It's a question that seems to come up in conversation every year: Is Die Hard A Christmas Movie?

Die Hard Ho
loading...

As someone who has spent time critically thinking about this subject (don't judge me!) I thought I'd bring back an article I wrote outlining why I think "Die Hard" is actually a Holiday movie, despite what naysayers may believe.


 

Every year people go through their favorite holiday movie lists, and inevitably it's all the same; "It's A Wonderful Life," "Elf," "The Grinch," "Rudolph," "Frosty The Snowman," "Miracle on 34th Street," "Home Alone," etc. But the one movie that gets left off the list, all too often, in my opinion, is my favorite holiday movie, "Die Hard!"

20th Century Fox
20th Century Fox
loading...

And usually, when I mention that to people, they look at me like I have five heads, and feel the need to tell me that there is no way "Die Hard" is a holiday movie. Well, I am here to make the argument that it most certainly is.

Point #1: The entire movie takes place at a company Christmas party.

A desk after the Ofiice Christmas party, focus on the diary entry.
RTimages
loading...

It might just be the worst company Christmas party in history, but it's still the holiday season! Decorations, Christmas music, and even the utterance of the traditional "Ho Ho Ho" can be seen and heard all throughout the movie.

Point #2: It shares the plot of many an already-accepted Christmas tale. 

Getty Images
Getty Images
loading...

Compare it to the plot of a couple of other undeniable holiday favorites, and I ask you to show me the difference. Take "Home Alone" and "The Grinch," for instance. The plot of both of those movies involved unhappy crooks trying to rob innocent holiday revelers of their belongings, only to be foiled by either a cute kid or an inventive hero (in the case of "Home Alone," Kevin is both!) Bruce Willis's John McClane is the definition of an inventive hero in this movie, and Alan Rickman's Hans Gruber is definitely an unhappy crook, especially by the end of the movie.

Point #3: Christmas ornaments are used to save the day in all three movies!

Wheelbarrow of glass ornaments
Lana Langlois
loading...

 

Kevin sets traps for Harry and Marv using Christmas tree decorations in "Home Alone." A rogue ornament that pops off the tree wakes Cindy-Lou Who and busts the Grinch. And John McClane used holiday packing tape to strap a hidden gun to his back so [SPOILER AHEAD] he could shoot the bad guys at the end of "Die Hard!"

Fox
Fox
loading...

Nothing gets me into the holiday spirit more than the dad from "Family Matters" walking Bruce Willis through how to escape Alan Rickman's squad of Euro-disco machine-gun-toting bad guys, and seeing things blow up. Merry Christmas!

Listeners Show Us Their Beautiful Christmas Tree Displays

With the holiday season upon us, it seemed like the perfect time to have our listeners show us their Christmas trees and decorations, and boy did they ever. Enjoy these creative and festive displays! Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays to all. We received so many photo submissions, you can bet we will have another fun photo album coming your way soon,

Gallery Credit: https://wbzn.com/author/ajameson/

LOOK: Holiday gift crazes and fads of the past century

Stacker compiled a list of toy crazes from the past 100 years. 

Gallery Credit: Jennnifer Billock

LOOK: 25 over-the-top Christmas displays from across America

To help get everyone in the mood for the upcoming holiday season, Stacker compiled a list of some of the most over-the-top Christmas displays across America.

Gallery Credit: Annalise Mantz & Madison Troyer

More From WQCB Brewer Maine