Do you have a favorite movie you watch every year as a holiday tradition? Have you considered that this movie appeals to you because it either shares your own Energy Type—or an Energy Type that you’re personally drawn to?
Let’s take a look at some popular holiday movies through the lens of Energy Profiling!
Energy Profiling is a movement-based system. Everything in our natural world falls under the four Energy Types. Even your Christmas tree can express an Energy Type! As we experience the movement and energy of each of the 4 Types, it evokes a mood or feeling in us! As you review this list of some popular holiday movies, think about how they make you feel.
Type 1 Holiday Movies: Merry & Bright
Type 1 energy is light, bright, buoyant, random, and animated. People who express Type 1 energy are positive, uplifting, and have a gift for new ideas and seeing all the possibilities.
Type 1 holiday movies make us laugh and show us the lighter side of the holiday spirit. The movie that gets the award for best Type 1 holiday movie of all time is…….Elf! (You knew it before I said it!) The main character, Buddy, epitomizes the playful and innocent side of a Type 1 person, in a highly-animated and exaggerated way.
On a more classical note, the oldie but goodie, Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer, shows the classic and sentimental side of Type 1 animation.
Type 2 Holiday Movies: All is Calm
Type 2 energy is soft, soothing, and fluid. People who express Type 2 energy are peaceful, gentle, and have a natural gift for gathering details and bringing calming energy to those around them.
Type 2 holiday movies bring out feelings of peace and hope in us. Two classics that still hold the lead as the best Type 2 holiday movies of all time are It’s a Wonderful Life
and Miracle on 34th Street.
Both of these movies have detailed storylines that depict the heart of the holidays: kindness that we’re inspired to live out all year long.
Type 3 Holiday Movies: Fiery & Spirited
Type 3 energy is substantial, rich, and reactive. People who express Type 3 energy are dynamic, passionate, and determined.
Type 3 holiday movies have adventure and satire that makes us laugh, and the comedy is more intense and can be seen as sarcastic. A favorite Type 3 movie my children enjoyed every year while growing up is Home Alone! Being left alone without your parents—what an adventure that created!
And one of my all-time favorite Type 3 holiday movies is Christmas Vacation. Making fun of the traditional company gift-giving traditions and family visits is shown with a wild side.
Type 4: Classic & Well-Structured
Type 4 energy is refined, bold, and still. People who express Type 4 energy are stunning, balanced, and have a gift of perfecting.
Type 4 holiday movies reflect the sentimental side of the holidays year after year. They show the lives of the people sharing their reflections during their holiday activities.
Two of the best Type 4 movies of all time are A Christmas Story and A White Christmas. Both have very thorough storylines that take place over a period of time as they share the experience of the characters in the story.
Now it’s your turn! What’s your favorite holiday movie?
Does it share your Energy Type? Why are you attracted to it year after year? What is your experience when you watch it? Does it make you laugh? Cry? Is it full of adventure, satire, or traditional sentiment that you want to feel every holiday season?
Movies are a great way to create the feelings and moods that we want to experience during the holiday season. So, grab a bag of popcorn, a cozy blanket, stop scurrying around trying to get more done, and decide it’s perfect enough—and go watch your favorite holiday movie!
Want to learn more about your own Energy Type, or need to figure out which one you are?
Happy Holidays, everyone!
Have more fun with your Energy Type!
I like Polar Express and the Grinch with Jim C. .. not sure what type those are but I watch them every year with my son .. We are both T2 .. and love it …
I am a Type 2 and both movies you picked are favorites, I would also include “A Christmas Carol” with Alistar Simms as another huge favorite!
my favorite christmas movie is “drei Nüsse für Aschenbrödel” – It’s a german cinderella movie from 1973 – i watch it every year since my childhood. (T4)
I do also like It’s A Wonderful Life.
Love Love the movie “It’s a Wonderful Life!” and I’m pretty sure I am actually a T2…
I’m a 3/2 that loves Christmas movies! There are so many “must watch” on my list. My number 1 favorite is The Family Man with Nicholas Cage, but the first movie of the season to be watched is Miracle on 34th street, and it gets watched on Thanksgiving evening. The last to be watched are How the Grinch Stole Christmas (the cartoon) and A Christmas Story. In between those three I set out to see A Christmas Carol, White Christmas, A Charlie Brown Christmas, 4 Christmases, The Nativity Story, Scrooged, Prep & Landing, Love Actually, Mickey’s Christmas with Scrooge McDuck and Mickey as Bob Cratchet, It’s a Wonderful Life, Elf, The Holiday, nearly all of the Hallmark Christmas movies, and when it comes out on dvd I’ll probably be adding the Bad Moms Christmas movie.
Funny, the two T3 movies mentioned, Home Alone and National Lampoons Christmas Vacation I don’t particularly care for enough to seek out to buy them.
I don’t actually have a favorite Christmas movie. It gets boring watching the same movie over and over again. I think my favorite would be Charlie Brown Christmas, though I’m not sure what type that is. I think part of the reasons I like it is because it’s short and because he shows compassion for that poor little tree :). I did finally see It’s a Wonderful Life though and I thought that was good. But then, I used to like A Christas Story and Miracle on 34th Street too. I’m a type 1, but the type 1 movies listed above were good to see once (maybe twice) but that’s all for me. I think I liked the movies best I listed because they made me feel something inside. Those are my favorite type of books too :).
I was wondering about “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” what type it was, as well. It is my favorite, probably because I identify with Charlie Brown getting depressed. I liked that it reminded us not to concentrate on the gifts but the meaning of Christmas. I also like the old Grinch cartoon for the same reason.
I’m surprised to see my fave holiday movies, Home Alone 1&2 and Christmas Vacation, are T3. I think T3 is the least like me in most ways, but the description of why these movies are liked fits me to a tee, I love the sarcasm and satire. These are really the only ones I watch every year because they still make me laugh. I find most holiday movies a little too cheesy and sentimental for me.
I agree. For most of my adult life I’ve had finals to deal with right before Christmas (either taking or giving and grading), and I think the season feels so chaotic to me that the mom forgetting her son and Clark’s family drama make me feel better about my Christmas chaos. By the time I have time for a movie, I usually feel like a good laugh rather than something that is too in-your-face sentimental.
Thank you for writing this because I noticed in your other comment you’re a T2. I was beginning to doubt my T2/S4 (again, lol). I feel like there’s maybe a stereotype of T2s being super sentimental and liking dramatic movies that make you cry. I tend to avoid those types of movies because they affect my energy a little too much and it takes me a while to recover.
Yes! I think I’ve teared up in Christmas Vacation and Home Alone–the real tear jerker movies are just too much :).
I’m T3 and love so many Christmas movies except the ones listed as T3! That is interesting to me. I could happily go the rest of my life without watching either of them. My must watches every year are It’s a Wonderful Life, Elf, Ernest Saves Christmas, Polar Express, and A Christmas Carol(The newer computer animated with Jim Carrey). I’m really curious what type that is? My husband and I LOVE that version of this wonderful story and watch it together every year(our kids will join when we don’t think it will scare them anymore).
I’m a T4, but my movie tastes according to the movies above lean to T3. I love Home Alone and Christmas Vacation. I even got a winter hat with Chevy chase and Christmas Vacation theme on it.
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I actually hate A Christmas Story & Elf. I find them both stupid. It could also be more because I don’t like the actors who play the main roles.
I’ve seen A White Christmas and A wonderful life, but their not movies I gravitate towards for the Holiday.
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I do tend to watch lots of happy and sentimental movies during the holiday and always look forward to Hallmark and ION’s Holiday countdown.
Type 4 and I love White Christmas for its thoroughness and plot and lovely characters. I also love A Christmas Story for the rich satire and cleverness…rather the opposite of White Christmas. I also love Family Man. A Wonderful Life is good, but moves a little slow for me and is a little “duh” in its theme for me.
I like Jingle all the Way with Arnold Schwarzenegger! It’s hilarious and has a little bit of action adventure in it.
I’m a 2/4, and I love the ones listed as type 2, but my favorites are the Santa Clause, The Muppets Christmas Carol, and The Grinch. (The newer one). What type do you think these movies are?? My type 2/1 hubby loves those as well, which is huge because he doesn’t like any Christmas movies. I also like the Hallmark type ones like Christmas Shoes, etc… I will say that I cannot watch Elf or A Christmas Story. I’m not sure what it is about them….
I really like the Santa Clause also! I think I’m T2 (still in a big battle about 2 vs 3). And I have never liked Elf even though I know lots of people that love it! After reading these comments, I think most of them are T or S1. How interesting!
Type 4/1 here. I normally really really dislike romantic comedies, but “While You Were Sleeping” is one of my favorite movies. It’s not entirely Christmasy per se, as that’s not the entire focus of the plot, but almost all of the story line takes place during Christmas so I count it as a Christmas movie. I also like “Love Actually” and “Elf”. I pretend I don’t like “Elf” and use the kids as my excuse to watch it. My T3 husband absolutely hates that movie and I don’t have the heart to break it to him that I do because he is very loud and vocal about how it embodies everything he hates about Christmas movies lol! But we watch it every year because, uh, the kids like it, or something, yeah! That’s it! Totally because of the kids. 😉
And, I am pretty sure he won’t ever read this, so your secret is safe here!!!
ROFL!!!!
I’m a type 1/2, and I like all of the movies you mentioned! Sometimes I want a funny one, sometimes a sentimental one, or adventurous one. Depends on the day! I also love watching “Little Women” at Christmas!! My family always watched that one at Christmas time growing up, so it’s kind of a tradition. But aside from that, I love it anyway! It makes me laugh and cry. Aunt March is a hoot! 🙂
2/4 here. I haven’t seen one of my “can’t miss” Christmas movies in the discussion yet: The Bishop’s Wife with Cary Grant and David Niven. Love this one! The music, the cast, the story….(happy sigh). Other must see movies at our house are Miracle on 34th Street (B&W version), It’s a Wonderful Life, and A Christmas Carol. I will be adding “The Man Who Invented Christmas” (2017) to my movie library as soon as the DVD comes out. Loved watching the story of how Charles Dickens wrote A Christmas Carol! Merry Christmas to all my DYT sisters out there.
My very favorite has always been Miracle on 34th Street. Also Love Elf!
I love the movie Elf!! Definitely one I could watch every year! Otherwise, I like variety. Some of the other ones are too heavy for Christmas to me… like It’s a Wonderful Life. I REALLY have to be in the right mood for that one haha! Type 1!
Oh yeah I also love cheesy, happy hallmark Christmas movies!!
How funny! I really need to be in the right mood for Elf – and T1 is my weakest type. But I love It’s a Wonderful Life!
I’m a 4/1, and I have 2 favorite Christmas movies: Christmas Vacation (makes me laugh every time) and White Christmas (never realized it, but I love movies with long, thought-out story lines.)
My whole family loves Christmas Vacation–it was our tradition to watch it on Christmas. I don’t think any of us are T3 or even S3. I think all of us just like a good laugh, and while it’s sarcastic overall, the movie has its sweet moments for us T2s and plenty of slapstick for T1. And there’s something that appeals to my T4 family members–maybe the clever, sarcastic wit?
I do enjoy Miracle on 34th St., but ironically I have more sentimental attachment to Christmas Vacation because it is a family tradition!
I’m a 1/2 and my favourite Christmas movies are Love Actually, Mixed Nuts, The Muppets Christmas Carol and While You Were Sleeping 🙂
I do also love Elf!
I never thought of While You Were Sleeping as a Christmas movie. I’ll have to watch it again soon. It is one of the first videos I watched with my hubby while we were dating. And yes, he slept through it. HAAA!
I’m also a 1/2 and While You Were Sleeping is my favorite too! It’s got so many funny lines and silly, awkward situations, but it has heart too.
2/3…I’m fairly neutral on most Christmas movies, but I do like The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe, which has a great Christmas scene, and Little Women, which starts out at Christmastime. Of course, It’s a Wonderful Life is a classic, and I love that one, too!
2/4 here…Omg. I just watched little women for the first time yesterday. I loved it so much I watched it twice!! It’s on my short list of favorite movies now. And I cry every time I watch The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe. It’s a favorite too!
Yes both those movies are tearjerkers for sure!
I am a Type 2 and I definitely love a good laugh – Elf, Christmas Vacation, A Christmas Story are my favorites. Maybe it’s because real life is emotional enough, I like an escape and something lighthearted. I also enjoy While You Are Sleeping at the holidays, love romantic comedies!
My Type 4 husband’s favorite movies are The Family Man and Elf (we bonded over our mutual love of Elf when we started dating).
Also, I think our family of origin can have an impact. My family wasn’t big on classic movies, so I didn’t really watch them growing up. I can appreciate them now, but I don’t feel a strong attachment to them like so many others do.
I’m 2/4 and The Grinch (with Jim Carrey) is my absolute favorite, followed by National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, Home Alone, and Love Actually. Love Actually has all the Type 2 feels. =)
T3 and my favorite is “It’s a Wonderful Life” and then “The Santa Clause”. I absolutely despise “A Christmas Story”.
This makes me so happy!! I’m a T3 and “Christmas Vacation” has always been my favorite! I love all the validation in my favorites that honor who I am!
Two of my favorite, must-watch holiday movies are listed in the Type 3. The other favorite of mine is A Christmas Story. Still don’t know my type after what seems like forever, and have pretty much thrown this out. But, this post was in my email this morning and I thought I would take a look. It is entertaining. So, according to Christmas movies, I am a 3/4 or 4/3.
I don’t know if this is a type 4 thing or not, but I like them to speak to me, or to my values. I love how the Miracle on 34th street helps me to remember to have faith, Home Alone helps me remember how important family is. I really do not appreciate movies that are out there like Elf. They make me nuts.
Elf makes me crazy too. I like that you talk about how important family is. I like to watch Hallmark movies because of the values even though most of them are kind of lame
I also love the Hallmark movies. My husband hates how dumb they are, but I like the warm and good feelings they give me.
Ha! I am a Type 4 and A Christmas Story is my favorite Christmas movie! But my husband is a Type 4 and he thinks it is dumb. I don’t think he likes any Christmas movies though. He watched The Saint today with our kids!
My three faves (I’m a 1/4 as far as I can tell) are Love, Actually; Scrooge; and The Family Man. I love the way the idea of change-of-heart is portrayed in each of them, and how it’s never too late to let your heart change, and what might happen if you did! can be so lovely.
I love home alone! LOL! I do like White Christmas though, it’s not Christmas until I watch that movie even if I fall asleep. LOL! I love ones that make me laugh though, intense laughing.
Hmmm, ok this topic seems like a stretch. But it’s a fun one! I’m T4/S1 and I love, love, love “It’s a Wonderful Life.” It’s my all-time favorite movie, not just Christmas movie. Love “Elf.” And, yes, love “A Christmas Story.” Also the classic “A Christmas Carol” with Alastair Sim playing Scrooge.
I’m a 4/1. Not a fan of either A Christmas Story or White Christmas. Not sure if that’s generational or not, I am 34 years old. My all time favourite is The Santa Clause. I also love Home Alone, Home Alone 2, Mickey’s A Christmas Carol & The Family Stone. I also like to watch all the Hallmark Christmas movies!
How amazing, my all time favorite Christmas movies for years are White Christmas and A Christmas Story! I have to watch them every year or it just isn’t Christmas. I am a type 4 with very specific ideas of certain traditions must be a part of celebrating. I am all for adding new traditions, but the old must be represented. My newly discovered favorites within the last 10 years are Elf, Love Actually, and the Holiday.
T4s?
, love Christmas movies..Its a Wonderful Life, Scrooged with Bill Murray. Christmas Vacation(Chevy Chase). All the Tim Allen Santa Clause movies, Home Alone 1, we usually have a Lord of the Rings marathon around christmas, and Harry Potter too….
I’m a T4 and don’t watch too many Christmas movies, but I do like A Christmas Story a lot! It’s one of my three favorites, along with The Muppets Christmas Carol and Merry Christmas Mr. Bean (lots of literal T4 humor in that one). I’ve never seen A White Christmas. My T4 six-year-old likes to watch Polar Express, and I like that too. We’ll be watching the Let’s Go Luna Christmas special today on PBS.
The T3 movies are my faves, actually the only ones on my must watch list every year, but I’ve been going back and forth between 2/4 and 4/2 for years. I can’t stand cheesy, sappy Christmas movies, especially all those Hallmark TV movies they have this time of year. It’s sarcasm and satire all the way for me!
Interesting though, I get the most compliments wearing T2 but now I’m wondering if I’m just wearing the crossover colours that actually work for T3, those wine and olive green colours that can sometimes go either way…
I’m a 4/2 and Hallmark-type movies (if I somehow get stuck watching one) definitely bring out my sarcastic side!
Being a 1/2, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer and Miracle on 34th Street are both of my favorite movies I used to watch every year. My kids watch Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer and a bunch of oldies like this movie. Now I’ve been watching alot of the fun, sweet and wonderful Christmas movies they have on Netflix and Amazon. Fun to be in a Christmas mood and watch these movies. Plus it’s a secret ssshhhh. I watch Christmas movies here and there all year long because I love the magical feeling of the season and want it all year long. I even sing Christmas music all year long and catch my kids doing the same thing haha.