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Photo Courtesy of New Line Cinema.

Buddy is an elf. Sort of. You see, he's way too big. And that makes the beginning of Elf, with Will Ferrell as Buddy, just hilarious. He's too big to squeeze into his elf desk, to fit in the elf shower or to sit on his elf dad's lap. So Buddy is sent back to where he belongs: with his real, normal-sized family in New York City.

The problem? His family thinks he's nuts. After all, the guy believes he's one of Santa's elves. But the ending—when Buddy's family realizes Santa is real and accepts Buddy for who he is—is a happy one. Everyone learns a lesson about the love of family and belief in the unbelievable.

This isn't a big surprise, because I've noticed most Christmas movies typically have one of two things going on: 1) they revolve around family, love and sharing and 2) they paint Christmas as a fantastic, imaginary and snowy fairy tale. But even with their warm family themes and fun moments, we're still left wondering if the real meaning of Christmas is anywhere around.

Family & Fantasy
TV stations play so many Christmas specials during December, I could probably go the whole month without seeing anything else. (In fact, on some channels I can sit and watch 24 hours straight of just A Christmas Story!) My family and I love watching these old favorites together while sharing memories. In fact, most Christmas movies and shows are about exactly that: family and love.

In Surviving Christmas and Christmas with the Kranks, skeptical characters learn that the true spirit of the holiday is simply being with loved ones. A Christmas Story is almost completely about family—well, and BB guns. Many Christmas movie characters find real happiness and joy through their loved ones at the holidays. Others learn lessons about love. For instance, how many times have we seen characters learn to care for others or to be less selfish? Take the Grinch and Ebenezer Scrooge. Now there's a pair of really unlovable, bitter and selfish Christmas characters. But by the time the credits roll in How the Grinch Stole Christmas and A Christmas Carol, these two nasty guys learn to spread Christmas love.

There isn't anything wrong with love, family and sharing at Christmas. After all, without love—God's love—there'd be no Christmas. But that's what's missing from most Christmas movies: God's love isn't what teaches characters to love or share or treat others right. Instead of God transforming hearts, it's the magic and fantasy of the season.

And while I know love and family are real, I've never met an actual Grinch (or a Who from Whoville). And this is the second big thing I notice about Christmas movies. Over and over, Christmas movies invite me into a magical world where snowmen dance, reindeer fly and a guy like Will Ferrell becomes a super-sized elf. In imaginative plots like The Polar Express' exciting trip to the North Pole, I get sucked into the fantasy worlds of Christmas movies. Of course, there's nothing wrong with imagination in telling Christmas stories. They're fun and it makes me think about fantastic or even supernatural things beyond what I know in day-to-day life. But the problem is I also get distracted from the real story of Christmas because it has nothing to do with Santa, elves or snowmen. Where in Christmas movies is the reason for the season?

What It's All About
Every year, I look forward to seeing A Charlie Brown Christmas. I love when Charlie Brown tries to decorate that scrawny tree. And I dig that funky little dance Snoopy does. But my favorite part is when Charlie asks the same question I sometimes ask about Christmas shows: "Isn't there anyone out there who can tell me what Christmas is all about?"

Luckily, Linus is there to give the answer. A big spotlight hits him as he recites Luke 2:8-14, where the angels declare the birth of Jesus to the shepherds. "And that," Linus finishes, "is what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown."

Linus is right. But you know, the importance of Christmas goes beyond just the birth of a baby in a manger. What makes Christmas meaningful is who that baby was—the Son of God—and what he grew up to do. The love and giving behind Christmas—and so many Christmas movies—comes not just from this baby's birth but Jesus' entire life, including his teachings, death and sacrifice.

I think I'd add some new movies to my must-see list at Christmas this year. If Christmas is about celebrating who Jesus was and what he did, then maybe The Passion of the Christ or The Gospel of John aren't just Easter movies—but the ultimate Christmas movies. Sure, there are no mangers or elves or snowmen, but this, as Linus says, is what Christmas is really about.

Editor's note: The movies mentioned in this article are used as examples only. Please check with your parents before seeing these movies.

Read more from 'Faith & Values'

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