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British Stereotypes And Clichés Galore: What Christmas Movies Always Get Wrong

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This article was originally published in December 2020.

Red London buses, the bumbling Brit and the over-zealous American, and endless messages of goodwill and cheer: Christmas movies are often guilty of presenting a very one-note image of the festive period.

In fact, the genre is so rigidly defined, throngs of people light up social media each year to argue how Die Hard cannot possibly a Christmas film, even though it’s set at Christmas – presumably because it isn’t filled with festive clichés.

Perhaps audiences have Hollywood to blame for establishing a genre that feels like it relies so heavily on stereotypes.

“It’s funny rewatching a couple of Christmas films and reminding myself about them,” says Isibeal Ballance, the TV producer who worked with writer-director Mark Gatiss on subversive Christmas drama The Dead Room.

“The characters are always stereotypical. More so than any other time of year, these films lack nuance and get straight down to the point – the story of a character’s redemption.”

Hugh Grant played a fictitious prime minister in Love Actually
Hugh Grant played a fictitious prime minister in Love Actually

Moviestore/Shutterstock

Whether Love Actually, Miracle On 34th Street, The Holiday or even Scrooge, characters in the most famous Christmas films appear to play into Isibeal’s argument

Over here in the UK, we’re often awkward, miserable or earnest, and over in the States, hugely vivacious, positive and romantic.

“I think it is amazing how little people in America know about the UK and how little people in the UK know about the USA,” adds Douglas Mackinnon, director of the Doctor Who Christmas special Husbands Of River Song and Sherlock’s The Abominable Bride.

He recalls one memorable instance: “I had a shoot that started on Buckingham Palace and an American exec asked what ‘that old building’ was. So I’m not surprised that the stereotypes come out very quickly!”

Sherlock's 2015 Christmas special The Abominable Bride
Sherlock’s 2015 Christmas special The Abominable Bride

Paddington, for one, is guilty of “ruthless use of red buses”, says Douglas, who believes the British accent often attempted by Americans in Christmas films is “inevitably a posh accent, often based on not-too intensive research by listening to old interviews with Diana or Charles, or by watching The Crown.”

What do English actors do? They’ll likely copy Sean Connery’s accent if they’re playing a Scottish character, and other actors will turn to Dick Van Dyke if they need to play British, he suspects.

Of course, there’s a comforting familiarity about certain stereotypes. “Great writing doesn’t head for cliché, but the complication is that often a story can start in a familiar place to let the audience in,” explains Douglas. “The problems start if you also finish in a familiar place.”

Not all Christmas shows follow this cookie-cutter approach. The Dead Room is a clever example of how we can rethink Christmas drama while avoiding cliché: set in an old radio building, haunting shots show a crumbling studio, as an older man relives trauma from his past. It is perhaps inspired by Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, but the feel is grittier, more modern and more realistic, as an older man recounts trauma from his past.

The Dark Room starred Simon Callow in the lead role
The Dark Room starred Simon Callow in the lead role

Die Hard is perhaps the most famous example of a Hollywood Christmas blockbuster subverting expectations of the genre. Bob Clark’s thriller Black Christmas about a killer who is never caught – hardly the fairytale ending – is unusual too, much like Shane Black’s Kiss Kiss Bang Bang: another example of a properly dark, unusually witty Christmas film.

In the psychological horror Better Watch Out, stereotypes about Christmas are manipulated to trick the viewer into thinking they are in familiar territory. “Our goal was to get audiences comfortable, yawning, ‘I’ve seen this before…,’” Chris Peckover, director, tells HuffPost UK.

“So when the turn came it would be utterly upheaving. And then to drive the knife in, we continued with the holiday stereotypes ― characters wearing ugly Christmas sweaters, serving hot cocoa to the carollers ― to create a disturbing juxtaposition with the unfolding events. It’s the very nature of stereotypes as lazy and familiar that we harnessed.”

Due to the pandemic, 2020′s crop of Christmas films was minimal: but while Holidate starring Emma Roberts and The Princess Switch: Switched Again with Vanessa Hudgens appear more on familiar territory, Netflix’s major seasonal release Jingle Jangle stylistically switched things up.

Sure, it plays on some Christmas cliches: there’s a toymaker at the heart of the plot and it’s set on the snow-laden cobbled streets of Victorian England, but the way director David E. Talbert has fused African prints, hairstyles, music and dance with the classic Dickensian Christmas movie aesthetic stretches the genre excitingly toward pastures new.

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Senior Labour MP Accuses Trump Of ‘Undermining Free Speech’ After Starmer Ally Banned By US

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A senior Labour MP has hit out at the Donald Trump administration after an ally of Keir Starmer’s top aide was banned from the United States.

Imran Ahmed is one of two British anti-disinformation campaigners whose US visas are being revoked.

Ahmed, who is also a former adviser to cabinet minister Hilary Benn, is chief executive of the Centre for Countering Digital Hate, which was set up in 2017 by Morgan McSweeney, who is now the No.10 chief of staff.

He has been sanctioned along with Clare Melford, another British-based executive who runs the Global Disinformation Index.

In all, five Europeans have been banned after Marco Rubio, the US Secretary of State, accused them of leading “efforts to coerce American platforms to punish American viewpoints they oppose”.

In a post on X, he said: “The Trump administration will no longer tolerate these egregious acts of extraterritorial censorship.”

But Chi Onwurah, the Labour MP and chair of the Commons technology committee, said: “Banning people because you disagree with what they say undermines the free speech the administration claims to seek.

“We desperately need a wide ranging debate on whether and how social media should be regulated in the interests of the people.

“Imran Ahmed gave evidence to the select committee’s inquiry into social media, algorithms and harmful content, and he was an articulate advocate for greater regulation and accountability.

“Banning him won’t shut down the debate, too many people are being harmed by the spread of digital hate.”

A UK government spokesperson said: “The UK is fully committed to upholding the right to free speech.

“While every country has the right to set its own visa rules, we support the laws and institutions which are working to keep the Internet free from the most harmful content.

“Social media platforms should not be used to disseminate child sex abuse material, incite hatred and violence, or spread fake information and videos for that purpose.”

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11 Ridiculously Easy (And Delicious) Christmas Eve Dinner Ideas

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OK, so your household might do Christmas dinner a little differently – we’ve always been a “chicken instead of turkey” home, and have hated debates about the role of cauliflower in the meal.

But usually, the fast is planned weeks, even months, in advance. Not so for Christmas Eve, though, at least in our house.

While friends from across Europe have standard dishes they always go for the night before Christmas, I always feel at a bit of a loss. I want something fast, something festive, and something that won’t tire me out before the main event.

Luckily, a post shared to Reddit’s r/Cooking, which reads, “I need easy ideas for Christmas Eve that are not lasagna,” has answers (good, because I’ve never made an “easy” lasagna in my life).

Here are some of the top replies:

1) “I’d go with a pot roast.”

“It’s filling, and it gets all your meat and veg in one pot.”

Credit: u/LadyLongLimbs

“Here is something you can prepare for the oven the day before,” replied u/EvaTheE.

BlueCupcake4Me, meanwhile, said, “This is our absolute favourite pot roast recipe. Worth every minute. The only modification we make is to add more broth.”

2) “This year I’m making enchiladas.”

“It only takes about 35-45 minutes to heat up afterwards. I’ll be pre-assembling them before the service and letting them sit for an hour as everything is cooked already.”

Credit: u/SarahB2006

3) “My family always does Swedish meatballs on Christmas evening.”

“It’s something that takes very little time that night and can be done easily – and fits the Christmas vibe.”

Credit: u/hibernate2020

“Yeah! We do Swedish meatballs along with a cold ham and other Swedish smorgasbord items like boiled potatoes, Jansens potatoes (or equivalent potato gratin), hard bread with Swedish cheese, lutefisk (only for the brave), gravlax, etc,” u/knifeyspoonysporky responded.

4) “In my family, we do a tamale party with beans, rice, and a few kinds of tamales.”

Credit: u/chicklette

“Tamales! Buy a few dozen and provide salsa, guacamole, etc,” u/Extreme_Breakfast672 agreed.

5) “When my mum got older, we did soups and sandwiches.”

“We had several crockpots of different soups and a spread of several types of meat, cheese and bread/rolls, as well as the condiments, along with crisps, veggies and dips.

“Everyone was tasked with bringing something, even if it was just drinks, plates, soup bowls, etc. Both old and young enjoyed it. You can leave it out to snack on through the evening. And the cleanup is easy.”

Credit: u/hummingbird_lane24

6) “Ham. Nothing is easier.”

Credit: u/name-not-yet-taken

“Yesss. Plus lots of people go crazy for it in appetisers the next day. [It also] mixes into breakfast or potato dishes.

“I leave a container of slices in a conspicuous part of the fridge just for my father-in-law. He finds it like there’s a beacon in the Tupperware lol,” replied u/toreadorable.

7) “You can do what my wife and I are doing, get takeaway Chinese food.”

Credit: u/chriseldonhelm

8) “Have you ever done fish en papillote (fish in a bag)?”

“It’s so easy-you can prep everything ahead of time and assemble the bags earlier in the day, then bake when you’re ready to serve.

“Here is the recipe. My family reduces the amount of Cajun seasoning and adds thinly sliced vegetables, like courgette and julienned carrots. Serve with orzo or angel hair pasta, and you have a complete meal.

“Add a salad and/or soup if you want multiple courses!”

Credit: u/nola_t

9) “Fondue.”

Credit: u/girlwhoweighted

“My family likes to do cheese fondue for Christmas Eve,” said u/april-oneill.

“Serve with a sturdy bread, cubed ham, sliced apples, and steamed vegetables (broccoli and cauliflower are good for this). It’s easy but feels festive.”

10) “We’re doing nachos! We’re non-traditional around the holidays.”

“Two kinds of meat, beans, cheese, and all the sides. Everyone can build their own.”

Credit: u/hellonheels99

11) “A nice beef stew. Any leftovers can be either frozen or used within a few days.”

“I generally put beef cheeks, carrots, onions, rosemary, thyme, juniper berries, and bay leaf in a bowl filled with wine and stock the night before.

“The following day dry the meat and veg, fry it off to give it colour, put the wine/stock in a pan and bring to a simmer for 15 min, add all your meat/veg, bring it back to a simmer, throw it in the oven with a lid for 6 hours at 140C, and crack the lid off in the last 90 minutes.

“If you’re doing dumplings, crack the lid at 60 min, and just remove fully when you add your dumplings. As a bonus, you can often reserve some of the gravy to use on Christmas Day.”

Credit: u/XcOM987

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Take Inspiration From How Christmas Is Celebrated Around The World

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In a time when many of us are opting to create our own Christmas traditions, finding inspiration from around the globe to sprinkle into your own life could be just the festive magic you’re looking for.

After all, this is a celebration that happens in so many places internationally, why would you not want to invoke Christmas spirit in new (to you) ways that could even revive the holiday if you’ve been feeling a bit miserly in recent years?

Plus, you can brag about being cultured, a little Christmas gift to yourself.

How Christmas is celebrated in places around the world

Ježíšek in Prague at Christmas

Prague City Adventures explains: “I have lived with Santa Claus visiting on Christmas Eve night since I could understand what a holiday was. No such fat jolly person visits here. Instead the gifts are brought by Ježíšek, or baby Jesus.

They went on to explain that though this sounds religious, Prague is largely atheist and this is real Christmas magic in action, adding: “Ježíšek is magic. He is the bringer of toys and fun though I suspect he also brings new underwear, something parents claim you need, and no one wants for Christmas.

“Under the Communist regime there was an attempt to replace Ježíšek with a Santa like figure known as Děda Mráz (Grandfather Frost) but he never had as big of a following as baby Jesus.”

Ježíšek also drops off gifts during Christmas dinner and rings a bell to let the family know that he’s finished, which I can only imagine results in a stampede of children racing to unwrap their presents.

Christmas Eve feast in Brazil

According to World Holiday Traditions: “Following [Christmas Eve mass], families gather for a traditional Christmas Eve dinner, typically served around 10 PM. The meal is a festive spread that reflects Brazil’s diverse culinary heritage.

“It usually includes roasted turkey, ham, various salads, and fresh tropical fruits. A signature dish is rice cooked with raisins, accompanied by farofa—seasoned manioc flour that adds a distinctive flavour and texture to the meal.”

KFC in Japan

Japan Rail Pass says: “Every Christmas, an estimated 3.6 million Japanese families get their holiday meal from none other than Kentucky Fried Chicken. Somehow this tradition is one of the most sacred and one that really embodies the Japanese Christmas spirit.

“The demand is so high that people start placing their orders for the special Christmas menu six weeks in advance. And the wait in line on Christmas day is so long that it takes hours for people to get their meal. In short, doing Christmas the Japanese way means a visit to the Colonel!”

KFC is closed on Christmas Day in the UK but you could definitely make your own at home…

Visiting ancestors in Finland

On Christmas Eve in Finland, cemeteries across the country are lit up with candles placed by people paying their respects to ancestors.

Speaking to This Is Finland, Risto Lehto, who manages six cemeteries run by the Parish Union of Helsinki said: “As many as three-quarters of Finnish families visit a cemetery at Christmas, mostly on Christmas Eve, and we even have to make special traffic arrangements to accommodate the crowds.”

For those who don’t have a loved one buried in the cemetery, there is a space for lighting candles in memorium for loved ones. A quiet moment of reflection before the chaos of the big day itself.

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Tuberculosis Cases Are Rising In The UK And Several Groups Are At Risk

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According to the World Health Organization (WHO), a total of 1.23 million people died from tuberculosis (TB) in 2024 (including 150 000 among people with HIV). Globally, TB is the world’s leading cause of death from a single infectious agent and among the top 10 causes of death.

Additionally, the UK Health Security Agency reported that in England, TB diagnoses increaseds by 13% in 2024 compared with the previous year, to 5480 people.

While in the UK, we are still just about under the WHO threshold for ‘low incidence’ status of the disease, these figures and similar trends in the US are a sign that progress has stalled and we’re no longer on the trajectory for ending TB.

Which is desperately sad as the disease is both curable and treatable.

Who is at risk of TB in the UK?

BBC Science Focus explains: “TB is closely tied to poverty and to the conditions in which people live and work. Crowded or poorly ventilated housing, homelessness, low income and health risks such as under-nutrition, diabetes, smoking and heavy alcohol use can all increase a person’s vulnerability.

“People in disadvantaged communities are more likely to be exposed and less likely to be diagnosed early, meaning that generally they suffer from worse treatment outcomes. Social stigma, gaps in health systems and misattributed symptoms can also further delay care.”

The NHS also says:

Anyone can get TB, but some people are more likely to get it or get more seriously ill from it, including people who:

  • spend a lot of time with someone who has active TB, such as people living in the same house
  • were born in or lived in an area where TB is more common
  • have a weakened immune system, such as people with HIV, a kidney transplant or who are having certain treatment like chemotherapy
  • are under 5 years of age
  • live in overcrowded or unhealthy conditions, such as people who are homeless
  • regularly smoke, drink alcohol or take drugs
  • have had TB before and it was not treated properly

Those who are at higher risk of being infected are encouraged to get the vaccine against TB, called the BCG vaccine.

What are the symptoms of TB?

Symptoms include:

  • a cough that lasts more than 3 weeks – you may cough up mucus (phlegm) or mucus with blood in it
  • feeling tired or exhausted
  • a high temperature or night sweats
  • loss of appetite
  • weight loss
  • feeling generally unwell

In children, it may also prevent growth and gaining weight.

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The Generous Act That Can Slow Brain Ageing

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We all know that we could and should be doing more to help others but with busy work lives, busy home lives and attempting to make time for self-care, there often just aren’t enough hours in the day.

However, new research from the University of Texas at Austin has revealed that, well, a bit selfishly, helping others could also be the secret to helping our own long-term brain health.

This is essential as according to Alzheimer’s Research UK, 982,000 people are estimated to be living with dementia in the UK and this number is predicted to rise to 1.4 million by 2040.

Helping others could slow down brain ageing

The study, which followed more than 300,000 adults in the US over two decades found that people who consistently helped others outside of the home showed a slower rate of age-related decline.

This decline was reduced by 15-20% among those who either volunteered formally or helped in informal ways by doing things like helping neighbours, family or friends.

Notably, the most consistent benefit was found when people spent around two to four hours per week helping others. So, even a few hours one evening or an hour here or there could make a significant difference.

How to get started in volunteering

Reach Volunteering offers the following advice to those that have never volunteered before: “If you’ve never volunteered before, start with a time limited project, or a short-term commitment. This will give you a chance to try out volunteering and experiment with what works for you.

“Think carefully about what you can reasonably offer. Consider how much time you can spare, whether you can travel or if remote working would be best for you, and what sort of commitment you’re willing to make. Don’t overstretch: work out what you can confidently commit to and start there – you can always build on it later.”

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Yet Another U-Turn As Labour Backs Down Over Farmers’ Inheritance Tax

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The government has U-turned on its plans to launch an inheritance tax raid on farmers.

After months of intense backlash and protests in Westminster, Labour has increased the threshold – the point at which inhertance tax would apply on large farm estates – from land worth £1 million to those worth £2.5 million when it is introduced in April.

The new plan will also permit spouses to pass on £5 million of assets between them before they have to pay the inheritance tax.

This means the total number of estates impacted will drop from 375 to 185 – and the U-turn could cost around £130 million.

It comes after prime minister Keir Starmer told a Commons committee hearing last week that he had been told of farmers with terminal illnesses who were planning to kill themselves before the new rules came in to avoid the tax.

Environment secretary Emma Reynolds claimed the government’s change of heart came about after listening to those within the agriculture community.

She said: “Farmers are at the heart of our food security and environmental stewardship, and I am determined to work with them to secure a profitable future for British farming.

“We have listened closely to farmers across the country and we are making changes today to protect more ordinary family farms. We are increasing the individual threshold from £1m to £2.5m which means couples with estates of up to 5m will now pay no inheritance tax on their estates.

“It’s only right that larger estates contribute more, while we back the farms and trading businesses that are the backbone of Britain’s rural communities.”

But the new U-turn has caused frustration from those within Labour, too.

One MP told HuffPost UK: “Another hill we’ve been forced to climb only to be marched back down again. This government is like being stuck in a room with ‘The Thick of It’ on repeat.”

A rural Labour MP said the government had been “dragged along to do the bare minimum”.

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch described the U-turn as a “big win for the Conservative Party’s campaign against Labour’s Family Farm Tax.”

She added: “This fight isn’t finished. Other family businesses are still affected by Labour’s tax raid, and we will keep pushing until the tax is lifted from them too. But today is an important win, and proof that standing up for what’s fair, even when the odds are against us can make a real difference.”

Reform’s deputy leader Richard Tice also pounced on the government’s flip-flopping.

He said: “Labour’s tax raid on family farms has already been a disaster for the sector, plunging countless farmers into despair, with heartbreaking reports of some taking their own lives in order to save their farms for future generations.

“This cynical climbdown – whilst better than nothing – does little to address the year of anxiety that farmers have faced in planning to protect their livelihoods. Even with the raised threshold, many family farms will still face crippling bills. With British agriculture hanging by a thread, the government must go further and abolish this callous farms tax.”

The Lib Dems’ rural affairs spokesperson, Tim Farron, said: “It is utterly inexcusable that family farmers have been put through over a year of uncertainty and anguish since the government first announced these changes.

“Liberal Democrats were the first to call out and oppose the unfair family farm tax in last years Budget and we have been proud to stand alongside our farming communities to campaign against it ever since. This concession has been hard won, and I am so grateful to all the farmers who have fought tirelessly to achieve this.

“This is about justice and security – if we undermine British farming then we also undermine our ability to provide us with the food we need to keep us secure in an uncertain world.

“Yet many family farms will still find themselves financially crippled and barely making the minimum wage.

“We demand that the government scraps this unfair tax in full and if they refuse to, Liberal Democrats will submit amendments in the new year to bring it down.”

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Meaning Behind The Song Driving Home For Christmas Is So Heartwarming

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Chris Rea died today, leaving behind a legacy of 25 solo albums and several number one hits but most especially, his 1988 Christmas classic Driving Home for Christmas.

The song is regularly on Christmas playlists and is often the soundtrack of people travelling to be closer to their loved ones during the festive season. However, the story behind the song is a little more nuanced than just a festive ditty.

Speaking to The Guardian in 2016, the singer said: “It was 1978, coming up to Christmas. It was all over for me: I was just about out of my record contract, and my manager had just told me he was leaving me.

“I just needed to get home to Middlesbrough from London, but the record company wouldn’t pay for a rail ticket, and I was banned from driving.”

He did have to take a long drive…

He went on to say: “My wife got in our old Austin Mini, drove all the way down from Middlesbrough to Abbey Road studios to pick me up, and we set off back straight away. Then it started snowing. We had £220 and I was fiddling with it all the way home.”

A far cry from the wholesome road trip depicted in his song, their drive home was actually quite frustrating. Chris and his wife kept getting stuck in traffic, gazing over at other miserable drivers and struggling to get home.

“Jokingly, I started singing: ‘we’re driving home for Christmas…’ then, when street lights shone inside the car, I started writing down lyrics.”

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Their arrival home was life-changing

“We eventually got home at 3am. It was so cold inside the house that the snow tumbled on to the doormat and didn’t melt.

“There was one letter – from PRS America. My song Fool (If You Think It’s Over) had been a hit in the US, so there was a cheque for £15,000. We went from being down to our last £220 to being able to buy a house.”

A Christmas miracle, if you will.

The song was shelved for almost a decade

After encouragement from his bandmate Max, Chris revisited his old festive song: “I’d never intended to write a Christmas hit – I was a serious musician! So initially, the song came out on a B-side.

“Then a DJ flipped it over and started playing it, so Max suggested we re-record it and add some strings. Max played the distinctive jazzy intro, we did a classic 1950s Christmas carol-type arrangement, and loved it. At first, it was another radio hit – but then it started re-entering the Top 40 every year.”

Once he got past his ego, Chris indulged in the song with the rest of us.

“I used to be terrified the song would ruin any credibility I had left, but now we have a laugh with it.

“If I’m ever stuck on the M25 – the Road to Hell – I’ll wind the window down and start singing, “I’m driving home for Christmas” at people in cars alongside. They love it. It’s like giving them a present.”

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