As the year draws to a close, many of us are getting ready for some traditional family time. For me, Christmas means that the tree is up - in fact it has been put up several times thanks to the enthusiasm of my cat who sees the Christmas Tree as his own personal climbing gym - and the house is decorated. The fridge is full, the presents wrapped, cards sent and received. Work is about to shut down until New Year, a lovely week of leave.
While my family has always had the traditional Christmas tree, wreath and turkey for Christmas lunch, some of our particular traditions were more unique to us - like watching "The Muppet's Christmas Carol" on Christmas Eve. It is a tradition that we have had since I was a child and we watched it one Christmas on TV. Much searching by my mother produced a video of the film and even as teenagers the tradition of watching "The Muppet's Christmas Carol" on Christmas Eve prevailed. It continued as we became adults and spent Christmas with our parents, was tolerated by baffled partners and friends, and after our parents passed was continued by my sister and I. Eventually while on a cruise I located a DVD copy (in April!) and after explaining the significance to several bemused holiday acquaintances, that night seven adults sat and watched the brilliant Michael Caine, so shiningly evil as Scrooge before he finds the spirit of Christmas, as he seamlessly interacted with his Muppet costars.
Kermit is a perfect as the kindly, patient Bob Cratchit, with Miss Piggy as his feisty wife Emily, Statler and Waldorf are the evil Marleys, cackling gleefully about evicting children from orphanages. And Gonzo shines as the 'omniscient narrator', a blue furry Charles Dickens with his sidekick Rizzo the Rat who cheerfully states he is here for the food.
We both pretty much know the film by heart. We've watched it every Christmas Eve since we were young children. We will happily settle in to recite lines, sing the songs, munch mince pies and thoroughly enjoy our evening. This is our Christmas.
Some Christmas
traditions have also changed. Tinsel does not feature in my decorations any more after the year my tinsel-obsessed
cat caused a rather
expensive Christmas day visit to the family vet (again - I am so
sorry, Debbie). The same cat has also resulted in the rule that my
Christmas Tree is put up undecorated for a week until he has lost interest in it.
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