"Watching holiday films at our home is much like an endurance sport. While there is a strict "not before Thanksgiving rule," once the stuffing has been put away, it's no holds barred. We often print out the annual Hallmark checklist calendar and dutifully mark off each film as we watch. Over the years, however, our zeal has lessened as the roulette of the same storyline repeated does in fact become mildly mind-numbing."
"At the recommendation of a journalist who ranked this year's Christmas Above the Clouds as a favorite, we watched this retelling of the famous Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol. Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future made their appearances as we struggled with just how unlikeable protagonist Ella Neezer (a gender-swapped riff on Dickens' Ebenezer Scrooge) was during the film. While these films typically have viewers rooting for the cantankerous protagonist by the end,"
"Giving the "ghosts of exes past" trope another shot, I also watched Christmas Cupid from many years ago to see what exactly sat so uncomfortably with this storyline. Given that it featured a younger Chad Michael Murray, I figured this would make the story perhaps more bearable. But alas, the idea that a female lead can go through decades of growing into a power-hungry, selfish individual and then suddenly see the light and change years of personality patterns in an instant would"
Holiday films frequently imply that ex-lovers remain emotionally frozen, waiting years for a second chance. Psychology research shows most people grow, change, and form new attachments after breakups. The "right person, wrong time" trope overlooks how timing reshapes identity, values, and long-term compatibility. Repeatedly watching formulaic romantic plots can numb viewers and normalize unrealistic expectations. Examples include retellings that recast protagonists into unlikeable, career-driven characters who abruptly repent and reclaim past relationships without accounting for genuine personal transformation. Such narratives comfort viewers while obscuring the real dynamics of change, healing, and relationship formation.
Read at Psychology Today
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