Film and Television

Abstract

The global phenomenon that Christmas has become has been inspired by the twin forces of commercialism and its ubiquitous visual image through film and television, encapsulated by the Hallmark Channel. Although much of the imagery has foregrounded spiritual values over materialist consumerism, cinema and television have done much to promote the season as one of lavish consumption. From its earliest days, cinema picked up on the season as something it could both interpret and use as a tool to draw in audiences, though Santa Claus was a surprisingly late arrival to this media. Hollywood’s adoption of Christmas then created images which have become icons around the globe, and also promoted the celebration of Thanksgiving around the world. Cinema and television have been potent advocates for the alleged father of the modern Christmas, Charles Dickens, with A Christmas Carol having been produced in many versions over the years. In turn, this has helped maintain the image of Christmas as the key family festival, which was then promoted in the overwhelming majority of Christmas film and television productions.