Wednesday 9 December 2009

SO THIS IS CHRISTMAS





What do the Magi (the Three Wise Men), Shrek, Charlie Brown (Peanuts) and Scrooge have in common? They are all characters in Christmas stories which have become classics.

In "A Charlie Brown Christmas", an animated special shown on American television every Christmas season, Charlie Brown is named the director of the school Christmas play. He hopes to connect with the real meaning of the season, but commercialism always gets in the way and ruins his Christmas. In desperation he asks his famous question, “Isn’t there anyone who knows what Christmas is all about?”

Surely you know Scrooge, the miser in Dickens’ "A Christmas Carol" who detests Christmas and is visited by the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future.

And yet another Christmas story where the main character has no clue what the Christmas spirit is: "Shrek the Halls". Shrek wants to celebrate his first Christmas (“ogres don’t celebrate anything”). To this end he buys a step-by-step guide on how to have a perfect Christmas.

When you think of Christmas, what comes to mind?
If you were to write a Christmas tale, what theme would you choose? The real meaning of Christmas? Over-commercialisation? The credit crunch? The environment?
Who would your characters be? A miser? A ghost? The three Wise Men?
Where would you set it? In Lapland? Bethlehem?
Please come up with (suggest) ideas. Your story might become a timeless classic too.


No comments: