What all Christmas movies have in common

Listen: They’re all pulling from the same classic songs.
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‘Tis the season for sitting in front of the cozy glow of a Christmas movie. Don’t you just love the snow, the twinkling tree lights, and, of course, the charming sounds of festive music?
But not all Yuletide melodies are created equal.
In a 2015 analysis, FiveThirtyEight found that nine out of the top 10 most featured Christmas songs on movie soundtracks were in the public domain. Or in other words, Christmas movies are full of the classic songs we know and love - that also happen to be free from copyright and free from expensive licensing fees.
The reason why public domain Christmas songs are so popular may be obvious: Lower-budget films, like the ones our moms have grown to love from the Hallmark channel, can’t always afford to pay for newer, popular songs. But public domain Christmas songs also hold a unique charm. Their repeated presence over the years has woven them into the very fabric of the holiday season, creating a sense of shared joy and nostalgia.
And composers like Russ Howard III, who we interviewed for this video, know this. He explains that musicians will often use public domain Christmas songs as a starting point for creating original compositions. Taking cues from classics like "Deck the Halls," they craft new pieces that fit seamlessly into the emotional beats of a scene, while still having a festive flair.
Correction: At 5:54, we mistakenly suggested that Deck the Halls was used in a scene from Hallmark's My Christmas Guide. In fact, the song used was Up on the Housetop.
For more info, check out these links:
- Why are Christmas movies all about Kissing? A theory: www.vox.com/2023/12/19/240032...
- FiveThirtyEight Christmas song analysis: fivethirtyeight.com/features/...
- Hallmark Christmas movies use more than just the public domain to keep costs down: www.businessinsider.com/hallm...
- If you’d like to learn more about the public domain: copyright.universityofcalifor...
- If you’d like to learn more about music clearance: blog.audiosocket.com/blog/dem...
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[@_The_Archive_]

Fun Fact: During filming of Home Alone, Joe Pesci deliberately avoided Macaulay Culkin on-set because he wanted Culkin to think he was mean.

[@FunnyLittleFella]

Yeah yeah I think he also gave Macaulay Culkin a rat one time

[@Soooooooooooonicable]

He took it too far when he actually bit him.

[@DetectiveTrupo203]

He didn't want him to think he was a funny guy

[@EnricoUniverse]

He slapped him a few times too I heard

[@PanAndScanBuddy]

He also created his own swear language. He didn't want to avoid it, but he knew they wanted a PG rating, so he was swearing up a storm of nonsense.

[@glennhower9265]

I kind of love the level of self-awareness "A Cookie Cutter Christmas" brings to the table

[@triple7marc]

Guaranteed they did not do it on purpose lol

[@juhichaturvedi591]

Somehow watching holiday movies have become a tradition without which the season feels incomplete

[@PsychoAuthorIX]

Same with horror movies in October

[@jeremiasrobinson]

That is a weird hole to feel. I am glad I don't have the same problem.

[@Raph584]

They are more important for christmas than the Jesus Christ thing

[@mcgritty8842]

Christmas is a joke in itself. Created by stories from actual ancient cultures… It’s the time of the year when people act the craziest and mkst selfish. It’s the least wonderful time of the year

[@Soundole]

There are two musical mistakes here, as a few people have noticed: at 4:58 that particular section from Home Alone isn't by Tchaikovsky, it's a composition by John Williams which uses some of the same features as the Trepak. The piece on the soundtrack is called 'Holiday Flight', and the actual cue is (I think) 'We Slept In!!'. Also at 5:53, that isn't 'Deck the Halls', it's 'Up on the Housetop'.

[@chapaj]

Came to point this out. This was poorly researched.

[@sophroniel]

Yes, thank you! Also it's not "recompose", it's more like variations on a theme...

[@frozzenwaterfall]

Imagine what he could do if copyright protections were not stretched so long by the likes of Disney …

[@andieallison6792]

What does this have to do with Disney

[@thelolfaceguy]

@@andieallison6792 disney extended copyright length

[@johnchessant3012]

4:58 well actually, that isn't exactly the Russian Dance in Home Alone, that was composed by John Williams to sound like the Russian Dance (with a very similar instrumentation) but as you can see, it sounds slightly different from the examples from the other movies

[@arothmanmusic]

Williams is a master of reworking previous material (see also "Mars" by Holst). His ability to call on familiar sounds is part of what makes him such an iconic film composer.

[@SmokeyChipOatley]

I caught that immediately and was hoping I wasn't simply imagining things. Thank you for confirming my suspicion

[@sam_vinette]

Immediately noticed that, glad someone else caught it.

[@PanAndScanBuddy]

He does that all through! See also Carol of the Bells when he's planning the trap house.

[@scalzmoney]

Great catch. You're exactly right. Surprising they didn't catch that while they were editing this.

[@leolunchbox4543]

I love that when it says "Deck the Halls", "Here Comes Santa Claus" is playing and when "The Russian Dance" is playing an original song made for Home Alone by John Williams plays.

[@LeviClay]

You’re spot on, but unfortunately there are shady scumbags out there trying to claim public domain songs. I hummed the melody to jingle bells in a recent video and it was auto claimed by a company. And KZbin just let it happen despite me trying to explain public domain and that someone is abusing the system. 🤦

[@napoleonibonaparte7198]

Once Mariah Carey Christmas songs go public domain, it'll be tossed into a bonfire by retail workers.

[@goodspeed1]

That’s why EVERY artist has their very own Christmas album 🎄

[@arothmanmusic]

Why don't holiday movies just add to their credits "I do not own this music. No copyright infringement intended." like KZbinrs do. That makes it totally legal, right? 😂😂😂

[@Anonymous-dh4id]

No it doesn’t

[@aliencafe]

My personal favorite is ‘rights go to their respective owners’ in the description box 😂

[@SmokeyChipOatley]

@@Anonymous-dh4idthatsthejoke.jpg

[@yoshi9358]

Those are for non-monetised videos

[@Amcc38383]

I actually thought that did something to be honest lol

[@user-mh9zp3ob4r]

as always the editing skills of the video is immaculate

[@Dan007UT]

It's random videos like this I enjoy learning little tidbits of random information. Thanks Vox!

[@johnevans9751]

Usually, the description of any Xmas movie includes 'sparks soon fly between them'.

[@napoleonbonerfart278]

Lifetime, movies for John.

[@NateVolker]

I was expecting some discussion about the most confusing aspect of public-domain music for people looking to use it in their own works: while the songs themselves may be public domain, *recordings* of those songs made after 1928 are still probably copyrighted. So if you want to use it for free, you either need to record your own version of the song, or find one that’s available royalty-free

[@stickynorth]

And that's why there's usually some dude at a keyboard in Vancouver pumping out knock-off music to go with their tiny budgets. Makes cents/sense to me! ;-) Especially with the Canadian dollar being worth less, generous national and provincial tax credits and lower labor costs? That's why Hallmark pumps 'em out factory-style in that city... Even in Summer-time..

[@kingace6186]

There so many great songs from the last century that the public can't freely use until the end of this century.

[@brianpious3242]

I love the touch up on this video to make it fit that 1990s vibe and with the corrected black bars to orient the video.

[@blazer9547]

They all make us happy and make us forget our woes.

[@Mcfunface]

And the cold darkness of winter without it

[@user-ob6ij9us8y]

Did anyone catch the mistake at 4:48? It's a beautiful one. The first example of public domain is not actually the Nutcracker but instead an original John Williams score to Home Alone. That a classic example on how John Williams is a master of borrowing (artfully in my opinion) from classical pieces with pre-established sentiments like "winter time" in this case. And that score is very much not public domain.

[@Delvy787]

I’m loving all the sweaters guys!

[@Between2_worlds]

Artists are so talented. I love it!

[@historyandbeyond.toldbyate9670]

Amazing Christmas video, Vox.

[@somerandomfella]

Merry Christmas team Vox ✌️

[@Goadfish1729]

5:15 I’ve seen maps of the US without Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, but without both peninsulas? Bold.

[@Scwarzkop]

It's a good day when Vox makes a new video

[@RafaelCardoso299]

Awesome video as usual !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@ksasidhar2980]

It's easy, Christmas is common among all of them 👍

[@Journeys-travelwithme]

Merry Christmas to everyone love and peace❤ thanks for sharing this video

[@thecount1374]

Merry Christmas!

[@GURken]

Every time it's Christmas time I hear Tchaikovsky references everywhere.

[@feetycool3884]

I like how he says Christmas, weirdly enough

[@tomsouzas]

This is so cool!

[@curiousfirely]

I have to throw in my support for the cheezy hallmark movies - because several of them have been filmed in my small Canadian town!

[@adityaxxsaturn]

When I saw the title my first thought was " lack of creativity"

[@applea.m.h.3560]

It’s Ebeneezer Scrooge himself

[@trialcritic7625]

I didn't know Hallmark movies were shot this cheap.

[@deleted-something]

truly the christmas song pack of all time

[@notmarcus17]

This was a very interesting video!

[@adamgh0]

4:57 If you listen closely to that song from Home Alone, you'll realize that it's actually an original composition by John Williams. He most likely used the original as an influence for it. You can hear other nods to classical pieces in his works. The Jaws theme and the theme from The Phantom Menace are in Dvořák's New World Symphony for example.

[@ThatGuyYouSeeCommentingOnClips]

My brain is so broken, at 7:37, my mind instantly went "HASHIRE SORI YO"

[@nerdwiththehat]

PADORU PADORU

[@hanve]

Wow❤

[@Magooch86]

I thought the answer was going to be "sleigh bell sound effect", then the video ends.

[@morbiddawg]

It's all about the scores in these movies

[@jdk0517]

Seeing this makes me think of and miss Estelle's Earworm videos on Vox.

[@kata.165]

i got distracted noticing lexy said great turkey day

[@denisruskin348]

So this is why cover versions are used so much in movies.

[@Fooballking17]

All Christmas movies are just amazing

[@IRosamelia]

I watched Christmas at Candy Cane Lane and couldn't recommend it more

[@brianfunt2619]

All of them?

[@Fooballking17]

@@brianfunt2619 yes, Christmas movies aren’t just a genre they are a culture

[@rizzuz]

I literally just saw that TikTok on the Time for Him/Me/You/Us/Her To Come Home for Christmas

[@platero1993]

Lol was watching the hallmark one on tiktok 😂

[@mjradi4371]

This video could have been entitled "The finance of music in Christmas movies".

[@80stepsawayandback8]

Christmas movies love chritanity only and me too the same too

[@erichoce8532]

Hey All. Assistant Editor for Film & TV. There's nothing worse than when you wanna use a song that fits so well for a scene, then finding out its way out of your budget range. absolute pain

[@HaHaBIah]

Nice video

[@caio5987]

Ahhh the sounds that makes you change channels

[@user-px4ue1wr8q]

yay

[@lbr88x30]

I am a Mom and i have never felt any desire to watch a hallmark movie.

[@ShawnStafford-1978]

7:03 What year did It's A Wonderful Knife come out? Never heard of it before

[@PushyPawn]

Of course it had to be the 'deluisions of grandeeur' diva Mariah Carey, to demand double for her song... So instead of $50k, she received a well deserved bubkis.

[@mariab5583]

5:55 is I think up on the housetop (1864 - I had no idea it was that old!) not deck the halls

[@RReginaPhalange]

Does anyone know what movie is at 6:35 ?(deck the halls russ baking edition)

[@origamikatakana]

It's a wonderful knife is underrated

[@coopers714]

its because of the Dm7b5 chord

[@onemorechris]

i only recently realised that when people said ‘hallmark films’ they meant real films that actually exist. i don’t know if it’s a UK but these are not a thing that we get here. i don’t think i’m missing out

[@IsolatedMind]

Vox out here giving my college degree out for free. FML

[@BrazenBull001]

You deserve it

[@TomNook.]

Big Mac meal please.

[@dyronsimene]

made me appreciate your degree. It now makes sense

[@Abonstr]

0:20 true

[@lifevest1]

Elf is The Office of Christmas movies. Change my mind.

[@SithAssassin]

I’ll save you the trouble of watching what they all have in common is Xmas

[@Dr.Quarex]

I love the evil Joy to the World. The most popular song I ever wrote was when I tried to make Gershon Kingsley's song Popcorn sinister to entertain myself

[@rubyjohnston4621]

I always felt like elf soundtrack sounded like home alone

[@CVerse]

A lot of pieces of media could’ve already become public domain today if it weren’t for Disney 🤔

[@TonyPombo]

Yup, every few years Disney lobbies congress to extend copyright lengths so that mouse won't rightfully drop into the public domain.

[@katleido]

@@TonyPombo the Steamboat Willie version of Mickey is going public domain next year at least.

[@makoycanlas2707]

Can you please do Tape-TVJ Eat Bulaga issue next? Thanks for the request.

[@RaveKingZheljo3]

good

[@neom0nk]

Adam Ragusea having a small nervious breaking down right now.

[@Rozzajames]

Spoiler: Christmas. Christmas is what they have in common.

[@containedhurricane]

Thank God for the public domain rules and AI

[@eihcra_]

What all of them have in common: about christmas

[@JK-xt3ms]

Interesting. I wonder what the cost was to have a composer write original music for a film - like Irving Berlin with Holiday Inn (1942) which introduced White Christmas and Happy Holidays, in addition to several non-Christmas hits?

[@Dexy83]

I watched an interview with a Jewish reporter who said, growing up, even his family watched the classic Christmas movies.

[@coldghost86]

The rule of life plus 70 years applies to individual artists (not corporations) to stuff after 1976. Everything else before then and produced by large corporations is a standard 95 years.

[@igoromelchenko3482]

Terrible story. Ruins all the Christmas spirit at once 😅

[@TonyPombo]

History is repeating itself. The new "theaters" are streaming services, and movie studios all have their own now.

[@MrBibi86]

*Home Alone has the best Christmas soundtrack IMO*

[@vincegiangiulio1160]

I blame a certain company who cared way too much about a certain mouse maybe it’d be a lot easier to do something like Bing Crosby. In the 20’s until 1976, copyright expired after a combined 56 years (27 years + renewal) which was quite long enough to make a decent profit for pretty much their entire lifetime. Sure there was the 1976 law which extended it 20 years but at least there was more sense there because life expectancy became higher at that time and also established fair use, but in 1998 many major studios with Disney leading the charge extended it YET ANOTHER 20 YEARS and it’s been dubbed the “Mickey Mouse Protection Act”. Now with the Music Modernization Act of 2018, any music between 1923-1946 would be 100 years after publication, 1947-1956 would be 115 years, and any recording made between 1957 and 1972 would expire in 2067. 1972-1989 would meet certain formalities to be copyrighted. Any recordings after 1989 will be the life of the author + 70 years by which point we will all be dead. Haha. Either way we have to wait over 10 years to hear Santa Claus is Coming to Town, & Winter Wonderland and the 2040’s the hear White Christmas (Bing 1942), I’ll Be Home for Christmas (Bing 1943), Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas (Judy 1944), The Christmas Song (Nat 1946), Let it Snow Let it Snow Let it Snow (Vaughn Monroe 1946), Christmas Island (Andrews Sisters 1946), Happy Holiday (Bing 1942), Little Drummer Boy (Von Trapp Family 1941), Baby It’s Cold Outside (written in 1944, Dean Martin 1949), Here Comes Santa Claus (Gene Autry 1947), Merry Christmas Baby (Johnny Moore’s 3 Blazers 1947), Blue Christmas (original 1948 by Doyle O’Dell not the Elvis till 2050’s), All I Want for Christmas is My Two Front Teeth (Spike Jones 1948), Boogie Woogie Santa Claus (Mabel Scott 1948), Christmas Dreaming (Frank Sinatra 1948), Sleigh Ride (Arthur Fiedler 1948, Lonely Christmas (Orioles 1949), Marshmallow World (Bing 1949), & Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer (Bing 1949). I can tell in the 2040’s & 2050’s assuming the Hallmark channel is still around that they will have plenty more songs to choose from. If only there were a way to cryogenically freeze ourselves without dying lol.

[@United_Wings]

Ooh

[@marym7104]

Within 2 hours!

[@nerd26373]

Christmas films have the capacity to snag our hearts and fulfill the empty voids in the deepest pits of our stomachs this holiday season. Happy Holidays everyone. Continue pushing for more weight gain.

[@Oceanatornowk]

Did anyone else see this video title and worry they’d pull another Adam Ragusea?

[@fredrickfraser1659]

Why I season my songs not my Christmas movies?

[@user-yl6bw5cq9x]

🎄 🎉 ❤

[@ChibiSteak]

7:56 fin.

[@RaptorShadow13]

UMMM what happened to Michigan?? @vox 5:14

[@johnmillholland6550]

Just to clarify John Williams wrote that track Holiday Flight in the style of Russian Dance from the Nutcracker, it is not that piece

[@jeffsimbro7742]

Great content! Just a note ,the voiceover is so mid bass boomy it's hard to hear you

[@antekobac3472]

..is that they all somehow forget the birthday boy...nuff said...bye

[@lfcbpro]

Why do people not use a fair amount of the song when making their videos, copyright law specifically has a fair use claus (see what I did there?) that will let you use a certain amount if it fulfills this criteria: "Notwithstanding the provisions of sections 17 U.S.C. § 106 and 17 U.S.C. § 106A, the fair use of a copyrighted work, including such use by reproduction in copies or phonorecords or by any other means specified by that section, for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching (including multiple copies for classroom use), scholarship, or research, is not an infringement of copyright." This would definitely fall in the criticism/comment/teaching section.

[@Digimonisbetterthanpokemon]

I play Pokémon Go and posted a video on Facebook of a legendary raid that i did with only 2 people with Ride of the Valkaries by Richard Wagner in the background and got copyright claimed by Warner Music Group :/

[@starwarsROXmy]

They are all set around Christmas time

[@frankmaclow2709]

Le père Noël est une ordure is the best christmas movie

[@sh1r4ko73]

snow

[@ericyeung5296]

Is a recomposed public domain music becomes copyright?

[@kylejnorris]

Where's @aragusea?

[@arcibaldo8996]

I start: Christmas...

[@nerdwiththehat]

Minor correction: pretty sure the track at 5:54 is "Up on the Housetop", not "Deck the Halls"