The 15 Tropes That Show Up In Every Christmas Movie
It's time to fully embrace the Christmas season without judgment. You know what that means - holiday movies packed with beloved Christmas tropes.Â
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.Â
While each trope manages to transforms itself into a tear-inducing storyline, it's understandable if you're ready for some fresh content.
- 1
Santa's Substitute
- Photo:
- Fred Claus
- Warner Bros. Pictures
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.
Appears in:
- The Year Without a Santa Claus
- The Santa Clause
- Fred Claus
- Santa Baby
Is this overused? - Photo:
- 2
A Christmas Of Love
- Photo:
- The Holiday
- Sony Pictures Releasing
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!
Appears in:
- Love Actually
- The Holiday
- Elf
- Last Christmas
- White Christmas
Is this overused? - Photo:
- 3
Christmas Needs Saving
- Photo:
- The Santa Clause
- Buena Vista Pictures
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.
Appears in:
- The Santa Clause
- How the Grinch Stole Christmas
- The Year Without a Santa Claus
- Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
Is this overused? - Photo:
- 4
Bad Santa
- Photo:
- The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause
- Buena Vista Pictures
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.
Appears in:
- The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause
- Bad Santa
- Jingle All the Way
- Miracle on 34th Street
Is this overused? - Photo:
- 5
The Holidays Aren't Fun
- Photo:
- Four Christmases
- Warner Bros. Pictures
Everyone loves Christmas, right? Wrong, according to this trope, at least. This theme follows characters that simply don't like the holidays, mainly because they're no fun. They involve too much work, far too much effort, and definitely too much time with your family.
Appears in:
- Four Christmases
- National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
- Home for the Holidays
Is this overused? - Photo:
- 6
The Big Show
- Photo:
- Love Actually
- Universal Pictures
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.
Appears in:
- Last Christmas
- Love Actually
- A Charlie Brown Christmas
- White Christmas
Is this overused? - Photo:
