Hunting for Easter Eggs in Our Favorite Christmas Movies

Christmas is fast approaching, a time for children gathering, bonding and watching movies. Kids and kids at heart enjoy the guilty pleasure of sitting in front of the television for hours, watching their all-time favorite holiday flicks. 

The festive spirit begins to build months before Christmas arrives, so keep an eye out for Easter eggs throughout the movie while you’re snuggled up in front of the TV enjoying your favorite feel good classic. Consider this rather remarkable list of Easter eggs a gift from us to you in the spirit of the season.

The Santa Clause 2

Actors will occasionally find a line that they can turn into a classic turn of phrase, and when they go and repeat that line in another film, that’s what we call winning.

In the 1995 classic film Toy Story, Buzz Lightyear, who was portrayed by Tim Allen, said “You are a sad, strange little man” while having a conversation with woody. A decade later, he delivered the same line in another film, The Santa Clause 2. 

Home Alone

Making fun of girls in movies because of their appearance seems like an age-old tactic (and probably one that should be relegated to the dust heap), but the makers of Home Alone opted not to take it too far. Kevin famously says “Woof” after he discovers a photo of his brother’s girlfriend. 

The photo seen in the movie, however, is actually the director’s kid dressed up in a wig. After much deliberation, the film’s producers determined that hiring a female solely for the purpose of embarrassing her was not appropriate. Thank God for some common sense.

Love Actually

Airports are bittersweet places where we greet our loved ones and also say goodbye, sometimes for a short while, but sometimes for far too long. They are where loved ones arrive from faraway lands and depart for new destinations.

Have you ever paid attention to the credits in the movie Love Actually? The montage of people meeting their loved ones at the airport is actual footage of a typical family greeting their loved ones. There are no actors here, only genuine love.

The Santa Clause 2

Method acting is an act of full immersion into a role. It’s the act of throwing yourself in the part you’ve been given in order to portray it completely and genuinely. Method acting can include everything from eating specific meals to changing your demeanor to moving to a new location to deeply identify with the character you’re meant to portray on screen.

On the set of The Santa Clause 2, many of the kids thought Tim Allen was the actual Santa, and he didn’t want to disappoint Santa’s biggest (or smallest) fans. So what did Tim do? He stayed in character one hundred percent of the time, not taking a single break from his role.

Elf

Elf has to be one of the most beloved Christmas movies of all time. Everyone remembers Faizon Love’s portrayal of Wanda, Gimbel’s manager during the busiest season of the year. 

If you look closely, you’ll notice that Love is wearing a nametag that says Wanda. Wanda Sykes was rumored to have been cast in the part of Gimbel’s manager in the successful movie, but she declined. After he was brought in, Love elected to keep the same name tag, and we heartily approve.

Home Alone

Anyone who has watched Home Alone has wondered just how the parents could have made such a massive mistake. The writers, on the other hand, appear to have known exactly what they were doing all along.

Kevin spills milk in the kitchen, and his father, John Heard, accidentally tosses out Kevin’s plane ticket while cleaning up the mess. We even got a glimpse of his discarded boarding pass.. If his parents had been in possession of his ticket, they may have realized their mistake much sooner.

The Nightmare Before Christmas

An oldie but goodie, The Nightmare Before Christmas, released in 1993, continues to enthrall audiences several years after its initial release. Who wouldn’t want to read a story about Halloweentown’s King being enamored with Christmas?

You can spot a not-so-hidden Easter egg right out in the open, the film’s release date of 12/25/03, scribbled right on Skellington’s blackboard of computations alongside a plethora of other adorable comments. It’s a cute addition!

Love Actually

Love Actually is one of the greatest Christmas movies ever made. Not only does it feature an all-star cast, and we do mean all-star, but the numerous linked narratives create a realistic film that we can’t get enough of.

Sarah is almost constantly with Michael because of his medical condition and it’s gotten to the point that it’s affecting her personal life. There’s also a framed photo of her brother Michael in this scenario, along with the caption ‘burden’… coincidence?

National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation

It’s quite typical for a movie to pay homage to another film in some fashion. Well, it’s possible that National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation and It’s a Wonderful Life have more in common than we previously imagined.

When you enjoy Christmas as much as Clark Griswold does, you’ll go to great lengths to make it memorable. You could even do what George Bailey did in It’s a Wonderful Life and saw off the newel post. Griswold can also be seen viewing It’s a Wonderful Life later in the film.

The Santa Clause

The Santa Clause is one of those Christmas movies that helps you believe in the spirit of the season. It seems strange to imagine that an ordinary person might literally and physically transform into Santa, and the concept would take some getting used to for anyone.

Tim Allen’s character certainly couldn’t accept it, and he did everything he could to deny it. But then something happened: he grew comfortable with this new adjustment, and he began wearing red Converse instead of his usual black Converse!

The Nightmare Before Christmas

You have to presume that someone saw his talent before he became famous. Tim Burton worked as an animator at Walt Disney Productions before becoming the actor we know and respect today.

Burton paid homage to his previous employer by inserting a photo of the Evil Queen from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs holding an apple in his popular film, The Nightmare Before Christmas. It’s truly an inspiring experience.

The Santa Clause 3

Sequels rarely garner the same degree of success as the original, which is understandable given the high bar set by any film that garners enough interest to warrant a follow up. The cast and crew certainly have their work cut out for them in such a scenario.

The Santa Clause 3’s box office performance was not too shabby at $108 million, however it came nowhere near the $190 million raked in by the original film 12 years earlier. Fans, on the other hand, praised the drink’s renaming from RedBull to RedDeer, which also happens to be Santa’s favorite beverage!

Love Actually

Love Actually is noted for its rich character profiles and engaging story arcs, which contributed to the film’s overall success. The film’s many small references that emphasize how fragile everyone’s lives also captured the hearts of the audience.

Harry (Alan Rickman) informs his wife Karen (Emma Thompson) that she is acting like a saint at Christmas dinner. But the scene becomes unbearable when he goes off to dance with his mistress, who is dressed as the devil.

Scrooged

Because movies are so controlled in every aspect, it is fascinating to read about times when scenes were supposed to unfold one way but something unexpected transpired. Let’s take a look at the 1988 smash hit Scrooged as an example.

The sequence in which Bill Murray’s character collides with a waiter and falls to the floor was completely unintentional. Murray, on the other hand, stood up and continued the action as planned, without looking back. 

A Charlie Brown Christmas

There are Easter eggs worth hunting for in films that date back as far as 1965, representing a time-honored tradition that has grown in fun and purpose for over half a century.

Don’t be fooled by the cartoon illustrations; A Charlie Brown Christmas is chock-full of meaningful lessons. When Linus delivered his speech, shedding his cherished blanket and primary source of security, uttering the words “fear not,” we all felt a bit braver. 

Home Alone

The thought of an entire family forgetting about their own child or sibling seems absurd. How could something like that ever happen in the real world? The film’s creators, on the other hand, incorporate numerous elements that persuade us and them to assume that all of the children are present.

When cousin Heather counts heads as the family prepares to depart for the airport, you can see that she makes an error and counts a friend who shouldn’t be tallied in the first place. All the details seemed to align to make the family believe that all of its members were present.

The Nightmare Before Christmas

A film as outstanding as The Nightmare Before Christmas warrants several viewings. The sheer brilliance and craftsmanship of such a picture need to be lauded. It deserves to be celebrated all the more as one of Tim Burton’s first hits.

Certain slot machines are known as ‘One-Armed Bandits,’ owing to the fact that they only have one arm to pull down, and in the movie, they had slot machines with just one arm – that looked just like bandits.

The Santa Clause

The Santa Clause, one of the more legendary Christmas films, is one of those flicks that really fills the air with that Christmas charm that we all crave as soon as fall ends. But if you look closely enough, you’ll find hidden treasures all over!

Hidden elves appear throughout the film, mostly in the backdrop of the main scene. A small boy with elven ears can be seen sitting behind Charlie at his desk, which is quite adorable.

Home Alone

Home Alone is one of those movies that almost everyone has seen, and there are a few scenes in particular that you will never forget. But there’s one scene that stands out more than most.

One of the antagonists, Marv Murchins (Daniel Stern), has a tarantula crawling on his face in one of the most memorable scenes in the movie. The tarantula was real, in case you were wondering. Stern asked the animal trainer if his scream would bother Barry the tarantula, and the animal trainer said it would.

The Polar Express

The Polar Express, like many a famous Christmas film, sets us on a journey to find the North Pole with our pals. But this Christmas favorite has something in common with a movie whose theme is totally unrelated to seasonal cheer.

Both Back to the Future and The Polar Express include the same prop. The Polar Express uses the flux Capacitor from Back to the Future. Isn’t that strange? Both films are directed by Robert Zemeckis, and it appears that he wanted to have some fun with them.

Just Friends

Some of you may not be familiar with this film, but Ryan Reynolds was known as the funny guy in numerous early 2000s films before becoming a household name in award-winning blockbusters. You know, the ones with the traditional love interests and such? Just Friends, on the other hand, was amusingly different.

A fan noted that the snowman’s facial expression had changed from happy to sorrowful after the massive Christmas decorations fiasco at Jamie Palamino’s house. Given that the snowman is now apparently dead, this is quite brilliant.

The Muppet Christmas Carol

If you’ve heard of Michael Caine, you’ll know that he’s a shrewd and proper gentleman. When asked if he’d like to be part of The Muppet Christmas Carol, he answered he’d do it like he was in ‘The Royal Shakespeare Company.’ He did, without a doubt.

In the background of this scene, you can even see a sign that says ‘Micklewhite’ in lovely old-timey lettering. Caine’s birth name is Maurice Joseph Micklewhite, and this is actually a tribute to him.

Elf

Watching a movie at home is not difficult today; to get your movie up and running, all you have to do is subscribe to a streaming service. But if you wanted to see a movie not long ago, you would have had to acquire a VHS or DVD.

Because there was so much competition out there, and because not everyone was constantly watching movies, studios would add minor extras to their DVDs to entice people to purchase them. The space bar in the Blu-ray version of Elf resembles a candy cane; a small tribute to the holiday spirit.

Home Alone

We’re so used to large action movies with loads of special effects and big names in the cast that we forget that a movie can occasionally be made up of simple things that say a lot. In Home Alone, we’re reminded of how simple music may alter a character’s profile.

When Kevin initially meets Old Man Marley, there is terrifying music playing in the background, which is meant to inspire fear and mistrust in the viewer; but after Kevin and Mr. Marley start chatting, the score switches from ‘Dier Irae’ to ‘Carol of the Bells.’ The first is a Gregorian chant of peril, and the second is a Gregorian chant of peace.

The Polar Express

The North Pole is a unique location where nothing appears to be as it is elsewhere on the planet. There are talking animals, elves, and a man named Santa who, once a year, flies around the world in a single night.

In The Polar Express, there is one specific piece of information about the North Pole that is playfully portrayed. When you’re in the North Pole, everything faces south, including all of the compass points at the train station. How adorable!

Elf

Did you think you’d only receive one Easter egg from this wonderful Christmas film? Have you ever wondered how the film’s writers and directors managed to make Buddy’s first trip to New York City appear so real?

Many of the folks Buddy stopped to welcome on the street were not professional actors; they were just normal New Yorkers. You could even make a game of it, trying to guess who’s an actor and who’s a pedestrian as you watch the film.

Four Christmases

For every film genre, there are bound to be people and characters who are connected to the theme in some way, and they frequently appear in cameos just for fun. Directors need to fill all sorts of roles, and this is the ideal approach to accomplish their goals.

Consider Peter Billingsley from the film Four Christmases. When you need to fill a spot in a Christmas movie, he’s the guy to call. Billingsley is best known for his part in the 1983 film A Christmas Story, but he also appeared in the Christmas comedy Elf.

The Santa Clause

If you were born in the 1990s or earlier, you undoubtedly remember seeing Tim Allen on TV and in practically every movie that was playing at the time. During the 1990s, Allen was in his prime, with a hit program, a movie series, and a new book.

The writers make reference to Allen’s former role on Home Improvement in the first The Santa Clause film with the tools on his work belt at the elf workshop. What an accomplished individual he is.

A Christmas Story

If you’ve seen the movie A Christmas Story, you’ll recall seeing a Chinese restaurant called Bowling near the end of the movie. The ‘w’ in bowling, however, is not illuminated like the other letters.

That’s because when assistant director Ken Goch was a youngster, his mother was looking for a restaurant to take their family to and mistook a bowling side street with a burned-out letter ‘w’ for a Chinese restaurant. Isn’t it great when fiction and nonfiction come together?

How the Grinch Stole Christmas

What is the finest part of the movie How the Grinch Stole Christmas? It’s a Dr. Seuss story, after all, and that means there is plenty of potential for Dr. Seuss-related Easter eggs. And the fact that it was written by a creative genius doesn’t hurt.

Have you ever noticed that Whoville’s clock tower has an elephant perched atop it? Although an elephant statue may seem unusual for a clock tower, true Dr. Seuss fans were able to recognize Horton from ‘Horton Hears a Who’.

Die Hard

Die Hard isn’t the first film that comes to mind when thinking of Christmas movies. But, hey, even the filmmaker says it’s one, therefore it’s on the list. Easter eggs are great because they can be found in practically any movie.

Because it’s difficult to disguise all of the special effects in action movies, this particular case was most likely discovered by someone who watched the movie religiously several dozen times. During the scene where Bruce Willis walks on broken glass, he can be seen wearing some sort of foot-shaped sock… oops!

Elf

Could it be that one of the most amusing scenes in the entire film Elf wasn’t initially scripted? That could very well be the case with Zoey Deschanel and Will Ferrel’s shower scene at Gimbels.

Except for the director, Jon Favreau, everyone knows that Zoey Deschanel has a wonderful voice. We appreciate Favreau’s decision to include the moment later in the film. We can’t conceive what the movie would be like if this scene didn’t exist.

Arthur Christmas

Animation production firms, more than other genres of films, are known for including Easter eggs from prior works throughout their films. It’s almost become a custom to look for them when watching their new flicks.

Aardman Animations, known for their stop-motion clay productions, flawlessly included an Easter egg from one of their previous films into Arthur Christmas. Remember how Steve snuck into Gwen’s house and nearly stepped on a toy sheep? Shaun the sheep, that’s him.

Elf

Elf has a lot of amusing situations that will make you laugh so hard you’ll fall out of your chair. Buddy chooses to buy a really special gift for his father, and, being from the North Pole, doesn’t seem to grasp that this type of present is not suitable.

Later in the video, as the family is exchanging gifts, you can see that Walter’s wife Emily was given the same presents that Buddy gave to Walter earlier.

How the Grinch Stole Christmas

Do any of you remember Martha May Whovier from The Grinch? Although she is an unlovable character, this Easter egg will make you reconsider your opinion of her…

You might recall the Grinch making her a special present when they were both kids. Well, what about that tree-topper? The jewels that adorned this miniature work of art are later visible in her hair. A woman of that stature could undoubtedly afford more expensive jewelry, yet she decided to wear those. How sweet!

Rudolf The Red-Nosed Reindeer

It’s hard to believe that before (most of us) were born, there were Christmas movies that appear to be rather contemporary. You may recall the character Hermey from the 1964 film Rudolf The Red-Nosed Reindeer, and how he didn’t quite fit in as an elf?

There have been numerous suggestions as to why this could be the case. To begin, take a look at his hair; he doesn’t have elf hair, and he definitely doesn’t have elf ears. Many fans believe he is human, which makes sense given his dislike of producing toys.

The Year Without a Santa Claus

Christmas classics have been warming hearts for generations. The Year Without a Santa Claus, a 1974 production, is a slightly older Christmas film with a lot of Christmas spirit.

There will, of course, be oddities here and there, as with any animation. In The Year Without a Santa Claus, you can see Charlie Chaplin’s most renowned character, The Tramp, standing by himself.

 How the Grinch Stole Christmas

Some films come and go, but some will never be forgotten. How the Grinch Stole Christmas is one such classic that seems to have found a permanent place in our hearts; and let’s be honest, Jim Carrey spent way too much time on hair and makeup for us not to rewatch it.

Movie aficionados are well aware of just how much attention to detail goes into crafting a film. The coins in Whoville contain the phrase “e pluribus whonum” on them, which is a parody of the phrase “e pluribus unum” (“out of many, one”) that appears on American coins.

The Christmas Chronicles

We’ve already established that many traditional studios include Easter eggs in their films, so why can’t streaming services do the same? When Netflix released The Christmas Chronicles, a well-known Christmas film, they did precisely that.

In the movie, Santa approaches the valet to chat with him, but he is engrossed by something on his tablet. You might wonder what he’s looking at. Well, he seems to be watching Stranger Things, one of Netflix’s most popular series.

It’s a Wonderful Life

Last and eldest among our list of brilliant Christmas classics, It’s a Wonderful Life was released in 1946. And hey, maybe air conditioning just wasn’t as much of a thing back then. 

In most parts of the United States, children sit by their windows and pray for a white Christmas. Well, this film was shot during the hotter months of the year, and if you look closely, you can see that James Stewart’s character, George Bailey, is genuinely sweating. And that clashes a bit with the powdery snow adorning his coat.