Christmas is almost upon us. As we gather together with loved ones to bid farewell to our Advent wreaths and usher in the birth of the Baby swaddled in a manger, many families will settle down together to watch the quintessential Christmas movie. 

And what exactly constitutes such an iconic movie category?

The verdict is still out on that, especially this week, when the poster child of holiday flicks, Macaulay Culkin, who played the scared yet crafty Kevin McAllister in the Christmas classic, Home Alone, added his 2 cents this week to the ongoing annual debate: Is Die Hard a Christmas movie? 

“No, no it’s not. Don’t fight me!” the actor declared during an interview with Mythical Kitchen. 

“It’s based around Christmas, but if it were also St. Patrick’s Day, it would still work. But you couldn’t do Home Alone on Memorial Day. It doesn’t work that way.”

And Culkin, given his prowess in the field, said: “I’m the godfather of Christmas nowadays. My opinion has some sway in this argument.”

Some say the setting alone gives it Christmas clout. Willis' character, John McClane is intent upon reconciling with his estranged wife, Holly Gennaro, at a holiday party on Christmas Eve, so there's Christmas music, lights, even a Santa hat! When Holly and the partygoers are then taken hostage by international terrorists, McClane undertakes a rescue mission; hardly the stuff of a standard Christmas film.

But Father Bryce Sibley of the Diocese of Lafayette says we have it all wrong.  

"So, I definitely think Die Hard is a Christmas movie! I even preached on it once," the priest told the Register.

"I likened John McClane to St. Joseph: he protects his wife, endures trials, and ultimately ensures safety, just like Joseph leading the Holy Family. ... Think flight into Egypt! 

So where is Baby Jesus? Father Sibley says:

"What about Holly and the hostages? They’re the vulnerable ones, like the Christ child."

And the danger they are in all stems from the villain, Hans Gruber. But to Father Sibley, "He’s definitely the Herod figure: grasping for power, but no match for hope."

The priest also joked "that McClane’s bare feet are like Joseph’s humble sandals, treading dangerous ground! It’s a fun reminder that Christmas — like God’s plan — often shows up where we least expect."

A pretty compelling argument from someone celebrating his jubilee year as a priest this year! So before you upend any conversations on the way to midnight Mass or at the dinner table, here are 3 other classic films that are not so controversial for your peaceful viewing pleasure.

1. The Star

A beautiful animated film that tells the story of the Nativity through the eyes of the ones that were first there: the animals. 

The movie tells the Nativity story all from the perspective of the animals, and as the filmmaker Tim Reckart pointed out to the Register, he was influenced by Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato Si that came out the same year as he was developing the characters.

“So I was taking a lot of notes from that and trying to figure out, like, what do we learn about man’s relationship to animals through this movie? And there are a lot of little bits in there. Like, for instance, Beau does not have a name until Mary names him. And I thought, there’s something there about Adam and Eve and, you know, we can treat animals as machines that we don’t need. You know, we don’t have to name a donkey if it’s just going around in circles. But once you decide to have a relationship with this animal, you kind of ennoble it and bring it a little bit more into a human sort of place where, now, Beau has a name because someone decided to love him.”

2. It's a Wonderful Life

A Christmas classic beyond compare, the movie following the life of George Bailey and his family is a staple during this season of hope and second chances. Father Michael Ward, co-author of Popcorn with the Pope, told the Register: 

“The best Christmas movie on the Vatican film list is obviously It’s a Wonderful Life, which is also one of the best Christmas movies of all time, probably the absolute best. At any rate, however we rank it, Frank Capra’s classic deserves to be watched and rewatched on a regular basis, and new generations should be introduced to it as soon as appropriate.”

3. A Christmas Story

The classic film that plays for a full 24 hours on Christmas Day is not religious or spiritually themed at first glance. Based on the book, In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash, the story summons nostalgia as viewers follow an 8-year-old boy named Ralphie as he celebrates Christmas with his family. His intense desire and longing for a Red Ryder BB gun has been equated to the Advent season and some say the movie can teach us a great deal about our personal relationship with God. 

I distinctly my grandfather sitting me down to watch the movie when I was about Ralphie's age, upon hearing that I had never witnessed its splendor. And I think that's why I return to it year after year because it shows the excitement and anticipation of children at Christmas. 

As we get older, it's easy to lose the luster and magic of this miraculous moment, when heaven touches earth. May we all be as excited as Ralphie this year!

Editor’s note: Die Hard is rated R for violence and language. Reviewers for the USCCB classify the film for adults, noting strong violence, language and nudity. Viewer discretion is advised.