Welcome to Polterzeitgeist: The Pop Culture That Haunts Us, an essay series that explores widely-experienced pop culture moments and their effects — both the good and the bad — on our personal lives.
"I am Eloise. I am six. I'm a city child. I live at the Plaza hotel."
You might have heard this on your FYP recently, and in my opinion, the resurgence of everyone's favorite sassy child protagonist is an annual highlight of the Christmas season. Every year, in addition to watching Christmas classics like Little Women and White Christmas, there's another non-negotiable movie: Eloise at Christmastime. This film continues to pop up all over pop culture, from viral TikToks to endless hair bows to a literal Eloise suite at the Plaza Hotel. But beyond the maximalism and nostalgia, there's one reason Eloise at Christmastime has had such lasting impact — it's actually extremely empowering.
Image via Disney
Eloise at Christmastime is simply magical, and not just because of the childhood whimsy it evokes. You see, Christmas in Manhattan just *is* magic. Transcendent. Hopeful. You're surrounded by decorations, shops, songs, and traditions that have been around for decades, allowing you to be a part of something much bigger.
The sophisticated grace of the Plaza Hotel — home to the one and only Eloise herself — always played a huge role in my I'm-going-to-live-in-New-York-City-someday daydreams. On my 25th birthday, after living in the Big Apple for the better part of a year, staying at the hotel finally became a reality, and it ended up being just as wonderful as I'd hoped. While I obviously didn't get to meet Bill, Max, and Patrice (played by Gavin Creel, Cliff Saunders, and Julian Richings, respectively), everyone at the Plaza is just as kind as their fictional counterparts. They're attentive, helpful, and serve a killer afternoon tea. I couldn't get enough of the petit fours!
My room had plenty of space to kick up my feet and sip champagne or lay on my bed like a starfish — not to mention I had a huge bathroom for all my pampering needs... and I have *a lot* of makeup so I wasn't mad about all the space! Living out this small but strong childhood dream showcases just the power Eloise at Christmastime had growing up, when I was a kid with an attitude and imagination to match my favorite book heroines.
Image via Disney
While I might have expected to outgrow these stories and these characters, the opposite has actually been true — the older I get, the more I love Eloise at Christmastime because it reminds me of the magic I felt as a kid and the dreams that got me here. It empowers me to be the confident, radiant version of myself the world has tried to dim.
You see, young women continue to experience increased levels of anxiety and depression, as well as a drop in self-esteem, and tapping into my childhood confidence has been one way I have fought through my own battles. Stories have played such a pivotal role in helping me see the beauty in the world.
While Eloise's life is an absolute daydream, her spunk makes more of an impression than anything else. Eloise knows exactly what she wants, and she goes after it with reckless abandon. Now, does that mean I recommend sabotaging a prestigious Manhattan wedding like Eloise does in the move? No. But there are plenty of times that I'm too afraid to speak my mind, ask for what I want, or tell someone how I feel that I could use a dose of her unashamed courage.
Image via Disney
Eloise's confidence manifests itself in her fashion and decorating choices, because she is, after all, a #MaterialGirl — and she isn't afraid to unleash chaos in all its forms. While, at first glance, it might just look like a messy room and a wrinkled dress, there's actually much bigger metaphor here.
Life is often so messy and so chaotic that instead of just enjoying the ride, it triggers anxiety. But Eloise just sprinkles some glitter, slaps a bow on top, and chooses to see the chaos around her as an adventure. What if I — what if we — looked at our own crazy holiday seasons that way? Delayed flights can be an opportunity for new friendships, cooking disasters can turn into new culinary traditions, and fashion emergencies can turn into funny stories you tell for years to come (that last one is me speaking from experience).
The way that Eloise at Christmastime makes ordinary moments feel magical actually highlights the most important part of the holiday season. The movie's best scenes — Nanny and Eloise singing while they decorate the tree, Bill dancing around in the snow, and Bill and Rachel both singing carols with Eloise — capture the magic Christmas inspires in us. Because the most important thing isn't presents or checking off a holiday bucket list, but rather to be surrounded by the people you love, wrinkles and bows and all. And I'd like to think Eloise would definitely approve of that.
What's your favorite holiday film? Let us know in the comments, and sign up for our weekly email newsletter for more movie musings!
Header image via Disney
