As promised every year I share a seasonal special. And here is my take on "It feels like Christmas", a song from the children classic "The Muppet Christmas Carol" (1992, Brian Henson) which likely the best adaptation of beloved timeless Dickens' tale "A Christmas Carol".
I want to say that though I'm not religious I love the spirit, and the idea of redemption. It's never late to be KIND. And "This is the season of the Heart". Winter has begun and even in Nature, animal gather for warmth in their burrows, and share the nuts they have stored. I really hope you like it. I also talk about the novella at the end of the article.
It feels like Christmas ( Song from The Muppet Christmas Carol)
Lyrics as sung by the "Spirit of Ghost Present"
It's in the singing of a street corner choir
It's going home and getting warm by the fire
It's true where ever you find love
It feels like Christmas
A cup of kindness that we share with another
A sweet reunion with a friend or a brother
In all the places you find love
It feels like Christmas
It is the season of the heart
A special time of caring
The ways of love made clear
And it is the season of the spirit
The message, if we hear it
Is make it last all year
It's in the giving of a gift to another
A pair of mittens that were made by your mother
It's all the ways that we show love
That feel like Christmas
A part of childhood we'll always remember
It is the summer of the soul in December
Yes, when you do your best for love
It feels like Christmas
It is the season of the heart
A special time of caring
The ways of love made clear
It is the season of the spirit
The message, if we hear it
Is make it last all year
It feels like Christmas
Wherever you find love
It feels like Christmas
The Muppet Christmas Carol. My favourite Christmas movie ever and likely best adaptation of the beloved story
Above: Theatrical poster of The Muppet Christmas Carol made by artist Drew Struzan. (c) Walt Disney Pictures (1992) Low Resolution version. Fair Use: wikipedia terms: Serves as "cover art" to identify the article's topic
Are you familiar with the story of bitter miserable and selfish Ebenezer Scrooge and his change of heart after the visit of the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future? The beloved tale has been turned into a movie many times but this is likely the best (and oddly enough one of the most faithful)
As you know I'm a big fan of Jim Henson, his company and legacy (including The Muppet) being my favourite movie The Dark Crystal and the many times I've shared a word about his influence in my work, it's not surprising my choice for a Christmas special this year. But not only I'm a fan of this movie, I also love the book and it happens to be a close and faithful adaption of the book and classic story. Gonzo represents Dickens and along with Rizzo the rat (fufunchi!) narrate the story allowing the incorporation of details from the XIX century novel.
The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992) is a 1992 movie directed by Brian Henson (Jim Henson's work) and adapted from famous Charles Dickens "A Christmas Carol" starring a grumpy Michael Caine as Ebenezer Scrooge along with The Muppets with Gonzo and Rizzo the rat as narrator, Kermit the Frog as Bob Cractchit, Miss Piggy as Mrs. Gratching and Robin the Frog as Tiny Tim.
The film's original score was composed by Miles Goodman with songs written by Paul Williams. Williams previously worked with the Muppets on the soundtrack to The Muppet Movie (1979) in which he and Kenneth Ascher were nominated for an Academy Award for writing "Rainbow Connection"
Recently this movie was back in the talk because the beautiful ballad "When the love is gone" had been cut from the edits and has been rescued. But the song I chose for this year is "It feels like Christmas" sung by "The Ghost of Christmas Present"
Charles Dickens "A Christmas Carol"
Christmas Carol. In Prose. Being a Ghost Story of Christmas which common name is "A Christmas Carol, is a book written by British author Charles Dickens. The first edition was published in 1843, London with illustrations by John Leech. It was firstly published a 19th of December and sold out completely by Christmas Eve. The book has never been out of print since. The novella is not a long read and can be found legally to download as ebook from the "Project Gutenberg Online Library"
https://www.gutenberg.org/files/46/46-h/46-h.htm
It was firstly published a 19th of December and sold out completely by Christmas Eve. The book has never been out of print since.
Back then Victorian England was reevaluating the customs around Christmas and the book settled many of them as we know them today, such as the Christmas feast.
In the story Ebenezer Scrooge, a greedy cold-hearted businessman that abuse his employees. He is described in the book as "a squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous old sinner!".
Without intention to spoil it, as many of us know is a story of redemption that encourage to be kinder to each other.
Ebenezer is visited by the ghost of his former partner Jacob Marley who is condemned because of his bad deeds. Marley warns Ebenizer that he would receive the visit of 3 ghosts.
The Ghost of Christmas Past who looks both like a child but ancient, it is represented as the flame of candlelight, represents "memory" and shows the man how he used to be gentle, and how he lost the love of his life to pursue his career neglecting his beloved and family.
Above: (Public Domain) Spirit of Christmas Present : Scrooge's third visitor, from Charles Dickens: A Christmas Carol. In Prose. Being a Ghost Story of Christmas. With Illustrations by John Leech. London: Chapman & Hall, 1843. First edition. This image is one of four hand-coloured etchings included in the first edition. There were also four black and white engravings.
You can actually read it for free (and legally) online as this classic is now PUBLIC DOMAIN. pd. I'm vegetarian so not fond ahem! of this drawing but it belongs to the first edition but in those times the idea of cheer (and abundance where other)
The Ghost of Christmas Present represents generosity and good will, it's a figure close to Father Christmas, the Holly King, Nicholas, Santa Claus and other similar figures, a cheerful middle aged man with red hair and evergreen holy crown, and he shows Ebenizer how his family spends the Christmas without him, He also shows him how his employee Bob Cratchit that despite being miserably poor and having barely to eat or how to be warm find joy in each other's company. He notice the youngest son "Tiny Tim" is disabled and likely not going to live much in such staggering conditions and he starts to realize he might be responsible in part of his demise.
When it came near him, Scrooge bent down upon his knee; for in the very air through which this Spirit moved it seemed to scatter gloom and mystery. It was shrouded in a deep black garment, which concealed its head, its face, its form, and left nothing of it visible, save one outstretched hand.
The last of the visitors is The Ghost of Christmas Future which represents fear of death. Its representation is the classic Grim Reaper, shrouded in black, and silently points or make him follow him without uttering any word he shows Ebenizer how he'll die alone and unloved and by his own tombstone he break in tears.
So once he wakes up, and still struck by the experience, feeling his future is not set to stone, so he becomes a compassionate, kind generous person that celebrated Christmas then on like no other. He orders a big turkey so the family can feast and become a grandfather figure to Tiny Tim who survives. As I say, a story of redemption. The book is considered a secular allegory.
And who I represent in the song...? Of course as in the movie, the ghost of Christmas Present but gender swapped ;-)
Of course I could not grow a beard, but I could wear a red haired wing wear a garland and Yule Clothing, and try to channel the "cheer" of Christmas present.
The book who popularized the phrase Merry Christmas!
Thought the phrase has been used since the XVI century, did you know that wishing "Merry Christmas" was made popular among the Victorian due to this book. In fact many of the rituals we link to Christmastide come from Yuletide (the celebration of pagan Winter's solstice) like using evergreen, trees, and more. But many of the characteristics of the current Christmas celebrations take root in a NOT SO OLD fictional book! Dickens had acknowledged the influence of the modern Western observance of Christmas and later inspired several aspects of Christmas, including family gatherings, seasonal food and drink, dancing, games and a festive generosity of spirit. There is even a movie about this "The man who invented Christmas" to portray how this famous Victorian novel affected the current customs.
Find "fufunchis" the rats and many animal companions
This video has many guest appearance of animal companions. As you know I hide my rats aka fufunchis in every video. You can find the 3 of them as usual, as well as a mouse I rescued last Summer. You will also spot a deer, two horses, a hen (so sassy) and robin.
Did you spot them all?
Why a hen? if you are a fan of the muppets you will know ;)
Credits
Filmed in Navarre, Spain, December 2021
Original composition from The Muppet Christmas Carol Soundtrack (1992), arrangements on this version by myself. This is just a fan candid tribute cover to honour the movie :) go watch it, you won't regret!
The year comes to an end... it's time for new resolutions
If you want to share some of the things you'd like 2022 to bring let me know in comments
So I want to send my warmest greetings to all the community. What we have failed in we try again. What we want to to do we set our intention. It's time to renew our determinations. Merry Season and brightest blessings!
As always I'll upvote feedback with proof of reading
I am grateful for all feedback and I will upvote those comments that provide a meaningful opinion and proof to have read the entire article :)
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