"These movies typically start with carol music playing over the skyline of a snowy city (usually New York, but any big city will do) before we meet our heroine. the ambitious, career-driven woman. When we meet her, she's stressed and unhappy, despite having an unfeasibly large apartment and a beautifully tailored wardrobe. Various unsubtle plot devices are used to show us that she's kind and altruistic, yet despite this, she has yet to find true love."
"Cue a visit to her hometown, where she meets the ruggedly handsome man who runs the Christmas tree farm, or the guy who's busy organising the local snowflake festival and desperately needs her help. Whatever his holiday-themed occupation, the result is the same. She falls in love, reconsiders her entire life, and ends up staying in the small town to pursue romance and drink hot chocolate with Mr. Rugged all year round."
Holiday romantic films frequently use the 'city girl meets hometown boy' trope, opening with snowy urban scenes and a busy, ambitious heroine who appears unfulfilled despite material comforts. Plot devices establish her kindness and lack of romantic fulfillment, then send her back to a small hometown where she meets a rugged, community-minded man. The narrative typically has her fall in love, rethink priorities, and remain in the small town, often abandoning career goals. These stories offer comfort through predictable happy endings. Healthy relationships avoid self-erasure, encourage self-actualization, and build connection without requiring sacrifice of personal ambitions.
Read at Psychology Today
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