Dickens didn't skip Christmas
My favorite holiday movie is the 1951 classic, Scrooge. This is the movie that is very much so a part of my childhood Christmas memories. My mind has been replaying scenes from the movie for the past few days, scenes I know very well. In particular, I keep thinking of Ebenezer Scrooge and his total indifference to the holiday. For him Christmas has nothing to do with presents or family or warmth. He is cold-hearted, selfish and cruel. He is content with spending December 25 ALONE. Furthermore, he is content with spending all of the holiday season ALONE. (Yes, I know he changes in the end but that isn't until much later in the movie and my mind hasn't been replaying those scenes.)
This year at Christmas my entire family won't be able to get together. I suppose my siblings claim to have their reasons. One of my sisters will be working. My brother, W, will be spending the holiday with his wife's family in Green Bay. I have another sister who doesn't know how much time she will have to come home... It's not as if anyone is skipping Christmas on purpose... They have their reasons... However, I can't help but think such behavior is so Ebenezer Scrooge. I bet when he was younger he found reasons to avoid spending Christmas with his siblings. "I need to work." "I need to go to Green Bay." "I really need to finish dusting out my curio cabinet."
I should also mention the holidays are a once in a lifetime opportunity for me to see all of my siblings. To have all my family together. To silently wish I was an only child like my boyfriend, Nate. Perhaps you are thinking, "Umm. Aren't you from a freakishly large Catholic family... Meaning, won't you be spending the holiday with a few of your siblings, at least?" Yes, this is true. I'll see a portion of my family. I'll spend time with my parents. I'll pet my old cats. But a part of me will feel like something is missing because, well, something will be missing from the scene. I'm confident Dickens would understand and I'm even more confident he would never skip Christmas. It's no wonder he has been loved throughout the ages. The man had a clear understanding that a life of "Bah humbug" is really no life at all.
This year at Christmas my entire family won't be able to get together. I suppose my siblings claim to have their reasons. One of my sisters will be working. My brother, W, will be spending the holiday with his wife's family in Green Bay. I have another sister who doesn't know how much time she will have to come home... It's not as if anyone is skipping Christmas on purpose... They have their reasons... However, I can't help but think such behavior is so Ebenezer Scrooge. I bet when he was younger he found reasons to avoid spending Christmas with his siblings. "I need to work." "I need to go to Green Bay." "I really need to finish dusting out my curio cabinet."
I should also mention the holidays are a once in a lifetime opportunity for me to see all of my siblings. To have all my family together. To silently wish I was an only child like my boyfriend, Nate. Perhaps you are thinking, "Umm. Aren't you from a freakishly large Catholic family... Meaning, won't you be spending the holiday with a few of your siblings, at least?" Yes, this is true. I'll see a portion of my family. I'll spend time with my parents. I'll pet my old cats. But a part of me will feel like something is missing because, well, something will be missing from the scene. I'm confident Dickens would understand and I'm even more confident he would never skip Christmas. It's no wonder he has been loved throughout the ages. The man had a clear understanding that a life of "Bah humbug" is really no life at all.
1 Comments:
Dickens deserted his wife and multiple children to go to London and become a writer. Hard to say if he'd be sympathetic or not.
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