From Krampus to Happiest Season: How Family is Represented in Christmas Movies

Christmas films are, by nature, ‘family friendly’. The first Christmas film ever released was in 1898: the minute-long ‘Santa Claus’ (directed by George Albert Smith). In it, two children are greeted by the titular festive legend, but there is a distinct absence. The children are cared for by a nanny, rather than their parents. Whilst this is outwardly merely reflective of family dynamics at the time, it is interesting when compared to how later and current festive flicks intend to show family relationships. Today, we associate Christmas with the coming together of families, which is all the more poignant at the moment. ‘Santa Claus’ shows a distance, either intentional or forced by the hand of custom, between a family unit, and it is interesting to see how that has been adapted over the years.

Popularised by Charles Dickens, the idea of a ‘perfect Christmas’ pushes us to be seen as having the best Christmas; the most lavish food, the trendiest gifts, and perhaps most importantly – the happiest family. This concept of perceived perfection is an object of satire in several Christmas movies, and I’d like to draw on two in particular.

In 2000, we were treated to ‘How The Grinch Stole Christmas’, a film dedicated to exposing the foolishness of a materialistic Christmas. At the heart of it was a captivating look at the perceived perfect - take for instance the character Martha May Whovier’s excessive house lights - compared to the happiness one gains when allowing forgiveness and extending warmth to all who need it.

This is taken further in the 2015 Christmas-horror ‘Krampus’. A family defined by arguments and false pretences begins a chain of events that unleashes the titular Eastern European beastie of folklore when a boy within the family loses his Christmas spirit. It perfectly shows the desperate attempts we have all experienced to have ‘the best’ Christmas ever and that we are having the best possible because we are the happiest family imaginable – whereas the truth of the matter is unspoken anger festering beneath the surface. Usually in Christmas films, the family come together and resolve their differences. Krampus however subverts our expectations completely, showing that sometimes even Christmas doesn’t guarantee forgiveness.

Another way Christmas films explore the family dynamic is the way our lives all interweave, and how we often don’t realise that we are all ultimately looking for peace and love which is only heightened during the festive season. ‘Love Actually’. Across the ten storylines, we are exposed to a wide variety of families consisting of nuclear family units, new lovers, broken marriages and hopeful youngsters all trying to navigate what family and love truly mean. It shows that the old saying “the blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb” rings true and takes a more modern understanding of the word ‘family’. No man is an island, particularly within a family (despite how alone one may feel within that family; yes, I am still upset about how Harry treated Karen) and ‘Love Actually’ wonderfully shows that family extends beyond our immediate blood.

Within a family, it is impossible to not have quarrels. Returning to the idea of ‘the perfect family’ there is perhaps no family more perfect than the family of Father Christmas himself. However, ‘Arthur Christmas’ and ‘Fred Claus’ show that the idea of the perfect family is not only toxic, but impossible to achieve even if you’re the most moral person imaginable. Instead, everyone is allowed to embrace their weaknesses, strengths, quirks amongst those who love them most. As ultimately, that’s what family should be in a modern context; a place to feel safe and utterly yourself. Speaking of which, the newly released ‘Happiest Season’ is a breath of fresh air and a new look at how a Christmas can both hinder and help.

Firstly, ‘Happiest Season’ is centred around a love story, not uncommon for Christmas films. But the key difference here is that the couple consists of two women in a healthy gay relationship. This is an indication that Christmas films continue to reflect the current society, given it’s the first LGBTQ+ Christmas film ever released by a major studio. No longer are parents removed, they are directly engaged with and affect the lives of their children despite them being fully grown. This is a common theme within Christmas movies. ‘Home Alone’ shows the danger of parents being on both ends of the spectrum; too doting or too neglectful. ‘Happiest Season’ however shows that secrets within a family are bound to cause harm, and that your family should love and care for you no matter who you are.

Overall, Christmas films both engage in and fight against ideas of perceived perfection, both in terms of material status and when it comes to how a family treats itself. They can also act as snapshots depicting an ideal of the family dynamic: loving, kind and welcoming despite difficulty or differences. I want to say I prefer the more provocative and daring Yuletide movies that challenge us, but honestly? The world is challenging enough and I’m sentimental enough to prefer the warm-hearted tales of seasonal cheer. Given how the last twelve months have played out, I hope whoever is reading this has a peaceful Christmas season (whether you celebrate it or not you still deserve a break!). Merry Christmas everyone.