Christmas Time Reading

It's Holiday season! Gifts, decorating, family, friends, music- it’s a great time of year! And what better way to celebrate than at the library! There are lots of things right here full of stories, information, and history of just about every holiday you can find. In order to continue spreading that holiday cheer, I’m here to show you some great reads for your holiday season. Whether you want to learn more about the history of certain holidays, get some yummy recipes, or just chill with a good holiday story, there are tons of places to look for that festive read. May I offer you some Christmas hors d'oeuvres?

Encyclopedia of Christmas [ REF GT4985 .G79 2000] 

 
Ever had a desire to know why we write letters to Santa, use holly and ivy to decorate, or why Christmas in America was at first condemned by the early church? Then check this book out, which gives tons of information about the holiday season, and all the wackiness that seems to follow it. It talks about how we have gotten most of our Christmas traditions, as well as traditions from other times and places. For example, did you know that the mistletoe as a Christmas sign comes from Norse mythology, but kissing under it comes from Britain? Did you know that when “The Nutcracker” debuted in 1892, audiences hated it, and the ballet was almost closed down? The only reason we know about it today is because Tsar Alexander III happened to like it and insisted it continue. Did you know that pretty much everything we know about Christmas tree decorating comes from Germany? Flip through this book to learn even more little-known facts to amaze your friends during awkward pauses at your Christmas party!

Plum Pudding Murder-Joanne Fluke  [available in Popular Reading, 1st floor]

 Looking for a nice light read to take a look at in between wrapping presents and drinking that third thing of eggnog? This paperback, part of Fluke's Hannah Swensen mystery series, is the tale of said Hannah, a small town baker who almost always seems to stumble into mysteries, in between baking cookies, dealing with her wacky town, and looking for love. In this story, a Yuletide murder takes place in the middle of her town's Christmas carnival, and Hannah has to figure out who the killer is before the 12 days of Christmas ends! It's light and breezy and cozy, a perfect little book to read when you just want to unwind. It also has several Christmas recipes in it, that sound quite tasty and a lot easier than most of what I have attempted off of Pinterest! And more festive!
 

The Man Who Invented Christmas: How Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol Rescued his Career and Revived our Holiday Spirits- Les Stanford  [ebrary Academic Complete Online Access]
 

You’ve read A Christmas Carol right? The timeless, much adapted, much parodied tale of a grumpy old rich guy who is shown the true meaning of Christmas by three spirits, and then vows to change his ways. It’s an archetypal Christmas story, and has shaped not only what we know about Christmas, but also what we know about the time period it's set in, The Victorian Era, a time of street urchins, top hats, and endless emotional and sexual repression. But what’s really interesting is the story behind A Christmas Carol, and how much of an impact it really had. In this e-book, it discusses more about how Dickens began his career as a writer, his early life, and how he came to write his classic novel. Dickens' novel wasn’t just huge, it changed Christmas and how we celebrate it forever. It’s an interesting read if you like Dickens, history, or are interested in how Scrooge, Tiny Tim, and the rest of the gang changed culture forever.  

 

 CP

Fight Finals with Film!

Ah, finals season. Projects due, papers to be written, endless study guides to memorize. And to make matters worse, there’s already holiday shopping to do and it’s dark at 4:30 in the afternoon! Yes, it’s a gloomy, depressing time of year when teachers and stores and even NATURE ITSELF have all teamed up to make the next few weeks aggressively unpleasant. But never fear! There is relief! In those rare moments of free time, here are some movies for you to pick up right here at the library to cure those finals blues! Or at least make you feel better about that paper you were supposed to do yesterday.

The Muppet Movie [DVD PN1997 .M877 2005] 

Remember The Muppets, which came out last year? With the dynamic duo of Jason Segal and Kermit the Frog? Well here’s the movie that started it all! The Muppet Movie was released in 1979, and was the first time the Muppets were ever seen on the big screen! The movie shows (approximately) how Kermit left his home in the swamp, with dreams of making it in the film business. As he travels across the country, he picks up other Muppets who have similar dreams, including Fozzie Bear, (The Great) Gonzo, and the ever-ambitious Miss Piggy. Basically, it’s a road trip movie. With songs (like its most famous, “Rainbow Connection”), an evil frog hunter, a crooked fast food entrepreneur, and celebrity cameos. And by celebrity cameos, I mean people like Steve Martin, Bob Hope, Mel Brooks, and Orson freaking Welles! That’s enough reason to pick up the DVD on its own- but really what makes this movie are its endless laughs, and its endless optimism. No matter what, Kermit and friends never give up on their dreams, and it all pays off in the end. Just like we will, hopefully, make it through these finals and get to see the rainbow (and good holidays) on the other side.

 

8 ½   [DVD PN1997 .O886 2010]

 Brain feeling drained? Want to feel smart and sophisticated and artsy? Then try this classic 1963 art house film directed by Federico Fellini, a movie basically about how crazy it is to be Federico Fellini. Part of a film movement going on in the 60s that loved experimenting in tones, visual style, and narrative -oh boy does this movie seem experimental. It’s basically a story about an Italian director named Guido Anselmi, who is clearly a stand in for Fellini, trying to get past his writers block and get his increasingly out-of-control life in order(sound familiar?) Anselmi/Fellini is attempting to finish his latest project, a big budget sci-fi epic, despite the fact that he has no idea what he wants to do with the movie. To make matters worse, his wife and his mistress both end up staying at the same spa/resort where he is shooting his film. To escape all this, the film starts going slightly bonkers, flashing between Anselmi’s imagination and his memories. It’s a strange, surreal movie, sometimes more like a dreamy musical than an actual story. It’s pure, bizarre escapism. While it does seem rather 60s at times, it’s aged well, mainly due to its surreal nature, and its basic plot, something that I think we can all relate to right now: inability to keep your entire schedule (and maybe your life) from spinning out of control.

It’s a Wonderful Life   [DVD PN1997 .I8722 2006]

Well, we needed at least one holiday flick here, and what better movie to erase the Finals blues than one about overcoming adversity just in time for Christmas! While most people remember the big happy ending, the first parts of the movie are filled with almost shifting genres, starting with angels in the heavens chatting amongst themselves, and going from there to a coming of age story to romance to comedy to drama to crushing tragedy to overwhelming happiness at the end. Lead actor Jimmy Stewart is great from beginning to end, playing a nice guy who’s pushed to the breaking point, but with divine help comes back from the brink. So many Christmas movies just seem to be a combo of wacky misunderstandings, “heartwarming” children, and everyone coming together at the end to learn some phoned-in message about the “True Meaning of Christmas”. This movie actually has all those things, but they’re played with such heart, and such pathos, you totally believe all of it. As George Bailey [Stewart] is put through the ringer, you really feel for him, so when he realizes how wonderful his life really is, and that with the help of the people he loves, he can make it through all the hard times, it does feel like you have learned the True Meaning of Christmas, whatever that is to you. It’s basically about the light at the end of the tunnel, the light many of us are hoping to see very soon. 

 

Happy viewing-  and here’s a good thing: the library’s DVDs may be checked out over the winter break!

CP