I am in the middle of watching the best Christmas film of all time. It's nothing highbrow, cultured or with amazing special effects or big stars. It's the Muppet Christmas Carol, which I love. Of course it stars the ever watchable Michael Caine, who has made films on many occasions (it would seem ) simply to pay the bills as well as making some corking entertainment. It must have taken some guts to make a film otherwise cast entirely from puppets including a genetically modified frog, an irritable diva pig and talking vegetables.
I've never really worked out why I love this movie so much. It may be because it is based on wonderful story telling which, because Dickens wrote his novels originally to be serialised in the popular press, is digestible and understandable (unlike some Shakespeare, which requires dedication). It may be because I loved the Muppets back in the 70s and 80s, with their cruel and well observed humour and predictable characters. Or it may be because it is simply colourful entertainment, gentle and without aggression, bad language, any attempts to moralise (although of course Christmas Carol is, essentially, a tale of morals) but with stacks of visual and verbal humour.
Jim Henson was a clever man. So was Frank Oz. They should by rights still be earning good money from this (or their estates should - at least one of them, sadly, is dead) and future generations should be made to watch it every year. Never mind Sound of Music and It's a Wonderful Life, for me they don't even come close.
The telly hasn't been too bad this year and there have been a few decent programmes on (Downton Abbey & Sherlock to name but two) but not many decent films. I think MCC was on Sky, but I missed it, so I've bought myself the DVD. And some of the characters remind me irresistably of people I know or have known - I know a big bumbling bear of a man that resembles Fozzie, and I know several old boys who have a resemblence to the two old men that heckle from the balcony, and there was once a boyfriend very similar to Animal. Over the years there have also been one or two people that remind me of Miss Piggy! But so far, no one that really resembles Kermit (I don't know many green people with webbed feet).
So I'm going to immerse myself in the film with total pleasure, because it may be some time before I watch it again. It's a winter thing really, not something that seems right in summer. There must be a summer film which fits the same bill, but I can't think of one at the moment. Can anyone else? Or do you have another winter film which is your all time favourite? Bet nothing tops this one!
Showing posts with label Christmas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Christmas. Show all posts
Saturday, 7 January 2012
Sunday, 25 December 2011
It's Christmas.
It's Christmas. After all the planning, shopping and stress it's finally arrived.
We hosted a family party yesterday and guzzled on a massive Greek meze feast. Special request of the kids, who didn't want anything Christmassy. About eight hours in the preparation, 10 minutes in the guzzling. But never mind, they enjoyed it. Similarly with the pressies - weeks worth of planning, shopping and wrapping ripped apart in two minutes flat.
The highlight had to be my granddaughter excitedly attempting to carry a massive unwrapped box of Playmobil across the lounge (the playmobil zoo, which frankly I can't wait to build and play with), and then playing with one plastic lion all afternoon.
For the first time in many years, I went to the children's carol service at the local church, which was magical. I've never seen so many children dressed as shepherds (an abundance of Ikea tea towels as head dresses), angels (excessive amounts of tinsel) Kings (old curtains with gold embroidery) and sheep (wearing the fireside sheepskin rug) with entranced faces, singing away at carols they had learned at school and totally immersed in it all. It really takes you back to what Christmas is all about, away from the food, alcohol and commercialism.
It also made you spare a thought for those on their own, lonely, or without anything this Christmas, something so easily forgotten in the busyness and excitement.
I had meant to go to midnight service last night, but was too exhausted. I've made up for it this morning by listening to carols from Kings - how traditional and middle class is that!
Merry Christmas everyone, and a happy and prosperous new year. Let's hope it brings you what you want, and its an improvement on 2011!
We hosted a family party yesterday and guzzled on a massive Greek meze feast. Special request of the kids, who didn't want anything Christmassy. About eight hours in the preparation, 10 minutes in the guzzling. But never mind, they enjoyed it. Similarly with the pressies - weeks worth of planning, shopping and wrapping ripped apart in two minutes flat.
The highlight had to be my granddaughter excitedly attempting to carry a massive unwrapped box of Playmobil across the lounge (the playmobil zoo, which frankly I can't wait to build and play with), and then playing with one plastic lion all afternoon.
For the first time in many years, I went to the children's carol service at the local church, which was magical. I've never seen so many children dressed as shepherds (an abundance of Ikea tea towels as head dresses), angels (excessive amounts of tinsel) Kings (old curtains with gold embroidery) and sheep (wearing the fireside sheepskin rug) with entranced faces, singing away at carols they had learned at school and totally immersed in it all. It really takes you back to what Christmas is all about, away from the food, alcohol and commercialism.
It also made you spare a thought for those on their own, lonely, or without anything this Christmas, something so easily forgotten in the busyness and excitement.
I had meant to go to midnight service last night, but was too exhausted. I've made up for it this morning by listening to carols from Kings - how traditional and middle class is that!
Merry Christmas everyone, and a happy and prosperous new year. Let's hope it brings you what you want, and its an improvement on 2011!
Friday, 23 December 2011
I've just made a major mistake! I have been checking my money (or rather lack of it) as part of my 'not working and catching up at home' admin day.
Christ it's depressing how much things cost isn't it? I'd really decided to make an effort and not overspend this Christmas. We've cut out the stockings for everyone (cue outraged cries of "What? No stockings? But we ALWAYS have stockings on Christmas morning. Where am I going to get all my deoderant / moisturiser / sweets / make-up / pens / plastic crap for January from now? I'll have to go and buy it!"), not overbought on the yummy but fattening snacky food from M&S (Christmas is the only time I buy food for the family from M&S because it's so frigging expensive) and not bought myself any (well, not many) seasonal treats. But the credit cards still seem to have taken a hammering!
I suppose it's my own fault. I like treating people, probably too generously. And I like to be organised so I thought it was a good idea to get everything straight before the weekend then I wouldn't be worrying about it. As it is I'll still be worrying, but differently.
Anyway, there's nothing else to buy now, and we could probably survive a seige for a month by using up all the food and drink in the cupboards and the freezer. Meals would get interesting to say the least, but we wouldn't be hungry. And if all else fails I have three full 1 litre bottles of Bombay Sapphire out the back (they were on offer, it seemed silly not to) with which I could drink myself senseless and forget about it all. But that does seem rather extreme, and hopefully won't be necessary. After all, we have paid Thames Water their extortionate bill for the year, so at least we'll still have water coming out of the taps!
Unless the pipes burst in the cold, which seems to happen every year to someone. Nothing like that has happened to us for a few years, so it must be our turn!
Christ it's depressing how much things cost isn't it? I'd really decided to make an effort and not overspend this Christmas. We've cut out the stockings for everyone (cue outraged cries of "What? No stockings? But we ALWAYS have stockings on Christmas morning. Where am I going to get all my deoderant / moisturiser / sweets / make-up / pens / plastic crap for January from now? I'll have to go and buy it!"), not overbought on the yummy but fattening snacky food from M&S (Christmas is the only time I buy food for the family from M&S because it's so frigging expensive) and not bought myself any (well, not many) seasonal treats. But the credit cards still seem to have taken a hammering!
I suppose it's my own fault. I like treating people, probably too generously. And I like to be organised so I thought it was a good idea to get everything straight before the weekend then I wouldn't be worrying about it. As it is I'll still be worrying, but differently.
Anyway, there's nothing else to buy now, and we could probably survive a seige for a month by using up all the food and drink in the cupboards and the freezer. Meals would get interesting to say the least, but we wouldn't be hungry. And if all else fails I have three full 1 litre bottles of Bombay Sapphire out the back (they were on offer, it seemed silly not to) with which I could drink myself senseless and forget about it all. But that does seem rather extreme, and hopefully won't be necessary. After all, we have paid Thames Water their extortionate bill for the year, so at least we'll still have water coming out of the taps!
Unless the pipes burst in the cold, which seems to happen every year to someone. Nothing like that has happened to us for a few years, so it must be our turn!
Thursday, 22 December 2011
Almost there
Well now I do feel very smug. I felt pretty smug last week, but today the smugness has reached epic levels. Because I am ready for Christmas. ALL the shopping is done - food as well. I was in Morrisons at 7.15am this morning filling up my trolley with vast amounts of unhealthy food and alcohol, and now it is all stashed away in the cupboards awaiting the weekend. Yum. In fact YUM.
Ready in other ways too. Last panto rehearsal before Christmas was last night and did the whole thing without my book (one prompt, but you can't have everything and there is still three and a half weeks to go). Last working day today (on hols tomorrow) and finishing off lots of tedious annoying jobs which have been hanging around for ages and feeling good about them (not sure all my colleagues will, when they get the e-mails and requests for information, but never mind, they'll get over it), pressies all wrapped, washing and ironing up to date. The only thing left to do is clean the house, which I'll do tomorrow, and make my Greek Meze for the family 'do' on Christmas Eve, which I will enjoy doing.
Of course I have been lucky this year (well, in a way) in that I was signed off work for six weeks during October and November because of my knee arthroscopy, so did a lot of internet shopping and organising then. But even without that, I usually do manage to be organised reasonably in time. It's just the way I am - I dislike putting myself under unnecessary stress and pressure by leaving things to totally the last minute. After all, Christmas isn't a surprise is it - I mean it happens on the same date every year - so it ought to be possible to plan for it. The reason I got up and went food shopping at an unfeasibly early hour when it was still dark this morning is because I planned it - I didn't want to have to fight my way round the aisles with the rest of the town at 11am, and I have better things to do tonight.
It really does feel like Christmas now, doesn't it? Although the weather isn't very Christmassy! As you will know if you have read previous postings on this blog, I don't like snow one little bit but it would be nice to have it bright, crisp and frosty on Christmas morning - the sort of weather where you can see yourself breathe and it's so bright the world sparkles. You can never have enough glitter, as far as I am concerned, and if Mother Nature can provide more, even better.
Just off to finish a few more e-mails and then to make some mince pies! Excess rules in this house, even though we will regret it in January. But that's a long way away, isn't it!?
Ready in other ways too. Last panto rehearsal before Christmas was last night and did the whole thing without my book (one prompt, but you can't have everything and there is still three and a half weeks to go). Last working day today (on hols tomorrow) and finishing off lots of tedious annoying jobs which have been hanging around for ages and feeling good about them (not sure all my colleagues will, when they get the e-mails and requests for information, but never mind, they'll get over it), pressies all wrapped, washing and ironing up to date. The only thing left to do is clean the house, which I'll do tomorrow, and make my Greek Meze for the family 'do' on Christmas Eve, which I will enjoy doing.
Of course I have been lucky this year (well, in a way) in that I was signed off work for six weeks during October and November because of my knee arthroscopy, so did a lot of internet shopping and organising then. But even without that, I usually do manage to be organised reasonably in time. It's just the way I am - I dislike putting myself under unnecessary stress and pressure by leaving things to totally the last minute. After all, Christmas isn't a surprise is it - I mean it happens on the same date every year - so it ought to be possible to plan for it. The reason I got up and went food shopping at an unfeasibly early hour when it was still dark this morning is because I planned it - I didn't want to have to fight my way round the aisles with the rest of the town at 11am, and I have better things to do tonight.
It really does feel like Christmas now, doesn't it? Although the weather isn't very Christmassy! As you will know if you have read previous postings on this blog, I don't like snow one little bit but it would be nice to have it bright, crisp and frosty on Christmas morning - the sort of weather where you can see yourself breathe and it's so bright the world sparkles. You can never have enough glitter, as far as I am concerned, and if Mother Nature can provide more, even better.
Just off to finish a few more e-mails and then to make some mince pies! Excess rules in this house, even though we will regret it in January. But that's a long way away, isn't it!?
Wednesday, 21 December 2011
Feeling jaded
I'm feeling a bit jaded today. It's a busy time of year, work is frantic and there are lots of issues at home which need to be sorted and have deadlines on top of the norm. All that's on top of trying to rehearse for and learn lines for panto in a month's time. It's exhausting.
I know much of it is my own fault and self imposed. I wanted to do the panto, regardless of the major commitment it is because when you actually get to the run, it's tremendous fun. I've made my own choice of job which involves commuting and which, given half a chance, I'd change but it's my own choice to stay there for now rather than get something lower paid and be poor.
I seem to have less and less energy but perhaps that's the price of getting older. I cannot begin to imagine how I managed when I was younger doing two or three shows at once, looking after children and running my own business. I must have been mad!
But I do think the pressure is getting more these days. If you've got a job, you're desperate to keep it and if you haven't got one you're desperate to do so. Life keeps getting more and more expensive and pay has been frozen for the last two years, and looks like a 1% increase only next April (and the year after) despite inflation running rampant. We're working longer hours for less money, and likely to have to work more years and pay more for a pension that will make retirement worthwhile.
At least it looks like they are getting closer to an agreement about local government pensions. I know those who work in the private sector are now saying we don't know how lucky we are with our index linked final salary pension, but what they forget is the years past when the private sector raked in huge salaries by comparison and fat bonuses and we didn't. And we all chose our professions on the contractual terms and conditions on offer at the time - you could have worked for the puiblic sector too, you know, but you chose not to.
I'm not really carping. I'm just tired and ready for a break after all the busyness and health issues of the past few months. I expect Santa will be kind as usual, and I'll eat and drink too much (at least I hope so) and there will be some nice things to do. Cinema, long walks, perhaps a trip to the seaside or the zoo - lovely. So a good chance to recharge batteries ready to face 2012 and all it's challenges. Bring it on!
I know much of it is my own fault and self imposed. I wanted to do the panto, regardless of the major commitment it is because when you actually get to the run, it's tremendous fun. I've made my own choice of job which involves commuting and which, given half a chance, I'd change but it's my own choice to stay there for now rather than get something lower paid and be poor.
I seem to have less and less energy but perhaps that's the price of getting older. I cannot begin to imagine how I managed when I was younger doing two or three shows at once, looking after children and running my own business. I must have been mad!
But I do think the pressure is getting more these days. If you've got a job, you're desperate to keep it and if you haven't got one you're desperate to do so. Life keeps getting more and more expensive and pay has been frozen for the last two years, and looks like a 1% increase only next April (and the year after) despite inflation running rampant. We're working longer hours for less money, and likely to have to work more years and pay more for a pension that will make retirement worthwhile.
At least it looks like they are getting closer to an agreement about local government pensions. I know those who work in the private sector are now saying we don't know how lucky we are with our index linked final salary pension, but what they forget is the years past when the private sector raked in huge salaries by comparison and fat bonuses and we didn't. And we all chose our professions on the contractual terms and conditions on offer at the time - you could have worked for the puiblic sector too, you know, but you chose not to.
I'm not really carping. I'm just tired and ready for a break after all the busyness and health issues of the past few months. I expect Santa will be kind as usual, and I'll eat and drink too much (at least I hope so) and there will be some nice things to do. Cinema, long walks, perhaps a trip to the seaside or the zoo - lovely. So a good chance to recharge batteries ready to face 2012 and all it's challenges. Bring it on!
Saturday, 17 December 2011
Christmas
Well, one week to go until the big day! I mean Christmas Day of course, with all its glitter, tinsel, over-indulgence and stress! And I'm ready!!
Personally, I love Christmas. It's an opportunity to spend time with people that I care about and be generous in a way that I never would for the rest of the year because I'm not rich and I simply cannot afford it. But at Christmas, I splurge!
I must also confess to being rather fond of the traditional bits of Christmas too, the carols and religious elements that make it such a warm and uplifting occasion on top of all the commercialism. I'm not religious (I have my doubts that the big guy up there exists, but I'm not sure he doesn't, either) but there is something so innocent and gentle about Christmas in church and I will always try and either go to a teatime carol service on Christmas Eve or the Midnight Mass.
This year, I feel incredibly organised and rather smug sitting here typing this when lots of others are still struggling round the shops or fretting because they aren't finished with arrangements. But my advice would be, don't worry. No one is going to disown you if you don't make things absolutely perfect and you won't do yourself any good at all health wise if you wind yourself up into such a frenzy you are ill next weekend. There are only so many hours in the day and you only have one pair of hands.
I feel sorry for those that are struggling financially this Christmas - the economic situation is really hitting some very hard and prices in the shops, despite the much publicised early sales, are soaring. It's a fact that as your kids get bigger, their preferred gifts get smaller and proportionately more expensive - swop jigsaws for ipads! Food prices are hideous - I went to Morrisons the other day and managed to spend £150 on a trolley which was only half full. And no, it wasn't full of gin!
However you are spending it, try and make it peaceful and fun, filled with kindness and laughter. And this week, in the run up, be calm!
Personally, I love Christmas. It's an opportunity to spend time with people that I care about and be generous in a way that I never would for the rest of the year because I'm not rich and I simply cannot afford it. But at Christmas, I splurge!
I must also confess to being rather fond of the traditional bits of Christmas too, the carols and religious elements that make it such a warm and uplifting occasion on top of all the commercialism. I'm not religious (I have my doubts that the big guy up there exists, but I'm not sure he doesn't, either) but there is something so innocent and gentle about Christmas in church and I will always try and either go to a teatime carol service on Christmas Eve or the Midnight Mass.
This year, I feel incredibly organised and rather smug sitting here typing this when lots of others are still struggling round the shops or fretting because they aren't finished with arrangements. But my advice would be, don't worry. No one is going to disown you if you don't make things absolutely perfect and you won't do yourself any good at all health wise if you wind yourself up into such a frenzy you are ill next weekend. There are only so many hours in the day and you only have one pair of hands.
I feel sorry for those that are struggling financially this Christmas - the economic situation is really hitting some very hard and prices in the shops, despite the much publicised early sales, are soaring. It's a fact that as your kids get bigger, their preferred gifts get smaller and proportionately more expensive - swop jigsaws for ipads! Food prices are hideous - I went to Morrisons the other day and managed to spend £150 on a trolley which was only half full. And no, it wasn't full of gin!
However you are spending it, try and make it peaceful and fun, filled with kindness and laughter. And this week, in the run up, be calm!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)