Christmas movies entice holiday spirit

Story by Jim Joyner, Sports Editor

A Christmas Carol, the story of the transformation of grumpy old man Ebenezer Scrooge into a generous, loving citizen, made its premiere in 1938. This was one of the first movies of its kind, the Christmas classic.

Christmas classics evolved from their early state of black and white into the hour-long animated TV specials of the 1960s including Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer, A Charlie Brown Christmas, Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas, The Little Drummer Boy, and Frosty the Snowman.

Sophomore Gage Kiesling has always had a soft spot for a great Christmas movie.

“I’m a huge fan of the classics, A Year Without Santa Claus, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” Kiesling said.

After these TV specials became popular the Christmas movie business skyrocketed. Throughout the 1980’s and 1990’s Christmas movies were the family favorites around the holidays and the movie that brought everyone together.

These Christmas movies not only brought people together but they gave kids, young and old, a reason to believe in the true Christmas spirit and the man from the North Pole in the big red coat. That is one of Kiesling’s favorite parts of the Christmas experience.

“Just being in wonder and awe of the whole Santa Claus persona at Christmas,” Kiesling said. “It’s something you try to hold onto even when you’re getting older.”

Kiesling doesn’t think that kids today take away some of the same experiences that he received from the Christmas classics as a kid. He thinks that some of the same principles are still around in the new shows, but when you compare them with the old ones they’re just different.

“I think Christmas shows are different than the ones we grew up with,” Kiesling said. “Like the Muppets Christmas Carol — the Muppets aren’t even around anymore.”

The Muppets Christmas Carol happens to be Kiesling’s favorite Christmas movie altogether.

“My mother always played the Muppets Christmas CD around the house so I was a huge Muppets fan,” Kiesling said. “I thought The The Muppets Christmas Carol was hilarious as a kid and I’m still a huge fan.”

Senior Cali Proctor is also a fan of the older Christmas movies like Frosty the Snowman and other animated classics. Proctor likes the fantasy element in these movies because it always gave her something to believe in.

“They sing, Frosty comes to life and they have a new friend, and it’s so cute,” Proctor said.

Besides the fantasy, Proctor finds the art of friendship to be riveting.

“It teaches you to believe in true friendship,” Proctor said.

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer also makes Proctor reminisce about her childhood.

“It’s a classic and everybody likes it,” Proctor said. “I wanted him as a pet when I was little.”

Sophomore Justin Madsen actually tends not to like the classics as much as he likes some of the newer, funnier movies.

“I don’t really like the Claymation,” Madsen said. “But I like a lot of the classics like Christmas Vacation, and The Santa Clause movies are always good.”

The Santa Clause has always touched home with Madsen because of his connection with its star Tim Allen.

“I’ve always liked Tim Allen,” Madsen said. “I’ve watched Tim Allen since I was a kid with Home Improvement so I always knew him.”

For Madsen Christmas is more than age but is just the idea of believing in something.

“It doesn’t matter how old you are, you can just watch The Santa Clause,” Madsen said. “I like the first two the best, but the first one’s my favorite.”

Madsen thinks that Christmas specials would not be what they are without your family to watch them with.

“It brings your family together,” Madsen said. “They always have that feel good moment at the end.”

Christmas movies have captured the holiday spirit for decades. But the most important ideal they capture is the true meaning of Christmas, believing.