> Die Hard is not a movie about Christmas. It just happens to be set then.
>
> If it was, John McLaine would be a 6 year old girl, and the movie would end with Hans Gruber buying her some sweets. And instead of getting shot, he'd promise not to kill anyone else until the new year.

Ah - you're confusing "Christmas" with "trite".

Why did John McLean go to Nakatomi Plaza in the first place? To see his estranged wife and to try and patch things up with her over the holidays. So there's a motivating need for reconciliation there - Christmas is a time for forgiveness, after all.

Anyway - the Die Hard formula has been applied to other Christmas movies: main character trapped in a situation against a seemingly all-powerful enemy. Home Alone, anyone?

Bo"Annoyingly, gun-wielding thugs take over the building. Hijinks ensue"urne