Celebrating Christmas with Holiday Movies – Old and New

It’s the most wonderful time of the year: Christmas. A huge part of the festivities include tree decorating, cookies, and of course, holiday movies. A few classics include Home Alone and How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Although these movies are very famous, there are many other classics out there for you Huskies to enjoy.

Home Alone (1990):

Chances are, growing up you’ve watched Home Alone more than once. It’s definitely a holiday staple, and personally my favorite holiday movie. The reason I find this movie so enticing is due to Macaulay Culkin’s impeccable performance, the enjoyable plot, and the central theme of family with a hint of mischief. It appeals to the young imaginative minds of all generations. 

The movie starts with a misunderstood kid, Kevin McCallister, living in a big house with his family. They had a vacation planned for Paris, where they were going to spend Christmas. Everyone was frantically running around, trying to prepare for the trip. Nobody would pay attention to Kevin, unless it was to yell at him. This led to Kevin going to sleep wishing that his family would just disappear. The next morning, his wish comes true: his family had left in a hurry and forgot him at home! While Kevin enjoys his time breaking as many rules of the house as he can, two robbers plan to break into his house. But, Kevin isn’t going to let them!

Although the plot is corny, the movie is highly enjoyable. Senior Riju Prakash says, “The entire idea of a mere kid defeating two grown men is comedic. I think Macaulay Culkin definitely carried the film, because of his wide variety of expressions and gestures.” I definitely recommend you watch this classic if you haven’t already, for a good laugh, and a heartwarming experience.  

How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1996):

When looking for Christmas movies, How the Grinch Stole Christmas is an inevitability. Based on a Dr. Suess book, it is the ultimate Christmas tale of greed, bitterness, and the ultimate moral of good and kindness. It continues to be a Christmas classic due to the good memories we have attached to this story. 

The movie starts in Whoville, where there is a joyous spirit as Christmas comes around. The who’s sing, dance, eat, and get presents for each other. Everyone is happy except The Grinch, a green monster who lives above them and despises Christmas. He is sad and miserable, living alone with his puppy, Max. He eventually decides to steal Christmas, taking away every present, and decoration, including the huge tree in the middle of Whoville. However, this doesn’t stop the who’s from keeping their Christmas spirit. In the end, the Grinch learns that Christmas might mean a little more than he thought, and he has a drastic change of heart.

This movie is a Christmas classic because of the message it sends out to the audience. It teaches that Christmas should be about being with your family and friends, and being grateful for everything given to you. The animation of the movie was really well done, and watching the Grinch’s character develop over the course of the movie left me feeling cheerful. This movie puts everyone in the perfect holiday mood, and is fun for all ages.

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This staff reporter graduated in 2020.
Shomili Madabhavi is a senior at Washington High School. She grew up in Fremont, California. This is her first year writing for the Hatchet, and has contributed to many articles in the A&E, News, and Sports section. Outside of school, she enjoys hanging out with friends, watching TV, and napping. In the future, Shomili plans to pursue computer science at a 4 year university.

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