Traditionally in the nativity scene there is almost always a donkey, or an ass depicted.
However, in the gospels telling of
Christ’s birth they are not mentioned.
But as Jesus was born in a stable and lain in a manger it would seem
logical to conclude that some animals where present.
The Hollywood child star Shirley Temple stopped believing in Santa Claus when she was six because the Department store Santa asked for her autograph in a shopping center.
Switzerland is another country with several traditions and languages.
So, it is not surprising there are several different St. Nicholas
traditions.
In German-speaking areas Saint Nicholas is known as Samichlaus and he rides upon a white horse
and is followed by the wicked Ruprecht.
In the French-speaking area Saint Nicolas is known as Père noel and he leads a donkey carrying
baskets full of gifts and he is followed by the sound of Père Fouettard's
chains.
In the Italian quarter the tradition is much more reverent when
they celebrate the arrival of St Nicholas’s relics in the Italian city of Bari
in the year 1087.
But all the celebrations have in common the great colour music and
excitement generated by the enthusiastic revellers.
The family McCallister are gathering in preparation of spending Christmas in Paris, at Peter (John Heard) and Kate's (Catherine O'Hara) home in a suburb of Chicago.
On
the night before their flight their eight-year-old son Kevin (Macaulay Culkin)
is sent to the third-floor bedroom of the house as punishment for fighting with
his brother.
While
in solitary confinement he wishes his family would disappear.
During
the night a power cut resets all the alarm clocks and causes the entire group
to oversleep.
In
the resulting panic and confusion of the rush to make their flight their
youngest son Kevin is left home alone.
Its
only when the family are airborne that they realize and immediately on arrival
in Paris they desperately try to book a flight home.
Kevin
is overjoyed to find that his wish came true when he wakes up to find everyone
gone and the house to himself and able to do anything he wanted.
The
downside to all this are The Wet Bandits, Harry Lyme (Joe Pesci) and Marv
Merchants (Daniel Stern), who are planning to break into vacant houses in the
neighbourhood.
There
is also another danger that of Old Man Marley (Roberts Blossom) who Kevin
believes murdered his whole family.
The
story follows the bad guy’s attempts to rob the house and Kevin’s efforts to
thwart them while Kate takes extreme measures to get home.
There
is slapstick galore, humour in abundance, sentimentality, and a happy ending.
Star Carol Written By John Rutter
Sing
this night, for a boy is born in Bethlehem,
Christ
our Lord in a lowly manger lies;
Bring
your gifts, come and worship at his cradle,
Hurry
to Bethlehem and see the son of Mary!
See
his star shining bright
In
the sky this Christmas Night!
Follow
me joyfully;
Hurry
to Bethlehem and see the son of Mary!
Angels
bright, come from heaven’s highest glory,
Bear
the news with its message of good cheer:
“Sing,
rejoice, for a King is come to save us,
Hurry
to Bethlehem and see the son of Mary!”
Let
us pay our homage at the manger,
Sing
his praise on this joyful Christmas Night;
Christ
is come, bringing promises of salvation;
Hurry
to Bethlehem and see the son of Mary!
No Christmas would be complete without the Dickens classic tale of redemption and a list of Christmas films without Scrooge in it would be unthinkable.
There have been many film adaptations
over the years since the first made in the silent era
1910 (Marc McDermott) Silent
1913 (Seymour Hicks) Silent
1935 (Seymour Hicks)
1938 (Reginald Owen)
1951 Scrooge (Alistair Sim)
1970 Scrooge (Albert Finney) Musical
1971 (Alistair Sim) Animated
1984 (George C. Scott)
1988 Scrooged (Bill Murray) Comedy
1997 (Tim Curry) Animated
1999 (Patrick Stewart)
2004 (Kelsey Grammer) Musical
2006 Disney Animated
2009 (Jim Carey) Animated
And even more TV adaptation,
variations and spoofs and I would defy anyone to say that at least one of them
didn’t strike a chord on some level.
Even though my own personal favourite
is the 1984 version with George C. Scott
I find the most uplifting film to be
the 1970 musical version with Albert Finney playing Scrooge and supported ably
by among others Alec Guinness, Edith Evans and Kenneth More with Laurence
Naismith playing an energetic Fezziwig while singing “December the 25th” and Anton Rodgers as Tom Jenkins who
sings the one song everyone remembers the academy award nominated “Thank You Very Much”.
There are a host of other good songs “A Christmas Carol” “Christmas Children” “I Hate People” “Father
Christmas”“ See the Phantoms” “Happiness”
“You...You” “I Like Life” “The Beautiful
Day” and “I'll Begin Again” which all combined to make this a Christmas treat.
Seth Webster (James Van Der Beek) is a widowed single father who can’t find a housekeeper, or rather can’t keep a housekeeper, to manage his unruly and boisterous twin sons.
When
Mrs. Merkle (Doris Roberts) a seemingly magical housekeeper arrives, whom the
boys call “Mrs. Miracle” She helps Seth move on after his wife’s death and to
find him a new love Reba Maxwell’s (Erin Karpluk) who also has wounds to heal.
But
with her unquenchable and infectious spirit she strives to bring the family
together.
