10 Christmas Movies That Didn’t Actually Release Near Christmas

Every festive season there are Christmas films that audiences love to rewatch to get in the holiday mood, but several of these merry movies were not actually released near Christmas at all. Despite including classic Christmas themes such as family, coming together for the holidays, and spreading joyful cheer, many Christmas movies were released during the summer, spring, and fall, and some were not intended to be associated with Christmas at all. However, over the years, these films have become holiday classics, and for many, it just wouldn’t feel like Christmas without watching them.

The list of Christmas movies that didn’t release near Christmas includes a musical that, despite being released during the summer, is now forever associated with holiday cheer due to the insane popularity of one of its included songs. There is the summer action movie Die Hard, which, to this day, audiences frequently debate whether Die Hard can be classified as a Christmas movie or not. Or even the January release that only holds its iconic status as a Christmas classic today due to a mistakenly lapsed copyright that accidentally put the movie in the public domain.

10 Holiday Inn

Released: August 4, 1942

Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire’s musical film Holiday Inn is best known as the source of the iconic Christmas song “White Christmas” which makes it even more shocking to learn that Holiday Inn was released in the summer of 1942. The success of the song came as a surprise as it was a different track, “Be Careful, It’s My Heart”, that was intended to be a big hit after the movie’s release. The mega success of “White Christmas” in Holiday Inn led to the production of the 1954 musical film White Christmas, again starring Bing Crosby, which acted as a loose remake of Holiday Inn.

9 It’s A Wonderful Life

Released: January 7, 1947 (wide release)

It’s a Wonderful Life is one of the most beloved Christmas movies of all time. For this reason, it comes as a surprise that It’s a Wonderful Life did not receive a wide release until January of 1947, although it did have a limited release on December 20, 1946, to ensure it would be eligible for the Oscars. In fact, It’s a Wonderful Life has only become as iconic as it is today due to a clerical error that prevented its copyright from being renewed in 1974. This meant the movie entered the public domain and was repeatedly aired on public television channels for free every holiday season.

8 Miracle On 34th Street

Released: May 2, 1947

The festive favorite about a department store Santa who claims to be the real Santa Claus was shockingly released during the summer. Miracle on 34th Street was released in May 1947, because the studio executive Darryl F. Zanuck insisted more people go to the movies when the weather is warm (via Huff Post). The studio agreed and downplayed the Christmas setting of Miracle on 34th Street when promoting it, safe in the knowledge that they could re-release the film in theaters once the Christmas season came around.

7 The Apartment

Released: June 15, 1960

The Apartment is not a typical Christmas movie, although it has become a holiday favorite for many people as the main events of the movie take place over Christmas in a wintery New York. Despite this setting, The Apartment received a June release, but to truly capture the spirit of Christmas it is said that director Billy Wilder filmed the office Christmas party scene on December 23, 1959, to ensure the cast would be in the proper holiday mood (via IMDb).

6 Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence

Released: May 10, 1983

Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence starred glam rock musician David Bowie as a British colonel in WWII attempting to bridge the divide between British prisoners of war in Japan and the Japanese camp commander. Despite the movie’s festive title and considering Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence May release date, Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence primarily deals with themes of cultural differences, prisoners’ resilience, and the harsh reality of war. It does, however, feature scenes set during Christmas that serve to highlight the cultural disparities between the soldiers and officers who are holding them prisoner.

5 Trading Places

Released: June 8, 1983

Trading Places is set over the Christmas period and tells the story of a street hustle switching lives with an upper-class successful investor. A socially conscious comedy, Trading Places received a summer release as although it is a Christmas movie, its appeal is not based around its Christmas setting and instead comes from its well-written and engaging script. As a less traditional Christmas film, it highlights one of the most important themes of the festive season, the divide between the rich and the poor and the need to consider those less fortunate during the holidays.

4 Gremlins

Released: June 8, 1984

A movie originally released as a summer blockbuster; Gremlins has become a holiday classic due to its Christmas setting and creatures that at first look appear to be cute and cuddly. However, this soon devolves when the strange creature named Gizmo, who is gifted as a Christmas present, spawns other creatures and puts the entire town in peril. Gremlins showcases a message about rampant consumerism that is particularly relevant during the Christmas season, although there are plenty of young viewers who were scared stiff by the movie’s mischievous monsters who would categorize this film as more frightening than it is festive.

3 Die Hard

Released: July 12, 1988

Perhaps the most controversial Christmas movie of all time, the categorization of Die Hard as a festive film has long been debated. However, Die Hard is set on Christmas Eve and countless viewers watch it every holiday season, for this alone, it has earned its place as a Christmas classic. But viewers were first introduced to police detective John McClane in July 1988, and in fact, none of the five films in the Die Hard franchise have been released during Christmas time.

2 The Nightmare Before Christmas

Released: October 9, 1993

The story of the Pumpkin King of Halloween Town Jack Skellington is an interesting one as it falls between the two worlds of Halloween and Christmas. Despite The Nightmare Before Christmas being chock-full of snow, festive cheer, and even Santa Claus, it received an October premiere when it was first released in 1993. The film’s unique blend of two distinct holidays made it possible to market the film at first during its spooky October release, and then build viewer’s anticipation of the Christmas season through November and December.

1 While You Were Sleeping

Released: April 21, 1995

While You Were Sleeping is a romantic comedy starring Sandra Bullock, that features a festive atmosphere and much of the plot taking place during the Christmas season. However, this movie, about a woman who is mistakenly believed to be a comatose patient’s fiancé, was released in April 1995. Despite this, While You Were Sleeping has become a festive favorite for its themes of love, family, and coming together during the holidays, and encapsulates all that is wholesome and feel-good about the Christmas movie genre.

Sources: Huff Post, IMDb