Winter, often perceived as the bleakest season with its barren landscape, year-end melancholy, and unresolved struggles, has also been eulogized for its introspective beauty. Austrian poet Rilke, writing to a woman devastated by her husband’s desertion, described winter as a time to nurture one’s inner garden—tending to the mind and spirit after a period of endurance. Albert Camus echoed this sentiment: “In the depths of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer.” Similarly, films like The Holiday depict this growth, framing heartbreak and recovery against the cozy charm of swapped holiday lodgings, emphasizing renewal and comfort over sorrow.

Here are ten films like “The Holiday” that somewhat capture the same spirit:

10. Serendipity (2001)

That winter, and by extension, Christmas, is supposed to be interspersed with miracles is retold through “Serendipity.” One element in particular echoes throughout the film: the appeal of fate and destiny.