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The surprising reason why we love watching bad Christmas films

Photo credit: CentralITAlliance - Getty Images
Photo credit: CentralITAlliance - Getty Images

From Cosmopolitan

There are some Christmas films that the majority of us will agree are seasonal staples (see: The Holiday, Elf and Love Actually). Others? Not so much... yet we bet you sometimes still get a hankering to switch them on too – and there's an interesting scientific reason why.

According to LastVerdict’s resident Health Practitioner (and Christmas movie super fan) Sally Henderson, Hallmark Movies (as they're affectionately known) are still popular because they trigger a flurry of the feel good hormone dopamine. If we're taking Last Christmas as an example of a bad movie (sorry Emilia Clarke - love you!), it follows a pretty standard romcom formula.

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Said formula, like junk food, has an impact on the brain, says Henderson. "In fact, the similarities between 'rubbish' movies and snacking are almost exactly the same. According to a recent study, 73% of us have positive feelings towards binging out on bad movies, and that’s because of our body’s natural response to watching films and TV. Christmas movies tend to be of a steady pace, which creates a continuous flow of dopamine in our brains."

She adds, "It’s not the snow and romance you’re craving – it’s the sense of enjoyment you get from the brain's releasing of happy hormones into your system."

Photo credit: vladans - Getty Images
Photo credit: vladans - Getty Images

Henderson continues on to explain, "Dopamine is your body’s natural reward hormone, released into your system as a way to reinforce you to continue doing the actions you’re doing. In some cases, such as with junk food, the release of dopamine can eventually be harmful. In the case of watching trashy Christmas movies, it’s completely risk-free."

There are other reasons why binging on Christmas romcoms is so much fun too; they offer an easy escapism. "Christmas movies don’t just provide another world, they present us with the ultimate good version of our world, where everyone is obsessed with Christmas and, no matter what happens, everything always works out," says Henderson.

Critically panned movies also present a bonding opportunity. "Just look at Emily in Paris, which was ridiculed for its depiction of Paris and influencers, but because of the buzz around it online, it's just been commissioned for another season," notes Henderson. Similarly, the Christmas movie The Princess Switch (which received an audience score of 48% on Rotten Tomatoes) also has a sequel coming out this year.

"In the world of social media, trashy entertainment is king," says Henderson. "Before, you'd maybe hear about a bad film through word of mouth, and then talk about it with close friends after. Now, a bad movie or tv show can be an online event. Social media has provided a way for a forgettable and possibly terrible film to reach new heights of discussion."

There you have it! Permission to watch (and post about) Christmas With The Kranks and Jingle All The Way well and truly granted.

Follow Jennifer on Twitter and Instagram

Cosmopolitan UK is out now and you can SUBSCRIBE HERE.

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