The messages behind popular stories for kids are what really gives the Christmas its festivity.
As a kid, I loved Christmas films. They were a staple Christmas tradition in my family. As I got older, I realized they were teaching me valuable lessons.
These are some of my favorite of all the Christmas stories for kids I enjoyed and their deeper meanings.
How the Grinch Stole Christmas
How the Grinch Stole Christmas is one of the most famous Christmas stories loved by both kids and adults. It tells the story of The Grinch, a cynical Christmas-hating creature, cast out by society.
Dr. Seuss’ famous tale has several deeper meanings. When we read the book (or watch the film), we see ourselves in the excitement the Whos’ feel over Christmas.
Yet, the Whos’ obsession with the superfluous elements of Christmas, the perfect present and the perfect decorations, is a clear comment on capitalism. It shows we are focussing on the wrong things and need to think about the real meaning of Christmas.
This brings us to the second deeper meaning in the Christmas Classic. The Whos have cast out the Grinch for being different from them. The Grinch is depicted as being green and much hairier than the average who. Although ridiculed because of it, the Grinch also ends up bringing the real spirit of Christmas back to Whoville. This points out how quick people can be to reject those who are different from us, even though they may be of great value.
Speaking of the true meaning of Christmas, the Grinch is one of the most perfect Christmas stories to show your kids that the real meaning of Christmas is family. Without presents and decorations, the Whos still find a way to enjoy Christmas simply by being together. It represents the importance of family and togetherness at such a festive time of year.
These lessons aren’t just valuable at Christmas. They teach us to be kinder and more reflective not just at Christmas, but throughout the year. The Grinch does make us feel very festive, though!
Polar Express
Polar Express is one of those Christmas stories for kids with meanings we don’t even see. The whole story is based around a little boy who no longer believes in Santa. Then, one Christmas Eve he is whisked away on the Polar Express.
Throughout the story, the boy finds that he is no longer able to hear jingle bells, a clear sign that he has lost his faith in Santa and the spirit of Christmas. Although this is enough to make us want to believe in Santa Claus, the film has a much deeper meaning.
The film questions how far we can believe in things we never see. Although belief in Santa speaks for itself, it is an analogy for loss of faith in religion. The boy is almost afraid to believe in Santa, as it seems so unrealistic. When the boy finally allows himself to believe in Santa, he is able to hear the bell and experience its music.
The key symbol of the bell and its music is a representative of a bible passage.
“The boy learned his lesson well and retained the music in his heart for the rest of his life, even when others lost faith (Alma 5:26)”
This is similar to faith people have in God. By exercising a faith in God, we invite his presence and its positivity into our lives. The reward the boy feels in his faith in Santa is feeling the magic of Christmas and gifts from Santa.
This is analogous to the positive presence of God and the rewards that faith in Him can offer. The Polar Express is one of the rare Christmas stories for kids which also has deeper, meaningful messages for adults, too.
The Greatest Gift (It’s a Wonderful Life)
The Greatest Gift tells the story of George, a man who is unhappy in life and no longer sees the point in living. On Christmas Eve, George stands on a bridge with the intention to jump off, but before he does, he is stopped by a man to whom George admits he wishes he had never been born. The man grants his wish and, when George returns home, no one recognizes him.
Throughout the story, George begins to realize the impact he had on those around him and begins to value the life he was so close to throwing away.
The Greatest Gift is one of the most popular Christmas stories for kids and teaches us the value of life and those around us. It shows us that we should appreciate what we have, and realize that we, too, are important. Love and appreciation is truly the greatest gift we can give to others at Christmas.
Christmas films teach us important life lessons, even if we don’t notice. I hope that you love these films as much as I do. Their lessons are ones you can remember all year round.
