When actor Macaulay Culkin recently said that Die Hard isn’t a Christmas film, he was greeted with boos from a live audience — but a new UK survey suggests many Brits quietly agree with him.

A poll of 2,000 adults by British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) found that 44% rejected Die Hard’s festive credentials, while 38% said they still consider it a Christmas movie. Only 5% chose it as their favourite seasonal film. The rest — 17% — said they were undecided.

Instead, the nation overwhelmingly picked Home Alone as its festive champion. The 1990 comedy topped the poll with 20% of the vote. It was followed by Love Actually (9%), It’s a Wonderful Life (8%), and Elf (7%).

The survey also explored what people think makes a perfect Christmas film. The most important quality? A heart-warming story — cited by 33%. Family friendliness ranked second (15%), followed by humour (13%). Only 2% said they were looking for a tear-jerker.

According to BBFC’s chief executive, David Austin, the results show that “heart-warming, family-friendly stories continue to sit at the heart of the nation’s Christmas viewing traditions.”

The poll also offers insight into how Brits watch seasonal films: 18% said going to the cinema over the Christmas period is a family tradition. Of those, a third go before Christmas Eve and a fifth prefer to go on Boxing Day.

Culkin had stirred the pot when he dismissed Die Hard’s Christmas credentials at a recent event celebrating Home Alone’s 35th anniversary. He argued that Die Hard is “just a movie that’s set at Christmas” — which, to many Britons, seems reason enough to keep it off the “Christmas movie” shelf.

Whether you’re team John McClane or team Kevin McCallister, the UK’s festive verdict is clear: when it comes to holiday viewing, give us cosy chaos — not chaotic shootouts.