Study Finds That Happy And Long-Lasting Couples Watch Christmas Movies Together
In true Hallmark fashion, a study found that the couples who take the time to really get into the Christmas spirit by cozying up together and watching a Christmas movie were happier and more likely to last longer than their Scrooge counterparts. Not that we're really surprised anyway.
So if you've been waiting for the perfect reason to get your significant other into the holiday spirit, now's your perfect opportunity. So entice them with some delicious egg nog, It's A Wonderful Life, and some feel-good sciencey statistics. There's nothing more Christmasy than facts.
We All Know There's Magic In The Movies
I mean, listen, none of us are surprised by the fact that Christmas movies help bring people together. Every year there's the expected family tradition of everyone sitting down together and watching something—we all look forward to it and it gets the gang together. Why not do the same with your significant other?
Another incentive is that holiday movies always have that romance element in them. People are falling in love left and right, strangers are reconnecting with family members, and dogs are saving the holiday season. Even Air Bud has a Christmas movie — Santa Buddies anyone?
The Study Focused On Couples That Watched And Didn't Watch Together
Researchers from the University of Rochester and the University of California, Los Angeles took it upon themselves to prove that this tradition is one that should stay forever. They surveyed over 174 couples and split them into two groups—those who watched Christmas movies and those who didn't. We know what group we'd want to be in.
The study took place over the course of three years because you just can't get data over one holiday season. Now, I don't know about you, but I don't think there's a stronger reason to stay together with someone than science.
Guess Which Group Had More Relationship Problems?
In a result that surprised literally nobody, the group of couples that weren't required to watch Christmas movies were either broken up before the study ended or the were talking about breaking up. The magic of Christmas heals messy couples, according to science!
The groups were also given couples therapy to give them a fighting chance, but clearly the secret ingredient must be the quality wholesome time that watching a holiday movie together inspires.
Experts Say Movies Are Basically DIY Therapy
Ronald Rogge, associate professor of psychology at the University of Rochester, believes that movies help show couples correct behaviors that might be damaging their relationships. He says that, "the results suggest that husbands and wives have a pretty good sense of what they might be doing right and wrong in their relationships. Thus, you might not need to teach them a whole lot of skills to cut the divorce rate. You might just need to get them to think about how they are currently behaving."
Movies are basically couples therapy at home according to Rogge who says that, "there are really great marriage intervention programs available now but most require trained therapists to administer them. If couples can do this on their own, it makes it so much easier to help them."
So sit down, snuggle up, and make time this holiday season for a little quality movie time with your significant other because it's healthy. So there's no excuse that they can't watch Home Alone six times in a row with you anymore.
