Den lille pige med svovlstikkerne (The little matchgirl) is perhaps the saddest of all HCA's stories. Not at all suitable for kids, but then he actually wrote for adults...

Katie's grandkids ! Wow...

Thank you so much for the feature! I love this list!

In case anyone has any questions, I'll be checking in here regularly for the rest of the day. I'm still pledging to make a donation of $1.00 to Feeding America, for every like and review Muscle Bear Santa accumulates through the end of today.

Great feature, Cia. Thank you!! We watched 'Polar Express' this year... followed by 'Harry Potter'... at least one is a cartoon, sort of.

Thanks, Cia, for posting these and for organizing the whole shindig!

@Tim: There was a lot of HCA floating around when I was a small kid. Although most of it I did not know came from the same man, like I knew about The Little Match Girl because there was a TV version they played every year, and The Ugly Duckling was in many versions (books, TV, and so forth), and I even recall being moved deeply by a film we watched in our school's library. It was an animation short about a tin soldier with a broken-off leg seeing and falling in love with a ballerina. Because he could only see her from one angle as she pirouetted, he thought she too had only one leg. Omg, thinking back on it now, Andersen was a huge influence on how I think a good story should be constructed. (I believe this is the version of The Steadfast Tin Soldier that I saw as a kid – I remember the dramatic sewer scene and the rat who rescued him )

In case anyone has any questions, I'll be checking in here regularly for the rest of the day. I'm still pledging to make a donation of $1.00 to Feeding America, for every like and review Muscle Bear Santa accumulates through the end of today.

That's a cool thing to do Carlos.. I liked and reviewed it. Couldn't resist your charitable offer... 

@Mann: Your Christmas Eve tradition sounds awesome! So cozy, and finger food is the way to go.

I love A Christmas Story. I remember when it first came out, it was a flop in the theaters; thank God for youtube, for we can even pull up with ease what Siskel and Ebert had to say about the movie when it was brand new in 1983.

My best friend in high school was among the first wave of 'Cable TV Fanatics' who made A Christmas Story a hit. It seems the flop was being requested and played a lot on cable; I first saw it with him in his house, and he already knew most of the dialogue by heart. That is the origin of the current 24-hour marathon of playing the movie for the holidays. I also tried to get the DVD the first year it was out. 'Out' was what everybody in the stores told me. Everybody wanted to have their own copy that first year.

It was also wonderful to learn that Mrs. Claus (…or, is it now Ms. Claus…?) can give Ms. Céline Dion a run for her money on the Vegas Strip! It's a Christmas dream come true, lol.

@Valkyrie: Your Penguin is certainly a well-developed character. It's nice to see more and more, and get to know more and more about the human family too.

It's wonderful you mention Nestor, for it's such a heartbreaking story too. Like The Little Match Girl, it seems kids were not talked down to as much as they are today when we were young. Sure, Nestor's mom suffers, but her self-sacrifice to save her child is heartwarming too. They wouldn't do such a real story today for kids, and it's a shame (imo). But, that being said, they still do play Nestor every year, and I'm glad they do. It's a wonderful work.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8ieH6f4Tog

@Mann: Your Christmas Eve tradition sounds awesome! So cozy, and finger food is the way to go.

 

I love A Christmas Story. I remember when it first came out, it was a flop in the theaters; thank God for youtube, for we can even pull up with easy what Siskel and Ebert had to say about the movie when it was brand new in 1983.

 

My best friend in high school was among the first wave of 'Cable TV Fanatics' who made A Christmas Story a hit. It seems the flop was being requested and played a lot on cable; I first saw it with him in his house, and he already knew most of the dialogue by heart. That is the origin of the current 24-hour marathon of playing the movie for the holidays. I also tried to get the DVD the first year it was out. 'Out' was what everybody in the stores told me. Everybody wanted to have their own copy that first year.

 

It was also wonderful to learn that Mrs. Claus (…or, is it now Ms. Claus…?) can give Ms. Céline Dion a run for her money on the Vegas Strip! It's a Christmas dream come true, lol.

AC, I love this film as well.  I'm full of self pity because this year for one reason or another I have not see any Christmas films or shows.. thank god for GA and Christmas Stories or it would have been a very poor Christmas season indeed. 

That's a cool thing to do Carlos.. I liked and reviewed it. Couldn't resist your charitable offer... 

I think helping others is the aspect of Christmas I do believe in wholeheartedly.  At a time of year when we turn into gluttons, and then complain about gaining weight,  supporting an organization trying to help feed those who are hungry seems the right thing to do.

@Carlos: You probably think I'm a sap already, so you won't be surprised to hear I think your 'minty gum' moment from Christmas 1966 is awesome. You paint such a vivid and loving picture of your mom and dad's efforts, and you do it in so few words. It's wonderful.

The picture you paint of your boys being in bed (wisely, and where they should stay) as their moms begin a day of cooking at eight in the morning is also vivid and great. I can just see them drawing up the sheets and both secretly knowing a memorable days awaits  

@AC: Reading your reference to Jay and Miles slightly upset me this morning… I'm hoping, and knowing, ColumbusGuy will pull through his current health set-back like the champ that he is. I can't wait for all us to enjoy more of his boys.

Get well soon, CG! We all want you healthy, happy and back with us on GA.

@Carlos: You probably think I'm a sap already, so you won't be surprised to hear I think your 'minty gum' moment from Christmas 1966 is awesome. You paint such a vivid and loving picture of your mom and dad's efforts, and you do it in so few words. It's wonderful.

 

The picture you paint of your boys being in bed (wisely, and where they should stay) as their moms begin a day of cooking at eight in the morning is also vivid and great. I can just see them drawing up the sheets and both secretly knowing a memorable days awaits  

Being a sap has its time and place

My mother's best, and worst, attribute has always been her singleminded approach when she sets her mind to something. I seemed to have inherited the trait. It's been helpful in achieving goals, but it also caused plenty of friction between us 'cause I don't back down when I believe in something strongly enough.

As for Colt and Tony, the idea of a nice lady from Iowa joining forces with a New York Italian mother, to deal with their sons Christmas celebration is just too rich in my mind to ignore! Staying in bed sounds like the right thing to do.

@Valkyrie.. Will there be more stories of these guys ?? I Love Penguin and family

Ughs. No, no, no. I haaaate that movie and my brother-in-law had it the all day marathon TV channel on Christmas. Then we switched over to Christmas Vacation. What ever happened to people enjoying the claymations and cartoons? I adore those and Garfield's Christmas special was a holiday fav for me! I will definitely admit to being more of a traditionalist rather than big on the newer Christmas stuff.

Actually I LOVE the claymations. I'm way too much of a comic geek not to. For some reason, this movie sticks in my head. I'm not sure if it's the period setting, or the mini-stories within a story. I look forward to watching it one day a year.