The Twelve Reasons Why Die Hard is a Christmas Movie

1) Screenwriter Steven E. de Souza stated that Die Hard is a Christmas film. You can see how much this is stressed in the various screenplay drafts. 

2) Setting: The film takes place on Christmas Eve, specifically with those traveling on Christmas, those working on Christmas Eve, and those attending an office Christmas party. There are numerous verbal references to Christmas.

3) Die Hard 2 takes place on Christmas Eve.

 

4) Christmas is mentioned throughout movie: There are references to Christmas or cast members uttering the word "Christmas" at several points in the movie. When McClane enters the Christmas party at Nakatomi Plaza, there is a Christmas tree. When one of the terrorists is trying to unlock a large vault, the ringleader Hans Gruber tells him, "It's Christmas, Theo. It's the time of miracles. So be of good cheer and call me when you hit the last lock." Then there is Theo’s “Twas the night before Christmas..” riff. At the end of the movie, Argyle says, "If this is their idea of Christmas, I gotta be there for New Year's." The best is probably Hans dryly reading McClane’s famous taunt: “Now I have a machine gun, ho-ho-ho…”

5) Music: The movie opens with Run DMC's "Christmas in Hollis" and closes with "Let It, Snow." Sgt. Art Powell sings, "Winter Wonderland." The song used in the trailer and the closing credits is Beethoven's "Ode to Joy.” Furthermore, the author of Silent Night was Franz Gruber.

Additional: Michael Kamen's score is based around thematic variations on well-known pieces, a concept that Kamen previously used in Brazil which is also an unlikely Christmas film.

6) McClane’s wife’s name? That’s right. Holly. As in Christmas Holly.

7) Is Home Alone considered a Christmas Movie? Maybe it's just a movie set during Christmas. I mean, isn't it just a kiddie version of Die Hard? Think about it. If Home Alone is a Christmas movie then so is Die Hard. Q.E.D.

8) Hans Gruber. Hans means “warm” and Gruber means “pit” or “mine”. What do you take out of a mine to keep you warm? That’s right. Coal. Who gets coal in their stocking on Christmas? That’s right. Someone bad. A villain!

9) Hans Gruber is a greater Christmas villain than The Grinch. He tries to steal “Christmas” from the Nakatomi corporation.

10) There’s a “stuck in a chimney” scene. McClane is coming down the elevator shaft while trying to save Christmas (plus crawls through that air shaft). 

11) Nakatomi. The name originally was Naka-tsu-omi: “minister of the center”, denoting an ancient, hereditary office as intermediary between men & deities. This is like Christ being the mediator between God and Man. We celebrate Christ’s birth at Christmas.

12) It “snows” at the end.