The definition of a “Christmas movie” has evolved over the years. While traditionally associated with feel-good family stories centered on a child’s magical experience of Christmas, many modern films set during the holiday season explore darker, edgier or even spicier themes. This ongoing evolution fuels never-ending debates over whether titles like “Die Hard” or “Eyes Wide Shut” should actually be considered Christmas movies.

According to Parrot Analytics Audience Solutions, Christmas movies that are available on the major SVOD platforms in the U.S. are spread across different demographic groups, but most of them have an older and male-skewed audience. This group consists mostly of dramas and action films set during Christmas. Examples include “Die Hard,” “Eyes Wide Shut” and more traditional holiday fare like “The Polar Express,” “Home Alone,” “The Holdovers” and the classic comedy “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.”

There’s another subgroup of Christmas movies that stand out,...