Since the end of Halloween, Christmas decorations, trees, stockings, candy, makeup, and even wine have popped up in stores. The Christmas season seems to be quickly spreading all around us — and while the holidays may be here, what many tend to forget is that the holiday season goes well beyond Christmas. Multiple holidays are celebrated throughout December as well as throughout the year, including Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, New Year’s Eve, Diwali, and Ramadan (just to name a few). While there are endless Christmas films and TV specials (Hallmark has practically created a factory for them), there aren’t nearly as many about these other holidays — so, we’ve gathered up the movies and TV episodes that do take on some of these other holidays.
Whether you want to see a different holiday you celebrate depicted or educate your children about these various holidays, these films and TV specials focus on holidays — and topics — that go beyond your traditional ho-ho-ho’s.
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‘The Proud Family: Seven Days of Kwanzaa ‘
The Proud Family, which is getting a reboot on Disney Plus, was always ahead of its time. In this episode from season one, the Prouds meet a homeless family (voiced by guest stars Vivica A. Fox, Samuel L. Jackson and Raven-Symoné and invite them to spend Christmas with them. To the family’s surprise (and Oscar’s chagrin) the family in need shows up the next day to celebrate Kwanzaa with them. The episode teaches the seven days/principles of Kwanzaa, why Kwanzaa and Christmas can be celebrated together, and what the true meaning of Kwanzaa is. By the end of Kwanzaa, even Oscar had grown to love the family and appreciate Kwanzaa. It’s a sweet introduction to a holiday that still needs to be demystified.
Watch on Disney Plus.
‘A Rugrats Chanukah’ and ‘A Rugrats Kwanzaa’
For many ‘90s children (myself included) this A Rugrats Chanukah first introduced me to the holiday. In the episode, Grandpa Boris is at it again with his frenemy, Schlomo, due to the fact that Schlomo got a feature in the newspaper about his part in the Hanukkah play, which Grandpa Boris did not. This is too much for Grandpa Boris to take as he can’t believe the nerve of the newspaper to not include him as well. Meanwhile, Grandma Mika reads the story of Hanukkah to the babies, who begin to imagine themselves in the story. In addition to learning the story of Hanukkah, the babies also enjoy various Hanukkah traditions, such as eating latkes and lighting the menorah. At a time when Hanukkah was barely portrayed on television, today it is one of the most popular Rugrats episodes to ever be made.
The Rugrats didn’t just celebrate Hanukkah — they also learned about and celebrated Kwanzaa too! In this special, Susie (Cree Summer) and her friends learn about the holiday from her great aunt. Susie becomes sad when she learns because she feels that she is the only member of her family to have not yet achieved greatness, but is consoled when her aunt tells her that she still had plenty of time to do so.
Watch it on Paramount Plus.
‘Happy New Year, Charlie Brown!’
Many of us have seen A Charlie Brown Christmas, where Linus gives what may be the greatest Christmas speech to ever be given in any holiday special. However, not as many of us have seen Happy New Year, Charlie Brown! While this special is not as thought provoking as its predecessor or as educational as some of the other entries on this list, Happy New Year, Charlie Brown! Is a hilarious and endearing look at New Year’s Eve. Poor Charlie Brown just wants to go to a New Year’s Eve party where his paramour, the little red haired girl, is also attending. Unfortunately for him, his teacher assigns him to read War and Peace over the holidays. Watching Charlie Brown frantically try to finish the book is hysterical, and just like with most Charlie Brown adventures, you can’t help but relate to his never ending struggles.
Watch on Apple TV+.
‘Arthur’s Perfect Christmas’
In what may be one of the most underrated holiday specials to ever be made, Arthur’s Perfect Christmas is the perfect reminder that not everyone celebrates Christmas and that the holidays are often far from perfect, but that’s okay. The hour-long special follows Arthur and his friends as they navigate the holiday season. Francine can’t make it to Muffy’s “holiday extravaganza” because it’s the last night of Hanukkah, which results in Francine explaining Hanukkah to her friend; Buster and his mom are struggling with celebrating Christmas, so Arthur and his friends create a special holiday just for him (“Baxter Day”); Brian’s family is celebrating Kwanzaa, and George’s family celebrates St. Lucia Day. It’s one of the most wide ranging holiday specials out there.
Watch on Amazon.
‘Godmothered
Sometimes a holiday-esque movie doesn’t need to involve a holiday at all, which is the case with the Disney film Godmothered. In the same vein as Enchanted, Godmothered follows Eleanor (Jillian Bell), a fairy godmother in training, who, after learning that there may no longer be a need for fairy godmothers and that she may be forced to become a toothfairy, decides to prove that there is by tracking down a young girl who wrote her a letter. Eleanor discovers that the young girl is now a frazzled adult named Mackenzie (Isla Fischer) who isn’t interested in finding her prince charming — she’s just trying to raise her kids and pay the bills. Eleanor decides to help Eleanor find her happy ending – which may be much closer than she thinks. The film is an uplifting comedy that is also, by Disney standards, quite feminist.
Watch on Disney Plus.
‘The Office: Diwali’
Although The Office had some problematic moments, it also told diverse stories that had never been seen on American television before. One of these stories came in the form of ‘Diwali,’ which was written by Indian-American actress Mindy Kaling. In the episode, Kelly (Kaling) invites her coworkers to come celebrate Diwali, one of the biggest holidays in Hindu culture. Surprisingly, Dwight (Rainn Wilson) perfectly explains what Diwali is about: a celebration of the coronation of the god-king Rama after his epic battle with Ravana, the demon king of Lanka. The actual Diwali celebration consists of dancing, eating, and a neat pile of shoes by the door. While some characters respectfully enjoy the holiday, such as Pam, others are downright offensive, such as when Michael loudly proclaims what he knows about the Kama Sutra. Rather than accept this rude behavior, the show mocks these characters to show that making fun of another’s culture is never okay, but respectfully learning about it is. There are a few more adult moments in the episode, so be sure to watch this one with the little ones to determine what may not be appropriate for them.
Watch on Peacock.
‘American Eid’
Islam is one of the largest religions in the world and millions of Americans are Muslim, which means they celebrate Ramadan. Unlike Christmas, Ramadan does not take place on the same date every year — it takes place during a specific month according to the Islamic calendar. At the end of Ramadan comes the celebration of Eid, which is the main focus of the short film, AmericanEid. Ameena, a Muslim Pakistani immigrant, learns that she has to go to school on Eid. Heartbroken, she goes on a mission to make Eid a public school holiday and reconnects with her sister, who has begun to turn her back on her culture. The children at Ameena’s school are introduced to Eid, and for many American children, they are introduced to it as well.
Watch on Disney Plus.
‘Hey Arnold! Arnold’s Christmas’
Much like The Proud Family, Hey Arnold! was ahead of its time. In its first Christmas special, the episode is set around Christmas and does involve Christmas traditions (such as Helga trying to find the perfect gift for Arnold) but that’s not what the main focus of the episode is. When Arnold draws his neighbor Mr. Hyunh as his secret Santa, he learns that Mr. Hyunh is a refugee from Vietnam who gave his infant daughter away to a soldier knowing that it was the only way she would be safe. The soldier told him they were taking his daughter to New York (which is how Mr. Hyunh ended up there in the first place) and Arnold sets out to reunite father and daughter. The episode was hailed by critics for how it told a nuanced and realistic look at the Vietnam War as well as treated Mr. Hyunh with respect; in the series, Mr. Hyunh’s accent is never mocked and he was voiced by Baoan Coleman. The episode does not introduce another holiday, but it does teach a valuable lesson about love and the sacrifices one has to make for it.
Watch on Paramount Plus.
‘The Black Candle’
While there are numerous movies about Christmas, there aren’t that many about Kwanzaa. In fact, quite a few Americans are still not entirely sure what Kwanzaa is. The documentary, The Black Candle, clears up those questions and is a celebration of African American culture. Narrated by the late poet and literary goddess Maya Angelou, The Black Candle follows the holiday’s origins from the Black Panther Movement to how it’s celebrated today. The result is an uplifting film about the importance of family and resilience.
Watch on Amazon.
‘An American Tail’
While An American Tail isn’t exactly a Hanukkah movie, it is representative of the Jewish experience. Beginning in 1885 Shostka, the Mousekewitz family is celebrating Hanukkah and dreaming of a life in America, where they will be free from cats, which stand in as antisemites. When their home is destroyed during a human antisemite attack, the family packs up their bags and boards a ship for New York. Along the way, little Fivel is separated from his family and has to find his way back to them. The film is known for its beautiful animation and for its ability to explain antisemitism and its horrific ramifications to children.
Watch on Starz.
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