40+ Holiday Movie Fan Theories

While the 1964 film Rudolph the Red-Nose Reindeer is a classic around Christmas time, that doesn’t mean to say it doesn’t come without its fair share of suspicion. One good example would be how many believe that Hermy the “elf” is in fact not actually an elf at all.

Instead, people say he’s Santa’s and Mrs. Claus’s rebellious son. What possible reason could people think this? Well, as it turns out there are a few, from the facial structure similarities to why Mr. and Mrs. Claus call themselves “mama and papa.” We’ll let you decide on this one!

If the film Jingle All the Way from 1996 happens to be your favorite holiday movie, then we apologize in advance for crushing any preconceived notions. Remember, we’re only sharing popular theories and not legitimate facts.

So, with that in mind, listen up to this next one! Fans around the globe took to Reddit to express their concern that the character Myron does not exist but is rather a result of Howard’s stress. After all, stress is the biggest killer and he does suffer a lot trying to find the doll.

Many of the younger generations most probably have not even seen the 1946 film It’s a Wonderful Life, so we’ll try not to overshare in case you’ve recently added it to your holiday list of must-sees.

Fans took to Reddit to express their belief that Mary’s wish on the Granville house by accident doomed George and everything bad that happens along the way is because of that wish. We know this one is pretty out there but what are your general thoughts?

Could a family Christmas film be representative of war? Well, according to Redditors, the 1989 movie Christmas Vacation has a heavier message behind it about Vietnam War veterans.

Fans believe that Cousin Eddie is indeed a disenfranchised veteran who’s mocked for a disability he incurred while fighting for his life in Vietnam. Could this really be the case? Whether it’s true or not, even the thought of it makes us sad.

A young Macaulay Culkin stars as the lead in the original Home Alone film from 1990. Those of you who don’t know the movie are most probably living under a rock. But, for those of you who have seen it and don’t know about the crazy theories behind it, we’re okay with that.

In fact, that’s what we’re here to do, so listen up to this next fan belief! Most of the film’s events never actually happened but were rather a figment of Kevin’s imagination. We’ll just let that one sink in…

This next fan theory looks at two different movies and finds one great similarity. Those of you who are scratching their heads already, we understand but give us a chance to explain first!

According to a passionate Redditor, the character of Burgermeister Meisterburger from the 1970 film Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town is in fact the Heat Miser from the 1974 flick The Year Without a Santa Claus. Just look at the side-by-side here before commenting!

The film Love Actually is a go-to holiday movie known for its drama, romance, and star-studded cast. But, what if the characters in the film aren’t nearly as gorgeous as we think they are?

Even though no one can deny how good-looking Hugh Grant is, fans have an interesting take on the movie — we see each character through the eyes of a loved one, and therefore, we think they’re more beautiful than they really are.

This is the second time a theory has decided that a character in one film is indeed in another. According to those on Reddit, the title character in the 2019 film Klaus is the same person as North from 2012’s Rise of the Guardians.

Besides the clear difference in accents, we’ll admit that Klaus and North (also referred to as Santa Claus) do share a similar look. Could this be real, or are we letting conspiracy theories take over?

Prepare yourself for another know-it-all fan who believes strongly in his theory. We also need to add in before we explain it — this idea is based on just one line said in the 1974 film The Year Without a Santa Claus. 

At a point in time, Santa breaks the fourth wall by looking at the audience to say, “I dreamed unhappy things.” This dramatic moment makes our Redditor here believe that the whole movie is just a recount of a nightmare Santa had.

If you’re a fan of the 1988 film Die Hard, then this next theory might throw you off a bit. We’re sorry again but we’re here to tell you the crazy ideas. It’s then your job to decide whether or not you believe it!

Some fans of the Christmas movie actually believe that Alan Rickman’s character, Hans Gruber, never thought all his men would remain alive. For us, the biggest red flag that gives credit to this is why Hands never got a vehicle big enough for everyone…

We know that we’re starting to sound like conspiracists but this next one about Tim Burton’s films happens to make a lot of sense. And since the main characters in his original films all share similarities, could it be that they’re the same person at different stages?

From Victor in Frankenweenie to Victor in Corpse Bride, and lastly to Jack Skellington in the 1993 film The Nightmare Before Christmas. You can’t deny that there are some matching names and facial appearances. Woah, we just got the chills!

Since the 1990 film Home Alone is such a classic, it makes sense that there will be more than one theory about the characters to leave you scratching your head out of confusion. And even though John Candy’s character, Gus, plays a small role, the accusation is rather colossal.

Theorists on Reddit are claiming that Gus Polinksi is actually the devil who desires the soul of Catherine O’Hara’s character, Kate McCallister. What?!

We’ve already mentioned 1994’s The Santa Clause because it’s such a great family comedy and the first of the series. But, as it turns out, not everyone agrees with that. Leave it to Reddit or Twitter to expose the ugly truth.

Well, this is not necessarily the truth but definitely an ugly revelation — according to this Twitter poster, The Santa Clause is no family-friendly flick but rather a brutal horror film. Thoughts on this one? We’re shaking our heads…

Long-time fans of the 1966 Christmas movie, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, have a strange theory of their own. The reason why we think it’s ‘strange’ is because it basically says that Santa Claus gave someone the green light to steal.

Yes, you heard us correctly! The popular theory goes that Santa allowed the Grinch to steal Christmas because it was the only way to lead him down a path of redemption. Our younger self doesn’t want to believe this but something about it does make sense.

Since being released in 2004, The Polar Express has become one of the most beloved Christmas films. Though it might be a classic, it’s also known as a deeper and more complicated choice than the other light-hearted movies.

Because of this, conspiracy theories about the film’s characters have circulated on social media. Examples include people thinking the conductor is, in fact, the main character when he gets older — and now @Lizzyhilland’s belief that the homeless ghost is actually the conductor’s brother.

We’re again visiting the 1964 classic Rudolph the Red-Nose Reindeer and this time, all eyes are on Rudolph. This sweet deer is known for his distinctive nose, which fans are saying bears resemblance to the Scarlet A. That thought definitely complicates our preconceived notions.

Could Rudolph be the illegitimate child of Donner? Does it matter if he is? Are fans of the film just bored and coming up with ideas out of the thin air? We’ll let you decide what best makes sense. Remember, it’s only our job to inform and the rest is up to you!

We just can’t seem to get away from Home Alone and all its fan theories. This next one basically says that Kevin from the holiday movie grows up to be Jigsaw from the Saw movies.

While the two movies couldn’t differ more genre and plot-wise, we have to admit that these two characters do bear a resemblance. Even though we don’t believe in this particular theory, we will give @netw3rk an ‘A’ for effort.

Even though 1994’s The Santa Claus is nothing but joyous to us, there does seem to be a lot of hype around the underlying meaning of the movie. Earlier on, we mentioned how a fan thought it was actually a horror film and this explains why.

Could the North Pole be full of cannibals? According to the source, the elves’ casual reaction to the original Santa’s death and the size of their kitchen oven all permit this. What are our thoughts here? We’re starting to rethink light-hearted films now…

The 2000 movie, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, will forever be dear in our hearts — from Jim Carey’s brilliant acting as the Grinch to Taylor Momsen’s adorable outfits and hairstyle. So, it’s hard for us to believe some of the fan theories out there.

This next one doesn’t make much sense to us but here goes anyway. Apparently, Whoville is actually a future land which shows us how the world would have been if certain historical events would have gone on. We’re gonna go right ahead and stick this theory in the trash!

The 1969 TV special of Frosty the Snowman is still loved and talked about. In fact, so much so that YouTube channel @ChannelFrederator calls out the character as being anything but happy and joyful.

According to the source, he’s “actually a corrupt, soulless demon, created by a bunch of questionably moral kids.” As hard as it is for us to think this about our precious Frosty, that’s indeed what some believe. Fake news perhaps?

In 2019, Emilia Clarke and Henry Golding starred in rom-com Last Christmas on Netflix. With such a lovely cast, what negative comments could fans possibly spin? Well, as it turns out, quite a lot!

But, before you start to believe some of these over-the-top theories, film director Paul Feig made a statement to deny all the crazy conspiracies that this Christmas movie is anything but merry. Case closed!

The Christmas Chronicles is another film series that’s a must-see on Netflix. Kurt Russell plays Santa Claus while his real-life partner, Goldie Hawn, plays his on-screen wife, Mrs. Claus. So, what outrageous things could possibly be said?

Fans quickly started drawing similarities between Russell’s character in The Christmas Chronicles and an older one that he played in the sci-fi movie, The Thing. Could these two movies be linked? We’re scratching our heads again!

If you didn’t know the classic Christmas film Home Alone before reading this list, you certainly will now. And we’ve got yet another fan theory for you guys that plays into the previously mentioned one.

Just to jog your memory, we previously mentioned how John Candy’s character, Gus, is said to be the devil and since Kevin’s mom admits to selling her soul to the devil. Well, you get where we’re going with this. But, truth be told, there’s no real proof to either theory!

The 2004 family-comedy Christmas With the Kranks is another must-see on a movie day. And hopefully, you would have already seen Home Alone since yet again, it comes up amongst fan theories of holiday movies.

This time, people are saying that the Kranks and the McCallisters are neighbors. Perhaps the Hollywood sets were located near each other because we don’t think either movie was filmed in real homes. Though we’re open to suggestions on this one!

There are just so many dramatic fan theories out there when it comes to Love Actually so brace yourself for this next one. According to a source on Buzzfeed, Liam Neeson’s character, Daniel, is actually in love with his best friend, Karen, who’s played by Emma Thompson.

And here’s the kicker – Karen is married! Perhaps this is why Daniel hides his true feelings? Otherwise, what’s also very likely is that none of this is true and Daniel is really and truly in love with Claudia Schiffer’s character, Carol.

The Holiday happens to be our all-time favorite film so we’re extra sensitive about these crazy fan theories. But, the show must go on and as promised, here’s another one. Perhaps both the female leads (Cameron Diaz and Kate Winslet) passed away early on in the film.

Then, the rest of the unfolding plot would just be what they wanted to happen to them had things gone their way. In our opinion, this cliché and pessimistic theory belongs in the trash. Then again, we admit to being a little bias about this one.

We just can’t seem to get away from fan theories when it comes to Home Alone. Judging from the amount of online chatter about this film, it must be the most popular holiday movie. Now, get ready for this next one!

Apparently, Uncle Frank is not such a good family member as fans feel that he put a target on his own nephew after he discovered incriminating. Could Frank really want to take Kevin out? This certainly does not sit well with us!

We have yet another dark theory about the family comedy Jingle All the Way. Remember when we told you that Myron the mailman is a figment of Howard’s imagination? Well, this next theory goes one step further. According to this skeptical fan, Myron is actually a mental patient that escaped from an asylum.

One of her reasons for believing he isn’t a working mailman is because he carries his work bag everywhere but never actually delivers mail… We’ll let you take the lead on this one!

Our favorite fan theories are always when audiences think movies are connected to each other. It makes us feel that all the action and drama we witness on screen could actually have some truth behind it.

For example, this popular theory says that the young conductor from The Polar Express is Marty McFly’s son from Back to the Future. Could this be? Well, anything can happen when you believe in magic and both these flicks are pretty magical.

Just because an actress plays a similar role in two movies or more doesn’t mean to say the movies are connected — but that doesn’t stop fans from speculating. This next theory centers around Buddy’s stepmom in Elf, who also happens to play Ferrell’s mom in Step Brothers.

While we love the actress Mary Steenburgen, the fact that she and Will worked together in two movies isn’t enough for us to believe that the two movies are a continuation of each other… right?

There has been much speculation as to what How the Grinch Stole Christmas is really about. Is Whoville a post-apocalyptic world? Or is it a land for cannibalism to take place? Or perhaps it’s really about PTSD? We’re going to focus on the latter theory for now.

Could this seemingly family-friendly film be a deep exposé into such a difficult disorder? Perhaps we’re not such good movie watchers after all, as we never seem to analyze deeper meanings in the moment.

Disney’s adaptation of the Nutcracker cultivated into the fantasy film The Nutcracker and the Four Realms. While fans all agreed that the flick was a Christmas must-see, there was speculation over how it really related to the original story.

It appears that Disney chose to tell a follow-up version and that led this particular fan to her own conclusion. She strongly believes that Marie married the Nutcracker and that the children are actually rulers of the land.

When we tune into Will Ferrell’s movie Elf, we all prepare ourselves for a merry family comedy. See what we did there? Merry Christmas, ya’ll! But, before we distract you too much, we do need to tell you about a fan theory that might surprise you.

There are those that say the holiday movie is not as fun as it seems, but rather a great big allegory for loss of faith and Christianity. Could this be a deeper film than what meets the eye or are people getting ahead of themselves? We’ll let you decide!

What a theory really is, is an idea used to account for a certain situation. A theory is also not sufficient evidence because it is not a fact. So, technically we’re just sharing a bunch of crazy ideas with you all that play with the imagination.

This next one is particularly silly so try not to take it even remotely seriously. And just because someone says “in fact,” doesn’t mean to say there’s actually any truth to it.

National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation came out in 1989 and families across the world were hooked on this comedy film — so much so that the sequel entitled Vegas Vacation was released in 1997. What could be bad about that?

Well, unfortunately, fans are always looking on the sinister side and since the kids’ ages didn’t add up between the two movies, that gave them enough reason to doubt. Could the Griswold’s be dead because of this? Sorry but no!

When a fan theory happens to involve the “King of Rock and Roll,” we’re all ears. This next one could even be our all-time favorite yet because it plays on the conspiracy theory that Elvis didn’t die.

Even though there are some facial similarities between this film extra in Home Alone and the late star, we’re going to have to be the truth police again and can this theory. We don’t want to spread any false hope around!

Who would have thought that Santa’s job was overrated and worthy of staging death to get out of? Well, this fan theorist certainly does.

According to them, the only reason Tim Allen’s character Scott gets to play Father Christmas in The Santa Claus is because the original one got help from his elves to fake his own death. Why would he do such a thing? Perhaps retired life on a beach sounded more appealing to him…

While we thought The Holiday was a typical romantic comedy, fans online would beg to differ. We have yet another rather out-there theory to divulge with you. Now, instead of the female leads being dead the whole time, the one is actually plotting to kill the other.

To be more specific, Kate Winslet and Jude Law’s characters are siblings in the film, so according to this theory, they’re the killer kinds who go after Cameron Diaz’s character for her wealth. We totally prefer the movie version where it’s all about love and heartbreak!

At this point, finding out that movies that we thought were all about light-hearted topics actually aren’t is no longer surprising. So, with the 2003 Christmas comedy Love Actually, we’re trying to embrace the fact that nothing is what it seems.

Could it be that Mia is the devil reincarnated and Rufus is a pure angel? Surely no one is really that evil or good? Well, read on above to find out why fans are clinging to this belief. We’re no longer getting flustered over these theories!

The Princess Switch is an American Christmas romantic comedy film series starring the always lovely Vanessa Hudgens. While A Christmas Prince is a similar type of movie that can also be found on Netflix.

Since the main characters from the latter film make a cameo appearance in the former, fans from all over the globe are starting to delve deeper into this. Cue yet another royal family conspiracy but this time it’s about the Aldovian family.

Holidate is a lovely Christmas rom-com that came out in 2020. Starring Emma Roberts and Luke Bracey, the duo really stole our hearts. And while this next fan admits to enjoying the film, she does point out some controversy that exploded on the internet.

During a frozen food aisle scene, Emma’s character references the hunky actor Ryan Gosling who everyone believes then made a cameo appearance. However, actor Chad Zigmund has since come out to admit that he’s the lookalike who was featured in the film.

We know our heading of ‘Die Alone’ sounds sinister but it’s really just a combination of the Christmas movies Die Hard and Home Alone. And the reason we chose to put these two very different films together is because of another crazy fan theory.

Is it possible that these two films exist in the same universe? Sure, there’s a slight possibility but the truth is the odds are slim to none. We apologize if we’re crushing any of your dreams here but we’re just not buying this one! Sorry, not sorry!

We all know and love Tim Allen’s starring role in the 1994 flick The Santa Clause. However, what a lot of us might not know is that many fans have their own theory regarding the elves. Spoiler alert — something bad happens to Santa.

Audiences were up in arms over the lack of emotion the elves showed when the former Santa passed away. Was he not loved? Was he not as nice as we know him to be? According to the popular note, they didn’t show they cared much because the North Pole law doesn’t allow it.

Will Ferrell’s character Buddy in the 2003 comedy Elf comes across as a very likable and happy-go-lucky soul. However, not everyone agrees with this perspective. According to certain Redditors, he is far from this good boy image.

The poster here compared him to a “Peeping Tom,” which essentially means he likes to secretly watch people. This theory came as a result of the iconic shower scene in which Buddy interrupts Zooey Deschanel’s character while she’s in the shower.