Thursday, July 01, 2010

Christmas in July: Introduction

I’ve never been big on Christmas, although I wouldn’t go so far as to say I’m a Christmas-hater. I do, however, tend to avoid Christmas music and Christmas movies and the overwhelming crush of holiday cheer, which to me feels false and oppressive. I appreciate spending time with my family, and I like receiving presents (also giving them, I suppose). I just don’t like being told when and how to enjoy these things.

So why a whole month of Christmas movies, and why in the middle of the summer? Well, partly just because I think “Christmas in July” sounds catchy, but mostly because this seems to be the right time for Christmas movies, when they aren’t being constantly being shoved in your face. There’s quite a range of movies about the holiday season, and I’ll be exploring the whole spectrum. So that means some traditional Christmas fare (including four different versions of A Christmas Carol), a look at the thriving subgenre of Christmas horror movies, a few weird obscurities and a few beloved classics (plus two different movies starring professional wrestlers).

I’ll be revisiting a few movies I haven’t seen in a long time, but I’ll also be leaving some out because I’ve seen them too recently or too often. I’m looking to expand my Christmas horizons, but I’m also trying to stick to movies that are primarily about Christmas or feature it as a main plot point (or are at least strongly associated with the holiday season). In each movie, I'm going to see if I can determine the true meaning of Christmas.

So check back here throughout July for entries on all manner of Christmas movies. It’ll be the gift that keeps on giving.

Christmas in July entries:

No comments: