It’s a debate that’s been had all over the world on many occasions. Is Die Hard really a Christmas movie?

Well, if you want our opinion and cannot be bothered reading on, then “Yes”. We think Die Hard is most definitely a Christmas movie. In fact, we’d go as far to say it’s one of the greatest ever, and we’re not alone in that belief.

Die Hard is a Christmas movie

The first time I ever watched Die Hard, it just so happened to be on a cold Friday night on the day I broke up for Christmas holidays at college. The tree lights were on, the decorations were hanging and Yippee Kai-Yay was about to become the jolliest of Christmas greetings put downs.

From that moment on, blissfully unaware of the many debates on the very subject, Die Hard was written in to my psyche as a Christmas film.

For those who are not familiar with the film, wow – you’re missing out. Released in 1989, it follows the store of John McClane, a New York City cop who travels to Los Angeles to be with his estranged wife and kids at Christmas. It’s Christmas Eve, and Officer McClane arrives in LA and heads straight for wife Holly’s place of work – the Nakatomi Plaza – where the office Christmas party is in full swing.

Nakatomi Plaza is a large and brand new sky scraper and still has floors under construction. Long story short, terrorists attack the building, taking everyone hostage, including McClane’s wife. However, thanks to an argument between the estranged couple, McClane himself escapes the attention of the terrorists and is at large in the building, taking them on himself.

10 reasons why Die Hard is a Christmas movie

One thing to mention before we go any further here. In its own right, Die Hard is one of the single greatest action films ever made. It reinvented the genre when it was released and made Bruce Willis a mega star.

On top of all that, it oozes Christmas. Here are 10 reasons why Die Hard is a Christmas film.

  1. As we’ve already mentioned, it is set on Christmas Eve
  2. Within minutes, the movie is set at an office Christmas party, a pretty awesome looking one too
  3. As chaos ensues, office Christmas decorations can be seen at several points throughout, including a poor white Christmas tree that gets somewhat destroyed by gun fire.
  4. *SPOILER* After McClane kills one of the terrorists, he pops dresses him up in a Christmas hat and writes on his top “now I have a machine gun, Ho-Ho-Ho”, before sending him back down to the party in the elevator.
  5. *SPOILER* Near the end of the movie, McClane has a gun attached on his back, hidden from site. It’s stuck to him by Christmas tape.
  6. There’s a bit of festive music in there. You will never listen to Let It Snow again, without humming along in the style of Sgt Al Powell.
  7. McClane’s kids are at home preparing for Christmas with their nanny, waiting
  8. Music, again. Limo driver Argyle plays some unorthodox Christmas music when driving McClane to Nakatomi Plaza. Run DMC’s Christmas in Hollis. Even McClane questions how Christmassy it is!
  9. Even Empire Online, Huffington Post and many others agree that not only is Die Hard a Christmas film, it’s the greatest ever.
  10. It just is.