Home Alone crowned UK’s favourite Christmas movie while nation says ‘ho no ho’ to Die Hard – after Macaulay Culkin was booed over his divisive comments about the Bruce Willis film

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Thirty-five years after it first hit theaters, Home Alone has been named the most beloved Christmas movie in the UK.

A recent survey has finally settled the debate: despite being set on Christmas Eve, the action classic Die Hard is not considered a Christmas movie, after years of discussion.

When people were asked if “Die Hard” is a Christmas movie, 44% said it isn’t, while 38% argued that it is. Another 5% named it their favorite movie to watch during the holidays.

A recent BBFC survey revealed that Home Alone is the most popular Christmas film, with Love Actually, It’s a Wonderful Life, and Elf rounding out the top four.

The 1990 film Home Alone featured eight-year-old Kevin McCallister (Macaulay Culkin) protecting his house from burglars, and a sequel, Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, was released in 1992.

In the action film Die Hard, Bruce Willis plays detective John McClane. On Christmas Eve, he finds himself battling terrorists who have seized a Los Angeles skyscraper and are holding hostages, including his soon-to-be ex-wife. The film was so successful it spawned four sequels.

According to a recent survey, a touching story is the most important element of a great Christmas movie, preferred by 33% of respondents. Family-friendly content came in second at 15%, and humor was third at 13%.

Macaulay Culkin sparked debate at a recent event when he declared that Die Hard isn’t a Christmas movie. The 45-year-old actor brought up the controversial topic while celebrating the 35th anniversary of Home Alone at ‘A Nostalgic Night with Macaulay Culkin’ in Long Beach, California.

People reported that the audience reacted negatively to his claim that the action movie Die Hard, which starts on Christmas Eve, doesn’t qualify as a Christmas movie.

After the audience booed, he said, ‘I hear you. Some of you seem upset and want to take this further – I’m happy to settle it outside, by the loading dock – but let’s remember, it’s just a Christmas movie.’

He explained that if you simply changed the setting of the movie to St. Patrick’s Day, it would be essentially the same film. He specifically used ‘Home Alone’ as an example, imagining it taking place on St. Patrick’s Day.

The discussion began when the actor, while talking about his favorite holiday movies, mentioned that ‘A Christmas Story’ was a family tradition during his childhood and they always watched it.

He described the film Scrooged as a potentially overlooked classic, though he personally loved it. ‘We watch it all the time,’ he said, adding that it was one of those movies that really stays with you.

He also mentioned that while ‘Elf’ is a great film, he doesn’t feel the same nostalgic connection to it because he didn’t grow up watching it. And, he firmly believes that ‘Die Hard’ shouldn’t be considered a Christmas movie.

The status of Die Hard being a Christmas movie has been an ongoing debate among fans.

The movie begins with John McClane (played by Bruce Willis) arriving at LAX airport carrying a Christmas present. He’s on his way to a holiday party with his wife, Holly.

The movie’s soundtrack is filled with classic Christmas songs, like “Winter Wonderland,” “Let it Snow,” “Christmas in Hollis,” and “Ode to Joy.”

I’ve been a huge Bruce Willis fan for years, and it really broke my heart to hear about his retirement in 2022 due to his dementia. But even before that, back in 2018, he actually spoke out about this very topic himself, which I thought was amazing.

At the Comedy Central roast of Bruce Willis, the actor made a playful declaration: he only agreed to participate to finally address a long-standing debate. He insisted, ‘Let me be clear: Die Hard isn’t a Christmas movie—it’s a Bruce Willis movie, first and foremost!’

But not all share that opinion.

In a 2020 interview with the American Film Institute, director John McTiernan explained that while they didn’t originally set out to make a Christmas film, the movie became associated with the holiday due to the happiness it brought to audiences.

Die Hard writer Steven E. de Souza previously shared a different take.

I remember seeing this tweet back in 2017 – someone asked if he’d ever shared his opinion on whether ‘Die Hard’ counts as a Christmas movie. They even mentioned wanting to hear what Jeb Stuart thought too! It was a fun question, and I was really curious to know his answer.

‘Yes, because the studio rejected the Purim draft #DieHardIsAChristmasMovie,’ he responded.

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2025-11-29 02:34