Every year as the nights draw in and we start working out which advent calendar to treat ourselves to, the familiar row rears its head again, the row about Christmas song Baby It’s Cold Outside.
You’ll have heard the song, it’s super famous and it’s been covered by everyone from the cast of Glee to Will Ferrel and Zoe Dechenal in Elf.
While on the face of it, it’s a lovely festive tune, the lyrics are undeniably problematic. Like a kind of old-timey Blurred Lines. The male singer basically tries to prevent the female singer from going home, and there’s a worrying bit where she quips ‘say, what’s in this drink?’ which has regularly been critiqued for having overtones of date rape.
The song was originally in a film where it’s made very clear that the woman wants to stay and is playfully putting up a front. But without that context it’s easy to hear the song and think it sounds a bit like a festive anthem of coercion.
So, John Legend and Kelly Clarkson are re-recording the classic with lyrics updated to be appropriate for 2019.
So, ‘Say what's in this drink? (No cabs to be had out there)’ becomes ‘What will my friends think? (I think they should rejoice) / If I have one more drink? (It's your body, and your choice)’.
Still festive, but a whole lot less problematic. Plus it has everyone’s favourite John Legend in it. What’s not to love?
See all the best Christmas movies on Netflix
Netflix Christmas films (slider)
1 of 12The Princess Switch
The Princess Switch stars Vanessa Hudgens as Margaret, the gorgeous Duchess of Montenaro, who switches places with Stacy, a 'commoner' from Chicago, who looks exactly like her.
2 of 12The Holiday Calendar
A struggling but talented photographer inherits an antique advent calendar which seems to predict the future! Will her magical calendar lead her to love this Christmas?The film stars Kat Graham and Quincy Brown.
3 of 12A Christmas Prince: The Royal Wedding
The sequel to A Christmas Prince, A Christmas Prince: The Royal Wedding, was released in November 2018. A year after Amber helped Richard secure the crown, the two are set to tie the knot in a royal Christmas wedding!
4 of 12The Christmas Chronicles
Starring Kurt Russell as Santa Claus, The Christmas Chronicles is from the producer of Home Alone and Harry Potter. The film follows the story of a brother and sister who decide to stay up for Santa, sneaking onto his sleigh causing it to crash and nearly derail Christmas!
5 of 12A Christmas Prince
Released in 2017, A Christmas Prince is a romantic comedy following a magazine journalist called Amber Moore, played by Rose McIver - known for her role in the 2009 film, The Lovely Bones. Amber goes to cover a press conference with the crown prince Richard, who is set to take the throne following his father's recent death.
6 of 12Deck The Halls
Back in 2006, Danny DeVito and Matthew Broderick starred in the festive film, Deck The Halls. Set in a small Massachusetts town Steve Finch (Matthew Broderick) wants his kids to have a great Christmas, however it doesn't go to plan when new neighbours move in.
7 of 12Black Mirror: White Christmas
This special Christmas episode of Black Mirror aired four years ago and is as you would expect the ultimate anti-Christmas special. It starts with Matt and Joe, stationed at a remote outpost in the middle of a snowy wilderness who tell each other about their lives to past the time.
8 of 12A Very Murray Christmas
A Very Murray Christmas is a comedy starring Bill Murray, Mitch Glazer, and Sofia Coppola. The film takes place on Christmas Eve as a snowstorm sets in and Bill Murray soon realises that the guests for his live Christmas special are having to cancel. Despite this, he is encouraged to continue with the show.
9 of 12Blackadder's Christmas Carol
It might have been nearly three decades ago when it first aired, but Blackadder's Christmas Carol is a favourite with many. The feature stars Rowan Atkinson as Ebenezer Blackadder and is narrated by Hugh Laurie.
10 of 12Arthur Christmas
Arthur Christmas is produced by Aardman Animations (famous for Wallace and Gromit). The animated film tells the story of how Father Christmas' clumsy son Arthur Claus, voiced by James McAvoy, discovers that Father Christmas' high-tech ship has failed to deliver one girl's present, so he goes on a mission to save her Christmas.
11 of 12The Holiday
Starring Cameron Diaz and Kate Winslet, The Holiday follows two lovesick women from opposite sides of the Atlantic Ocean, who arrange a house swap. The film also stars Jude Law and Jack Black.
12 of 12Love Actually
Although it was a massive 15 years ago that Love Actually was released, Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without watching this film from 2003 starring Hugh Grant, Liam Neeson, Colin Firth and many more well-known faces.