Obviously it's an unconscious effect, but obviously it works and also explains the success of these films, which perhaps from today on we will see with different eyes
Are you a fan of the genre or do you loathe it? In any case, you know that Even Christmas films play a beneficial role. Word of science. Every year, Hallmark Channel, the Canadian cable television chain, produces dozens of Christmas films for the world: from 27 films in 2018 to 40 in 2022, with the promise of even better in 2023. Production increases, quality decreases, but that doesn't happen. No matter, it is an extremely profitable market that everyone, including the Italians, is jumping into – for example with the TV series Odio il Natale 2 by Laura Chiassone. All you need is a quick tour of the Netflix platform or Prime Video to find old and new movies that will brighten up the Christmas holidays. There are also films coming to the big screen, such as “Suddenly I'm Getting Married at Christmas” (sequel to “Suddenly at Christmas”) Diego Abatantuono and Violante Placido. Then of course you can watch classic and timeless films like It's a Wonderful Life (1946) or other “neoclassics” like Armchairs for Two or Home Alone. In short: there is no shortage of choice. But all of these films have more or less one common denominator that sets the genre apart: they are the magical ingredients of the Christmas mix.
Recipe for a Christmas movie
Whether funny, romantic or adventurous, All of these films have a happy ending in common: broken relationships are reunited, those who lost their jobs find it again, the dream of love is fulfilled, etc. There are stereotypical characters such as Christmas fanatics who are convinced to the core of the value of this holiday and can include skeptics; the villain who ultimately repents not because he is punished but because he is forced to think; the Grin, grumpy and hostile, but also determined to improve. The family always appears and of course Santa Claus, perhaps incognito and only recognized at the last moment. Obviously there are the main players: ordinary people with unprofitable but stimulating jobs. Everything is spiced with a pinch of magic (ghosts, gremlins, because anything can happen on Christmas Eve). lots of good feelings – as is usual at Christmas – a few splashes of snow here and there and themed music. And here the recipe is ready! Contrary to what one might rationally think, these are Situations far away from everyday life With all their difficulties and crowned by a happy ending, they are the key to the success of Christmas films.
A feeling of security
“Compared to the past, we now live more than ever in an unstable historical time, a world that is increasingly falling apart, with an economic and values crisis,” contextualizes Dr. Carmen Di Muro, Psychologist and psychotherapist. These obvious films become real reference points because they don't cause stress. “Watching a film with a happy ending gives a feeling of certainty and peace of mind”. And it is a calm that has an impact on the physical level, explains the psychotherapist. “Give it Scientific studies of frontier shows that when we move from a state of inner restlessness, where there is always an alarm system to respond to everyday stressful situations, to a state of calm, Emotions and thoughts calm down and you have a positive outlook on life. They are physiological processes that have a calming effect.” Anything that is routine and repetitive”activates ontological mechanisms and physiological, which are indelibly linked to emotions.
Nostalgia and intimacy
Christmas films rely on nostalgia. Stimulating melancholic and sentimental associations that often take us back to childhood, when everything seemed simpler and more beautiful – or at least it seems that way to us today because memories are curtailed by time. In fact, Dr. DiMuro, “CAnyone who enjoys these films has already done so as a child, when the perception was different, when we could still believe in magic and hope. These very similar films also have the advantage of immersing us in an intimacy shared with family. They show us a Christmas postcard, but reassuring, perhaps with silently falling snowflakes. And we, who pray for the rest of the year that it does not snow on the plains, hope for it on this day, because then the house becomes a warm and intimate cocoon to rediscover values perceived as lost. In the warmth, in the light of the Christmas tree, we dream in front of the screen.
A shower full of endorphins
Laughter, tears of joy, happiness: these simple films, without intellectualistic pretensions, stimulate the neural centers of reward and therefore the tone of the mood that is tested at this time of year by the short days, the commitments that are put to the test of collecting You'll have everything you need to take care of everything before the holidays, from finding gifts to all the related shopping. This humoral improvement affects the chemistry of the organism. “Emotions, without which we could not live, orchestrate the jump between body and psyche and vice versa. also triggers healing dynamics.”. Laughter becomes a real antidote to stress, inexpensive and without side effects.
Align yourself with yourself and with life
“The repetition ensures that everyone finds their center and is more focused on yourself and life.” Obviously it's an unconscious effect, but obviously it works and also explains the success of these films, which we may see with different eyes from today on.