Francesca Rudkin: Why are Christmas movies all rom-coms?

Last year, there were 116 new Christmas holiday movies released on TV and streaming streaming services in the US. I have watched very few of them, but enough to say with confidence that the majority - were average.

Yesterday, filling in on Jack Tame’s show, Chris Schulz spoke about a new Lindsay Lohan film on Netflix. It’s called Our Little Secret, and it’s currently the 2nd most watched film on Netflix in NZ, so you may have seen it.

It’s a perfect example of the holiday film you can expect at this time of year, throwing together a heap of holiday film tropes and hoping for the best - all in the name of Christmas entertainment.  

So when and why did Christmas and holiday movies become all about romance? When did they become all about cute meets? About career women finally meeting ‘the one’ in quirky circumstances; cueing a series of misunderstandings to be rectified in a predictable third act? These films have become less about family, and more to do with having a date to meet the family.  

The first Christmas film was released in 1898. It was made in the UK and is 2 minutes long - you can watch it online. It shows children being put to bed, and Santa coming down the chimney and leaving them toys. Apart from the fact Santa brought a Christmas tree with him, little has changed with this traditional Christmas story. 

Throughout the years Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol has become one of the most adapted books and inspiration for Christmas films - over 38 have been based on this novella from 1843.  

Christmas movies also used to be about Jesus or stories from the bible, but as we’ve become more secular, they’ve become films to search out rather than dominating streaming services.  

It turns out though that Christmas films have included romance since the late 1930s. Bachelor Mother, The Shop Around the Corner and Holiday Inn are all  films made between 1939 and 1942, with romance at their heart. But after Love Actually in 2003, Christmas viewing changed forever and the romantic comedy has become a staple. Four Christmases, The Holiday, and The Family Stone were predictable, but well cast and remain firm favourites today.  

So why has Christmas become so much about coupleness? It is OK to be single at Christmas. But the answer is simply because the audience decided it’s what they want.  

After a long stressful year (topped off by preparing for the holidays) a lot of us are up for some easy, enjoyable and improbable escapism - with a happy ending.  

We’ve earned it. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Sunday Session podcast with Francesca Rudkin
from News TALKSB.

Speaker 2 (00:13):
Last year, there were one hundred and sixteen new Christmas
holiday movies released on TV and streaming services in the US. Now,
I have watched very few of them, but enough to
say with confidence that the majority of them were average. Yesterday,
filling in on Jack Thames Show, Chris Schultz spoke about
a new Lindsey Lowhand film on Netflix that's called Our

(00:34):
Little Secret. It's currently the second most watched film on
Netflix in New Zealand, so you may have seen it.
It's a perfect example of the holiday film you can
expect at this time of the year, throwing together a
heap of holiday film tropes and hoping for the best,
all in the name of Christmas entertainment. So why and

(00:55):
when did Christmas movies become all about romance? When did
they become all about cute meats about career women finally
meeting the one in kind of quirky circumstances, cuing a
series of misunderstandings to be rectified in a predictable third act.

(01:15):
These films have become less about family and more to
do with having a date to meet the family. The
first Christmas film was released in eighteen ninety eight. It
was made in the UK. It's two minutes long. If
you google it you will find it first Christmas film
ever made. You can have a watch. It shows children
being put to bed, Santa coming down the chimney and

(01:36):
leaving them toys, and apart from the fact that Santa
brought a Christmas tree with him shoved up the chimney,
little has changed with this traditional Christmas Sorry, even today.
Throughout the years, Charles Dickens a Christmas Carol has become
one of the most adapted books and inspiration for Christmas films.

(01:56):
Over thirty eight films have been based on this novella
from eighteen forty three. Christmas movies also used to be
about Jesus or stories from the Bible. As we've become
more secular, they've become films to search out, rather than
dominating streaming services. It turns out, though the Christmas films

(02:18):
have included romance since the nineteen thirties. Bachelor Mother, The
Shop around the Corner, and Holiday and Are all films
made between nineteen thirty eight, thirty nine Sorry and nineteen
forty two with romance at their heart, but it was
really after love. Actually. In twenty two thousand and three,
the Christmas viewing changed and the romantic comedy has become

(02:40):
a staple for Christmases. The holiday, the family stone all
predictable but well cast, and remain firm favorites today. So
why has Christmas become so much about coupleness? It is
okay to be single at Christmas, by the way. The
answer is simply because the audience has decided it's what

(03:01):
they want. After a long, stressful year topped off by
preparing for the holidays, a lot of us are up
for some easy, enjoyable, and improbable escapism with a happy ending.
We've deserved it.

Speaker 1 (03:16):
For more from the Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin, listen
live to News Talks at b from nine am Sunday,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.