Mid-Week Music #46 - A Christmas Carol




Today, you’ll be getting a peek into our family lore. You see, our family is rather different when it comes to Christmas. Rather than taking down all the decorations on December 26th, Christmas Day is only the start of our celebration—the first of Twelve Days of Christmas. A present or two, or a fun event or outing, is had on each day. And this year brought something extra special: the Treasure Hunt.

On the First Day of Christmas, we received a letter from Father Christmas himself and the Duke of Derringuard (a fellow who sent us treasure hunts all the time, back in the day). It told us about a treasure from Father Christmas, that he’d hidden for us somewhere. And on each Day of Christmas, we would find a challenge, which, if completed, would reveal a clue—written in dwarf-runes—to the treasure’s location. We haven’t found the treasure yet, but I assume we’ll figure out the location on Twelfth Night (the Last Day of Christmas).

Well, today is the Ninth Day of Christmas, and our challenge is this:


For today, something a bit unusual: A Theatre Challenge! This idea came to me because of your recent attendance at a stage play of Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. Your Challenge is to stage a scene from that story and perform it.

“You may wish to stage two scenes, or perhaps parts of two scenes, so that everyone can have a part. Find costumes and props from among the things you have at home—these need not be perfect, but even a few appropriate items and articles of clothing can do wonders for setting the scene. If needed, you can have your parents participate, but if not, they can be your audience.


So we’ve been brainstorming which scene (or scenes) to do, casting, costumes, and of course, the adapting of the thing. I’d be working on it now, if we could agree on which scene to do.

Actually, this challenge solved a mystery for us. You see, we knew something special was going to happen today (though not what), because Daddy gave us a message about it… from the future. Well, today, really. Not the future anymore. He recorded this message today, on the Ninth Day of Christmas, and apparently, either he or someone even further in the future sent the message back to the 18th or 19th of December. It was very strange.

Future/Present Daddy told us that we were going somewhere the next day (that’s the past next day, not the Tenth Day of Christmas). We were going to see a play. A Christmas play! And, as you may have guessed, this was our “recent attendance at a stage play” referred to in the letter, an adaptation of A Christmas Carol. It was a little different, of course: this one was An Old Salem Christmas Carol, which was told (and set) in Old Salem, featuring the ghost of… well, I won’t spoil that, in case you ever see it yourself. Which you should! It was a lot of fun, and very interesting.

Well, surely you see the connection. A theatrical adaptation of A Christmas Carol—one which we watched, and one which we will perform. Once we decide on the scenes. And that’s why I chose this song, from another adaption of the famous ghost story. So, even though it’s not Christmas anymore (for most of you), enjoy the beauty, all the joy and beauty, that A Christmas Carol (and a merry Christmas) can bring to you!

 
Sing a song of gladness and cheer
(Sing of gladness and cheer)
For the time of Christmas is here
(Is here)
Look around about you and see
(Round, round, round and see)
What a world of wonder this world can be
 
Sing a Christmas carol
Sing a Christmas carol
Sing a Christmas carol
Like the children do
 
And enjoy the beauty
All the joy and beauty
That a merry Christmas
Can bring to you!
 
***
 
Sing a song of gladness and cheer
For the time of Christmas is here
Look around about you and see
What a world of wonder this world can be
 
And enjoy the beauty…
All the joy and beauty…
That a merry Christmas…
Can bring to you!



Have you ever seen a stage adaptation of A Christmas Carol? Christmas Carol Question!

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