Do you ever wonder which Christmas films each social media network would be?
No? Well… we do, so we’re bringing you our list of social media networks as Christmas films.
Facebook – It’s A Wonderful Life (1946)
Christmas fantasy-drama film It’s A Wonderful Life is highly regarded as a Christmas classic and even considered one of the greatest films of all time. Main character George (James Stewart) has given up his dreams in order to help others, and his contemplation of suicide on Christmas Eve is intercepted by his ‘guardian angel’ Clarence. Clarence shows George how much he has changed the lives of those around him and in his community.
In a way, Facebook is much like the character of George – Facebook, one of the oldest social networks, paved the way for modern social media usage for consumers and brands alike with its influence. Without Facebook, we would see a very different online world today, especially for social media marketing.
Twitter – Love Actually (2003)
Love Actually is a Christmas-themed romantic-comedy film that is beloved by many as a holiday favourite. For the unfortunate few who are unfamiliar with the film, Love Actually features an ensemble cast with several storylines happening at once and intertwining. Characters include fictional Prime Minister (Hugh Grant), writer Jamie (Colin Firth), couple Harry (Alan Rickman) and Karen (Emma Thompson), Juliet (Keira Knightley) whose husband’s best friend is in love with her, and the list goes on.
So why is Twitter Love Actually, you ask?
When we think of Twitter, we think of bursts of information from all around the world, all at once, sourcing from everyday users to politicians and celebrities. Much like Twitter, Love Actually involves overlapping storylines, and the characters range from those in positions of power, such as the Prime Minister, to ‘everyday’ characters such as Daniel’s (Liam Neeson) stepson Sam (Thomas Brodie Sangster) who is just a normal kid experiencing his first love.
Instagram – Klaus (2019)
Instagram is known for its focus on high-quality visuals, which made choosing its Christmas film counterpart easy to narrow down. Netflix original Klaus, which was released in 2019, is a stunning animated movie that provides a creative new alternative to Santa’s typical origin story. The plot revolves around a postman, Jesper (Jason Schwartzman) who befriends a reclusive toymaker named Klaus (voiced by J.K. Simmons) in the Far North.
Pleasing aesthetics and a compelling storyline remind us of Instagram’s valuable, creative, and aesthetic-focused contribution to social media over the years.
LinkedIn – Arthur Christmas (2011)
Arthur Christmas is a well-received animated Christmas film released in 2011. The film follows Arthur (voiced by James McAvoy), Santa’s clumsy youngest son who discovers that Santa’s high-tech sleigh/ship failed to deliver a single present and embarks on a mission to deliver the present himself.
A major part of the plot is that Arthur’s older brother Steven (Hugh Laurie) is extremely business orientated and cynical, referring to his father, Santa (Jim Broadbent), delivering presents as “Operation Santa Claus” and aiming for the most efficient delivery method possible (the high-tech ship). Steven is unbothered by one singular child being missed during delivery one Christmas, while Arthur makes it his mission to deliver the gift by hand. The film’s quirky, business-like approach to Santa makes Arthur Christmas a unique watch for Christmas, as well as a good comparison to what we see on LinkedIn in the modern working age. Themes of ‘traditional vs technology’ are weaved throughout the film, making it a good comparison to LinkedIn, where conversations are had around traditional elements and technological developments in the workplace, and how a combination of ideals can benefit businesses (which coincide with the film’s ending).
TikTok – Nativity! (2009) or The Muppets Christmas Carol (1992)
TikTok shot up in popularity during 2020, in part due to the Covid-19 pandemic with people stuck inside for months, and features millions of videos from users singing along with, dancing to, and even acting out, the different ‘sounds’ available on the platform. Which Christmas film does this remind you of?
For us, we think of Nativity! – released in 2009, Nativity! Is a British Christmas musical-comedy film starring Martin Freeman (Paul), Marc Wootton (Mr. Poppy), and a whole host of adorable kids. The chaotic energy radiates as the film follows primary school teacher Paul as he tries to direct and produce the school’s very quirky nativity play featuring original music while dealing with immature class assistant Mr. Poppy and energetic children. Similarly, TikTok is fast-paced, some may also say chaotic with the sheer amount and range of content on the platform, featuring children and teens creating their own songs, dances, and narratives.
Snapchat – 12 Dates of Christmas (2011)
While it’s not a “classic” or well-known Christmas film, 12 Dates of Christmas was a made-for-television Christmas flick that features a time-loop story wherein the protagonist is forced to relive her Christmas Eve over and over again. In the Groundhog Day-style premise, the main character Kate cannot get past Christmas Eve – every night at midnight, she is blasted back 24 hours earlier. 24 hours… wiped and started again… you can see where the comparison lies. Snapchat was the original king of temporary stories which then disappear after 24 hours before Instagram adopted it (and arguably made it more popular, especially for marketing purposes).
Youtube – The Santa Clause (1994)
YouTube was founded in 2005 and has since become the primary social network for online video sharing, and a pioneer of sky-rocketing amateur content creators to fame (Justin Bieber, anyone?). Since its inception, YouTube has become full of big-budget content from companies and celebrities, but it wasn’t always this way. In the early days, with standard definition content and low subscriber counts, almost anyone could become popular on the platform within a few years with some time and effort.
It’s for this reason that we’ve chosen The Santa Clause for YouTube’s Christmas film persona. The obvious ‘red’ connection goes a lot deeper – in the movie, Tim Allen’s character Scott Calvin accidentally frightens the real Santa Claus to fall off his roof, causing him to disappear and his famous red suit to be left behind. The ‘clause’ in question refers to the ‘fine print’ that anyone who wears Santa’s red coat assumes the duties of Santa, which Scott does without realising the consequences. In short, anyone can wear a red coat and become Santa Claus, a beloved icon of Christmastime. If we see the ‘red coat’ as a metaphor for anyone able to upload video content to YouTube and become an ‘icon’, the similarities are undeniable. YouTube is coming to town!
