By Makena Reyes
The attachment of a holiday theme to an overall low-par movie is an all-too-common move for the film industry. The association of holidays implicates our feelings of nostalgia, vulnerability, and indulgence; which leads film studios to manipulate these feelings, making easy box office money and cheaply emulating holiday “magic.” These strategies work directly with the psychology involved with our love of holiday movies.
The holiday season, particularly in America, is met with preparation of loudly colored decorations, absurd traditions, and the annual holiday movie rewatch. Whether or not the quality of these movies correlates to their enjoyment is questionable. However, in an article published by CBS news, psychologist Dr. Pamela Rutledge explains these films impact on our psychology, “It’s a place where you can go and your brain has the reassurance of being able to anticipate something and having that be the case,” and goes further into explaining how the predictable and cheesy plotlines of seasonal movies give the viewer a sense of comfort despite lacking creative storytelling.
The broader reason behind these responses comes from the nostalgia that the holidays bring in general. Dr. Krystine Batcho details the science behind nostalgia surrounding the holidays, “For many, holidays bring back memories of simpler times along with the sense of the security of childhood or the carefree feelings of being young, with fewer of the worries and stress that accompany responsibilities.”
So how do holiday movies feed on that nostalgia? The truth is, Hollywood profits off of emotional cliches of family, romance, and traditions, and we the viewer accept this because of the emotional response they evoke from us. Holiday movies work to amplify these feelings by plugging them into an easy to watch package.
Whether or not you enjoy the ambiance of holiday movies, it is undeniable that they offer a sense of reliable and cheap entertainment that you can count on the movie industry to produce each and every year.
