Lessons From Dickens' Christmas Carol

 Since Fynn was very little he has been very much into Mickey's Christmas Carol and Muppets Christmas Carol during the holiday season.

 He used to dress up like Scrooge in his "best dressing gown", hat and cane, saying, "are you Hooge?" (Which meant "Look at me, I'm Scrooge!") He also loved to dress up like Gonzo as "Charles Dickens", in a scarf, sport coat and flat cap.

 For a craft, Fynn and I made a doorknocker with Goofy's face (as Jacob Marley) which became a Christmas Treasure we put on the door every year. We've also made chains of white paper (Jacob Marley's Chains), and framed in our hallway at Christmas time are the sayings, "Talk is Cheap" and "Time is Money", which can be quite puzzling if you don't know the meaning behind them. (They hang on the wall of Scrooge's Counting House in Mickey's Christmas Carol.)

 He used to also sing the "Marley and Marley" song (Muppets ) over and over again while on the swing.

 Those two movies have inspired so many conversations for us as a family. There is the theme of Scrooge "changing his ways", which is something we talk about a lot. There is also the Christmas Spirit of Giving, and "being a good friend", the Mystery element: who really are the Ghosts of Christmas? and the Fear element. Fear is a big topic in Fynn's life. He always becomes obsessed with things that scare him until he can conquer it ~ then it becomes his favorite thing.

 This year, Rowan and I made door knockers of both Jacob and Robert Marley (Muppets), and Fynn helped me turn a sheet into The Ghost Of Christmas Yet To Come (Muppets) and Scrooge's Tombstone. Very spooky. Fynn has been very much into "spooky" this year, and it's hard to explain, but it's in a very good way. Let me put it this way: If the Ghost Of Christmas Yet To Come is in your room, who can hurt you?

 As an adult, I have to recommend reading the original story. There are parts in the book that get left out in the movies, that are wonderful, beautiful, and hilarious! But I do highly recommend also the two movies mentioned; they are beautifully done, and have influenced our lives. As someone who appreciates hand-drawn animation, Mickey's is the most beautiful on my list.

Goofy as Jacob Marley Doorknocker

Ghost Of Christmas Yet To Come

Muppets Jacob Marley

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Happy Learning!

 

~Beth