What Christmas Movies Teach Us About Reflecting On Our Past
- Breanna Wells
- Dec 19, 2025
- 2 min read
My all-time favorite Christmas movies are A Christmas Carol and It’s a Wonderful Life — two stories about reflection on the past in order to transform perspectives, behaviors, and actions that impact the future.
In A Christmas Carol, Ebenezer Scrooge has settled into his hardened heart of stone, spreading his misery and stench of “bah humbug” wherever he goes. He is visited by the dead ghost of his former business partner, who shows him what his grim future will look like if he doesn’t take a hard look at his actions and change his spirit and behavior. Scrooge ultimately is haunted by the reality he foresees and is transformed from a cold, greedy, miserable man into a warm, kind and generous soul whose light begins to shine throughout his community.
In It’s a Wonderful Life, good-natured George Bailey has spent his life thinking of and helping others around him, oftentimes sacrificing his own dreams and happiness. However, as hardships and pains begin to pile up, he reaches a point of deep despair.
One night, he decides it would have been better if he had never been born and attempts to take his own life; however, his guardian angel Clarence intervenes and shows him the devastating impact on others and the community if he had never been born. Bailey sees the value of his existence through this altered lens of “what ifs” and is restored to a spirit of gratefulness for this life, understanding the importance of every detail, even the hardships.
These classic stories are so beloved because within them are glimpses of ourselves and the need and importance of reflection over time to be able to learn and grow in valuable ways. Slowing down and taking a meaningful look back at past moments in our lives can shape and mold our future direction. Sometimes this can be hard and painful (we all have moments where we have failed, made mistakes or didn’t shine our brightest), however, we must face our past to be refined and make progress forward.
With the busyness that comes with life, we can get in the habit of not slowing down to reflect. This leads to exhaustion, feeling overwhelmed, and burnout. That’s what happened to Ebenezer Scrooge and George Bailey. They lost clarity and perspective, but hope was not lost in the end.
As this year comes to a close, take the time to reflect on the moments that have led you to where you are right now. Look at areas that have shaped different outcomes in your life and think about the things that you want to change. It may be a heart posture, attitude adjustment, or lifestyle habits that need fine-tuning. Reflect on your priorities and make sure your actions and where you spend your time reflect what you believe matters most. Sometimes things can get out of balance, and taking the time to reflect and make the necessary adjustments can make a huge impact on your life and the lives of others.