The sudden price rise has led CSI students to search for cheaper ways to create the Christmas spirit this holiday season, and many don’t even realize it. They are tuning into their favorite movies.
By: Annaliese Delgado
With the holidays just around the corner, many students are choosing affordable ways to celebrate this year. With the rising prices impacting holiday shopping, students often skip holiday events. Instead, many students are watching their favorite holiday movies as a cheaper alternative to embracing the holiday cheer.
Christmas movies run from the start of November and throughout December. Movies such as “Home Alone” or “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” offer a familiar dose of nostalgia every holiday season, giving students an easy way to enjoy the holiday season without making a dent in their bank account.
For CSI senior Precious Dillion, holiday movies are a tradition. And this holiday season, she is celebrating with her boyfriend watching Christmas movies. She often puts on her favorite, “This Christmas,” “Home Alone,” or “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” whenever she’s in the Christmas mood.
“Home Alone is something that my boyfriend favors. He loves that movie. He rewatched that a bunch of times,” said Dillion. “I have definitely been watching it with him. Sometimes it’s alone. Like, once I get that Christmas vibe, I’m just putting on a Christmas movie on, honestly.”
Other students share similar traditions. CSI classmates Mateo Armstrong and Edward Finn said they start their holiday celebrations early by watching Christmas movies with family or friends, often weeks before the Christmas season.
“My family or my girl if it’s on,” said Armstrong, to which Finn said, “My family as well.”
Christmas films also provide emotional relief during a season that can feel heavier for many students. With the rising cost of food, transportation, and gifts, entertainment that doesn’t require spending is guaranteed to be of higher quality.
The economic pressure is being felt on CSI students as well. A recent survey found that 27% of Gen Z report that their financial situation is worse than last year, which is causing a strain on their holiday expectations and spending.
While the prices during the holidays are daunting for students on a fixed budget, holiday movies have become a low-cost way to keep the Christmas spirit and traditions. This helps students stay connected to the season and mentally reset for the coming year.
CSI junior Donovan Gorodovich said he feels pressure to buy realistic gifts and keeps his expectations low as a college student, given what he can afford.
“All of these factors combine to make holiday spending feel very pressured, and sometimes I feel guilty when I can’t give the gifts that I really want to give.” said Gorodovich, “But I am also learning to prioritize what’s financially healthy for me and to focus more on thoughtful, meaningful gifts instead of expensive ones.”
Despite the financial trouble, Gorodovich hasn’t lost the holiday spirit. He simply stays home and uses this time to cozy up and watch a holiday movie, without adding stress to his wallet.
Whether rewatching Home Alone with their partner or starting a holiday movie marathon with friends, students are finding that holiday spirit doesn’t have to come with a price tag. And for many at CSI, that simply means that clicking play on the remote lets them celebrate in a way that brings them joy while being financially responsible.
Gorodovich explained how he already watched a couple of Christmas movies like “Elf,” “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” and “The Nightmare Before Christmas” on December 1.
“Watching a good movie from my childhood during the holidays is always enjoyable,” said Gorodovich. “Since the holidays are so expensive, staying home watching a good movie gives me that cozy, joyful feeling without having to spend money on extra events or holiday activities. It’s a simple way to enjoy December without adding any more financial pressure.”
