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Reading 2 min.
in collaboration with
Amélie Boukhobza (Clinical psychologist)
They invade TV channels from mid-October to the delight of party addicts and romantics. But why are marshmallow-sprinkled Christmas soap operas and films so successful? Decryption from our psychologist.
Whether you turn on the television during the afternoon, or take a look at the platforms, Netflix in mind, you will quickly be confronted with it: at the end of each autumn, Christmas films seem to multiply, and the public asks for more. Christmas romances are among the most popular, like melting chocolate on our stressful days. But why such enthusiasm?
Corny and not very original… but magical
If these productions shine brightly, it is not because of their originality, the plots being very often similar: a city dweller most often, who finds herself in a village (the one of her childhood), and becomes involved in a project (a choir, saving a bookstore, etc.) where she will meet a local single person, or a widower. All sprinkled with snow and eggnog. This is the common picture. Deja vu? Yes ! And yet it works: no less than 40 productions of this genre are planned each year, and certain films such as Love Actually are now part of cult films.
A ritual that is good for morale
Why does this guilty pleasure persist over the years? In reality, there are several reasons. The timing already, when the weather becomes more gloomy and cold, invites us to slip under a blanket. The ambient stress, with the holidays to prepare, also increases a notch and forces us to take a break. But Christmas films also remind us of our childhood, when the time came to watch the end-of-year cartoon… They are also suitable for the whole family.
For Amélie Boukhobza, clinical psychologist, they simply do us good. “These thread-stitched stories, where everything always ends well, offer a break from a daily life that is not always easy and light. At Christmas, we don’t want complicated things. We seek comfort, sweetness, and these films… they are like cocoons where everything seems possible: repairing a broken relationship, finding love or discovering a deep meaning in life, even in a few days…”
In short, it is beautiful, bright, and contributes a little to the magic of Christmas. This period which invites us to believe that a miracle is within reach, “even if this miracle seems like a romance in a perfectly calculated shower of snow.”
Good in his body, good in his head!
Christmas before time
And then finally, why don’t we succumb to a little wonder in this heavy ambient context. “The photos, the sparkling garlands, the reunions under the tree, it’s a world where you can escape. There is a taste of childhood in there, a discreet permission to continue to believe a little in Santa Claus. Because, even if we know that deep down it’s kitsch, we like the idea that things can end well, for once.” concludes our expert. From there to saying that these films are good for your health, there is only one step. Wearing a fur-lined boot.
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