Every year, the holiday season is what I look forward to the most. It’s full of cozy sweaters, warm drinks, family traditions and holiday movies. I make it a point to watch Christmas movies, both new and old, every holiday season. While I love live-action movies, animated ones always give me a sense of nostalgia, and that is exactly what I went into this movie expecting.
“That Christmas” was released Dec. 4 on Netflix. It follows the town of Wellington-on-Sea as a terrible blizzard hits the days leading up to Christmas. While the blizzard is ongoing — setting everyone’s plans awry — we are shown different tales of love, loneliness, friendship and family throughout the town.
Going into the movie, I expected a film that made me feel nostalgic. I was hoping for it to be something that reminded me of older classics, wanting it to put me into the holiday spirit.
Though it did get me into a festive mood, it was not what I was expecting.
“That Christmas” does a phenomenal job of showing different types of families and living situations seen in the real world. The movie shows single moms, interracial couples, different cultures, interesting personalities and life in the modern world. The movie had a lot of diversity and provided many opportunities for people to see themselves within it.
This level of diversity and character depth is not something prevalent in a lot of older animated Christmas movies. Due to this, the disappointment I felt when I first realized the movie wasn’t going to be as expected was quickly replaced by enjoyment and a sense of belonging.
One thing that confused me when first watching was the involvement of Santa Claus. The movie is marketed in a way that makes it seem like Santa would be playing a big part — though that isn’t the case. While he does have some big moments that set the scene, most of the film focuses on the people of Wellington-on-Sea.
While I was wanting a film that would take me back to my childhood, I was given something better. I found a movie that gives everyone — no matter what their family looks like — a way to feel seen and that tops the classic movie feel I was hoping for.
