With Christmas right around the corner, I decided to keep up with the Christmas theme here on Odyssey! Last week I talked about 10 Things To Look Forward To Every Christmas Season and Christmas movies came in at number five.

Whether you like the classic claymations, the Hallmark creations, or Jim Carrey participating in the Whoville Jubilation- there’s always at least one Christmas film you look forward to watching every year.

Which one do I look forward to watching? Well, it’s “The Polar Express,” of course! This movie has been my absolute favorite ever since I saw it in theaters. My love for the movie was clear to those who were around me as a kid. So clear, that I was gifted an autographed “The Polar Express” book from my sister and brother many Christmases ago.

Though I do cherish that book with all my heart, it’s the film that has resonated with me the most.

As a kid, I focused a lot on the excitement of the adventure to the North Pole. I focused on Santa Claus himself and how Tom Hanks practically voiced every character. However, as I grew older, I focused more on the lesson that it was teaching. I realized that it was assuring me that I don’t have to grow out of my Christmas spirit.

If you’ve seen this movie, you know we start with a young boy. IMDb labels him as the “Hero Boy.” He’s very skeptical about Santa Claus and the magic of Christmas. You see him looking at facts that would disprove his abilities and existence. Despite that skepticism, though, his curiosity still brings him aboard the Polar Express. Of course, he’s a bit hesitant, as I’m sure anyone would be if a huge train stopped outside their house. Still, the fact that he gets on, reveals more about his character.

As the movie progresses, we get to see why he’s labeled the “Hero Boy." He stops the train so that another character, Billy, can get onto it. He goes through dangerous lengths to get back the ticket that belongs to a girl, who IMDb labeled as the “Hero Girl”. He even faces the fear of becoming a so-called “Scrooge.” On top of that, you never catch his character truly discouraging the Christmas spirit of others, despite his own beliefs.

Towards the end, as he, Billy, and “Hero Girl,” venture through the North Pole, you start to see how desperately he wants to believe in the magic that has been happening around him.

“Hero Girl” and Billy claim they can hear a sound that he cannot and that is later revealed to be the sound of the bells on Santa’s sleigh. It’s an overwhelming, upsetting moment when you see that “Hero Boy” can not hear a single jingle or jangle. In my eyes, he was a representation of those who might have lost their Christmas spirit at a young age,but deep down wanted so much to have it back.

It’s an emotional moment when “Hero Boy” picks up a stray bell and rings it against his ear. His passionate plea to the universe that he does believe makes your heart ache, but that ache quickly fades when he suddenly hears the bell ring.

Finally, he regains his Christmas spirit, and the bell then becomes the first gift of Christmas. Though “Hero Boy” believes again, Santa reminds not only him but the rest of us of something important. “This bell is a wonderful symbol of the spirit of Christmas- as am I,” Santa says, “Just remember, the true spirit of Christmas lies in your heart.”

From that quote, you know that “Hero Boy” had that spirit in his heart all along. You could see it through his actions and how badly he wanted to believe. It just took a bit of self-discovery and a reminder that Christmas spirit can express itself to you in various forms.

At the end of the movie, “Hero Boy” finds the bell under his tree after thinking that he lost it. He and his sister can hear the beautiful noise it produces, but it is revealed that his parents cannot. They consider the bell to be broken.

Though his parents express Christmas spirit for the sake of their children, they must have lost their true Christmas spirit long ago. The spirit that lies deep in their heart.

As we reach the final moments of the movie, “Hero Boy” leaves us with a quote that has stuck with me for years:

“At one time, most of my friends could hear the bell, but as years passed, it fell silent for all of them. Even Sarah found one Christmas that she could no long hear its sweet sound. Though I’ve grown old, that bell still rings for me, as it does for all who truly believe.”

I will admit the magic of Christmas can be overwhelming. It can be disheartening if you feel like it has left you. It can be scary when you’re trying to believe in something you can’t necessarily see or physically hold. However, it’s always there for you every Christmas season.

You may have not related to “Hero Boy” while you were growing up. Perhaps you were like “Hero Girl," a leader who had no doubts about Christmas. Who saw the value of Christmas and how it’s much more than presents. Or maybe you were like Billy. A boy who looked out for that Christmas magic every year, but at the same time felt like it always forgot him.

Whether you related to a character or not, I believe “The Polar Express” reminds us that we are capable of finding our own Christmas spirit. We can find it in simplicities, like a bell. We can find it in friendships and most of all, we can find it in ourselves.