Alastair Sims

Scrooge and Elf

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I did a Christmas movie two-fer, also known in some circles as a marathon or a movie binge. I watched the 1951 version of A Christmas Carol and Elf.

I own 9 versions of the Dickens classic. I can’t exactly say why I’m drawn to the movies and the book other than the character of Ebenezer Scrooge.

I can think of no other character outside the Bible who transforms so dramatically from beginning to end. Scrooge goes from the most unfeeling, miserly, cold-hearted man to ever live into the patron saint of Christmas.

The 1951 movie especially captures the meanness of the pre-spirits Scrooge and the giddiness after. Alastair Sims captures all of the range of this character better than any other actor that I’ve ever seen.

And Elf. It’s such a goofy movie that I love so much. You have a grown-up kid who thinks he’s an elf because he grew up among elves. However, it’s not all candy canes and twirly swirly gum drops.

There’s actually a dramatic part of the story where Buddy the Elf doesn’t feel like he fits in anywhere– neither the world of elves or the world of humans. I think that resonates with just about every one of us at some point.

The key is when Buddy finally finds his purpose, what he’s good at, and quits trying to please everyone else and fit their ideas of what he should be.

So that’s my Christmas two-fer. I feel all warm and fuzzy inside now. So Merry Early Christmas to all and to all a good night.

Only 17 more days!

Another Christmas Carol

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“It was the afternoon of Christmas Eve and Scrooge was conscious of a thousand odors, each one connected with a thousand thoughts and hopes and joys and cares long, long forgotten” (from The Muppet Christmas Carol).

Yeah, I finally got around to this one. It was as delightfully muppet-y as I’d hoped it would be. I think I’ve now seen just about every important adaptation of A Christmas Carol that’s ever been put on film.

As stated before, my very favorite adaptation is still the 1951 British version starring Alastair Sims. That’s always required viewing for me every Christmas season. But this one will be added to my list of favorites.

Now matter how many times I’ve seen it in all its various incarnations, the truth of the story always hits home with me. Christmas may be a day on the calendar, but the spirit of Christmas isn’t limited to 24 hours. It’s all the days of the year, ever year for as long as we live.

Christmas above all isn’t about presents and decorations. It’s about remembering those who have enriched our lives but who are no longer with us. It’s about family and friends gathered together to celebrate another year come and gone. It’s about the God who became flesh and was born into the world and dwelt among us, showing that even though we could never get to God, He could (and did) come to us in Jesus.

My prayer for all of us this season is that we don’t get so lost in the commercialism and fast-paced hustle that we forget about the tiny baby lying in a manger. I’m praying we can all celebrate the Advent of Emmanuel, who’s coming changed the world.

And yes, it was great seeing all my favorite Muppet characters (even Beaker), especially Gonzo as Mr. Charles Dickens and Rizzo the Rat as himself.

Advent Wisdom

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“Can you forgive a pig-headed old fool with no eyes to see with and no ears to hear with all these years?” (Ebenezer Scrooge, A Christmas Carol).

I love this line from the 1951 Alastair Sims adaptation of A Christmas Carol. I very much doubt it’s from the Charles Dicken’s novel, but I think it echoes the sentiment of his original work.

It also echoes the sentiment that many of us have felt when we discover wisdom in our later years.

I’ve found lately that wisdom is found in appreciating what you have and not taking the people in your life for granted. At this time of year, it’s easy to look back at people — especially relatives– who are no longer living– and see how many missed opportunities you had to spend time with them.

Wisdom is knowing that while you may have learned a lot over your lifetime, there is still so much yet to discover and experience, so much out there that you don’t know, that your knowledge compared to the total sum of knowledge and wisdom is a drop in the ocean.

For me this year, wisdom has been learning to slow down and savor the Advent season and not be in such a hurry to get to Christmas. It’s been seeing the holiday as more than just what’s underneath all the shiny wrapping papered boxes under the tree.

Advent and Christmas celebrate that God saw that we could never hope to comprehend Him where He was, so He came to where we were and became one of us so that we might truly know Wisdom Incarnate.God became a man so that man could know God and see that He is infinitely loving and trustworthy.

So far, so good. I’ve made a small dent in my required holiday movie watching. I’m also learning to wait well in this Advent season. So it’s all good.