This month our challenge was to read A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens.
This is one of my favourite all time Christmas stories. I love that it is enjoyable on all levels In school we had to read this in grade 5. I think it would be a good Christmas story to read with a child who feels they've outgrown picture books.
There are so many different versions of this story now that it is nice to go back to the original. I love the way Charles Dickens weaves his story with so much wit. The quality of writing was so much different back then.
Just a few questions to get the conversation rolling....
1. What is your favourite version of A Christmas Carol on screen? (i.e. Muppet's Christmas Carol, Scrooged, etc.)
2. A favourite quote or scene?
3. What lessons can we learn?
4. Any ideas or traditions that you would like to incorporate into your own Christmas?
1. What is your favourite version of A Christmas Carol on screen? (i.e. Muppet's Christmas Carol, Scrooged, etc.)
Mickey's Christmas Carol......and the old movie with Allistair Sims
2. A favourite quote or scene?
"If they would rather die," said Scrooge, "they had better do it and decrease the surplus population."
Plus the whole opening paragraph with "Marley was dead to begin with." Everytime I hear that opening it feels Christmasy.
3. What lessons can we learn?
"God Bless us every one." Taken at face value the character Scrooge seems pretty extreme, but don't we all sometimes forget to help others? His nephew is also a good example for us. Despite the many rejections he receives from his uncle he persists....and cheerily! It also touches on the consequences of valuing money above all.
4. Any ideas or traditions that you would like to incorporate into your own Christmas?
I loved the way foods and odors were described in this book. You could practically see and taste everything. My goal is to take more time to really enjoy the details of the season...the smell of the cookies baking, the shimmer of the crystallized sugar on top, etc.
This is one of my favourite all time Christmas stories. I love that it is enjoyable on all levels In school we had to read this in grade 5. I think it would be a good Christmas story to read with a child who feels they've outgrown picture books.
There are so many different versions of this story now that it is nice to go back to the original. I love the way Charles Dickens weaves his story with so much wit. The quality of writing was so much different back then.
Just a few questions to get the conversation rolling....
1. What is your favourite version of A Christmas Carol on screen? (i.e. Muppet's Christmas Carol, Scrooged, etc.)
2. A favourite quote or scene?
3. What lessons can we learn?
4. Any ideas or traditions that you would like to incorporate into your own Christmas?
1. What is your favourite version of A Christmas Carol on screen? (i.e. Muppet's Christmas Carol, Scrooged, etc.)
Mickey's Christmas Carol......and the old movie with Allistair Sims
2. A favourite quote or scene?
"If they would rather die," said Scrooge, "they had better do it and decrease the surplus population."
Plus the whole opening paragraph with "Marley was dead to begin with." Everytime I hear that opening it feels Christmasy.
3. What lessons can we learn?
"God Bless us every one." Taken at face value the character Scrooge seems pretty extreme, but don't we all sometimes forget to help others? His nephew is also a good example for us. Despite the many rejections he receives from his uncle he persists....and cheerily! It also touches on the consequences of valuing money above all.
4. Any ideas or traditions that you would like to incorporate into your own Christmas?
I loved the way foods and odors were described in this book. You could practically see and taste everything. My goal is to take more time to really enjoy the details of the season...the smell of the cookies baking, the shimmer of the crystallized sugar on top, etc.
