What says Christmas more than violence, explosions, and bad German accents? Forget about Rudolph, Santa, and his little elves, let’s take a moment to appreciate the true hero of Christmas, Mr. John McClane.

  One of the main deciders of theme in a movie is the score. You might not realize it’s there, but the music that plays in the background often changes your perception of what you’re viewing. Take the Star Wars saga as an example, without John Williams’ galactic music, there would just be a chunk of dead silence with a few laser blasters here and there. 

  “The soundtrack of Die Hard is almost completely made of Christmas songs,” Bitty Raymer said, Grand Ledge High School Junior. “Jingle Bells, Let It Snow, and Carol of the Bells are some of the most noticeable [being incorporated into the score].” 

   On a more analytical note, the director and writer of Die Hard unmistakably made John McClane a “Christ figure,” as Thomas Foster calls it in his book, How to Read Literature Like a Professor. Not only is he the savior (of the movie and the people), but when John emerges from an explosion – as Jesus emerged from the cave after his death – and his wife subsequently yells, “Jesus!” McClane also endures the entirety of the movie barefoot, much like Jesus did when he walked on holy ground.

  If those reasons were not enough, think of the setting. The movie Home Alone (1990) is considered a Christmas movie because it takes place around and during the Christmas season. Little Kevin McAlister beating up on burglars doesn’t immediately make it a Christmas movie, but the setting does.

  It’s Christmas Eve, at a Christmas party, with constant reminders that it’s Christmas coming from the cast. Names like Holly, the reference to classic Christmas stories, and of course Hans Gruber’s line: “It’s Christmas Theo, it’s a time of miracles.” Each of these demonstrate the Christmas spirit.

  When it comes down to it, would you really watch Die Hard at any other time of the year? It’s like watching Halloween (1978) in February or Love Actually (2003) in June. If “Mr. Cowboy” is celebrating Christmas in the movie, then we can say his adventures in Die Hard should be considered a Christmas movie. Yippee ki yay!