A Very Underside Christmas
in which we discuss Christmas stories, and a poem too
Merry Christmas! Happy Hannukah! Happy ______!
When you think “Christmas” with regards to stories, what comes to mind? Maybe it’s the film “A Christmas Story” with its leg lamp and air rifle. Or a classic like “It’s a Wonderful Life” or “Miracle on 34th Street”—the former has a hint of “A Christmas Carol” to it, and the latter was a favorite of my mom, who was always a big Natalie Wood fan (I’m speaking of the 40s version, not the 90s one). Maybe it’s a classic scene from “Wuthering Heights” or “Anne of Green Gables.”
As for me? It should come as little surprise that movies like “Gremlins” and “Nightmare Before Christmas” are high upon my list. Dark comedy genius mixed with macabre sensibilities is inherent in both movies, and lives on to some extent here. Not to mention childhood favorites like “Home Alone,” or more recent family comedic classics like “Elf” or “Jingle All the Way.” No really, it’s funny! (And by the way, Bruce Willis is right about “Die Hard.” )
Of course, my all-time favorite is one many share, but it also has shades of darkness, not unlike my favorites above. I am of course speaking of the aforementioned Charles Dickens story “A Christmas Carol.” Naturally, the book is highest on my list, but my first foray into this ghostly morality tale was with Mickey and company, and it’s still my preferred adaptation. It hit the right notes of silliness and soapiness and creepiness, and it all still feels more appropriate coming from well-known cartoon characters rather than actors.
Television has its own moments, and most any sitcom or self-respecting drama has a Christmas episode. Still, though, how many are truly memorable, especially if you aren’t a “Friends” superfan? Now, as a child, there was no shortage of great animated Christmas shorts. How about “A Charlie Brown Christmas” or “How the Grinch Stole Christmas”? “Frosty the Snowman” or “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer”? Classics, all. More recently, I enjoyed the Christmas ep of “Ted Lasso” which balanced its mostly dry humor with some light notes of sentiment and real feeling and kindness to strangers.
Speaking of books now, and not movies or tv, what stands out as a memorable Christmas moment to you? I’m thinking of a certain scene in another Dickens novel, “Great Expectations”, when he speaks of Uncle Pumblechook’s annual visits; or in Harry Potter, when the orphaned Harry finally sees some real Christmas cheer; or “The Time Traveler’s Wife” when Henry recounts his mother’s final moments (for some reason—perhaps it’s the sad childhood trauma of it—this reminds me of Kate’s [Phoebe Cates] story in “Gremlins” wherein she recounts [spoiler for kids!] how she found out Santa wasn’t real); or in “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe” when Christmas (and Santa) finally returns to Narnia, and we get a real feel-good moment as Santa hands them their gifts.
And poetry! Don’t forget poems. My personal favorites are “Christmas Bells” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, popularized as the song “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day,” and “In the Bleak Midwinter” by Christina Rosetti. Many others could be named here, from classics like “A Visit from St Nicholas” by Clement Clark Moore to “Christmas Trees” by Robert Frost to many modern songs and hymns that began life as poetry. Look them up and more on poets.org.
You can find some of my own Christmas poems, as well: “The Morning After” touches on grief, which is central to many this time of year, in which the loss of a loved one becomes all the more pronounced; “A Nebula on Christmas Night” (jump to page 56 at the link, but it’s also posted here at Underside Stories) is more intent on creating a mood and painting a scene. I post one here at the end as well.
One thing these stories tend to share, no matter how dark or silly the tone, how Christian or secular the theme, how sentimental or cranky the characters, how violent or calm the action: they come around to family and some lesson learned.
Maybe it’s the influence of “A Christmas Carol” as a pervasive through-line of modern Christmas storytelling, or maybe it’s our human nature, but even a grumpy, raunchy “Bad Santa” has a heart (and moral) at its core, Kevin McAlister takes a break from bad-guy hijinks to inspire an older neighbor to reunite with his son while himself coming to appreciate his family again, Buddy the Elf finally ingratiates himself to his long-lost father (James Caan, RIP), stuff happens in “Love Actually” (I don’t know, but someone out there remembers), Tim Allen and his son learn lessons in “The Santa Clause”, Clark Griswold yells at his boss and other things happen, and the Grinch and Scrooge both grow a heart at their happy ends.
Granted, my retention on some of these is less than stellar…
Is there a scene, book, or movie that stands out to you? Share it in the comments below!
Season of Seething
The leaves all rustle
the rabbits, they hustle,
and a bright bluish sky hides its cheer in the trees;
as I hop over a log, I find myself think,
“Far too cold, the wind is a fink!”
and I dash to the house with my death of disease.
The children all giggle
their bottoms they wiggle
in the warmth of the halls of my favorite mall;
as I sit next to a fountain, I find myself think,
“Sound all around and no drop to drink!”
as the hustle and bustle discolors my pall.
The leaves make no sound,
not a rabbit around,
and the ebony chill of the night settles in;
as I untangle the lights, I find myself think,
"No matter this kills me, they'd better all blink,"
as the virgin at the inn plays her old violin.
My heaters all tinker,
my cheeks growing pinker,
the dog in his sleep chasing Prancer and Blitzen;
as I probe under the coals, I find myself think,
"I wish for a cocoa, a mug, and a shrink,"
for I've one hand to wish in, the other to... sit on.
Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!