One of the most infamous Christmas movies of all time is The Polar Express. Now, whether some find it creepy due to its animation strategy or others find it enthralling and exciting, everyone can agree that it encapsulates the nostalgia of Christmas and evokes that uplifting holiday spirit. We can all agree there are some concrete themes of the movie that maybe we shouldn’t overlook when thinking about how we lead our own lives, and here they are.Â
#1: BeliefÂ
The theme at the forefront of this movie is how we believe in things we can’t see. When the protagonist of this story doubts Santa, he cannot hear the bell ring but as he begins to believe, he can. In our own lives, we should believe in our dreams even if they seem so far out of reach, even if we can’t see what our future will look like. If we are uncertain, we should believe in ourselves enough to at least try and step outside our comfort zone. If others criticize our beliefs, we should let our minds outweigh theirs and keep striving for what we are truly passionate about. We should believe in our capabilities and trust that our plan is paved exactly as it should be. Having the ability to believe in a good outcome can help us go on and persevere in hardships. Having faith that there is good in the world is necessary for our existence.Â
#2: Loss of a childlike mindsetÂ
The little boy is growing up in the movie. He is no longer naive to the fairytale life that Santa must exist. He has a grown-up perspective but through his journey, he is able to still approach his life with wonder, openness, and curiosity. I think that for a lot of us, we reach a time in our lives when we are searching for something to fill our cup, and we often fall short. So, we should continue engaging in activities that supply our minds with knowledge and ask questions within those, fill our cups by connecting with others, and keep imagining. We should find hobbies that suit us, especially creative ones that allow us to be curious and innovative, and that force us to continue growing as people. Â
#3 Friendship and TogethernessÂ
The movie really emphasizes how connecting with others and having shared experiences with one another can be important to building trust and finding companionship. Because the characters in the movie were able to connect with one another and embark on a similar journey, they were able to find Christmas magic together. As humans, we can show more empathy to others and find an understanding of other experiences. We can create memories with others and build deeper connections. We can show up for one another in success, failure, hardship, and happiness. Â
#4: Giving BackÂ
The movie does an incredible job of demonstrating the beauty of giving to others, not just with materialistic objects but also with love. It focuses more on the act of kindness. Although Santa gives a materialistic object to the boy, the bell, his ultimate goal in doing so is to show what it means to share and give. We need to focus on the feelings we get from non-materialistic items, such as a compliment, rather than overconsuming and being wrapped up in how many pairs of shoes we own, or how many likes we get on Instagram. We need to search for intrinsic happiness, rather than extrinsic. We need to think about how we can devote a little bit of our own time and attention to the world around us, or to our family or friends, and how we can do so in a positive, kind way. Â