I think it is. I’ll enumerate the reasons below.
In the movie, the characters are traveling across the US, just like how Santa travels across the world and delivers presents.
In the opening scene, Wyatt and Billy (the protagonists) sell a large quantity of drugs to the Connection (played by Phil Spector). Phil Spector is driving a Rolls Royce. There’s a closeup shot of the hood ornament: The Spirit of Ecstasy. This hood ornament looks like an angel. Sort of like how cherubs are associated with Christmas? Think about it.
Also, Phil Spector wrote the 1963 Darlene Love song Christmas (Baby Please Come Home). Phil Spector also produced an album, again in 1963, called A Christmas Gift for You from Phil Spector. Why did the producers of Easy Rider choose Phil Spector for this role? Phil Spector wasn’t an actor. It was obviously a subliminal message relating to his Christmas songs to suggest that Easy Rider is a Christmas movie.
One of these Mexican drug dealers is a character called Jesus. Need I go on?
Wyatt (aka Captain America) wears a leather jacket with an American flag on the back of it and his motorcycle and helmet are also American flag-inspired. What are the colours of the flag? Red, white, and blue. Red is a Christmas colour.
The second song in the movie is Born to Wild. It includes the lyrics, “Like a true nature’s child, we were born to be wild, we could climb so high, I never want to die.” Just like Christmas is a celebration of Jesus, who was born to be wild (in the sense of shaking up the Jewish orthodoxy and Roman establishment not to mention bringing God’s kingdom on earth), he was born lowly in the manger but climbed high to become King of Kings, and he never truly died. He’s still with us today, in spirit.
Wyatt and Billy try to get a room in a motel and they’re refused service. Just like how Mary and Joseph were refused a room in the inn, leading to Jesus being born in a barn. It’s all right there in the movie.
There’s a scene where Wyatt and Billy visit a large family and they all have a meal together. Christmas movies are usually about families. And this was a big family so even more Christmas-y. It was like a big Christmas dinner.
Wyatt and Billy pick up a hitchhiker and the hitchhiker gives them LSD. What could LSD stand for? Maybe El Santa Day? Or “el” as a letter is “L”. The opening scene in this film is in Spanish. So a Spanish speaker might refer to Christmas as “El Santa Day” or phonetically as “L Santa Day”. L-S-D.
One of the songs in the movie is The Weight by The Band. Lyrics include, “I pulled into Nazareth, just feeling about a half past dead, I just need to find a place where I can lay my head, Mister can you tell me where a man might find a bed? He just grinned and shook my hand and ‘No’ was all he said.” Another reference to Joseph and Mary not being able to find a place to stay in Nazareth.
The hitchhiker takes Wyatt and Billy to a commune. The commune has a barn with animals in it. Yet another reference to the birth of Jesus, which is what Christmas is all about.
The members of this commune also put on a play. These are popular in the UK around Christmas time. “Christmas pantomimes” they’re called. Did the writers know about this British Christmas tradition? Probably. Peter Fonda, Dennis Hopper, and Terry Southern were all educated and worldly guys. Terry Southern was stationed in England during World War II. You think he never saw a Christmas pantomime? Of course he did.
There’s also a large dinner at this commune. Again, a reference to family and Christmas movies are usually about families. These people might not all be biologically related (some of them are) but it’s saying that anybody can be your family. You can choose. They also say grace before eating, a traditional Christmas thing. They also said grace at the meal with that farmer.
The freaks in the commune sing Does Your Hair Hang Low, which includes the lyrics, “Can you throw it over your shoulder like a continental soldier?” They’re talking about hair but it can also be applied to Santa throwing his sack of toys over his shoulder.
Wyatt and Billy take part in a Fourth of July parade in some small Southern town. This shows that the movie takes place in July, which is the opposite of Christmas. But that’s the beauty of this. This is a Christmas without Christmas.
They get arrested for being in the parade without having a permit. In the jail cell, there’s a sign that says “Jesus Christ: The same yesterday, today, and forever.” Another reference to Jesus. Jesus is the reason for the season.
While in prison, they meet George (played by Jack Nicholson). Jack Nicolson was also in another Christmas Movie: The Shining. But that’s not the point here. George is an alcoholic. What do a lot of people do on Christmas? Drink alcohol. Exactly.
After George gets Wyatt and Billy out of jail, they invite George to come along with them. They’re going to Mardi Gras, by the way. They ask if George has a helmet. George says that he does. It’s a football helmet. In America, there’s always a big football game on tv during Christmas. Also, families will often play football in their yard on Christmas. It’s a tradition in the US. Football and Christmas.
There’s a lot of outdoorsy scenery in the movie of trees and whatnot. Trees are green. Green is a Christmas colour.
Also, George’s helmet is gold. Gold is a Christmas colour.
George is wearing a shirt with a big “M” on it. What does “M” stand for? Michigan? No. I think that it stands for “Merry Christmas.”
George tells a story about seeing UFOs in the sky. This is a reference to seeing Santa and his magical sleigh in the sky.
One of the songs is “Don’t Bogart that Joint”, which is about the importance of sharing. Just like the phrase often heard about Christmas, “Tis better to give than to receive.”
Another song is If 6 was 9 by The Jimi Hendrix Experience. Lyrics include, “If the sun refused to shine, I don’t mind.” Just like how Christmas takes place in December, typically the darkest month of the year.
They stop at a diner. A sign on the diner says “home made pies.” What do people eat at Christmas? Home made pies.
Wyatt and Billy (minus George) finally make it to Mardi Gras. Mardi Gras is famous for beads. Like the beads used to decorate Christmas trees? Exactly.
They also meet prostitutes while in Mardi Gras. Jesus loved prostitutes.
While high, they have a meal (like one does at Christmas). The brothel is covered with religious paintings. There are a bunch of brief glimpses of these paintings. It’s a brothel but it’s also like a church. People go to church on Christmas. Even non-religious people. If you’re ever going to go to church, Christmas is the day that you do it.
Then they have sex with the prostitutes and there’s a bunch of religious iconography shown throughout and somebody is saying The Lord’s Prayer. Again, Christmas.
Billy says, “We’ve done it. We’re rich, Wyatt.” Wyatt replies, “You know, Billy, we blew it.” This is a reference to the hysteria of consumerism around Christmas. People spend all of their money on bullshit because they feel obligated. If you want to celebrate Christmas, you have to spend a lot of money.
The movie ends with Wyatt and Billy being killed by a redneck. Then the camera pans up into a wide overhead view. Sort of God’s view of the scene, sitting on his cloud. This is a reference to Jesus’ promise of life ever after if you believe in him.
So is it a Christmas movie? Clearly.