Groundhog Day is a Christmas movie.

I know this statement is contradictory, but hear me out.

Aside from the setting, nothing about the movie has anything to do with Groundhog Day. At least, nothing important about the storyline — this movie could have taken place anywhere, at any time of year, and nothing would have changed.

My theory is that it was originally written as a Christmas movie, and at the last minute, someone decided to change that simple detail rather than having to compete with every other movie of that season.

Think about it. It’s a romantic comedy, in a small town, with a playful snowball fight. Swap “Punxsutawney Phil” for some random small-town Christmas tradition, and the idea of the movie wouldn’t change.

As great as this movie is, the fact that it didn’t end up as just another Christmas movie is one of the reasons we all know and love it.