The original Christmas movie, written before movies even existed, is undoubtedly Charles Dickins’ “A Christmas Carol”. Written in 1843, this Christmas classic has over 135 film adaptations and has been performed on the stage countless times, including at our school just this past week. This story didn’t just inspire 19th-century readers or teach a lesson about the true meaning of Christmas; it created the template for all modern Christmas movies. In my opinion, all Christmas movies are based on “A Chrismas Carol” and if Charles Dickens didn’t write his book, the whole genre would have never existed

First of all, all Christmas movies have three major elements that tie them all together. That is a Scrooge, A Three-Spirits Experience, and a True Meaning of Christmas moment. The Scrooge is exactly how it sounds, an Ebeneezer copycat who hates Christmas (usually due to a love of money and business). The Scrooge then usually experiences their three spirits throughout the movie, the actions that will eventually lead them to their True Meaning of Christmas moment where they find out that Christmas isn’t just about money. Take the movie “Elf” for example. A festive comedy about a human-elf who travels to New York City to meet his father couldn’t be like “A Christmas Carol,” could it? WRONG. The Scrooge: Buddy’s Dad, The Three-Spirits Experience: spending Christmas with Buddy, and finally, guess who loves Christmas by the end of the film? Scrooge himself, Buddy’s dad, Walter.

This concept can also be applied to the basic Hallmark Christmas movie format. A businesswoman moves from the big city back to her small hometown for the holidays where she discovers the true meaning of Christmas (usually through falling in love) and rejects her former corporate life. The Scrooge: Usually the businesswoman or her boss, The Three-Spirits: Falling in love with the small-town guy, and finally The True Meaning of Christmas: Rejecting her old life and moving away from the city.

All Christmas moves written since the release of “A Christmas Carol” are all just different spin-offs of the same basic story, and I will stand by this statement. Almost every single Christmas movie in existence can be broken down into these three simple parts, and if you think otherwise, you’re either wrong or the film isn’t truly a Christmas movie.