I Know It's Not Die Hard Or Gremlins, But Here's Why The Holdovers Is My Favorite Christmas Movie

Is Die Hard a Christmas movie? I say no, but the verdict has been out on that one for a while. So, who am I to judge? That said, while everybody else “knows” Die Hard is a Christmas movie, I will concede that it’s an “alternative” Christmas film, just like Gremlins, Lethal Weapon, and Batman Returns.

Well, another “alternative” Christmas movie that I actually love is The Holdovers, which my colleague, Mick Joest, believes should be a new annual watch, and I agree!...But, not for the same reasons that he thinks. I’ll explain.

As Somebody Who Hates Christmas, The Holdovers Really Fits My Vibe This Time Of Year

You can call me the Grinch all you want, but I hate Christmas. It’s such a long, bloated season, and the actual day itself feels like such a letdown. Yeah, I loved it as a kid, but mostly because all I had to think about was hopefully getting a Nintendo 64. Now, all I think about is how it’s just another holiday season closer to death. Now, Thanksgiving, I LOVE. No massive build up, just family time and face stuffing. You can’t beat it.

Anyway, though I love the idea of Christmas being a time to be thankful for what we have, like in Mickey’s Christmas Carol, I’m well aware that Christmas is more like Jingle All the Way, with how commercialized it is. When it comes to Christmas movies, I always felt that no film actually fit the depressed vibe that I feel this time of year. That is, not until The Holdovers, because this film speaks to me as a person who hates Christmas.

Now, it’s not like Paul Giamatti’s character explicitly says, “I hate the holidays,” but he’s miserable, and you can tell. Sure, he seems like he’s miserable all year round, but it’s not like Christmas raises his spirits, because it’s really just another day for him. For example, when the kids who can’t go home for the holidays are stuck at the boarding school, Giamatti’s character, Paul Hunham, doesn’t seem to be upset that he’s being punished for failing students. Rather, he stands his ground, because proving he’s “right” is more important to him.

He doesn’t really care about Christmas, and same. I feel that. I don’t want to say that Hunham is my spirit animal, but we’re on similar wavelengths.

The Setting Is Dreary, But There's Hope...That Is Left Unfulfilled

Here’s another thing that I’ve become accustomed to with age - Hope often goes unfulfilled. This is one of the core reasons why I’m a pessimist. Now, every pessimist is secretly an optimist, but we don’t want our hearts broken. We don’t typically believe the universe is looking out for us. Instead, we’re more of the mindset of, “don’t get your hopes up.”

Well, The Holdovers also speaks to the idea of hope, and how things usually don’t go as you desire. For example, at one point in the film, we think that the assistant to the headmaster, Lydia Crane (Elsbeth’s own Carrie Preston) might have a thing for Hunham, only for us to learn that she’s just being nice. Mary Lamb (played by the amazingly talented Da’Vine Joy Randolph) lost her son in Vietnam, and we’re hoping that she’s slowly getting through the grieving process, only for us to learn that she’s not getting through it well at all.

Angus (Dominic Sessa) hopes that his father, who is in a psychiatric hospital, will recognize him, only to go home disappointed. And, when Hunham gets called into the office, and Angus is possibly going to be removed from school, we hope things will go well for Hunham, but he takes the blame and gets fired.

So, like, zero hope, and that’s what the Christmas season feels like to me in a nutshell. I hope it will be magical again like when I was a kid, but it never is, nor will it ever be. Again, this movie speaks to me.

It Deals With Mourning, And How The Holidays Aren't Jolly For Everyone

This year, in February, I lost my mother. Yes, thank you for your condolences. Well, since then, I’ve never been completely happy, as anytime my heart feels light, I think, I wish Mom was here. And, this is going to be my first Christmas without her, which sucks.

Well, that sense of mourning pervades this entire movie, as Mary Lamb never goes a day without mourning her child. She goes to the church with a quiet sense of sadness, and whenever she’s in the kitchen, you understand that she’s in her own little world.

I get this completely. This holiday season, I haven’t really been focused on anything at all. My mom is at the front of my mind. I keep thinking about how she used to love to get my kids gifts, and always looked forward to this season because she would get them “big ticket items,” like new bikes, which were the last presents that she ever got my children.

The Holdovers perfectly encapsulates how Christmas might be a joyous time for many, but it also represents a deep, irrepressible sadness when you think about the ones who aren’t with you during the holiday.

I Also Relate To It As A Teacher

I’ve already written about this, but I also emotionally relate to the film as a teacher. But, here’s something I didn’t talk about before, and that’s how I feel right before the holidays. You see, as I mentioned earlier, Christmas truly was a magical time for me when I was a kid, and I can see that joy in my students every time the holidays roll around.

However, much like Hunham, I’m more looking forward to the time off than anything else. Because look, I love my students, and I’m happy to teach them on a daily basis. But, I also like not being around them, too, you know? I love writing articles about movies, and I prefer the quiet of not having to grade essays, or get up early.

Unlike Hunham, however, I’m thankfully not alone during the holidays, which I know many people are. I love my family, and even though we’ve seen the darker side of the holidays in movies such as It’s a Wonderful Life, I think The Holdovers does a superb job of showing the mundane side of the season, especially if you’re a teacher.

Because the best excitement this time of year is knowing that you’ll have a break until New Years, which Hunham unfortunately doesn’t get. But, maybe that’s to his benefit.

In The End, It Almost Feels Like The Anti-Christmas Movie

I asked earlier if Die Hard is a Christmas movie, and a lot of people feel that it is. But, if Die Hard is an alternative Christmas movie, then I’d like to call The Holdovers an “anti-Christmas” movie.

It is about the spirit of the holiday (Hunham sacrifices his job, which is all he has, for Angus), but there is no happy ending. Sure, Angus gets to stay in school, but Hunham has an uncertain future, and will likely die alone.

It’s not like the whole town comes together and shows Hunham how much they love him. But, that's more realistic. It’s a pessimistic ending, which suits me.

What do you think? Does The Holdovers suit you as well? I’d love to hear your thoughts.