The definition of Christmas movie has always been loose, but is pretty hotly contested these days -- see the ongoing debate (to put it mildly) about "Die Hard" (1988).

The discussion seems to revolve around a few questions: Does most of the action take place during Christmas? Is the holiday somehow central to the plot? And more controversially: Is it a feel-good, happy sort of story? (That's where the action-movie entries lose points.)

"You've Got Mail," on the other hand, picks up most of its holiday points on this feel-good element. The 1998 Nora Ephron rom-com about two rival bookstore owners who find unlikely love on the internet (albeit a very late-'90s version of the internet that seems pretty quaint today), is a story about love's ability to overcome material or practical obstacles. That's a pretty Christmas-friendly message.

The movie is a little weaker on the other two questions. The Christmas holiday is in no way central to the plot. A couple of scenes do feature Christmas festivities, including a pretty charming carol-singing scene in which the characters have a jolly time of murdering "The Instrument Song."

If there's a seasonal element that the movie does depend on, it's "New York in fall." There's much talk about the romance of that setting. But, of course, this movie's also about retail, and if you ask retailers, the Christmas season starts on Nov. 1, so maybe that's a point in its favor.

The biggest point in its favor, though, might be the stars -- rom-com super pair Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks. "Around the holidays, there's always a huge emphasis on spending time with loved ones," wrote Bustle.com film critic Olivia Truffaut-Wong. "And, I ask you, who is more beloved to everyone than Hanks and Ryan?"

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