Every New Year, millions of people return to familiar films such as Home Alone, It’s a Wonderful Life, or How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Although many know these plots by heart, interest never fades. Even though Hallmark released 24 new Christmas movies this year alone, adding to projects from Netflix and Hulu, viewers still prefer well-known classics.
Experts from Virginia Tech explain that this is no coincidence. According to them, several psychological and social reasons lie behind the popularity of these genres.
Rose Wesche, an associate professor of Human Development Sciences, notes that holiday romantic comedies cater to people’s idealistic fantasies. According to a 2022 study, viewers are drawn by three main factors:
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Celebrating the Holiday: Enhancing the festive mood.
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Escapism: Taking a break from daily problems and busy schedules.
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Positive Endings: Watching “feel-good” stories where everything ends well.
Sociology professor Sarah Ovink explains that during the holiday season, people especially need a dose of “happy endings.” She says these films represent an ideal world where every problem is resolved within 90 minutes.
Furthermore, such films are a way to bring family members together. “Family members might disagree on politics or which cake is better, but they unite around the TV to watch a light and cheerful Christmas story,” Ovink notes.
Scientists believe this genre also helps people cope with stress and loneliness. The plots are often absurd and detached from reality (for example, a writer stuck in a Scottish castle or a snowman coming to life), which allows viewers to temporarily forget the pre-holiday chaos and dive into an alternative, safe reality.
