Traditions of Christmas: Stories & Movies

[poltr1]

The Chistmas season has its share of regular stories that appear during this time, in books or in films. Here are my favorite 5 Christmas stories.

At #5 is Clement Clark Moore's "'Twas The Night Before Christmas". This story, written in the early 19th century, has been the basis of many of our holiday imagery of Santa and his reindeer. It's also been parodied many times. Although there's been some controversy as to the actual authorship of the poem, it hasn't been conclusively proven that Moore did not write the poem.

At #4 is O. Henry's "The Gift of the Magi". This story, written in the late 19th century, has the usual O. Henry twist. A young man sells his gold watch to get a hair bow for his sweetheart, who has cut her hair short and sold her locks for a watch fob. The ultimate in gift-giving stories, as they both gave away something near and dear to them.

At #3 is Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol. A miserly business owner learns the true meaning of the Christmas season through apparitions and the psychodrama they create -- Christmas Past shows Scrooge the happiness of his childhood, Christmas Present shows him the plight of his employees, and Christmas Future shows him that he will die alone, unmourned and unloved by anyone. The result is a man transformed.


At #2 is the movie A Christmas Story. Based on Jean Shepherd's In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash, it's an autobiographical look at one boy's Christmastime experiences, from wishing for a Red Rider BB gun to getting his tongue stuck to the flagpole on a dare to a visit to a department store Santa Claus. Fun for the entire family.

At #1 is the movie It's a Wonderful Life. Submitted for your approval: One George Bailey, who has spent his entire life caring for others. At the hour of his need, owing money and despondent, he wishes he had never been born. His wish is granted by his guardian angel, Clarence. Bailey soon walks through an alternate world in which he's a stranger; no one knows him at all. And through the Twilight Zone-like psychodrama created by Clarence, George sees that his life has made a profound difference in the lives of the people around him, and that he has friends who care deeply for him.

There are times in my life that I've identified strongly with George Bailey. This Christmas classic reminds me every year that there are many people in my life that I've touched -- some lightly, some deeply -- and how their lives would be different if I hadn't been around. And that's when the tears begin to flow, from a slow weeping to an all-out bawl at times. Very few movies move me like that; this is one of them.

Comments

[braider.livejournal.com]

Gah! I always thought Gift of the Magi was the bloody most depressing story I'd ever read. They give each other the gifts they'd always most cherished - once those gifts become totally useless, and may never be used.

[suecochran.livejournal.com]

Well, hair does grow back. And maybe they could've gotten the watch back eventually.

[braider.livejournal.com]

Hair like hers (unless it grows at Merav's rate) would have taken close to a decade to grow back. Even at Merav's rate, about 3 years. With as little as they were able to save, the watch wouldn't have been able to be reclaimed before the time expired and the pawn broker was able to sell it on.

[allisona.livejournal.com]

But that isn't the point of the story :). Even without the treasures they had or wanted they still have the love that motivated the sacrifice. I've always liked the tone at the end of the story, how the young man (whose name escapes me) keeps his sense of humour about the irony of the situation.

I really like "Gift of The Magi", but I like a lot of O. Henry's short stories.

[braider.livejournal.com]

Hm. Granted, I haven't read the story since freshman year of high school, but what came through to me was the futility of their gifts, the fact that they gave their most cherished possession, only to find out that it ended up being a pointless sacrifice. I don't remember their being a bit of leavening humor, just a sense of tragedy.

[braider.livejournal.com]

Er, "THERE being", not "their..."

[allisona.livejournal.com]

Here are the last lines of the story:

"Instead of obeying, Jim tumbled down on the couch and put his hands behind his head and smiled.
"Dell," said he, "let's put our Christmas presents away and keep 'em a while. They're too nice to use just at present. I sold the watch to get the money to buy your combs. And now suppose you put the chops on.".

The magi, as you know, were wise men- wonderfully wise men- who brought gifts for the Babe in the manger. They invented the art of giving Christmas presents. Being wise, their gifts were no doubt wise ones, possibly bearing the privilege of exchange in case of duplication. And here I have lamely related to you the uneventful chronicle of two foolish children in a flat who most unwisely sacrificed for each other the greatest treasures of their house. But in a last word to the wise of these days let it be said that of all who give gifts these two were the wisest. Of all who give and receive gifts, such as they are wisest. They are the magi."

I'm still sentimental enough to think that's lovely :).

And it makes me want to seek out my anthology of O. Henry short stories.

[poltr1]

Yes, the story doesn't have a happy ending, especially if one looks at this from a strictly material point of view. These two young people gave up their most cherished item to buy something that would complement their sweetie's most cherished item. To me, that's almost like the ultimate gift -- to give of oneself.