Christmas Cheer

[PHIL_S]

I love this time of year, when a few Movie channels dedicate themselves to showing Xmas films. Styles vary from childhood dreams to love stories, nativity and films that portray the 'True Spirit" of Christmas.

I love ' A Christmas Carol' and the season provides me with many variations of Scrooge to whet my appetite.

So do you have a favourite?

[Pam]

I love ' A Christmas Carol' and the season provides me with many variations of Scrooge to whet my appetite

Snap, Phil - I try to watch as many versions as I can every year. I think my favourite is Scrooged, but I also love the Patrick Stewart version and the old Alistair Sim one as well.

I only realised recently that my mum used to read A Christmas Carol every year, and that might be why I like to see it at Christmas.

[Caroline]

I love the book, but I haven't seen many of the films. I like the idea of tracking them down and watching them though - hey, I have a project!

I saw It's a Wonderful Life for the first time last year. I... um... I (looks around and lowers voice) I didn't enjoy it. The main character annoyed me so much I just wanted to shake him out of his self pity.

I like Christmas films in general though. I like the ones nobody has heard of that tell basically the same story and really have nothing going for them other than a feel good factor.

[Beth]

My contemporary fave is "Elf". My younger nephews came to visit my parents with their parents last year and we couldn't find my disk. (It's their fave as well.) I came across the DVD the other day and stashed it on a shelf, but they're not visiting us till later this year. One day we'll get to have a family screening! Other faves are "Home Alone" and "The Nightmare Before Christmas".

I tried to get my brother's boys to watch an 80's version of "Scrooge" I had on DVD. I hate to commit this to the page. I'm sure the youngest gave a shiver. I can't remember what we did watch in the end. I'm a sucker for movies at Christmas. "A Wonderful Life" is on my list. My mum likes "White Christmas". Aside from the song I thought it was pretty dire. There's another movie on the tip of my tongue I've been meaning to watch for the last couple of seasons and I can't remember what it is! It's a funny one.

[Joyce]

I saw It's a Wonderful Life for the first time last year. I... um... I (looks around and lowers voice) I didn't enjoy it.
:

Same here ! I'd heard so much about how heartwarming and christmassy it was I sought it out and was rather disappointed to find it was neither.
Perhaps if I'd been expecting something in a serious genre I might have appreciated the dark plot and all the gloom.

[Joe Parrish]

My contemporary fave is "Elf". <>.

The church I was at last Sunday in New York announced they were going to do a community showing of "Elf", so it is very popular here, too.
Peace and (what?!) Christmas blessings,
Joe

[Emle]

Ah it is good to know we are not alone ! My daughter has already got the stack of Christmas DVD's ready for the first week in December (and not before!!!)

But my favourite by far is :- 'All Mine To Give' or 'The Day They Gave Babies Away' (English version)
This is a film based on a true story, set in 1856 of a Scottish couple settling in Wisconsin First one parent dies then the other and the 6 children are left to fend for themselves. It is a bit of a tear jerker but truly inspiring.
There are a few amongst us who might recognise the cast
Glynis Johns and Cameron Mitchell to name the couple (Who?!!!!)

Running very close in second place is 'Flint Street Nativity' This has been running for many years and has probably been seen by every Primary School Teacher in the country .....but very funny.

[Coriander]

Personally I still love the original 'The Snowman'. The music, the magic of it and the joy. It must be over 28 years old now. It now also carries with it the pleasures of Christmases past!

[Ernest]

Does anyone suffer with Christmas Carol Service OVERLOAD?

In our Benefice of five churches we have five services of either The Eucharist with Carols or the more traditional service of 9 Readings with Carols. All on different nights or days, but close together.

I feel that I should attend all, but the reality is that with one at each of the four care homes we visit and the five in our churches (good job I don't have to go to the school one as well) I get a little overwrought by the end of the cycle.

I know that less is more, but you feel bit of a fraud if you go to one and not to the others - particularly as others seem to thrive of them all :(

And of course there's the mulled wine and mince pies

For Me Advent and Christmas are always times of excitement, but the edge is taken off by Christmas Eve, oh, I forgot the two Christingle services on Christmas Eve :(

This year I'm firmly resolved to cut back............ unless......... determination fails and.............. I'm mugged by the lot of them. :(

[Joyce]

Thanks for the video, Joan. I loved it ! For a few seconds I actually could smell the glue and the glitter. I'd never seen it before.

It's more true to life than anyone without a long memory would believe . I bet the cast and crew thoroughly enjoyed making it.
I expect things would be a bit different in today's elfen safety classrooms, but I remember when my class did help one another get into their costumes with needles, scissors,staplers and irons readily available.

When 'Goodness Gracious Me' moved from radio to TV they did a superb version of a school nativity play by Indian children. I liked that one but StJohn and Dennis going with their wives to Holy Communion had me laughing even harder. It was cut out of repeats and so I've only ever seen it twice.

[Pam]

Good heavens, Ernest, what a marathon!

I think the only 'rule' I know of is that confirmed members of the C of E should take communion on 'Days of Obligation' such as Christmas Day. I think this is where the tradition of Midnight Mass grew up from as infrequent attenders could get the Christmas day communion done before they went to bed.

[PHIL_S]

Well what a trip down memory lane this has been. Many old and new favourites being mentioned.

ELF and Scrooged will become classics, I am sure.

The original Rudolf is another real favorite and the Snowman now rates along side it.

Thank you all for sharing and reminding me of the ones I had forgotten.

Earnest, I don't think there is a prescribed answer to your dilemma, One must do what one feels is right. However people are generally understanding and maybe it's time for you to share your time by covering some this year and some next year. However you decide to proceed I wish you luck and take care with all that mulled wine.

[Beth]

Emle, thanks for the movie tips. If I have chance I'll look those up. I like a good weepy every now and then.

Phil, I appreciate you spreading Christmas cheer like this! This afternoon after my walk I finished watching "Mr Popper's Penguins". Another feel good film to add to the list. (It was rather silly but caught me unawares. An engrossing movie if you're able to sit through the first 15-20 minutes).

How about these suggestions:
A Christmas Story (the one I couldn't remember)
Jingle All The Way
J.T
The House Without A Christmas Tree
Christmas Shoes
The Search For Santa Paws
A Dog Named Christmas

I'm not endorsing them because I've not watched. Ring any bells for anyone else?

P.S Ernest, I LOVE Christmas carols and don't get to sing enough of them! I know what you mean though, it's difficult to be jolly when plain worn out.

[Isobel]

I can sympathise Ernest: I think most people who play in bands are sick of Christmas carols by the time Christmas itself arrives... Our local band often starts practicing them in October, and my husband plays in two different bands, both of which do carolling jobs starting at the end of November, so he definitely suffers from carol overload!

[Ernest]

I think that this year, I'm feeling a little bit of guilt because I'm leaving the Parish after midnight Mass on 24th. I've been happy there for five years, but now need to change. It's the people that I'll miss, not necessarily the place, but that too, strangely.

I want to go at least once to each church to say goodbye to the people that I know well and have served in various ways over the five years. But as we don't have a Vicar, services are disrupted and the only opportunity would be to the Carol Services which will all go ahead, no matter what, as they can be lay led.

In the end, I'll have to be practical about it as I'm travelling 54 miles each way for an attendance and it would be too expensive to do them all.

I definitely have to go on 22nd Dec to the main parish church, as I've been dropped heavy hints that my presence is expected

[Beth]

Yay! We've got our own Christmas banner! I'm getting down with the festivities now. My niece and I (and my mum) had a lovely time on Saturday lighting the advent candle (I know, we were early, she doesn't visit often).

We read a story together called "Jesus is born: The Fox's tale", which told of a fox who saw the angels appear to the shepherds in lambing season, and couldn't understand why they had no scent. He followed them to Bethlehem to see the King, and then crept away into the night. It's a really lovely story book. One of those moments that make Christmas feel special.

Last year the baptist church where we attended playgroup had a life size nativity crib, and put on a version of the Christmas story the children could join in with. It was one of the nicest Christmases I'd had for years. I'll miss it this year.

[Pam]

Sounds wonderful, Beth!

Someone has just posted the Bethlehamian Rhapsody on Facebook

[Joyce]

Thanks for posting that, Pam.

[Beth]

Hahahahahahah! I'll have to show this to my elder sister, she'll love it! Thanks Pam.

[PHIL_S]

So I have been engrossed in Christmas Films again watching old favourites and finding new ones. Hope you guys are watching too