The red and green color combination is synonymous with Christmas. Any time those colors are used together, the viewer will inevitably think of the holiday season. Color combinations also act as identifiers for movements, campaigns, brands and countries. The rainbow flag is a symbol of the LGBTQ community. Pink has become the color of breast cancer research and awareness. Tiffany & Co. is known for its specific shade of turquoise. All visual designers have to be aware of how color adds nuance to our work. For example, an illustration in a cool palette could evoke completely different feelings than the same illustration in a warm palette. Color has a profound ability to act as a storytelling mechanism in art, and especially in film. In particular, filmmakers like Wes Anderson and Tim Burton are known for their distinctive use of color. In the spirit of the holidays, I’ve taken scenes from six of my favorite holiday movies and simplified them into color palettes. Can you guess what the movies are just by looking at the colors? Some are easier to pick out than others. The answers are below.

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How the Grinch Stole Christmas A Charlie Brown Christmas Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer A Christmas Story The Nightmare Before Christmas The Muppet Christmas Carol