A glance at the pre-Halloween release date gives one an indication that perhaps Dreamworks did not anticipate that this movie would become the next beloved Christmas classic. In years to come, it probably will get plenty of holiday play on TBS or USA, but Surviving Christmas is never going to be viewed as being in the same category as A Christmas Story or even National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. By advancing the release date to mid-October, Dreamworks assures two things: (1) it won't have a lot of immediate competition in the Christmas movie market, and (2) few people will be sufficiently enough in the mood to care. Opening a seasonal movie two months before the season hints at desperation.
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