The aroma of freshly-baked sugar cookies wafts from the oven as senior Silvia Rodriguez lounges on the couch, nestled between her sister and parents. Her two cats weave around the thick, plaid blanket draped over their legs, and the glow of Christmas lights reflects off their faces. On the TV, her family’s traditional Christmas movie, “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” plays for the 17th year in a row.

“It brings back nostalgia, and I think it sends a really nice message that puts you in the holiday spirit,” Rodriguez said. “It’s a very communal activity, especially if it’s a movie you’ve watched many times. The special part isn’t necessarily seeing the movie on the screen, it’s doing it in the company of others.”

Alanna Williamson, who teaches Composition and Literature of Visual Media, said timeless Christmas movies often have recurring themes that bring warmth and nostalgia. She said these patterns can help people reconnect with the comfort of childhood.

“The best ones have a kind of magic to them without being cheesy,” Williamson said. “There’s something that makes you almost, as an adult, believe in Christmas again. Most Christmas movies have a common motif of building relationships and opening yourself up to other people.”

Rodriguez said her favorite scene from “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” is when all of Whoville comes together, holds hands and sings. She said these moments remind her of the joys of the holidays.

“It makes me emotional because it’s the holiday spirit,” Rodriguez said. “It reminds you to be grateful for your family, for everything you have, and that this time isn’t about materialism. It’s a special time to be more appreciative and giving to others.”

Williamson said predictability in holiday movies — like the theme of everyone coming together in the end — actually strengthens the genre because audiences know how the story will unfold, reassuring them and helping them relax into the story.

“In film, we talk about stages of genre in our class and how genres through time have gone through refinements,” Williamson said. “A movie that fits into a genre but subverts conventions is in the refinement stage. A lot of modern Christmas movies do that — they take genre conventions and make little changes or subversions.”

She also said this evolution allows holiday movies to reflect more modern family dynamics and social perspectives.

“One of the biggest differences with modern holiday movies is that they play with the idea of family — maybe your family looks different from other people’s families,” Williamson said. “In one indie Christmas film, it’s about a lesbian relationship — bringing someone home and not wanting to be open about one’s sexuality. That’s a super interesting refinement of the genre for people who maybe haven’t seen themselves represented in Christmas movies before.”

Additionally, Williamson said visual elements — such as setting, costumes and makeup, lighting, and blocking and props — play a key role in creating the cozy, immersive feeling that people associate with the holidays.

“The mise en scène of the film establishes so much of that magic, making us feel like it’s December and really immersing us in the world,” Williamson said. “There’s scenic realism in terms of the location of the film. For example, I don’t live in New York, but if I watch Eloise at Christmastime, I want to really feel like I’m at the Plaza Hotel — it’s decked out, and we’re really there.”

Senior Madeleine Connolly said the detailed, festive settings in these movies sparked her imagination as a child, inspiring her to recreate that holiday magic in her own home.

“In ‘The Grinch,’ when they show the general shots of the town, it’s so cool just seeing how it’s decorated — it’s so intricate and pretty,” Connolly said. “I definitely wished our street was similar. When I was younger, we put up colorful Christmas lights around our staircase … I definitely want to do it when I’m older with my family.”

And senior Kathryn Chen said watching “A Charlie Brown Christmas” every year has become a cherished tradition that shaped her holiday memories growing up — including family trips down Christmas Tree Lane.

“Now that I’m older, the movie feels a lot shorter, and sometimes the message hits harder,” Chen said. “Watching it is usually the last part of our Christmas celebration, so it’s kind of the end of an era every time I see it, especially now, after 14 years of doing this tradition.”

Williamson said part of the appeal of these films comes from the familiar humor, and repeated viewings allow audiences to enjoy them in new ways.

“A lot of Christmas movies are really funny and have really good one-liners, so you’re looking forward to hearing those again and acting them out along with the movie,” Williamson said.

She added that, like Rodriguez, her personal favorite is “The Grinch,” a film that still brings her back to childhood memories each holiday season.

“It reminds me of being a little kid … and watching Christmas movies as a child, still believing in Santa, putting up the tree with my parents and all these traditions,” Williamson said. “As an adult, I live alone now, so I wake up on Christmas morning and hang out with my cat.”

Connolly said her family watches “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” every Christmas Eve, as the film’s comedic moments, festive setting and holiday music make the movie tradition a cherished memory.

“My parents love ‘Christmas Vacation,’” Connolly said. “They watched it when they were younger, so it’s also nostalgic for them, and that’s why they started the tradition.”

Chen said her favorite, “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” resonates because it reminds her of her childhood holiday experiences.

“When I feel really hopeless or sad, it feels inspiring to see the community join around Charlie Brown at the end,” Chen said. “When they’re all singing around the little Christmas tree, it always reminds me of going down Christmas Tree Lane with my family because one of the houses always has that scene laid out on its lawn. That reminds me of being little and being excited to see all the lights.”

In the end, Rodriguez said although her relationship with holiday movies has evolved as she’s grown older, watching them with her family helps her connect with the past and shapes her own sense of what makes the holidays meaningful.

“When I was little, I didn’t really register that watching a movie like this was a tradition,” Rodriguez said. “Now, as I get older, I’ll think about what traditions I want to carry forward … It’s really nice because it brings me back to being a kid. The older I get, the more happy it makes me to watch these movies because it reminds me of all my happy holiday memories.”