THE BEST CHRISTMAS MOVIES EVER – ONE MAGIC CHRISTMAS (1985)

 

In this uplifting Christmas offering Gideon (Harry Dean Stanton) is a Christmas angel, sent by Santa, to help wife and mother Ginny Grainger (Mary Steenburgen).

He must show her the true meaning of Christmas, not just presents and materialistic things, but the people she cares most about in the world, however it is no easy task as Ginny is a cynic, and furthermore she hates Christmas.

And in addition, She and her family, husband Jack (Gary Basaraba) and two kids, Cal (Robbie Magwood) and Abbie (Elisabeth Harnois) have fallen on hard times, making it even harder for her to believe in anything that can't be seen.

But Gideon thinks he can find a way to make Ginny believe again with help from Abbie, and a trip to the North Pole to see the big man himself.

CANDY CANES, CINNAMON AND GINGER

 

Candy Canes,

Cinnamon and Ginger

Are some of my favourite

Christmas things

Especially when

They’re only wearing

Christmas Stockings

And Popcorn Strings

THE BEST CHRISTMAS MOVIES EVER – THE TOWN CHRISTMAS FORGOT

 

The Benson family are on their way through a blizzard to a luxury resort for the Christmas holiday when their car breaks down. 

They are rescued by mechanic Coleman Burkins (Phillip Jarrett) and taken to Nowhere, a sleepy Colorado town, which was more like a Ghost Town since the local mine closed.

Due to weather and the required spare part for the car being in another town the family end up being stuck in the dying town until the weather clears.

Initially they are appalled, no shopping Mall, no latte’s, cell service or cable TV but they do find things to do.

Banker Charles Benson's son Nolan (Azer Greco) befriends the grumpy old toy shop owner and persistently charms him into becoming the Santa in the Christmas pageant which his mother Annie (Lauren Holly) helped to organize with local diner owner Samantha (Stephanie Belding).

Daughter Trish (Torri Webster) discovered a young band and joins in to perform a set at the pageant.

In between everything else Charles got stuck in the mine with the mechanic, whom he befriended, and in the end Charles turns out to be the towns Christmas benefactor.

THE ORIGINS OF THE CHRISTMAS TREE – WOULD YOU ADAM AND EVE IT

 

In the 11^th century during advent short plays were performed called mysteries and these were very popular.

There was one in particular about paradise in which a tree was decorated with red apples to symbolize the tree of paradise this eventually led.to the 15^th century practice of the faithful putting up small trees in their own houses on December 24, which was the feast day of Adam and Eve

A CRACKING IDEA

 

The origins of the Christmas cracker lie in France where bags of bon-bons were wrapped in paper which two children would then pull apart.

While on holiday in Paris in the 1860’s an English confectioner named Tom Smith noticed the paper wrapped bags of sugared almonds and bon-bons in many shop windows.

When he returned to London, he decided he would sell these bags of sweets in his shop but they were not to the English taste so he formulated an idea to improve on the French idea adding a printed motto or riddle this did not help.

It was only when he was sitting quietly by his fireside listening to the logs burning and cracking that the idea hit him.

Make them bang.

He was a very resourceful man and experimented with various chemicals before he succeeded in impregnating two strips of cardboard which when pulled apart, as a result of friction, would then cause a small explosion.

 

When they went on sale they contained mottoes written by popular writers of the day and quality novelties in the form of games, puzzles, toys and curiosities, a far cry from the cheap plastic imports and paper hats we get today.

Tom Smiths Christmas Crackers became an instant success. 

A SAINT IS FOR LIFE NOT JUST FOR CHRISTMAS

 

Often the true meaning of Christmas passes us by

The night the holy star appeared bright in the sky

Christmas celebrates the birth of Christ the savior

But others are also remembered at this time of year

St Lucia’s day is on the thirteenth day of December

In fourth century, Sicily Lucia was a virgin martyr

Lucia means “light” very apt for a Christmas saint

She is also called upon to cure any eye complaint

St Thomas’s day is on the twenty first of December

The shortest and darkest day in our modern calendar

Traditionally the poor would all go out “thomasing”

For wheat flour and other Christmas “goodening”

Not the first saint you’d associate with Christmas

He is perhaps better known as “doubting Thomas”

Because he at first questioned Christ’s resurrection

He is patron saint of the carpenter and stone mason

On the twenty-six of the month St Stephens day falls

Boxing Day or the feast of Stephen in hallowed halls

Chosen by the disciples to help spread Christianity

He was put to death by the zealots for his profanity

The most famous Christmas time saint of all must be

St Nicholas the Bishop of Myra now a part of Turkey

He was a very shy man and the kindest man to know

When he threw coins through a poor family’s window

They landed in a stocking hanging over the fire to dry

So that’s where it all began if you ever wondered why

GREETINGS TO THE WORLD

 

“Happy Christmas” is what I chose to say

But many greetings are used for the day

To one and all during the festive season

And different languages are the reason

Say "Frolyke Kerstfeest" or "Joyoo Noel"

"Felleeth Navidad" even "Glaydlig Yool"

"Kalla Kristoogenna", "Boo-on Natarlee"

"Boas Festas" or "Sheng Dan Kwhy Lee"

You could say "Frerlicker Vine-akten"

Or maybe "Roshdesrom Kristovim" then

So you can say it in very many ways

But please never say “Happy Holidays”