Come Nov. 1, Christmas is everywhere. It's in grocery stores, it's on lamp posts, it's even in our Starbucks orders. But the holiday isn't only everywhere during two months of the year — it's also in hundreds of non-Christmas movies that come out every other month of the year, too. Below is a list of the 16 best Christmas scenes in non-Christmas movies, all of which prove just how omnipresent the holiday really is.
Remember how in Love Actually, Billy Mack changes the lyrics of "Love Is All Around" by the Troggs to "Christmas Is All Around?" (If you don't, you might want to re-evaluate whether or not you are a true Christmas movie fan to begin with.) Well, the truth is, Mack-daddy was right — Christmas sneaks into even the least heartwarming movies. Seriously, some people choose to consider Die Hard a Christmas movie due to its seasonal setting. Yes, really, Die Hard.
It's OK if you're suddenly questioning what exactly constitutes a Christmas movie versus a movie with the holiday in it. This list provides a few clear examples of the latter, because sometimes Christmas just happens to happen in a movie's storyline, but it doesn't have to be a whole thing. Die Hard is still up for debate, though.
1
Jingle Bell Rock — 'Mean Girls'
It doesn't exactly capture the spirit of Christmas like It's a Wonderful Life does, but it still honors the joyous holiday.
2
Ugly Sweater Party — 'Bridget Jones' Diary'
Stream Bridget Jones' Diary here.
How could Mark Darcy love Bridget just as she is if it didn't include embarrassing Christmas sweaters?
3
Tree Decorating Scene — 'You've Got Mail'
In this classic Nora Ephron film, Christmas makes the whole premise kind of sad and nostalgic, but don't worry — spring comes afterwards, and that's the beauty of having a Christmas scene in a non-Christmas movie.
4
Christmas Party — 'Goodfellas'
This is the prime example of how Christmas can simply happen in a movie without everyone making a huge deal of it.
5
Hilarious Meltdown — 'Just Friends'
They're home for the holidays in this movie, but as you can tell from this scene, it's so not about the holidays part.
6
Christmas Showdown — 'Rocky'
The juxtaposition between the serenity and joy that Christmas is supposed to bring with what actually goes on in this scene makes it so memorable.
7
Holidays At Hogwarts — 'Harry Potter And The Sorcerer's Stone'
Stream Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone here.
Is there anything better than Christmas at Hogwarts? Probably not.
8
Winona Ryder Dancing — 'Edward Scissorhands'
Stream Edward Scissorhands here.
Ryder's character's pure happiness takes a sharp, dark turn in this creepy film's Christmas scene.
9
The Quilt Scene — 'Stepmom'
Stepmom has a lot of poignant parts, but the Christmas scene when the dying mom gives her daughter a quilt has to be the most sob-inducing of the whole movie.
10
The Not-So-Merry Christmas — 'Catch Me If You Can'
Stream Catch Me If You Can here.
This one's another great example of how the joy of the holiday can create some great juxtaposition in unfortunate circumstances.
11
The Final Scene — 'Lady And The Tramp'
Stream The Lady and the Tramp here.
Talk about ending the movie on a high note. This is the cutest.
12
And This Final Scene — 'Eyes Wide Shut'
Eyes Wide Shut is another non-Christmas movie that takes place during Christmas. The final scene is perhaps both the most and least Christmasy, too.
13
The Song — 'Meet Me In St. Louis'
Stream Meet Me In St. Louis here.
The song "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" debuted in this movie, so even if the whole movie isn't about Christmas, this scene is basically Christmas royalty.
14
Cursed Christmas — 'Gremlins'
This frightening Christmas scene probably takes years of therapy to get over.
15
The Dance Competition — 'Silver Linings Playbook'
Stream Silver Linings Playbook here.
Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper win their Christmas dance competition, and giving this emotional film an uplifting ending.
16
Christmas Party — 'American Psycho'
Nothing says "Christmas" more than a serial killer finding his next victim while surrounded by Santa hats. Well, at least according to American Psycho.
Remember to watch one of these movies next time it's mid-June and you're craving just a hint of Christmas spirit.
