The debate over what qualifies as a Christmas movie has been argued for decades, fueled by annual rewatches and passionate fan opinions. Actors and filmmakers often add fresh fuel to the conversation, sometimes without meaning to. This time, a familiar holiday star’s offhand remark set the stage for a response that reminded everyone why the argument refuses to fade away.
‘Home Alone’ and ‘Die Hard’ Collide Again
Speaking on Mythical Kitchen’s Last Meal segment, Macaulay Culkin shared his take on “Die Hard,” saying, “It’s based around Christmas, but if it were also St. Patrick’s Day, it would still work. But you couldn’t do Home Alone on Memorial Day.” Culkin’s comment framed Christmas as more of a flexible backdrop for the action film, while positioning “Home Alone” as a story fundamentally tied to the holiday season.
Source: IMDb
That comparison prompted a swift response from “Die Hard” co-writer Steven E. de Souza, who addressed the remark directly on X. With heavy sarcasm, de Souza wrote, “Right, because St. Patrick’s Day is traditionally when families travel cross country to be together and attend the traditional St. Patrick’s Day party that is routine with giant corporations, leaving the rest of the building vacant for the traditional St. Patrick’s Day closings.”
The screenwriter’s point was clear: Christmas isn’t interchangeable in the narrative of “Die Hard.” The holiday explains why families are traveling, why an office building is hosting a party, and why much of the staff is absent — all crucial elements that allow the picture’s central conflict to unfold.
While Culkin’s remark was delivered playfully, de Souza’s rebuttal reinforced a long-held belief among “Die Hard” defenders that Christmas is not just decorative tinsel but the backbone of the story. Once again, a decades-old film proved capable of sparking fresh debate, just in time for another holiday season.
