Christmas as Usual tries to tell a heartwarming, family story of Thea, who goes back home to her rural town to celebrate a classic Norwegian Christmas with her family. However, this year she’s bringing along Jashan, her Indian boyfriend whom they don’t know about. What was supposed to be Christmas as usual turns into a tumultuous and heartwarming festive period, and the film’s ending prompts everyone to look at their beliefs and traditions through a fun and careful lens.
Whilst the premise is sweet and something we can all relate to — who hasn’t been nervous about introducing their partner to their family — its casual and ignored racism makes the film feel odd and old. The comedy is there, it just needed pushing a little further through direction and acting.
Christmas as Usual Ending Explained
Towards the end of Christmas as Usual, at a family dinner, there’s a conflict when Jashan and Thea begin to let the cultural differences get in between their relationship. Jashan doesn’t feel like he fits in and realizes that Thea hasn’t told anyone she’s married when he sees her without her engagement ring. Thea’s ex is also hanging around, rescuing them from the snow and playing Santa. After a dramatic fight, Jashan gets a taxi back to the airport to go home.
How does Christmas as Usual end?
Like in all classic romantic comedies and Christmas films, Thea has a breakthrough and makes the grand gesture to go to the airport and find Jashan and bring him back home. This is where we come full circle, where Thea crashes the car. Unhurt, she cries in the car and her mum comes to join her, they have a heart-to-heart conversation and then the whole family gets in the car, racing to the airport.
RELATED: Where was Christmas as Usual filmed?
Thea is able to catch Jashn and bring him back to the family home. We then cut to one year later, to the following Christmas, where the family is back in Norway enjoying the traditions as one big happy family. The final joke is the wedding being in India (now that’s a film I’d watch.)
Do they have a Merry Christmas after all?
After a breakup, a car crash, and multiple apologies, the family races to the airport and Thea is able to run through and catch Jashan before he boards. The family then celebrates Christmas together, with all the traditions and trimmings, looking extremely happy. They even partake in some traditional Indian dancing around the Christmas tree.
Why is Thea’s mother against Jashan?
Well her character is projected as casually prejudiced and racist — someone who doesn’t understand the mixing of cultures. However, it’s a little deeper than that — she’s still grieving over the loss of her husband, and she was worried that she would lose her little girl forever. Her ignorance can be easily forgiven as it’s not harmful, just good old ignorance.
What did you think of the ending of Christmas as Usual? Comment below.
