25 Days of Christmas

Natalie Fallano

You know Dasher, and Dancer, and Prancer and Vixen but do you recall ever seeing them? ABC Family is famous for their annual movie marathon of holiday movies from Dec. 1 through Dec. 25., but the movies they choose to show has changed over the years. As a child, I loved these Christmas filled nights, on which my parents let me stay up late to watch my favorite movies. I remember Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town, and of course Frosty the Snowman. But over the past few years I have noticed a change. As much as I love the Harry Potter movies, how do they relate to Christmas? Yes, in every movie there is a Christmas scene, but not scenes. ABC family uses the 25 Days of Christmas to show every single movie they have the rights to broadcast, whether it relates to the holidays or not. This includes Pixar’s A Bug’s Life, Happy Feet, and every other Disney movie in existence. Having at least a Christmas scene or winter theme could pass as acceptable but not a movie about ants. People enjoy these which is why viewers let it pass but still question why they are watching. At least half of the movies shown are Christmas themed, but why not all? Children today become excited to see Finding Nemo on prime time while old classics like Nestor the Long Eared Donkey and the Little Drummer Boy are shown in the early hours of the morning, when children are at school. ABC Family uses the prime time hours to premiere their own Christmas movies. ABC Family’s originals include Holiday in Handcuffs, Santa Baby, and 12 Dates of Christmas. These movies are not about the holiday spirit, but rather focus on the stereotypical romance story. The usual couple meet and fall in love, and it just so happens around Christmas. These classics tell family stories and express chriastan morals, but will die out at the rate ABC family is going. I for one, will be tuning into TBS for their 24 hour marathon of a Christmas Story and
will not take the chance of watching Aladdin or Toy Story on Christmas Day. It is not just ABC family who has lost their holiday touch. Looking back, I can not even remember seeing a good Christmas movie in the theater, over the last few years. The last one I can recall is the Polar Express and that premiered in 2004. Over the years animation has made leaps in what people see on the movie screen, but it is not always visuals that win us over. The classic and most touching Christmas movies were made in the 60s and 70s including Frosty the Snowman, A Year with out a Santa Claus, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, and A Charlie Brown Christmas. Christmas movies today are all remakes like Disney’s 2009 adaptation of A Christmas Carol.. Others take on ridiculous scenarios, take for instance the latest holiday film: Arthur Christmas, The main character Arthur, is the typical misfit son who takes Santa’s ultra-high-tech sleigh to deliver the one present Santa forgot, before Christmas morning. This is another story about the typical teenage boy who feels like an outcast and wants to prove himself. But if we are going to add in this modern theme, why not be realistic; would Santa really forget to deliver a present to one child? Especially when he has a ultra high tech sleigh and the NORAD Santa tracker watching his only move. The magic and perfection of Santa has been replaced with technology and human error.