Post-Christmas Post

I hope everyone had a fabulous Christmas.  We certainly did in this house between the annual (adult) Christmas Party to the arrival of Santa Claus on Christmas Day through the incredible family feast at my brother-in-law's home - we were blessed to enjoy every bit of the season.  The children very much enjoyed what they received from us and from 'Ol Saint Nick, and I've very excited that some of the gifts received - such as  a few newly acquired musical instruments will hopefully, likely start them down a path that they will come to enjoy for the rest of their lives. 

From a blogging standpoint, I was pleased to be able to post about 10 different entries for my 20 Day Countdown to Christmas series.  It was a lot of work and took plenty of research and time to compose - which is particularly difficult around Christmastime.  I will likely continue the series next year with the intention of adding more traditional stories and and some current reference points of local interest.

Sadly, I did miss blogging about a two key astrological events that took place in December although - unfortunately for those of us living in Connecticut - mother nature spoiled them as both events were not viewable due to thick cloud cover.  The first was the Geminid Meteor Shower - which boasted to provided viewable as many as 100 meteors an hour, and second was the December 20th full eclipse.  I attempted to get a glimpse of both, but as mentioned we were very unlucky this year due to cloudy and wet weather.

With less stress to make a targeted deadline, I can get back publishing individual posts on general topics of interest while weaving in a few series posts to come including my birding series, astronomy series, and musical instrument series.  How I intend to approach these series is still a mystery but it will evolve the way most things do.  Since I don't get paid for my blog work, I can let it take its own course.

In any case, should I forget, and should I not get around to posting for a few days ... Happy New Year!

The original blog article can found at my blog Random Selection which is located at  www.randsel.blogspot.com

The Christmas Tree as an Icon

O Tannenbaum, O Tannenbaum, Wie treu sind deine Blätter!

The Christmas Tree is probably one of my favorite aspects of the secular part of the Christmas season.   The tree itself is majestic - with all of its lights and ornaments brightening up the living room. For my own part, I can stare at the tree for hours, as it serves as a sort of looking glass - bringing back a lot of cheerful childhood memories about Christmases past.

Perfect Tree

A lot of the ornaments on our tree have been in the family for a long time - some likely belonged to my Grandmother, while others are under 50 years old.  Our Angel is incredibly old and I can remember her flying atop of so many of our family Christmas Trees.  There are other tributes on the tree which make acknowledgement to relatives no longer with us, and even to pets that have passed away. 

So amongst the glass bulbs, handmade ornaments, snowman, stars, and images of Christmas, are the memories that go along with them.  And there is always room for more.

Origin of the Christmas Tree

In a lot of these essays, I've gone into quite a bit of detail about the history of traditions and elements of Christmas.  When it comes to the Christmas Tree, one could write hundreds of pages about its origin.  I'm going to attempt to bring the history down to a few paragraphs instead of drumming on for pages with facts and dates and assumptions about historical firsts.

Like many elements of the Christmas Holiday,  the Christmas Tree has a slight connection to early Pagan celebrations.   It's well known that Pagan celebrations included paying patronage to the natural beauty around them - plants, animals, and the forces of nature including the basic elements of fire, water, wind and Earth.  Therefore, the incorporation of trees into their celebrations is not unexpected.  As for whether or not you legitimately draw a connection between Pagan practices and the Christmas Tree - well, that's a different story.  Much of what I've read on this topic is purely anecdotal. 

Although, I readily agree that the early Christian Church was quite willing to incorporate many of the Pagan traditions into Christianity, and Christian practices.  After all, there was really no harm in doing so, as it made Christianity far more acceptable to the masses during periods of early Christian conversion.  I've written a lot about Yuletide in this respect, and its evolution to Christmastide. Obviously the transition wasn't perfect, but the connection to the celebrations of old were so strong that either became incorporated into the Christian teachings, or were given new symbolic meaning along the way. 

But if you think about it, the inclusion of trees, and the decorating of them as part of any cultural celebration in areas where large Pine and Evergreen Trees are found doesn't really seem extraordinary.   People used what was available to them in their own natural setting. What's more interesting is the ongoing use of the Christmas Tree in present day culture as a symbol of Christmas in places far and wide, including many places where trees do not grow or are not readily available.

First Documented Christmas Tree

It's possible that 
Church Reformer
Martin Luther
could have had
a Christmas Tree

The first decorated Christmas tree can be traced back to 1510 in Riga, Latvia. The practice of placing other natural items such as nuts and fruits, to spruce up the tree (no pun intended) was around Christmastime in the region.  The idea caught on and spread throughout northern Germany and into the Rhine region.  It's also alleged that Martin Luther attached small candles to the trees thus creating the first lit Christmas tree.

If indeed, Martin Luther did include decorative Christmas Trees as part of his Christian community's Christmas observance, then it would be considered a very significant point in history to ponder.  If you consider all of the reforms that Luther made to dramatically change the Christian and cultural landscape - such as unify Germans to speak a common language, translate Biblical text so it could be read by the masses, and offer a more inclusive and interactive worship for Christ's followers, then it would be no surprise that he would be given some credit for helping to formalize the Christmas Trees's acceptance, particularly amongst Protestant reformers and followers. 

Church records indicate that a Christmas Tree was used in the Cathedral of Strasbourg in 1539.  This is likely one of the first records that a Tree was used inside a Holy Structure as part of Christmas celebration.

By the 1600s, Christmas Trees were in use in mostly the Alsace Region as a part of the  public display.  The practice of how and when to decorate the Tannenbaum was unique to various regions.  And it wasn't until the 1700s that the practice was spread, mostly by Prussian Authorities, over Northern Germany.  Finally, by 1800 the Catholic Church recognized the Christmas Tree as part of the distinct ritual of the Christmas Eve Celebration.  And here we note that unlike what we do today in the United States - which is rush to put up the Tree shortly after Thanksgiving, the Christmas Tree then and still today in parts of Germany is put up on Christmas Eve and even decorated by parents so that children awake to find the tree adorned with lights, bulbs, and small presents.

Christmas Trees come to America

It's probably not a huge surprise to learn that with German settlement of North America came the Christmas Tree and many of the Christmas practices still being used today. 

There are two documented recognitions of the first Christmas Trees in America.  The first was in 1747 in Bethlehem Pennsylvania, said to have been erected by a German Moravian Settlement.  But it was claimed to be not a decorated tree per se, but rather a number of large pine branches placed over a wooden structure shaped like a pyramid.


Hessian Troops likely brought
the Christmas Tree tradition
to the American Colonies in the
early 1770s

The second reference is more likely evidence of the use of a real Christmas Tree in the modern sense, and is actual local to the Nutmeg State.  As it is well, known, during the American Revolution, the British Army hired well-trained, battle ready German forces (known as Hessian Troops) to assist them to quell the war with the colonies.  A Hessian solider, who was taken prisoner, and placed under house arrest at the Noden-Reed homestead, was said to have erected the first Christmas Tree.

At the end of the Revolution, many Hessians opted to stay in America, and settled areas that had a large German speaking populations, such as Pennsylvania.  No doubt that this also had some reinforcement of German traditions on American society.

There are dozens of other stories that claim to be firsts, but since many occur in the 1800s, its unlikely that they hold water as the the "first", although there may be some distinction between one or another, that each town historian (or tourist bureau) may find it worthy of claiming some rival challenge to those that I've posted above which are likely original. 

There is a footnote of sorts to the American story.  We also know that Christmas Trees might have appeared much sooner as an American Christmas tradition had not Puritans - who were well aware of the European-Germanic practice, banned the Christmas Tree in many settlements in New England.  The Puritans saw the tree as Paganistic and a form of idolatry which would not be tolerated whatsoever.  Not to be outdone, the Roman Crucifix also fell in the same category to most Puritan sects as did the Tree.

Christmas Trees come to England (finally)


The beautiful Queen
Charlotte of Mecklenburg

Strangely enough, the Christmas Tree seems to have been in full use in most of central Europe, including northern states like Denmark, Holland, and lower states such as Austria and the Hungarian region by at least the 1800s (likely much sooner as I've mentioned above), yet England seemed to have not taken on the tradition until quite late.  And once again it was the Germans who exported the tradition westward to their neighboring nation-state.

As we know, England's George III married Queen Charlotte of Mecklenberg-Strelitz and the Queen introduced the English Royal family to the tradition of the Christmas Tree in the 19th Century.  Historical diaries also show that as a child at age 13, Queen Victoria made reference to seeing presents around the Christmas Trees on Christmas Eve in 1832.

Godey's Lady's Book
Engraving (1850)

In 1841, Victoria married Prince Philip, and the Christmas Tree became a formal part of the English Christmas landscape.  Further a woodcarving with the Royal Family surrounded by Christmas Trees at Windsor Castle was circulated, and copied ushering the tradition of Christmas Trees which was in turn adopted by the masses.  The image was printed in the book Godey's Lady's Book around 1850.

The same printed image was also distributed in the United States, and modified - removing the mustache of Prince Philip.

We can thank both Queen Charlotte and Queen Victoria for bringing the tradition of the Christmas Tree to Great Britain, and helping to cement its symbolism into the western Christmas tradition.  The republishing of the above mentioned engraving in American newspapers and periodicals likely helped to spread the impression of the Christmas Tree in one's home as an established custom.

Final Note on Christmas Trees

Today, we proudly display our Christmas Trees in our homes and in public places  such as town greens and in town buildings (although recently and quite markedly after hundreds of years of wide-spread acceptance of their public display, anti-Christian groups have forced its removal from public areas).  In most normal regions of the United States, the tradition of Christmas Trees continues, bringing smiles to the young and old.  Whether the trees are freshly cut evergreens, or those of the artificial variety - we all agree that Christmas would never be the same without them!

The original blog article can found at my blog Random Selection which is located at  www.randsel.blogspot.com

The Myth of the German Christmas Pickle

My first introduction to the Christmas Pickle came in 2000 when two good friends of ours, Ron and Wendy Kwas, (both are members of the local Austrian Club, The Donau Club, and Ron is in a fabulous two-man German musical group known as Scha-Musi with partner Freddie Meier) brought over the famed Christmas ornament as a gift. 

Pickle: Myth or Fact?

We were informed that the Pickle was a long time German tradition whereby each Christmas Eve, the Pickle would be hidden deep within the  branches of the Tannenbaum.  On Christmas morning, when the children awoke, they would first search high and low to find the ornament, for whoever found it first would be awarded an extra present from Santa Claus.

Without researching the merit of the tale, as to whether or not this was fact or legend, we incorporated it into our own tradition by hanging it on our tree.  It was a fun gift from some friends so it really didn't matter.  And at the time, we didn't have children, so it was more of a talking point to show people, who found it curious that a strange looking pickle was dangling amongst the usual easily recognizable Christmas ornaments.

But was this legend of the Christmas pickle actually of German origin?  Let's see.

Christmas Pickle to True Germans

I've asked several ethnic Germans about the practice of placing the pickle on the the Christmas Tree, and most of them, stop for a second, stare into space, and claim to have heard of the custom, but none of them remember ever seeing the tradition practiced until they came to the United States.  And since Germany is quite fractured into regions called Stadts, some folks add that it may have been a Schwaben practice, or a Bavarian practice, or even a Prussian tradition - but none claim it as their own.

Of course, if you search the Internet, you will likely find a German ornament company that would be more than happy to sell you a Weihnachtsgurke if you so desire it.  Could this be the case of myth becoming a tradition?  It seems likely.

Another interesting tidbit is that we do know that the city of Lauscha in the German State of Thuringen (which boast to be the birthplace of glassblowing which includes a museum as mentioned in the German Tourism Bureau page) that a glassblowing company did produce glass ornaments for sale around the year 1600.  The ornaments were not only glass balls, but were also molded in the shape of fruits and nuts.  It is likely that that the glassblowers could have included pickles or other shapes as a part of their inventory. 

Christmas Pickle:  An American Foundation?

Alas, there is one story that does have a German angle and is somewhat plausible - as long as you don't spend too much time dissecting the evidence or seeking historical records to authenticate its origins.  And it originates right here in the United States where it is likely that the myth and tradition may have taken root after all.

It is claimed that during the American Civil War, a Bavarian immigrant and Federal soldier, John Lower (or Hans Lauer) was taken prisoner, and was placed in a Confederate jail in Andersonville, Georgia.  As he starved, he begged a guard for a pickle as his last meal.  The guard felt sorry for poor John and found him a pickle. The nutrients from the pickle kept him alive long enough so as to sustain his health that he eventually saw freedom from his captors.  And from that point on, he deemed the pickle a blessed miracle that kept him alive. And from that point on, he began the practice of placing a pickle in a Christmas Tree vowing that whoever would find the pickle each year would be blessed with good fortune and health.

Well, you can decide if this story seems reasonable or not, since there isn't enough documentation to verify any of the tales one way or the other.  But regardless of whether its true, or merely a creative marketing tool, its now part of the current practice and Christmas tradition of many households here in the United States, and its even likely that some Germans may even hang the Christmas pickle on their tree.   

So all that being said, we've opted  to include it in our own yearly tradition  And if for no other reason -  its a nice looking ornament that has a good story, and draws a bit of fun and entertainment on Christmas Day.

The original blog article can found at my blog Random Selection which is located at  www.randsel.blogspot.com

Origin of Wassail and Wassailing

This year, my wife asked me to come up with a special drink for our annual Christmas Party.  In the past I've created a number of interesting concoctions that folks have usually sampled, smiled cordially, and secretly put down in a hidden corner of the house.

Traditional Wassail makes a Party

Being the traditionalist, I opted to take it up a notch, and researching the topic of Wassailing for this Christmas Series gave me the idea of seeking out the original Wassail recipe for my guests to enjoy.  The trouble is that after googling Wassail, I believe I came up with at least 40-50 different recipes for this drink.   

Well, after reviewing them all, and cross-referencing them against several historical essays, I opted to go with a recipe (that I admit I have not yet tried) which I hope meets the standard of the age, and the taste buds of my wonderful guests (soon to arrive in approximately 6 hours from now... Yikes!).

Of course, it would be unlike me to not give you a brief history on the origin of Wassail and Wassailing.

What is Wassailing?

The act of Wassailing as we know it today comes from the English ancient tradition of drinking and caroling during Christmas or Yuletide season.  The term Wassail can be loosely translated from Norse from the phrase ves heil and the English hal which means "be healthy" or "to be in good health".  It was used as a greeting before it was known has a potent drink.  It's not surprising that similar to our use of the term Cheers, it was used as a form of toasting one another.  The German phrase Prosit and the English Cheers are synonymous for the same general meaning - a salute of good health and prosperity.

History.com notates that the term Wassail also appears in the well-known English poem Beowulf and appears like this:

The rider sleepeth,
the hero, far-hidden; no harp resounds,
in the courts no wassail, as once was heard.

Further, History.com references its use, the anonymous Anglo-Norman Poet, who witnessed the Saxon toasting cry before the Battle of Hastings in 1066, wrote:

Rejoice and wassail
Pass the bottle and drink healthy
Drink backwards and drink to me
Drink half and drink empty.

As time continued on, this tradition continued and there are several references to Wassailing during Christmastime, which has been well-recorded since the 13th Century in England as a yearly tradition.  The tradition was not necessarily the merry one for all concerned according to historical reports.

If you have read my blog article on the Origins of Halloween, you might see some similarities to that story.  Apparently, Wassailing was a method by which roving bands of people would approach the homes of the well-to-do but with twist of providing song to the homeowner in return for payment.  Instead of facing destruction in the same manner as those who did in the during old version of English "trick or treat', home owners would be ready to pay the fee to the gangs thus saving themselves, and their property from damage.  Wassailing was also known to have taken place around the entire Christmas season, even occurring on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day.

There are still many stories about the roving bands of drunken thugs and poor city-dwellers, who continued this practice through the 1600 and 1700s; And eventually this was another holiday imported into Colonial America.  Cotton Matther makes reference to the practice that evolved around and from Wassailing in his 1712 entry decrying its ills:

""Feast of Christ's Nativity is spent in Reveling, Dicing, Carding, Masking, and in all Licentious Liberty ...by Mad Mirth, by long eating, by hard Drinking, by lewd Gaming, by rude Reveling. . . ."  It interesting to note that during the Puritan American period, the strict orthodox religious practices forbade this sort of behavior, but as the practices were important by more immigrants of less strict religions, the tight grip of the Church could not stop its growing impact.

While I agree, that there is a difference between reasonable celebration and unlawful destructive drunken celebrations, the ongoing clash between the Church and the Public over non-Christian or secular interjection into religious holidays and feasts has been well documented for centuries. Christmas is the most obvious, and Easter is a close second its adaption of the Easter Bunny, etc.

Wassailing in the last two centuries to present

As with most of the traditions we've discussed in this blog, Wassailing morphed over the years. Wassailing parties lost their violent edge in the mid-1800s, and as yet another element of the desire to "bring back Christmas in its old form" it was taken up by the middle-classes as part of the regular Christmas tradition.  The act of Wassailing a house is described is best described in this blog entry. 

The song Here we come a-wassailing is a well known Christmas Carol that has been sung for over a century and a half. Sadly, I could not find a reference to its original author or year of publication as of this writing, but if I do, I will update this blog entry.  The song's refrain has been modified in some versions to read Here we come a Caroling which is good segway to of discussion of Wassailing in the current age.  Wassailing in its form of drinking and going door to door appears to have lost its appeal during the World War II years, although it apparently still continues in some places where they hold true their old traditions - including English villages and some country towns in the United States. 

For the most part, Wassailing has really morphed into Christmas Caroling, which does still take place in suburbs.  It's sort of funny that in this day and age, it seems a bit odd to do things like this - since we've seemingly become a society that less resembles the niceties seen in black and white films viewed on American Movie Classics (although I believe that we all secretly desire them).  In fact, I will be participating with a kids group this week to go about singing carols in a local neighborhood to spread the Christmas Cheer.  Obviously, since this is a kids focused event, we will not be going about intoxicated. 

For those not included to go Caroling, you can do what many of us do to incorporate the old with the new - host a Christmas Party and brew up some of your old Wassail as a tribute to the days of roving bands of those in Christmas Spirit (note the irony)!

The recipe

I planned on publishing this entry before we hosted our Annual Christmas Party.  But as it happens, the pre-party preparations of cleaning, shopping and everything else took priority over blogging (despite my attempts to blog which drew laser pointed eyes from my fellow host!). 

Baking apples for Wassail

While seeking a recipe, I opted to skip those using eggs which can be a very tricky business to deal with - specifically, trying to separate the egg whites.  I also opted on a version that I couldn't accidental ruin due to my less than amateur chef-ery.  I looked at nearly 40 different recipes and simply opted on one that I found at a website that used beer as a base - which was likely "more traditional" since it was more apt to be available in olden days whereas the use of eggs would likely not have been on hand in mid-winter. 

This is the recipe that I used giving credit to the Accidental Hedonist website:

Ingredients:

• 2 pints and 1/4 cup brown ale (winter ale and Scottish ale will also suffice)
• 3-4 cinnamon sticks
• 4 cloves
• Zest from 1/2 lemon
• 4 apples
• 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
• 1 cup port
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground all spice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.

Newcastle as my Wassail base

In a large sauce pan, pour in 2 pints of ale. Add the cinnamon sticks, lemon zest and cloves and bring to a simmer over low heat.

Take an apple, and score it with a knife around the circumference of the apple. Place in a baking dish. Repeat this step for all of the apples. Cover with one cup of brown sugar, 1/4 cup of ale, and all of the port. Cover baking dish and place in oven, cooking for 30 minutes.

While apples are baking, place remaining sugar and spices into the sauce pan, ensuring it's well mixed.
When apples are done baking, place entire contents of baking dish into sauce pan. Allow to cook over a low heat for another 30-40 minutes.

Serve hot, one-two ladles into your favorite mug.
Serves 6-8

A few observations on the results of the recipe.  First, my guests really enjoyed it!  I found it to be a bit heavy on brown sugar taste, so when I go to make my next version (I have only made this once), I might reduce the sugar content a bit.  I also might add in a tad more Port to the mix. 

I also doubled the recipe and yet my Wassail Pot was empty in under an hour!  So, if you are making Wassail for a large crowd, consider your portion to guest ratio.  While no one went away without tasting it, my guests wanted more - and sadly, once its gone - its gone!  So warning to the wise - Wassail will not sit in the corner once your guests get their first taste, so make enough for seconds, thirds, fourths, etc.

A good friend of mine who is a historian by trade commented that the fact that it was a special delight to enjoy the Wassail because it was an opportunity to enjoy a warm alcoholic beverage for a change.  He remarked that it's not something that you find in restaurants and bars, or even house parties these days.  That was an interesting thought, since most people do settle on providing an iced rum or grain punch at most house parties that even I've attended.  Certainly, a thought to consider for future Christmas or Winter Parties going forward.  It was nice to have guests recognize that I went the extra mile!

Lastly, I wanted to include the words to the well-known Carol Here we come a Wassailing for good measure.  I hope you get at chance to make your own Wassail.  If you stumble across this blog entry, I'd like to hear what you've tried and what's worked for your guests.

Here we come a-wassailing (Author Unknown)

Here we come a-wassailing
Among the leaves so green;
Here we come a-wand'ring
So fair to be seen.


REFRAIN:


Love and joy come to you,
And to you your wassail too;
And God bless you and send you a Happy New Year
And God send you a Happy New Year.
Our wassail cup is made
Of the rosemary tree,
And so is your beer
Of the best barley.


REFRAIN


We are not daily beggars
That beg from door to door;
But we are neighbours' children,
Whom you have seen before.


REFRAIN


Call up the butler of this house,
Put on his golden ring.
Let him bring us up a glass of beer,
And better we shall sing.


REFRAIN


We have got a little purse
Of stretching leather skin;
We want a little of your money
To line it well within.


REFRAIN


Bring us out a table
And spread it with a cloth;
Bring us out a mouldy cheese,
And some of your Christmas loaf.


REFRAIN


God bless the master of this house
Likewise the mistress too,
And all the little children
That round the table go.


REFRAIN


Good master and good mistress,
While you're sitting by the fire,
Pray think of us poor children
Who are wandering in the mire.
REFRAIN

The original blog article can found at my blog Random Selection which is located at  www.randsel.blogspot.com

A Visit From St. Nicholas (T'was the Night Before Christmas)

A Right, Jolly, Old Elf

There is nothing that has been more influential of the American interpretation of Santa Claus' yearly visit on Christmas Eve than the well-known poem A Visit from St. Nicholas (also known in the modern age by the title T'was the Night Before Christmas and also The Night Before Christmas) which is attributed to Clement Clarke Moore, but widely acknowledged to be the original work of Henry Livingston, Jr. 

I would even go a step further and say that A Visit from St. Nicholas is likely one of the most influential pieces of literature in American History.  A poem composed nearly 210 years ago is likely the most recognized story of all time, and has had the greatest impact on our culture, history and traditions than nearly any published work ever written.

The words and the story are timeless; the descriptions of St. Nicholas and the story of his annual visit outlined in 1800 are - with a few minor exceptions - the same as children today know it to be.  The round happy bearded man, who drives a sleigh pulled by Reindeer, who comes down the chimney, leaves presents for girls and boys.

Because of the genius of Henry Livingston, Jr. and or Clement Moore, the imagery of a the red suit, the sleigh and the rest are embedded into the fabric of our Christmas experience.  Santa Claus is depicted on postcards, ornaments, books, cardboard cutouts, and coca-cola billboards, and in movies, cartoons, and television programs.  The story of St. Nick is repeated in schools, daycares, town greens, city halls, newsrooms, and nearly everywhere you go.

I will take up the iterations of St. Nicholas or Santa Claus in a separate essay, but for now my focus is on this poem and its authors.

Livingston, Moore, and theft of the Story

As a brief aside, the opportunity to create a blog series on the historical aspects of Christmas has been fairly rewarding so far in that I'm learning and re-learning bits and pieces and even secrets that I never before realized. It wasn't until I began to research this essay that I learned of the tremendous nearly century and a half controversy over the true authorship of this poem.

I will provide you with an abridged version of the controversy. 

As the story goes, the poem first appeared in the Troy Sentinel on December 23, 1823 and was attributed anonymously.  The story caught like wildfire and was reprinted all over the country - still anonymously.  And it later appeared in a book titled New York Poetry in 1837 and was once again published with an anonymous author.

Henry Livingston - the
likely author

It wasn't until 1838 that Clement Clarke Moore, more or less, took credit for the poem.  He actually included it in a book he authored called Moore's Poems in 1844.  The problem with this is that Livingston's ancestors upon reading the claim by Moore that he wrote the poem, refuted the claim as fiction (between themselves) since their father Major Henry Livingston was reading them the exact poem back in the years 1807 to 1809.  Those hearing the poem back in 1807 included Charles and and Sidney Livingston, and their neighbor Eliza who eventually married Charles.

There is a clear link between how the manuscript managed to get from the Livingstons to the Moores, and it is that the Governess of the Livingstons took a copy of the poem with her when she went to work for the Moores prior to the 1820s.  There is evidence through correspondence that Henry Livingston had also made a copy of the poem for the young lady as reported by Catherine Walker Griswold who was the daughter of Catherine Breece - the oldest daughter of Henry Livingston. 

It was also told that Moore was called to hear the poem upon visiting with his family.  There is also evidence that Moore's friend attributed the poem to Moore in the 1830s which Moore took issue with (likely because he was not the author).  Further, Livingston had died in 1828, so there was no one to refute the clam of the theft of the poem, except of course - Livingston's descendants. 

The only hole in the controversy is why didn't Livingston's descendants take issue with Moore's theft of authorship, and the reason given is that is was because Moore was considered a Bishop in the Episcopal Church and since several of Livingston's family members were part of the clergy or married to clergy that it would have been in bad taste to openly challenge the Bishop publicly.  It wasn't until much later - nearly 30 years after the death of Moore, is when Livington's family began to refute the claim that Moore was the author and reassert that Henry Livingston was the true originator of the work.

Even in the modern age there still seems to be a battle between Moore and Livingston's relatives regarding who wrote A Visit from St. Nicholas.  This includes a book published in 2000 called Author Unknown written by Livingston supporter Don Foster. Obviously, this has much too do with family bragging writes than anything else.  If anything, its likely that - and only that - the poem may never have been published if not for its inclusion in Moore's own book of poetry.  Livingston never sought to publish it, or if he did there is no evidence of his desire.

I believe the poem to be the work of Henry Livingston based on the following points:

• Poetic scholars have deemed the work very similar to some of Livingston's other 65 pieces of poetry that he is credited with.  One of these is New Year's Address written in 1819 which contains many of the same references as A Visit from Saint Nicholas. Further poetic scholars have recognized the consistency in style and rhythm of the writing.
• There are facts that support that Clement Clarke Moore would not likely have written a story about St. Nicholas given  his deeply religious convictions, and even his personality does not fit the match for someone writing about jolly old elves.  The rest of Moore's works are not remotely this creative (in contrast to many silly stories crafted by Livingston such as Memoirs of a Pine Tree, and Maelstroom - Ghost Story). There is also a letter that was found that Moore had sent to the editor of the Troy Sentinel  inquiring if he knew who the author of the poem was that was sent to him anonymously.  The letter was intended to make sure that there was no evidence that it was Livingston's work seeing as Moore was about to take credit for the work.
• Moore's cousin's deposition alleged that Moore had made only two changes from the original work published anonymously in 1823, when in fact there were 21 changes made to the original manuscript.
• There is evidence to suggest that some of the Reindeer's names came from the names of Henry Livingston's horses, several with Dutch names that were later changed in the revised text attributed as being written by Moore.
• Although there are many more examples that it is likely Livingston's work, another sticks out in my mind that somewhat seals the deal for me.  The phrase Happy Christmas (found in the last paragraph of the poem) is found to have been used in correspondence between Livingston and his fiance way back in 1773; the term was not widely used in the early 1800s and was used by those in an older generation.  Happy was replaced by Merry Christmas in the 1800s - which survived the test of time, as its still used today.

Reindeer Names

Ok, so what are the names of the Reindeer which pull Santa's sleigh?

The current available version which I have published by Checkboard Press, New York reads: "Now, Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen! On Comet! on, Cupid! on Donner, and Blitzen."

Early illustration of Santa's Sleigh
and Reindeer

The 1823 Troy Sentinel version reads, "Now! Dasher, now Dancer, now Prancer and Vixen. On! Comet, on! Cupid, on! Dunder and Blixem!" (note the precise syntax, capitalization, punctuation, and spelling)

In 1825, Grigg's Almanack changed, "Blixem" to "Blixen". Whether this is by intention or not is not entirely known. The Grigg's version also changed the last sentence to read, "Now Prancer and Vixen."

The Norman Tuttle version published in 1830 looked like this: "Now, Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer! now Vixen! On, Comet! on, Cupid! on, Dunder and Blixem!"

And in the 1837 version, Charles Hoffman changed "Dunder" to "Donder", and "Blixem" was changed to the German "Blitzen" (losely translates to lightening) in order to rhyme better with the existing Vixen.

The original Poem

As I am a traditionalist, here is the original poem written by Henry Livingston, and published without permission anonymously in 1823:

1	'Twas the night before Christmas, when all thro' the house,
2	Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;
3	The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
4	In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;
5	The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
6	While visions of sugar plums danc'd in their heads,
7	And Mama in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap,
8	Had just settled our brains for a long winter's nap-
9	When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
10	I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
11	Away to the window I flew like a flash,
12	Tore open the shutters, and threw up the sash.
13	The moon on the breast of the new fallen snow,
14	Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below;
15	When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
16	But a minature sleigh, and eight tiny rein-deer,
17	With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
18	I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.
19	More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
20	And he whistled, and shouted, and call'd them by name:
21	"Now! Dasher, now! Dancer, now! Prancer, and Vixen,
22	"On! Comet, on! Cupid, on! Dunder and Blixem;
23	"To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
24	"Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!"
25	As dry leaves before the wild hurricane fly,
26	When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky;
27	So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
28	With the sleigh full of Toys - and St. Nicholas too:
29	And then in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
30	The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
31	As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
32	Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound:
33	He was dress'd all in fur, from his head to his foot,
34	And his clothes were all tarnish'd with ashes and soot;
35	A bundle of toys was flung on his back,
36	And he look'd like a peddler just opening his pack:
37	His eyes - how they twinkled! his dimples how merry,
38	His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry;
39	His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
40	And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow;
41	The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
42	And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.
43	He had a broad face, and a little round belly
44	That shook when he laugh'd, like a bowl full of jelly:
45	He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
46	And I laugh'd when I saw him in spite of myself;
47	A wink of his eye and a twist of his head
48	Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.
49	He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
50	And fill'd all the stockings; then turn'd with a jerk,
51	And laying his finger aside of his nose
52	And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose.
53	He sprung to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
54	And away they all flew, like the down of a thistle:
55	But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight-
56	Happy Christmas tall, and to all a good night.

The reason I offer the original version here, is that it is worth seeing how the author(s) intended for the public to see (or hear rather) their work.  Dumbing down the language to meet our cultural standards might make it easier to read, but it may also have unintended consequences of altering the rhythm, context, beauty, and style of its composition .  In modern terms, its akin to the horrific travesty caused by Ted Turner when he colorized several movie classics in the 1980s.  Some things are simply best left as they are originally offered.

Conclusion

Whether or not, Henry Livingston or Clement Clarke Moore wrote the poem that we all love to hear each Christmas, and hold dear in our hearts  - we are grateful for their combined contribution to our own understanding of the magical man in the bright red suit. 

Thanks to Mssrs Livingston and Moore, St. Nick, or Santa is forever embedded in our minds eye.  And I am proud to carry on the proud tradition of reading A Visit from St. Nicholas to my own children for their endearment of Christmas and its wonderful traditions.

What is a Yule Log?

Illustration of the Yule Log from the
Book of Days by Robert Chambers
1832 England

Another old time Christmas tradition that we usually hear mentioned in Christmas poems and songs is the Yule Log. When some of us hear the word, the first thing that pops to mind is that it must be some type of burning log in a fireplace, while others who would hear this definition would laugh heartily and tell you that its a delicious festive sponge cake filled with jellies and topped with chocolate icing and other confections. 

Well, fact is they would both be right! 

And its nearly impossible to determine what came first.

The Burning Yule Log.

Let's start with the definition of a Yule Log as a festive burning log.  Historical references to the act of burning a log start in pre-Christian Europe.  Historian Henry Bourne writes as a theory that the burning of the a large log can be traced back to 6th or 7th Century by Pagan-Anglo-Saxons, and was probably a part of an elaborate ceremony to celebrate the arrival of the Winter Solstice.

It is not surprising that the early fathers of the Christian Church borrowed many customs and components of celebrations conducted by pagans, druids and pre-Christian religions. And it was a brilliant move because after all - it made the conversion to Christianity far more acceptable to people.  It was much easier to take these pagan festivities and rebrand them with Christian principles and symbolism.  Moreover, the early Church fathers seemed to understand human nature much better than we sometimes do today - instead of replacing existing rituals and upsetting the applecart, they merely incorporated them within the Christian Holiday, and carefully established Christian definitions for their practices. 

It's likely that the term Yule derived from the pagan Winter Soltice celebration Jol which was celebrated in honor of the Norse God, Jolnir also referred to as Odin in certain regions. Jolnir was celebrated as the God of Death, drink and ecstasy, amongst other things. Eventually Jol was pronounced Jule .  The specifics of the festivals involved drinking, and the pleasing of spirits known as Yuleghosts. 
Over time, the lighting of the Yule spread across European Continent and was adapted by many.  In England, the first reference to the burning of the "Christmas Log" was written by Rev Robert Herrick in 1620 where wrote that the Log (likely a tree) was brought into the farmhouse by a group of men who were paid for their services by receiving a small beer from the Farmer's wife.  What is also interesting about the entry is that he states that as part of the ritual, that the remnants of the previous year's log were used to start the new one which indicates that this was likely a regular tradition.

Herrick further mentions that purpose of the Log is to bring prosperity and protect the home from evil.  The remnants of the log were kept in the house as to maintain the magic of the log all year long. In fact, participants of the Yule festivities would often cut a piece of the Yule which served as a magical amulet.

The Yule Log was also said to bring good health, protection from witchcraft, keeping animals free of disease, keep streams and ponds clean, and even possesses the magic of fertility.  It seems that the Yule Log has a little something for everyone desiring one benefit or another. 

Strangely, the term Jule evolved to Yuletide and is part of the modern day Christmas lexicon.  Yuletide is referenced in Christmas Poems and Carols (including Bing Crosby's often heard Happy Holidays) still seen and heard today.  And going out on a limb, I believe this is likely due to a period of historical revival that took place in the early 1900s which brought back many older traditions that once again became joined with traditions that were currently practiced.

The long standing tradition of buring the large tree sized Christmas Yule on a regular basis finally diminished in the 19th century, and according to author Ronald Hutton this because of the reduction in farm labor, and the replacement of open hearths with cast iron stoves and smaller fireplaces.  The Yule still found its way to remain part of the Christmas tradition - but often as it does today - as a decoration or centerpiece on a table, covered with flowers, holly, aromatic spices, and greenery.

While the English burned their Yule Log, the French had other designs for a similar named Christmas tradition.

Yule Logs in France and Quebec
 Borrowing from my friends at Foodtimeline.org, they quote the following translation for a Yulelog:

Buche de Noel

"Christmas Yule Log. A log-shaped cake traditionally prepared for the Christmas festivities. It is usually made of rectangular slices of Genoese sponge, spread with butter cream and placed one on top of the other, and them shaped into a log; it is coated with chocolate butter cream, applied with a piping bag to simulate bark. The cake is decorated with holly leaves made from almond paste, meringue mushrooms and small figures. A Swiss roll (jelly roll) may be used instead of sliced Genoese cake. There are also ice cream logs, some made entirely of different flavoured ice creams and some with the inside made of parfait or a bombe mixture. This cake is a fairly recent creation (after 1870) of the Parisian pastrycooks, inspired by the real logs which used to be burned in the hearth throughout Christmas Eve. Before then, the cakes of the season were generally brioches or fruit loaves."
---Larousse Gastronomique, Completely Revised and Updated [Clarkson Potter:New York] 2001 (p. 299)

Again borrowing from The Food Timeline webpage, here is a recipe for a Yule Log based on a 1962 recipe that you can try on your own:

Yule Log (Buche de Noel)
The yule log cake is served at the midnight feast that follows Mass on Christmas Eve. Although it does not take the place of our flaming Christmas pudding, it makes a nice dessert to serve at any time during the Christmas season.

4 egg yolks
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup sifted all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons melted butter. 3 eggwhites
Chocolate Butter Cream 1
1 teaspoon instant coffee
1 teaspoon hot water
2 or 3 blanched almonds
angelica
candied cherries
green sugar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Rinse the mixing bowl with hot water and wrap a hot wet towel around the base. Combine the egg yolks and sugar and beat for 5 minutes or until the mixture has doubled in volume. Fold in the flour and then the butter, which should be cooled. Fold in the beaten egg whites gently but thoroughly.
Butter a small, rimmed baking sheet or roasting pan (10X14) and dust it with flour. Pour the batter into the pan and smooth it evenly with a knife. Bake 10 minutes. Spread a damp towel on a marble slab or table. Run a knife around the edge of the baked cake and turn the pan upside down on the towel, leaving the pan on top of the cake until it is cool. Make the butter cream, using 5 egg yolks, and add to it the dissolved instant coffee. Spread the cake with the butter cream and roll it up lengthwise like a jelly roll. Place seam side down on a long serving tray and cut off both ends diagonally. Put the remaining butter cream in a pastry bag fitted with a flat cannellated tip. Force the cream lengthwise over the surface of the cake to give the appearance of bark. Place a 'knot' here and there. Decorate the cake with almonds and a sprig of holly made with strips of angelica and little rounds of candied cherries. Sprinkle very lightly with green sugar."
---The Complete Tante Marie's French Kitchen, Translated and adapted by Charlotte Turgeon [Oxford University Press:New York] 1962 (p. 127-8)

One final bit of trivia is that the Yule Log is usually consumed after Christmas Midnight Mass after a feast called Le Reveillon. 

Finally, as with most established European traditions, these Christmas practices made their way to America via immigrants who arrived from the Old World.  The traditions spread within the communities in which they were practiced and enjoyed to become part of the American Christmas experience.

So whether you eat, or burn your own Yule Log (or simply watch it on your cable television Yule Log channel), you'll know a little more this Christmas about its origins to share with your friends and family.

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

My all time favorite Christmas story is the classic A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. 

Cover of the first edition
of A Christmas Carol

If you've never seen the story's adaptation in cinema or television format then you are lucky to be able to read the story here in its original format, unbiased by previously seen actor's portrayals of the characters.  I would strongly recommend reading it before watching an adaptation so your mind's eye can help you visualize the setting and characters as Dickens meant them to be seen. 

I say this because I've viewed several movie and cartoon versions of the story; while some of them do justice to Charles Dickens' work, many of them (in my opinion) completely miss the mark, and often trivialize the plot by attempting to reimage the story through a modern day interpretation.  Of course, to each their own I suppose.  I will touch upon the movie versions later.


A little about Charles Dickens

In order to fully understand the deeper, underlying themes within A Christmas Carol it is best to start with learning more about the author, Charles Huffam Dickens and bring to light his life experiences and the conditions of the era in which he lived.  Dickens, was the second child out of a family of eight. He was born in Portsmouth, England in 1812, and his family moved to London in 1815.  His father John Dickens worked as clerk in the Royal Navy Pay Office.  This was a benefit to Charles as he was able to attend private schooling at William Giles School in Chatham, England. 

Unfortunately, this short period of fortunate came to an abrupt end because it is said that John Dickens spent way outside of his means, and as a result of his extravagance, ended up in Marshalsea's Debtor's Prison in Southwick, England.  The rest of the family ended up there as well, except for Charles who was saved the disgrace by being placed in a boarding house in Camden Town with a family friend.

Dickens was forced to take a job putting labels on shoe polish at Warren's Blacking Warehouse for 10 hours a day, working under very cruel and filthy conditions; this enabled him to earn a meager six schillings a week. It's easy to understand that by seeing the hardships around him, including knowing his family was locked away in a debtor's prison, and his own miserable existance - how this molded his world view as he eventually became an outspoken public proponent of social reform, and an advocate for the poor.  This is illustrated not just in his book A Christmas Carol, but also in his novel David Cooperfield, and in his later experience as a Philanthropist which included his working to establish a womens' home in 1846 called Urania Cottage to reintegrate wayward women back into society through learning, reading, and chores (a stark contrast to the cruel forced labor institutions of the day), and to save the Great Ormand Street Hospital from financial crisis in the 1852 and eventually expand its bed capacity from 25 beds to 75. These are only but a few of his public contributions to society.

Dickens circa 1852

Dickens eventually saw his family released from prison based on the lucky fortune of receiving a sum of money from the estate of his Father's grandmother which he used to arrange a settlement of John Dickens debts, under the Government's Debtors laws.  Despite his hardship and his conviction to continue to work in a morbid setting in order to help carry his family members on his income, he did attend Wellington House Academy where he began his education in literature and writing.  His writing was later enhanced when he worked as a clerk for a law office for four years, and a newspaper reporter.

In addition to the authorship of his many personal works, he also became a political reporter, and served as an editor of monthly periodicals and journals.  Interestingly enough, Dickens is said to have written A Christmas Carol in a matter of two weeks in November of 1843; the piece was said to be a potboiler - which means that it was written quickly in order to meet immediate obligations of pending debt - which in this case was the birth of his fifth child (Dickens had ten children in all).

It speaks to the genius of Dickens in that he was able to create a tale in short order to merely cover his expenses. Little did he know that it would become immortalized for years to come as a classic Christmas tale. When you examine the photos of the original hand-written manuscript, you gain an even deeper appreciation for his amazing talent as a writter and thinker.

Charles Dickens died of a stroke in 1870.

The Formation of the Story

Little is factually known about how Dickens came to create the story A Christmas Carol because there is no correspondence that details that account from that period.  In fact, Dickens actually intentionally burned all of his correspondence in September of 1860 in a field; the reason for this is not known for certain; however the rumor is that it was to hide an affair he was having with Ellen Turnan while he was still married.

But what we do know is that several of the elements of his youth are indirectly referenced in the story including reference to The Poor Laws, the workhouses and even "The Treadmills" - which was a form of torture used in prisons during the early Victorian Period in Britain.  As mentioned before, Dickens spent time as a political reporter, much of it rallying against the cruelty of the Poor Laws thus incoporation of Dickens' views on the day were incorporated to advance his social views on the larger public, and bring light to filthy conditions of the unfortunate.  We further know that the tale takes place shortly after 1800 as referenced in dialogue between the Ghost of Christmas Present and Ebenezer Scrooge.

Dickens use of the sickly "Tiny" Tim Cratchit also spoke to his own experiences seeing the terrible plight of children as he visited workhouses and penitentiaries, and in boroughs in both the England and even in the United States.  Children being often the unintended victims of poverty - this is doubly enhanced through Tim's example and the foreshadowing of his death of Tim Cratchit by the Spirit of Christmas Present.

The revelation of young Scrooge being left alone at grammar school  may have also been a  reference to Dickens' separation from his own family when they were all sent to debtors prison; Dickens left to work in a shoe polish warehouse under cruel, rat-infested conditions.

We are also fortunate that Dickens permits us to spend time in the Victorian Era and feel some positive elements of that period, particularly at Old Fezziwig's celebration of Christmas, and feel some of the warmth and goodwill of the age.  It is by this part of the story that we clearly removes any unintended incorporation of class warefare, thus underlining that the misery and ignorance of some is limited to some but not all, regardless of their station.

The tale in itself is wondrous story which translates well into even our modern age - I see it to be a story about hardship and greed, charity, family, benevolence, and in the end - redemption.  Was there ever a scene so enjoyable as when Ebenezer Scrooge learned that he was spared death, and given the second chance to keep Christmas in his heart the whole year long?  And to seek to help Tiny Tim to get well again?  And hear the immortal words from young Tim, "God, Bless us, everyone one."

Adaptation in theatre and film

Over the years there have been many plays and movies that have adapted Dickens' classic tale.  It's believed that A Christmas Carol was such an acclaimed success immediately upon its publication that soon after it was turned to public theatre.  Dickens also raised money for himself and for charities through its public reading for large audiences.

In the 20th Century, the motion picture industry got into the act of bringing Ebenezer Scrooge to the big screen.  There were a few early attempts starting in 1901 with Scrooge or Marley's Ghost, a black and white silent film produced in the UK by RW Paul which was simply an 11 minute short that doesn't tell much of the original story. (You can see a clip here) 

The second iteration was also a black and white silent film starring Thomas Ricketts as Scrooge.  The film was the first American version of Dickens' Christmas Story and was titled A Christmas Carol released in 1908.  It was produced by Essany Studio in Chicago Illinois.  The film duration is 15 minutes long. No clips appear available at this time.

The next version appeared in 1910, another black and white silent film which was titled A Christmas Carol starring Mark McDermott as Scrooge. The film's length was 17 minutes in length although from what I've seen the runtime appears to be only 11 minutes).  Notwithstanding, this is the first version that gets across the basic points of Dickens' classic story.  (Here is the film shown to music here).  The film was created by the Thomas Edison Manufacturing Company - actually shown in the opening credits.

The next film was entitled Scrooge and released in 1913 in the UK (it was later released in 1926 in the United States under the title Old Scrooge) and starred Seymour Hicks as Scrooge. This was a black and white slient film and I was not able to find a clip to share.  It was produced by the Zenith Film Company. 

The next adaptation filmed was called Scrooge and was released in 1935.  Scrooge was played by once again by Seymour Hicks.  The film was produced in the UK by Twickeham Film Studios. The film is also black and white, but it is the first iteration filmed in mono sound which is 63 minutes in length.  (This version is available here and plays after the commerical).

Reginald Owen

The first full feature version was produced in 1938 by MGM and starred Reginald Owen as Scrooge (trailer here). The film's duration is 69 minutes. 

MGM was criticized for dropping the phantom scene outside of Scrooge's window.  It also dropped the scene showing Scrooge's fiance leaving him over his want of money.  The two children depicted as want and ignorance were also dropped. Owen's portrayal of Scrooge was considered rather poor in comparison to later versions.





Alastair Sim

The next film A Christmas Carol (released as Scrooge in the UK) was produced in 1951 by George Minter Productions and starred Alastair Sims as Scrooge (trailer here) (1989 colorized clip here). Film duration 86 minutes.

This version is considered better than the original although the studios altered elements of the story - some of it odd including changing the original name of Scrooge's fiance from Belle to Alice. Only God knows why.  We also learn a newly created double embellishment to the story which claims that Scrooge's mother died giving birth to him and similarly that Scrooge's sister died giving birth to his nephew Fred. 

Albert Finney

It wasn't until 1970 that another adaptation of the original movies was made.  The title given was Scrooge staring Albert Finney as Ebenezer Scrooge, and included Alec Guinness as Jacob Marley.  This was in part a musical and was produced by Waterbury Films in the UK. It is by far one of the most enjoyable version of the film and this author's favorite version. (move part 1 clip from Youtube is here). The entire film is 115 minutes, and is likely the longest iteration.

The fact that this version has musical elements takes nothing away from the story as its originally told.  There are a few embellishments to the original story, one is the scene of a ghostly horse-drawn carriage carrying Marley's coffin coming up around the stairway when Scrooge first comes home from the Counting House, the second (and most criticized) is a scene where Scrooge ends up in Hell and has a conversation with Jacob Marley, who has become Lucifer's personal clerk - the scene was considered largely unnecessary as it added little to the tale.  Even the television studios cut it from the version adapted for television (it has since been restored).  Lastly, there is a ghastly scene where the Ghost of Christmas Future's face is shown as a horrifying skeleton.  I can distinctly remember this scene as a child which intensely frightening for me.

George C. Scott

The next version of A Christmas Carol came out in 1984 and starred George C. Scott as Scrooge.  This version was not a theatre release but was instead created for television movie release.  It was produced by Entertainment Partners, Ltd. (Link to a youtube video of Scrooge meeting Marley here). Film length is 100 minutes.

This version is considered one of the better straight-forward versions of the original story.  I remember seeing its original airing and I actually own a book which contains the actual movie scenes from this version, and
includes a history of the book, along with songs, recipes, and games from the period.  I actually discovered it AFTER writing this entry.  I also discovered that I own a large scale book which contain photographs of the original edited version of the Dickens manuscript.  If I have time I'll take a few photos of the books for this entry.

Patrick Stuart

The latest version was another made for television version of A Christmas Carol which aired in 1999 and starred Star Trek's Patrick Stuart as Scrooge. (Link to the trailer is here).  This movie was produced by Warner Brothers.  The reason that Stuart was chosen for the role is that he spent time in the 90s playing the part of Scrooge on stage in London and abroad.

I have not seen this version so I really can't comment on it with any particular opinions about.  I was aware of it but like some could not separate the years of exposure of seeing Patrick Stuart playing the role of Jean-Luc Picard and flying the Starship Enterprise.  Sorry to have type-casted him, but with some actors its hard to separate them from the roles their best known for. 

Lastly, the film length is 93 minutes.

What I have provided above is by no means the entire list of Dickens adaptations by film (several are quite bad adaptions) and these are not necessarily true to the original story - one in particular stars Henry Winkler in American Christmas Carol, another is a comical version called Scrooged staring Bill Murphy which would have Charles Dickens turning in his grave. 

There are a few animated versions that are actually quite good.  My personal favorite is the 1969 version called A Christmas Carol and the Jacob Marley in this CBS version scared the heck out of me as a kid.  Here is a clip from this version produced by API out of Austrailia.  And this is a clip from the 1971 animated version A Christmas Carol that also aired in the United States. A clip of this version is here produced by Richard Williams Production out of the United States.  It's interesting that this version actually features Alastair Sim reprising his role as the voice of Ebenezer Scrooge.