Decorations go up on houses, cookies go in the oven and gifts are wrapped. However, one other thing that comes with the season, is the traditional holiday movies meant to bring families and friends together. There are so many favorite movies such as The Polar Express, The Grinch and Home Alone. Since the beginning of the season, too many people have been causing quite the debate about Die Hard starring Bruce Willis and whether it is worthy to be called a Christmas movie. Though according to Oak’s students body 61% believe this while 39% say otherwise in a poll of 489 students.

John McClane (aka Bruce Willis) is a New York police officer who is visiting his estranged wife, Bonnie Bedelia, and two daughters on Christmas Eve. We find the wife at a work party at the Nakatomi Plaza. However, things take a sharp turn when a group of terrorists take over the plaza, holding everyone in it hostage. McClane being the hero that he is, takes on the terrorists to try and save his family. Hearing this, do you think Die Hard is as festive of a movie as Rudolph or A Christmas Story?

With similar qualities, Iron Man 3 and Die Hard are both action movies with a plot about saving someone around Christmas time. Would you say that Iron Man 3 is a Christmas movie? No, because then you would be considered crazy. There is a large list of movies labeled “unconventional Christmas movies” that, like Die Hard, are still considered holiday movies. Gremlins, Batman Returns, Edward Scissorhands and Lethal Weapon are are all called ‘Christmas’ movies because of the sole fact that they are set around the traditional Christmas holiday season.

Now you are probably wondering what truly makes a Christmas movie. Does the day of release for the movie determine if it is a Christmas movie? Not necessarily. The classic White Christmas was released in October of 1954. Does the tone of the movie define said movie genre? In actuality, the makings of a Christmas movie relies on the actual use of Christmas for the underlying meaning of the film, not the setting of the film.

To definitively say that Die Hard is or is not a Christmas movie can never be definitely determined by most people because they all see it differently. I, on the other hand, know it is not a Christmas movie because it’s missing the message.