Christmas movies

[Andybev01]

One of my sisters-in-law (now former) was a child psychologist, and she, in no uncertain terms, disapproved of teaching children about childhood fables.

My brother on the other hand was all-in when it came to myths and whimsy.

Their marriage produced 3 somewhat anxious, but loving, children, and only lasted 11 years.

[MauEvig]

Honestly, I can understand the argument for and against teaching kids about Santa.

Speaking from my own experience, it was my dad who finally broke the news to me that Santa wasn't real. I was absolutely crushed. I later learned the Tooth Fairy wasn't real either when I found my baby teeth in an envelope that my parents had stashed away. I don't think anyone told me about the Easter Bunny but by then it was easy to put two and two together; if Santa and the Tooth Fairy weren't real, the Easter Bunny wasn't either.
I was 8 years old and I wasn't ready to accept it. So, it was soul crushing and heart breaking for me to hear. Mom was furious with dad for telling me that, and I think she still tried to keep the Santa story alive for me. But the damage had been done.

I also learned that my cousin caught grandma bringing presents down from upstairs late at night on Christmas. He lived with my grandma at the time, he's very special needs and didn't come from the best home life. She always felt sorry for him because he didn't have a father. I feel like his mom, my dad's younger sister, has definitely improved since then. Still gets a lot of criticism from my family, but to be honest mental health issues are prominent in all members of my family, and I've learned not to judge anyone for their circumstances or past mistakes. It is what it is.

Anyway, that following year; not quite a whole year after but long enough for me to celebrate my 9th birthday in the summer after learning Santa wasn't real, my mom told my dad she wanted a divorce. The divorce proved to be a lot more traumatizing than Santa not being real was. I think by then I'd accepted it and had to deal with much worse news than that. It was winter the prior year when dad broke the news and thought it was time I learned the truth. Of course, that wasn't the reason they got a divorce, but looking back on it, it was clear they were on a different page with a lot of things, with dad being the more spartan and practical parent, and mom being the more over protective and arguably frivolous parent. Still, it was dad who supported me being an animator back then and mom who discouraged me. But that's another story.

My other aunt however, the sister of the aforementioned aunt above and dad's older sister, had a clever way to introduce Santa without making the kids feel like they were lied to. She introduced Santa as a game instead, the game of going to bed so "Santa" could bring the gifts. I think it worked. Though I think my one little cousin does lack for more imagination. Not sure about the older one, he's definitely something else though. But he likes some anime and Star Wars, so I guess he didn't turn out all that bad.

I think having the magic of Christmas brought to kids is fun for the parents and children alike. I think it's the sole discretion of parents to do so. I as a cat parent, I don't really have to worry about that. XD Cats get fun new toy and treats, they don't care if it was me or a magical man in a red suit that brought those goodies. But I can see why it could be damaging as well.

Some Christians have argued that lying can lead children down the road of Atheism and connect a belief in God with the belief in Santa. I could certainly see that.

But you all know how I turned out. I just believe in God and I'm not religious but respect other people's beliefs.

I do wish there really was a Santa though. I also loved my Rudolph that I got from my Uncle from the South (he came to visit us around New Years, as I mentioned the "Christmas Part II" in our family, but I can't remember exactly when he gifted me that toy) and played with him in the middle of summer sitting on the picnic table pretending to fly Santa's sleigh. It used to have a nose that would light up and play the Rudolph song. Sadly it got ruined.

I have a newer plush somewhere. I have to find it sometime. But I have so much stuff to go through. I'll probably end up finding it after Christmas at this point.

[Murfreesboro]

Belief in Santa brought a lot of joy and excitement to me when I was little. I figured it out the Christmas I turned 8, but I pretended to believe for two more years. It was sad to me to let go of that fantasy, but I never thought my mother was at fault to encourage it.

I think the secular culture makes it seem as if Christmas is all about Santa, which is understandable, since movie makers and shopping centers are trying to appeal to the broadest possible audience. But the grown ups in my family always kept Christmas connected to Jesus. We always went to church on Christmas Eve, and my relatives always had Nativity sets in their homes. As a child, I wasn't exactly excited about baby Jesus, not like I was about Santa. But I knew there was more to Christmas.

When I was a teenager I started to spearhead our attending midnight services at the Episcopal church. Even though we always spent Christmas up in Arkansas with my mother's Baptist relatives, I was raised in my father's denomination, and my Baptist family was fine with attending the midnight services. Also, in the Episcopal church, any baptised Christian is free to commune. So they were welcomed there. It became a big part of our Christmas celebration. Church at midnight on Christmas Eve is one of the most Christmassy things you can do. Now in my own family, we'll come home after midnight, drink wassail and nibble ham and watch Christmas shows on tv until the wee morning hours.

Obviously we didn't do this when our kids were little and still Santa Claus kids. But it's a fun tradition when everyone is older.

Nowadays I have a very soft spot for Santa. He hasn't been banished from our Christmas. And he is, of course, based on St Nicholas, an actual Saint, who really lived. So I think it's fine to include him. He just isn't the focal point of our celebration.

[Andybev01]

If you don't know who David Sedaris is, he is one of, if not the, funniest essayists of the modern age.

If you have 20 minutes to kill, and would like a few good chuckles, follow the link below.

It's a live reading of '6 to 8 black men', his comparison of European and American Santa Claus traditions.

It's clean and just one of the funniest things ever written.

https://youtu.be/KEJto6kN6Qo?feature=shared

[Murfreesboro]

Oh, I am familiar with Sedaris. Funny guy.

[Murfreesboro]

Finally got a chance to listen to that YouTube link this morning. I really did laugh out loud. I've read about the Dutch traditions before, but he's so dang funny in the way he tells it.

Btw, if I don't get back here later today, merry Christmas! I'm off to make some more cranberry orange bread.

[Andybev01]

Merry Christmas right back at you.

[MauEvig]

My boyfriend got me some of the holiday classics on DVD and we watched Rudolph on Christmas Eve. It was so much fun to watch it.
I have to say though watching as an adult definitely gives it a different vibe than watching it as a kid does.
For instance, literally everyone except Clarice and Rudolph's own mother are jerks to Rudolph. For shame! It really angers me. I really have to give credit to Clarice, she's the one reindeer outside of his own family (geez even his own father was critical of everyone's favorite reindeer) that actually believes in him. She's really an unsung hero in this movie that deserves applause.
But to be honest, the REAL hero of the movie is Yukon Kornelius! I don't think that old prospector gets enough credit. It was his witty and quick thinking that got Rudolph and Hermie out of trouble, and it was his plan that saved Rudolph. He even redeemed the ol' bumble at the very end. If he hadn't been there, the abominable snowman would have surely had some north pole venison and...Christmas would have been cancelled because Rudolph never would have made it back to Santa's workshop to save Christmas from that foggy night.
I'm left wondering what Rudolph actually did, beyond tell Santa about the misfit toys and overcome his own insecurities about being different. But I will give him credit for overcoming and accepting his differences, even if the ideology in this movie can be a little dated, (and I'm willing to forgive that given the time period it was made in and the attitudes of that day and age) I feel like there's still some moral lessons that can be applied to children (and adults) this day and age as well.
Still I love Rudolph, I'll always have a soft spot for him and relate to being different and a misfit.

[Murfreesboro]

Well, most of the plot, as it relates to Rudolph, is already implicit in the original song. "All of the other reindeer used to laugh and call him names/They never let poor Rudolph join in any reindeer games." As a child, I was actually delighted and amused by the way the story followed the song.

You're right that both Yukon Kornelius and Hermie are add-ons, as is Clarice, and Rudolph's parents for that matter. And the Snowman. And the Island of Misfit Toys. So much invention in this delightful special! Yet all of it reinforces the central theme of feeling like a misfit, and discovering that everyone has value.

My daughter can't understand why Moonraiser (the winged lion) was ever discarded. She thinks he's awesome.

[Murfreesboro]

You know, even the Abominable Snowman turns out to be a helper at the end. He puts the star on the tree for them. So everybody is useful in the end, even the villain.

Yeah, from Rudolph's POV, it's a story about growing up, maturing. In some ways it reminds me of The Lion King. That character also runs away for a while, but his determination to return home shows his growth.

[MauEvig]

You know, I can totally see the parallels between Rudolph and The Lion King. Both are animal stories that deal with facing your fears and growing up. Unlike Donner though, Mufasa was typically supportive of Simba unless he misbehaved. Rudolph just wanted the freedom to be himself. But Rudolph didn't have to go through the trauma of losing his father and being blamed for his death either. Literally no one dies in Rudolph, (they came close to it several times, with the abominable trying to eat Rudolph, his mom and Clarice and everyone thought Yukon Cornelius died until it was revealed that "bumbles bounce!") but I think back then it was taboo to show a lot of death on screen. Bambi is an exception to this though, which is another popular animal story.
For a company that is supposed to appeal to children, Disney sure does like it's tragic death scenes! Oh my.
Yep, the ol' terrifying bumble of the north did redeem himself in the end. Can't say the same about Scar. But abominable could arguably have been a misunderstood monster, while Scar was jealous of the power and influence Mufasa had and wanted it for himself.
Rudolph ran away from home because he was different and got picked on. With Simba, everyone loved him, but he blamed himself when Scar pinned Mufasa's death on him. But I think it's the act of coming home and facing your fears that make Rudolph and Simba alike.
Clarice and Nala were both highly supportive female figures as well, and both braved the unknown, with Clarice doing so to try and find Rudolph with the help of his mom, and Nala who just wanted to seek help to free her people from Scar's tyranny.

[Murfreesboro]

I hadn't made as many connections between the stories as you do, but there are quite a few!

I remember, when Lion King first came out, several critics compared the plot to Hamlet. There are some parallels there, too.

[Andybev01]

You could probably add Bambi to the list of animals coming of age movies.

[Murfreesboro]

Absolutely. In some ways, Lion King echoes Bambi. Think about the opening and closing scenes. Bambi's dad is on a cliff overlooking the forest, and at the end, so is Bambi, in his father's place. Same image with Lion King. Also, in both movies, a parent dies.

[Andybev01]

.. and both are Disney offerings.