Aloha Bricksetters... Happy Saturday/Christmas Day to Everyone in the Forum!
Because it is Christmas Day I have again returned to preside over another BonusBall. I was surprised (but not really surprised) that the fantastic
@lowlead has made available not one... but TWO (2) of the very exclusive
#40483 Luke Skywalker's Lightsaber.

Because these are such sought-after prizes, we're going to run two (2) raffles: one today that'll run until December 31st; and we'll run a second super-awesome bonus raffle from January 1, 2022 through January 6, 2022.
The drawing will not be run to coincide with the BonusBall, so the title is actually accurate only in spirit. We want as many unique posts in thread as possible, so please avoid double posts - but EVERY unique post will be counted. My lovely wife, who has no idea what any of this is - she'll draw the number from a random number generator.
If the prize isn't your thing, I do have a wide variety of extra sets, polys, figures and Lego-related whatnot in my inventory - and I'm happy to substitute the lightsaber for something of reasonable comparable value. (And no, I'm not shipping a UCS Millennium Falcon to Ulaanbaatar or Dushanbe.)
Finally, I strongly urge everyone that enters to make a donation to FairyBricks. If you happen to win the raffle, making a sizeable donation for FairyBricks would be even better. If you don't the raffle, but still make a sizeable donation, that that makes you a Danish Prince. (No it doesn't, but please consider making a donation nonetheless.
If you're new to the Forum, or not really familiar with what FairyBricks does, please check out their website.
https://www.fairybricks.org/Direct Link for making donations:
https://www.paypal.com/uk/fundraiser/charity/66053Back to the normal nonsense with the drawing... the question for your consideration:
My family just watched the 1984 version of '/A Christmas Carol'. Aside from some cringeworthy practical effects, why do people think 'Die Hard' is a Christmas movie?
@SumoLego's answer: Ya'll crazy. It's a heist movie that takes place at Christmas. And to quote one Bruce Willis:
“
Die Hard is not a Christmas movie... it’s a goddamn Bruce Willis movie!”
Enjoy! And Good Luck!
Comments
1. Takes place during a Christmas party
2. There are Christmas decorations everywhere
3. It’s all about the Christmas spirit!
Thank you for organizing Sumolego and merry Christmas to Everyone!
Obviously people are only looking at superficial aspects of Die Hard. You could change the date and it wouldn't change a damn thing about the movie, even less so its spirit. It's clearly about a guy being trapped and dealing with terrorists heroically. That's also the premise of all the other movies of the series to some extent, whereas Christmas isn't a focus at all. If anything, they've made a joke of it but that's it.
Christmas decorations.
Christmas music.
It’s not a heist movie, that’s just a last minute Christmas shopping sub plot.
Snowing paperwork as the end credits role, it doesn’t get more Christmas movie then that.
Merry Christmas Argyle.
Yippee Ki Yay Bricksetters....
Protagonist is estranged from love interest.
Protagonist travels "home" from the big city.
Protagonist has (almost) supernatural powers/does things most people wouldn't consider.
One of the main characters is keeping a secret.
Someone ends up in hospital.
Protagonist has a partner who is business-driven.
Big Christmas party.
Protagonist and love interest are reunited at the end.
"Snow"
Die Hard as Christmas movie
Die Hard is not simply a Christmas Movie, it is the Christmas movie, combining elements of the Christmas story, with homages to Christmas tales from throughout the history of movies.
Think it's just because it's set at Christmas? Think again. Join me as we see how the evidence piles up.
It's some well known trivia that because the film was based on the novel that was a sequel to The Detective, the studio was contractually obliged to offer the lead role to the then-70-year-old Frank Sinatra. Sinatra was a well known crooner, as was Bing Crosby, who is best known for singing... White Christmas!
The film is set at Christmas. Natch.
The Christmas story sees Santa facing impossible odds to get his mission completed in a small time frame. McClane faces similarly challenging circumstances, but, like Santa, gets the job done.
McClane's wife is called Holly! Holly is a plant long associated with the Christmas season. Although cut from the final edit, McClane's in-laws: sister Ivy, brother-in-law Rudolph and their children Sellotape and Giftwrap, plus their kitten, Snowball, featured in a scene that appears in the bonus extras on the 1993 BluRay special edition of the film.
The film builds its central theme around the wishes of many American families at Christmas, i.e. "I hope I get an assault rifle."
It pays homage to that grossly overrated Christmas film, "It's A Wonderful Life" by having the main character suffer through 90% of the film, only to get their happy ending in the last few minutes. Also, Gruber relies on Theo to open the safe. Theo was played by Clarence Gilyard, and Clarence was also the name of the guardian angel in Capra's cheesefest. Also, Gilyard was born on 24th December, which is very close to Christmas Day!
McClane's limo driver is called 'Argyle', which is a type of sweater only given to middle-aged men at Christmas!
Actor William Atherton plays mean reporter Richard Thornburg, and is also well known for playing equally mean City official, Walter Peck, in Ghostbusters. Another way of describing these mean-spirited characters? He's a Grinch! This is also the title of another well-known Christmas story.
Bonnie Bedelia, who plays Holly Gennero-McClane was born on the 25th day of March. And Christmas day is the 25th of December. Coincidence? I think not!
In the well-known Christmas carol, "Good King Wenceslas", the Page has trouble walking as the snow is so cold. When the terrorists shoot the glass, McClane has trouble walking, because his feet are bare!
McClane is in a building, fighting off baddies, just like Kevin in Home Alone, another well known Christmas film!
All of which proves beyond reasonable doubt that Die Hard is a Christmas Movie!
How about this… Bruce Willis was in Moonrise Kingdom with Edward Norton. Edward Norton was in The Illusionist with Paul Giamatti. Paul Giamatti was in Fred Claus with Vince Vaughn, who was in was in Four Christmases with Mary Steenburgen. Finally, Mary Steenburgen was in Elf, which is as Christmasy a movie as one could ask for!
Die Hard *is* a Christmas movie... it's set at Christmas, Christmas music plays over the end credits and, as @Brainslugged has mentioned, the season is integral to the bad guys' plans!
This is great... Brickset really is like a family. Yesterday was all the presents (BSSS) and the generosity and best wishes. Then today is the arguments, falling outs and "difference of opinions".
Just need a drunken uncle to snore like a sawmill through the afternoon and we'll be set! 🙂
Thanks to the generosity of @lowlead and the organisation of @SumoLego !!
Die Hard literally takes place AT A CHRISTMAS PARTY ON CHRISTMAS EVE!! Miracles happen during the movie.
At a Christmas party, at Christmas time, On the way to see family!
Home Alone however could feasibly take place any time of the year that a large family goes away on holiday. Thanksgiving. Summer. A wedding. So if Die Hard somehow isn't a Christmas film then you have to also accept that Home Alone isn't.
it’s is set during the festive period and it repeatedly is shown at Christmas time….how can it NOT be a Christmas movie???
Honestly, if you watch DH at Christmas and you enjoy it, that's all it needs to be a Christmas film. Enjoy it with whatever seasonal beverage and snack you so desire - job done :-)
Many thanks to @lowlead and @SumoLego, a high-five to Fairy-Bricks for the awesome work they do and very many merry festive whatnots to @everyone!
...up to personal interpretation.
Mine is...it is. For the many aforementioned reasons. Not that I'm trying to steal anyone's thunder, but I don't want to re-hash the deets (time of year/party/snow, etc.).
Much like the Home Alone movies, Die Hard can be enjoyed at any point during the year, but especially during the Holiday season. I'm not busting out Elf or White Christmas in August. But I'll gladly sit down and watch Die Hard!
Thanks for hosting, Sumo. And thank you so much for your generosity, Lowlead!
Thank you for hosting, @SumoLego!