In addition to our nutcracker obsession, we have now seen three versions of A Christmas Carol: the Muppet version with Michael Cain, Mickey's Christmas Carol with then entire gang from the Clubhouse, and the Jim Carey computer puppet version.
Here is what I have learned from the classic this year:
1) With your children, I recommend watching the Mickey version first. It covers all of the essentials of the story in less than thirty minutes: Ebenezar Scrooge is a greedy man who treats his employee horribly, will not donate to the poor, or go to his nephew's house for Christmas dinner. He goes home and sees his late partner on the doorknob, he is visited by Jacob Marley, now chained to his money, who tells him he will be visited by three ghosts, etc. etc.....
2) They thought the Muppet version was boring. I am not sure why and I didn't ask for any more details than that...
3) All three of them lost it over the idea of Tiny Tim dying. "Mom, that's the saddest thing I ever saw." Hurray for happy endings until it's time to pull out Old Yeller....
4) The older two were afraid of money at first after watching it. I told them the point wasn't to never have "money," but to put your love and trust in people and building relationships. The nephew Fred was an excellent example of this. He was not poor, but he was spending his Christmas with friends and family playing games and laughing. He even prayed for his uncle. We also talked about different things we do in the community at Christmas time: hat and mitten trees, canned food drives, and toys for tots.
5) Tonight we had pizza and the Jim Carey version with some really good family friends. It really was a wonderful version, and those that know me well know that I don't pass Jim compliments lightly. It was much scarier than the Muppet or the Mickey Mouse version, but my three seemed to be able to handle it because they knew the story and were prepared.
6) What I never knew before today and should have to be culturally literate:
a) The ghost of Christmas past is androgynous and Dickens called him/her "it."
b) Humbug means nonsense
7) I love my Christmas pasts-that is why I write this blog during Advent. I take a moment every day to reflect on why I do what I do. I can go back to about age four and remember Christmas memories. Even the Christmas eve I was in bed with the full blown flu.....
8) The Christmas present is the one you are supposed to be having. Whatever is happening is meant to happen. Today we went to church for the pageant rehearsal, went to a friend's house for lunch and Christmas pictures, and then another friend's house for dinner and A Christmas Carol. Every day brings something new, even the stuff you weren't excited about, let it happen....
9) You can't predict the Christmas that is coming, but there are little things you can do along the way to get a general idea of what is ahead. How you handle it is within your control. Try to make as many positive choices as you can, and move along when you don't.
10) Each of us has some kind of a "Tiny Tim" moment. You look around at the crap and you still say, "God bless us everyone!" I think I like Tim better than Pollyanna. He's more believable?? You will find some way to think you have been blessed even when you really don't feel that way....you are....seriously, don't roll your eyes at me. I know of which I speak.
Bets on who ends up in my bed at three a.m. claiming a ghost came to visit them?
That is my blessing!
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