Livi Telecky-
On November 23rd, the Gustavus Activities Board sent students to the Guthrie to watch A Christmas Carol. The show featured breathtaking costume design, an immersive set that rotated from place to place as Scrooge traveled, a funny script, and a story just as impactful as it is well-known. However, if you missed this opportunity, there are many more ways Gusties can get in the Christmas Spirit.
First, Gusties can always return to the Guthrie and check out the show. A Christmas Carol is notoriously heartfelt. It tells the story of Scrooge, an evil person who doesn’t care for Christmas or anyone else in general, as he is visited by the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future. They show Scrooge, as well as the audience, how he wasn’t always so cruel, how his cruelty affects others, and how his legacy of misdeeds will follow him past death if he doesn’t change. Scrooge learns, and the audience is reminded, that Christmas is about more than presents and feasting; it is about making people happier in any way possible. The Guthrie’s attention to detail brought the show to life, with the Ghost of Christmas Past flying down to visit Scrooge, snow falling only on the Ghost of Christmas Present as she sits in Scrooge’s house, and the Ghost of Christmas Future standing several feet tall, covered in black on large stilts with arm extenders so they stood above everything in a menacing way. The cast ended the show with a song and sang “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” so everyone in the audience could feel the Christmas spirit.
Of course, if Minneapolis is too far of a trip, there is another show in movie theaters everywhere that is just as heartfelt as A Christmas Carol. The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, based on the book of the same name, is a remake of the classic TV special released in 1983. This movie takes place in a town where the annual Christmas Pageant is the largest spectacle of the year, and when the original director of the pageant is unable to direct again, the Bradley family is thrust into the role. This is made more complicated when The Herdmans, also known as the worst kids in the universe, take over the pageant. As the story progresses, the Bradley children learn that the Herdmans aren’t terrible people, they just aren’t given the same privileges as them. This festive, heartfelt movie looks at the Christmas Story through a new lens, as the Herdmans had never heard it before, looking at Mary and Joseph not as pure, perfect parents, but as human beings who were left in a very tough position when they were denied a room at an inn and forced to give birth in a manger. Beatrice Schneider gives an incredible performance to the oldest Herman sibling, giving humanity back to Mary, and connecting with her story in a tear-jerking way.
There are also plenty of free options available to Gusties from the comfort of their dorm rooms. Many classic Christmas movies can be found for free on YouTube. Specifically, Frosty the Snowman, Santa Clause is Coming to Town, and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer are all available. Frosty the Snowman is a lovely animated film about the song of the same name. It includes fun sound effects, simplistic character designs, nostalgic music, and bright pastel colors that give it a nostalgic feel. Rudolph and Santa Clause are both stop-motion animated, with lovely morals and the use of song lyrics as speaking lines. These movies teach that the true meaning of Christmas is to spread kindness to others and that whatever makes you unique is what allows you to spread that kindness. In all three of these classic movies, the main heroes defeat the villains with their compassion and goodwill.
No matter what or how you celebrate, it is important to allow yourself to take the stress of finals away by spreading friendliness to your classmates and extending that same grace to yourself as well. If you want any inspiration to do this, Christmas stories are amazing at doing just that.