Is Die Hard a Christmas movie? Is Harry Potter? We’ll leave that controversy to you, but in the meantime, we’ve compiled some of our favorite Christmas classics and the lessons that you can take to work, to school, and to family gatherings.
Buckle up and enjoy this list (and yes, we’ve checked it twice).
Elf (2003)
Life lesson: It Really is the Little Things in Life
Being thrown into a whole new world is one way to pick up some life lessons. Buddy the elf, who has lived his whole life in the North Pole, ends up in the hustle and bustle of New York City looking for his biological father and has to find his way in unfamiliar territory.
What we can learn from Buddy is that the little things are just as important as the big ones. When you are able to observe and appreciate the small things that someone does, even if it’s just coming into work with a smile every day, you will be able to see the world in a new light. If Buddy can find the joy in a city that never sleeps, we can stop for a second to look around and find one good thing.
How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)
Life lesson: Kindness Makes All the Difference
Far away overlooking the city of Whoville, the Grinch wallows in his own sorrow and loneliness until Cindy Lou Who comes along and sees the good in him. For the first time, he is seen as a person and not the mean, heartless monster he was bullied into becoming.
Cindy Lou’s act of kindness made all the difference for the Grinch, which illustrates how, even though the Grinch was viewed in a negative light, one person believing in him allowed him to believe in himself again. You never know what someone is going through, especially around the holidays, so always choose kindness.
Home Alone (1990)
Life lesson: Age is but a Number
When Kevin McCallister is accidentally left at home, he takes advantage of the freedom and quiet of an empty house. The fun doesn’t last for long before it turns into a strategic mission to protect the house from being robbed by two con men. Even though the two men are bigger and stronger than Kevin, he manages to outsmart the robbers with booby traps and tricks.
What we take from Kevin’s adventures is that age has no correlation to skill, which means no matter how young or old you are, you can still do anything you put your mind to. Go for that job, take that trip, complete a triathlon at the age of 72. If you’ve got the skills, you only need one other thing: motivation, and you’re golden.
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation
Life lesson: Embrace the Chaos and Lean on your Support System
All Clark Griswold wants is the “perfect Christmas” with his family. Perfect tree, perfect decorations, perfect Christmas dinner, perfect gift purchased with his perfectly timed Christmas bonus. And yet, everything that could make it the opposite of a perfect Christmas happens. The in-laws fly in and do nothing but bicker, the Christmas decorations he spent hours on don’t work, his brother Eddie’s family makes a surprise visit, and to top it all off, he doesn’t get his Christmas bonus (no private pool, sorry Clark).
Where is the lesson here? Well, perfect isn’t possible, or maybe perfect looks different than you originally thought it would. With each dent in the plan, instead of freaking out, Clark decided to make the most of the situation. He also had the encouragement of his wife Ellen to guide him. So, the moral of the story is: as long as you have people in your corner to support you, change doesn’t have to be scary. Whether it’s a new job, new manager, or new task, you don’t have to go through uncertainty alone.
The Polar Express (2004)
Life lesson: You Can’t See the Future, Take That Chance
“One thing about trains: it doesn’t matter where they’re going. What matters is deciding to get on.”
The Polar Express is about a boy who doesn’t believe in Santa and therefore can’t hear sleigh bells or see Santa. Despite his hesitance, he climbs aboard the Polar Express and heads straight to the North Pole anyway. And it changes his life forever.
No matter how hard we try to predict our future career or relationship, the truth is we can’t see the future. So, we have to take chances and step outside our comfort zone in order to experience the world. Take a chance, even if it’s scary. Apply for that job, call a past coworker, ask for a raise. You never know where your courage will lead you.
The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
Life lesson: Don’t Be Afraid to Try New Things
Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin King, is bored of scaring people for Halloween (ironic, right?). He needs something new, a fresh project to bring to life. What better solution is there than kidnapping Santa and taking over Christmas, Halloween style? In his new endeavor, Jack faces setbacks and surprises that ultimately make him realize maybe he should stick to Halloween, but with a newfound appreciation for it.
Jack’s aspiration for something new is oh so relatable to any working professional. Maybe you’ve gotten stuck in a day-in, day-out routine and need something to bring your passion back to life. Or maybe you just have a thirst to try something new. Either way, Jack Skellington teaches us that trying new things helps you grow and change in ways that add to your skill set. And maybe, give you a new appreciation for where you started.
It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)
Life lesson: Perspective is Everything
George Bailey is unhappy with his life. He’s overwhelmed by feelings of helplessness to protect his town from corrupt businessmen, self-failure as the man who wanted better for himself and his family, and the loneliness that accompanies you when you feel like no one understands your situation. These feelings boil over and reach the point where he doesn’t want to live anymore.
Until his Guardian Angel, Clarence, materializes and shows him what his life would have been like if he was never born. After this walk down hypothetical memory lane, he realizes the impact he’s had on people’s lives and the fact that he really does want to live and appreciate the things he does have, not wallow in the things he doesn’t.
In this sentimental tale, we learn that perspective is everything. To George, his life is a mess and it’s not what he pictured. To everyone around him, he has saved them from death, jail, or loneliness. When you feel like you’re at rock bottom, which many people do around the holidays and the new year, George’s story encourages us to take a look around at what we do have. Change your perspective and see what you find.
White Christmas (1954)
Life lesson: ‘Tis the Season to Give Back
After WWII veterans Bob Wallace and Phil Davis decide to leave the service and become a famous song-and-dance team, they meet a sister duo, Betty and Judy, who are also performers. Together, the four end up in small-town Vermont for the holidays, where an inn run by their former army general is struggling to stay afloat. To help their former commander, they reunite the old army regiment and put on an incredible Christmas show at the inn to help save it.
The takeaway? A good cause can bring anyone together to lend a helping hand. When Bob and Phil saw their former leader struggling, they didn’t hesitate to jump in and help. That’s what you do for the people you care about, family or not. White Christmas teaches us that the holidays are as good a time as any to give back or help someone who needs it more than you do. Whether you run a canned food drive at your office or collect coats and winter gear to donate, you can bring your coworkers together to help someone who needs it.
A Christmas Carol (1984)
Life lesson: Vulnerability is a Strength, not a Weakness
Ebenezer Scrooge wants nothing to do with Christmas or family time. He begrudgingly allows his employee to have Christmas off and charges extra for products out of spite. But when he’s visited by the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Yet to Come, who show him the heartlessness of his ways, he is transported back to his bedroom adamant about changing his ways.
What happens when you’re called out for acting a certain way? Do you resort to anger, guilt, sorrow? Can you admit when you’ve been wrong and say “I’m sorry”? This is the lesson that Scrooge learns when he realizes he needs to make a change. When you put your pride down and put in the work to show you care about other people, you’ll be rewarded for that vulnerability. What feels like weakness in the moment is actually a sign of strength.
The Santa Clause (1994)
Life lesson: When Life Gives you Lemons (or in this case a red suit)
Scott Calvin works in marketing but has a drastic career switch when he accidentally kills Santa Claus. After putting on the red suit left behind (as directed by Santa himself), Scott must become Santa Claus due to the legally binding “Santa Clause.” Over the course of the next year before reporting back to the North Pole on Thanksgiving, Scott gets used to this role and finally convinces his son Charlie and ex-wife Laura that Santa is real.
Over the course of this crazy turn of events, what Scott ultimately does is embrace the curveballs he’s thrown. Nothing could have prepared him to take on the role of THE Santa Claus, but he takes it in stride and learns from the experience. What we learn from Scott is that when life gives you a red suit, you put it on and see what happens.
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As many of these classics turn 20, 30, and 50 years old, their messages remain timeless. Whether you take Clark Griswold’s passion for the season or Buddy’s childlike wonder, we hope you take some time to reflect this holiday season and watch the holiday magic come to life.
Disclaimer: Some content, including images or quotes, may be sourced from external authors or public domains. All rights are credited to their respective owners.
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