When it comes to holiday movies that bring viewers comfort and joy, some people find it a little jarring to see moments that once induced laughter now make audiences uncomfortable.
Acknowledging that a piece of media isn’t as wholesome as one once believed doesn’t always mean it has to be abandoned. However, it does mean that some heavy conversations lie ahead, especially when watching it with future generations. Even when audiences continue to enjoy movies despite their problems due to the nostalgia factor, newcomers to these movies often have mixed feelings.
10 National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation
So many people adore this beloved Christmas classic, but younger generations are pointing out lots of details that just don’t sit well with new audiences. Like many John Hughes’ ideas, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation features some pretty awful relationship moments, like when Clark tells an attractive woman at the store that he is divorced from his super supportive and equally attractive wife.
It might’ve once been a joke people appreciated, but today it’s in poor taste at best. Let’s not forget the dead cat to the unprosecuted kidnapping. The movie is filled with occurrences that would at least raise eyebrows today. Modern dysfunctional family movies are less raunchy but more passive-aggressive.
9 Home Alone (1 & 2)
A winter holiday isn’t complete without a viewing of Kevin McAllister’s shenanigans in Home Alone, but it’s certainly not without its issues. First, there is Kevin, who comes across as a little annoying and rude. Then there are the two idiotic Wet Bandits, who have nothing better to do than to torment a child while breaking into his home.
Also, how does the family manage to forget Kevin twice? After the first incident, surely he would be the first person the parents would think about and constantly check on. The parents were a little irresponsible in those movies.
8 Elf
Is there a movie out there more filled with Christmas spirit than Elf? It’s a fan favorite for good reasons, but it also has some cringe-worthy moments peppered throughout its wholesomeness that really are problematic. One of the strongest moments is when Buddy sings along with Jovie in the shower, somehow completely unaware of how inappropriate it is to be in there with her without her knowledge or consent.
There are several other moments that have aged poorly, but the worst is the portrayal of Miles Finch. The issue isn’t the actor, the brilliant Peter Dinklage, but the cheap jokes they take at him throughout his scenes.
7 The Santa Clause
While Scott Calvin being a major jerk is the point of The Santa Clause, this movie is full of gross behavior and other issues. Nobody cares that Santa died, which is pretty traumatic to see in the first place. Is there no memorial for this man who gave so much to the world?
There are also just weird elements, like the unexplained baby elf with no parents in sight and Santa’s admission of doing drugs in the 60s. Tim Allen’s Santa flirts with an elf who looks like she could be his daughter, there are fatphobic jokes and awful co-parenting between exes. It’s pretty much a how-not-to manual in that respect, especially in terms of whether or not the kid can believe in Santa.
6 White Christmas
Lots of people look at White Christmas as one of the ultimate holiday classics, but the title of the film hints at its most terrible part: its minstrel show. While it wasn’t done in blackface, the act still waxed nostalgia about the “old days” where most people liked to remain ignorant to racism.
By glamorizing the minstrel show and including jabs at Mr. Bones and Mr. Interlocutor, the show completely dismisses the history of Jim Crow laws which, at the time of the movie’s making, were very much alive and practiced in the U.S.
5 How The Grinch Stole Christmas
In many ways, How the Grinch Stole Christmas is festive and cute, and much of it comes down to whether or not Jim Carrey’s slapstick humor hits your taste buds or not. The visuals are gorgeous, but the live-action version of the classic story has some disturbing moments. For starters, the Grinch’s behavior can surely be attributed to his trauma as a baby and child, so it’s not really fair to blame it on his two sizes too small heart.
This holiday film is filled with sexual innuendo, which might be present in many family films, but it’s quite possible that a “key party,” or swinger’s party, is in motion when the Grinch is delivered. It’s not exactly appropriate.
4 It’s A Wonderful Life
The beautiful classic film It’s A Wonderful Life is listed among many people’s all-time favorites. For the most part, it continues to stand the test of time, but that doesn’t mean it’s perfect. From the way George talks to Mary, steals her clothing, and all the way to his angry outbursts, George is far from a representation of positive masculinity.
This is further exemplified by the fact that the audience sees George choose to suppress his emotions, which then leads to him destroying the Christmas decorations and scaring his children. Let’s also not forget that the film has quite a few racist and misogynistic undertones too.
3 Miracle On 34th Street
Bryan Bedford’s “romantic” nature is clearly problematic. He asks Dorey to marry him when she’s given no indication that she’d like to be married. He acts as if he’s “earned” her hand by doing her favors. There’s also that alcoholic Santa with his unfortunately droopy pants…
From Susan getting married, getting a home, and getting presumably pregnant against her prior wishes, Miracle on 34th Street might have “a lie that draws a smile,” “a truth that draws a tear,” and a few issues that mar its otherwise charming story.
2 A Christmas Story
While A Christmas Story is filled with humor and Christmas spirit, modern-day audiences have found that the movie is also filled with terribly inappropriate scenes that didn’t age well, starting with the child abuse.
Eating soap was terrible enough, but some modern audiences may even turn away when they hear overhear Schwartz being beaten over the phone. This abuse is something people may have initially dismissed but it’s certainly not something that should be ignored anymore. The movie also features a hefty portion of sexism, racism, and general toxic masculinity too.
1 Love Actually
On one hand, it’s a heartwarming tale featuring so many beloved English actors it’s hard to resist. On the other, Love Actually the epitome of unhealthy relationships and somehow tricks audiences into thinking it’s romantic. Mark’s treatment of Juliet, up until he declares his love for her at the end, is absolutely awful, especially considering the fact that she’s his best friend’s wife.
While Jamie and Aurélia learning one another’s languages is sweet and his big, romantic gesture makes viewers swoon, it’s also really silly and strange for Aurélia to bother learning English “just in case.” There’s also a mockery of Americans, fatphobia, unresolved adultery, and other issues that are problematic, among other things.
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