on the trend. The relatively lower cost of animation and the movies’ appeal to younger audiences made such films the next stage in the evolution of Christmas movies.
The 1980s: A More Diverse Decade Of Christmas Movies
The 1980s saw movie studios make a startling realization: adults enjoy Christmas movies, too. Thus began a decade of festive film experimentation, with movies in various genres touching on Christmas themes or simply being set at Christmastime to spread a little extra cheer. This included, but wasn’t limited to, action movies (Die Hard, Lethal Weapon), horror movies (Gremlins), adult comedies (Scrooged), and more. The ‘80s were an especially innovative decade in the evolution of Christmas movies, marking a significant shift in filmmakers’ approach to the festive season.
The ’90s Were Filled With Christmas Movies For The Whole Family
Christmas is a time for family, and the 1990s fully embraced that idea. The likes of Jingle All the Way, The Santa Clause, I’ll Be Home for Christmas, and multiple Home Alone movies all offered something for the whole family. The ‘90s saw a wealth of family-friendly festive comedies that would appeal to a much wider audience, capitalizing on the more wholesome aspect of family time at Christmas by giving parents and children something to enjoy together.
Through The ’00s, Christmas Romance & Comedy Reign Supreme
Throughout the ‘00s, the evolution of Christmas movies took yet another turn. The decade saw the release of much more romantic festive fare, including the likes of classics such as The Holiday, Love Actually, and lesser-respected comedic efforts such as Just Friends and Holiday in Handcuffs. It would seem that the turn of the millennium put everyone in the mood for romance, because romantically-angled Christmas movies became the predominant offerings in the genre during the ‘00s.
The Evolution Of Christmas Movies Saw More TV Movies In The 2010s
Into the 2010s, the evolution of Christmas movies saw the genre enter a strange and surprisingly popular form. Hallmark Christmas movies (really, any festive TV movie but Hallmark do it best) rose to massive prominence, and audiences seeking a little holiday spirit soaked it all up. Produced on relatively low budgets, these Christmas movies don’t even need to be good, because the cheesiness and often poor quality of the writing is all part of their charm. They simple tick off as many Christmas movie tropes as possible, deliver a heartfelt and optimistic message, and sprinkle snow and twinkling lights all over. Some may consider it the final form of the genre, but it’s all but certain that Christmas movies will continue to evolve.