Every year, I spend Christmas with my mom’s side of the family, where we like to create our own holiday traditions.
One of my favorite traditions is watching movies on Christmas Eve and Christmas morning. When we were kids, we used to watch whatever was playing on cable. Now, as we’ve gotten older, Christmas morning is still the day when we crash in front of the TV after eating ham.
Little Women (2019), since it came out, has been our go-to Christmas movie. It’s not just because we are all in love with Timothée Chalamet or because we have four girl cousins in our family who all relate to a March sister. Rather, it’s because of how warm and Christmas-y the film is.
You may be thinking, “How is Little Women (2019) even close to being a Christmas movie?” I’ll admit, it is a pretty sad coming-of-age movie about love and death. However, I’m here to convince you it’s more than just that.
- There are multiple scenes revolving around Christmas.
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In Little Women (2019), there are many scenes where the March home is covered in Christmas decorations. Jo March even wakes up one morning, looks out at the snow, and says, “Merry Christmas, world.” The girls then all talk about their wishes for Christmas, seated around a fire and their decorated Christmas tree.
- Jo and Laurie go ice skating.
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Around Christmas time, it is typical for people to go ice skating because of the cold weather. In Little Women (2019), ice skating is exactly what Jo (Saoirse Ronan) and Laurie (Timothée Chalamet) do. Although the scene ended poorly with Amy under frozen water, it still encapsulates a very Christmas-y activity.
- The movie reminds us to be grateful for what we have.
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In the film, the sisters talk about how all they want is for their father to be home from battle and for their family to be together—something that not everyone has the luxury of having each winter. Beth (Eliza Scanlen) also said to her sisters that Christmas is not about gifts; rather, it’s about spending time with family.
- The movie reminds us to give back to our community.
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On Christmas morning, the March girls wake up to a beautiful feast. Although they are not rich, they decide to pack their meal and bring it to a less fortunate family with many children, including a sick child. When they return home, a new luxurious feast is waiting on their table from Laurie and his father.
Another example of giving back is when Marmee March (Laura Dern) volunteers to help families with men in the war. While volunteering, she takes off her own scarf and gives it to a cold man who lost some of his boys in battle.
- The soundtrack.
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The movie’s soundtrack screams Christmas to me. Especially the scene where Jo and Laurie dance together at the holiday party toward the beginning of the film.
- Beth’s final Christmas scene.
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An important moment for all of the Marches is Beth’s final Christmas scene. This scene is famous for its strong emotions and its reminder to be grateful for every Christmas that is spent with family. Even though it is sad, we must remember to be thankful for our loved ones each year.
- The Beach.
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This one may be too niche, but every year, my family goes to the beach where Little Women (2019) was filmed. We go to Plum Island every Christmas to watch the waves crash and stroll along the beach, sometimes even polar plunging. It is really cool to look out and see the sand that the cast pranced on while filming.
Personally, I stand by the fact that Little Women (2019) is indeed a Christmas movie. If you disagree, sit down with your friends or family this holiday season and give it a watch!
Happy holidays to all of my film lovers!
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