Is Buster Posey A Christmas Movie?

For too long now there has been a mild debate around the movie Die Hard and whether or not it qualifies as a “Christmas movie” — that is, is it something to be watched every year for the Christmas holiday along with A Christmas Story, It’s A Wonderful Life, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, and, oh, I don’t know, Home Alone? For a lot of young Gen-Xers and most Millenials, that answer seems to be one big YES.

This means that any movie with Christmas in it can be considered a “Christmas movie”. It doesn’t matter if it’s about a beat cop taking down a dozen international terrorists (Die Hard) or a little jerk trying to kill two burglars with one paint can (Home Alone). But does this idea extend to non-feature films to, say, human highlight reels, such as our own Buster Posey?

Is Buster Posey a Christmas movie? Let’s examine the evidence:

• Does Buster Posey take place during Christmas?

No. His birthday is in March. He signed his 9-year extension in March 2013. He’s very much of the Marchtime. But, he did take the above picture for the holiday season once and it is an enduring symbol for Christmastime should one purchase the sweater and wear it every year until the knit unravels. And, Buster Posey jerseys probably wind up given as Christmas gifts every year, too. It’s not impossible to believe that. So, even though Buster Posey doesn’t not officially take place in any meaningful way during Christmastime, he is sometimes a part of Christmas for people out there.

• Does Buster Posey conjure within each of us the “spirit of the holiday season”?

Of course he does. Buster Posey is all about hope and joy and togetherness and reminding us of all the good in the universe even when there’s so much pain and suffering out there. In the offseason, even a glimpse of Buster Posey reminds us of the fun that is to come in the new season.

Through his exquisite pitch framing skills he reminds us that we can all be gracious receivers. Through his rifle-like arm, we know we can be powerful givers, too. And what is a Buster Hug if not a demonstration of one’s generosity of spirit and good will towards all people? Be the Buster Posey you wish to see in the world.

• Does calling Buster Posey a Christmas Movie give you power over others who would be confused and incensed by you dumping the traditional fare for a modern story with only a tangential relationship to the holiday?

Yes, of course. That’s the whole point of the exercise. All traditions are bad because they oppress somebody somewhere at some point. But if we keep redefining “tradition” and, more importantly, adding something new into the rotation, then life doesn’t feel stagnate, it doesn’t become rote and dull. You wanna bust out Posey’s 5-hit NLCS Game 4 in 2010, go right ahead. What’s that? You don’t have the Yule Log on repeat all of Christmas day, just this?

Be my guest. Make it a holiday tradition. It’s the best kind of holiday tradition: one in which Mat Latos gets trashed at least once a year.

The holiday season is supposed to bring us all together, and maybe after Thanksgiving fractures some families, an end of the year Buster Poseython might heal some of those wounds. Come gather ‘round and watch Buster Posey. Open presents with Buster Posey on in the background. Gather your friends who are alone in the big city for an “Orphan Christmas” and watch Buster Posey play baseball. Or maybe watch all his commercials.

In conclusion, Buster Posey is a Christmas Movie. The fact of the matter is, he’s more real than Santa Claus, Krampus, and Die Hard.