It’s a Wonderful Life is quite possibly the most well-known and well-loved of all Christmas movies. BUT it wasn’t such a hit when it first released back in 1947. Though not a total flop, critics and audiences alike didn’t immediately embrace it. And yet today, even people who don’t love it (i.e. crazy people!) have probably seen at least portions of it. So how did a movie that wasn’t initially recognized as a hit become the mega Christmas favorite it is today?

Well, it started with a case of copyright confusion. (Stick with me. I promise there are book marketing implications at work here!) Someone somewhere forgot to renew the copyright for It’s a Wonderful Life back in the early 70s. Thus, the movie entered public domain and started airing constantly on TV during the holiday season. In the next 20-some years, the movie exploded in popularity.