Category: Christmas

The story Eating Christmas in the Kalahari written by Richard Borshay Lee raises the problem of social equality and cultural differences and their values. The author managed to disclose the most important human features valued by all nations, such as kindness, generosity, and openness. The problem of intercultural differences was vividly demonstrated in the example of national customs and traditions of the Bushmen’s society.

The story highlights the attitude of the particular national society of Bushmen to the arrogance and social inequality in the modern world. The Christmas story that happened according to the traditions of the tribe closely interacts with anthropological problems existing nowadays. The author tried to underline the complete disrespect of the Bushmen to the arrogance of the guests visiting their territory or living with them. It may seem cruel and cynical that these people got used to mock everyone, but this very habit helps other nationalities to understand their mistakes and get rid of arrogance forever.

“…when a young man kills much meat, he comes to think of himself as a chief or a big man, and he thinks of the rest of us as his servants or inferiors. We can’t accept this.”

The author underlined the fact that people should overcome this lesson of line and become more open and frank to those who surround us, no matter what nationality they are.

The story is really thought-provoking while it teaches everyone to evaluate what they have and strive for self-improvement. Arrogance will never result in cultural friendship and mutual respect. The example of Bushmen’s lesson showed that every person could understand his faults; it is important to establish rapport in order to realize how to change one’s world look.

“…we always speak of his meat as worthless. This way we cool his heart and make him gentle.”

Eating Christmas in the Kalahari disclosed the contact between two different societies which have very much in common though are different in views and values. The author managed to show that the Bushmen’s society directs its morality at the improvement of human inner qualities. They explain that all people are equal at any situation, whether you killed a big animal or not.

“We refuse one who boasts, for someday his pride will make him kill somebody.”

The story managed to show the way how people can fight such negative features as arrogance and envy; the author underlined the value of generosity and kindness in one’s attitude to others. The Bushmen tactic of humiliation appeared to be quite effective, even from the point of view of anthropology. It showed that intercultural barrier could be broken if everyone would understand the value of social equality and openness to each other. The problems of social interactions and national misunderstanding seem to be very popular nowadays as in the modern world, the status of the nation is measured by the wealth of the country rather than by humanity and frankness to one another. It is important to stress that the story Eating Christmas in the Kalahari is very close to life and can be used as an example for anthropological study.

References

Lee, R. B. Eating Christmas in the Kalahari. (n. d.) Web.

Introduction

• Christmas is a celebration that includes two different perspectives. For many it is a religious celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. For many more it is a secular celebration that includes Santa Claus, Christmas trees, and exchanging of gifts.
• Ted Byfield and Almas Zakiuddin share their thoughts about the celebration of Christmas and how people change during that time of year. Byfield is Canadian and writes about his experiences with secular Christmas. Zakiaddin is of Bangladeshi origin and writes about her discovery that Christmas can be celebrated by everyone in Canada. Both authors write about the changes they notice happen around Christmastime.
• You do not need to be a Christian to celebrate or feel the effects of Christmas. Christmas is both a secular celebration and religious celebration. Christmas is about people changing. People who would not normally communicate with each other during the rest of the year find themselves greeting strangers with “Merry Christmas” and “Happy Holidays”.

Christmas and How People Change

Christmas: Secular or Religious

1. Christmas for many is a religious celebration that may, or may not, include gift giving or Christmas trees. People in this group are Christians who celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ at Christmastime. These people go to church at Christmas time to attend special services that are conducted during this time of year.
2. Those who celebrate Christmas as a secular holiday follow traditions that include giving of gifts, Christmas trees, and watch shows that are traditionally shown at this time of year. Some of these shows include ‘How the Grinch Stole Christmas’ and Charles Dickins’ ‘A Christmas Story’. In many parts of the world sledding and ice skating are associated with Christmas. In some countries, such as Australia it is summertime at Christmas time.
3. Some would argue that the best time spent during Christmas is attending parties at work, school, or at home. At these parties people exchange gifts, eat traditional foods, and share drinks. Some Christmas celebrations include the arrival of Santa Claus (a man dressed up as Santa) who hugs everyone, listens to to people about what they want for Christmas, and hands out gifts.

People Change During Christmas Time

1. Zakiuddin tells about how she notices that people change during the holiday season. A young woman that has never spoken to Zakiuddin when she normally arrives at the corner store is greeted by the counterwoman with “and what are you doing for Christmas then?” (Zakiaddin, p1). The author is surprised at the greeting and stumbles over her words as she attempts to reply. Byfield tells a story about a man that inadvertently picked up the wrong hat. The hat belonged to a Salvation Army Officer. He quotes the story:“No sooner does he remove his hat than people begin putting money into it. Nowhere is all the world, he marvels, has he encountered such a magnificent spirit of Christmas giving as in San Francisco.”
2. Many people exchange gifts at Christmas time. Children traditionally receive gifts from Santa Claus (really from parents). Some employees get Christmas bonuses from their bosses. Teachers receive gifts from their students.

Canadian Christmas

1. In Canada Christmas involves everyone. Christians still celebrate Christmas as a religious holiday but are still part of the secular celebration of Christmas. In Canada there are a lot of different parties to attend. The spirit of the season brings everyone, even strangers, good feelings and greetings. Christmas is one thing that many Canadians have in common.
2. In Canada Christmas is a combination of many traditions and cultures from around the world. Zakiddin mentions in her account of Christmas that in Canada you don’t have to be Christian to celebrate Christmas. The uniquely Canadian Christmas includes the feast (pagan), the tree (German), sleigh and reindeer (Scandinavian), and Santa Claus (Nordic). Byfield points out in his article that Christmas is “not just religious people, but pretty well everybody” (Byfield, p. 1).

Conclusion

Christmas in Canada is for religious people as well as those who celebrate the secular version of Christmas. You do not need to be a Christian to celebrate Christmas. The secular Christmas includes traditions from around the world. In Canada, people mix all the traditions together to have a uniquely Canadian Christmas that includes gift giving, special greetings, parties, Santa Claus, and the Christmas tree.

Christmas is also about people changing. People greet each other with “happy holidays’ and ‘merry Christmas’ during Christmas. Normally these people would not say a word to each other.

So, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays (Canadian style)!

References

American Psychological Association (2001). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (5th ed.). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

Byfield, T. (1996). If you think Christmas is about giving, then take a closer look. Alberta Report / Newsmagazine, p. 44.

Zakiuddin, Almas. (1999). Refining reading writing : essay strategies for Canadian students. Rediscovering Christmas Dasgupta, Geri an Jennifer Jianghai Mei. Toronto : Thomson Nelson.

Appendix A

If you think christmas is about giving, then take a closer look

You would have to be as ancient as I to remember Guy Gilpatric’s comic short stories about Colin Glencannon in the old Saturday Evening Post. Mr. Glencannon was the chief engineer of the Inchcliffe Castle, a rusty tramp steamer that plodded the seas. He pretty much lived on whisky–not just any whisky, but ‘Duggan’s Dew of Kirkintilloch,’ a rare elixir he never ceased to extol. But what brings Mr. Glencannon to my mind is the Christmas he spent in San Francisco.

With the Inchcliffe Castle loading a cargo of hides, or some such thing, Mr. Glencannon sets forth into the city in search of Duggan’s Dew. Somehow, I forget the exact circumstance, he inadvertently exchanges his peaked chief engineer’s cap for another man’s peaked cap, the other man being a Salvation Army officer. As Mr. Glencannon proceeds onward from one bar to another, an extraordinary thing keeps happening. No sooner does he remove his hat than people begin putting money into it. Nowhere in all the world, he marvels, has he encountered such a magnificent spirit of Christmas giving as in San Francisco.

I was thinking of Christmas because I realized we were unfair in last week’s ‘Orthodoxy’ column to our old friend Ken Whyte, editor of Saturday Night. We chided him for putting forward an ‘explanation’ for the Christmas phenomenon which didn’t explain anything. But then we didn’t explain anything either. Why is it, you have to wonder, that people behave as they do at Christmas? Not just religious people, but pretty well everybody. The Glencannon story, after all, is funny because people actually do act this way–spontaneously giving to the Salvation Army and scores of other beneficiaries among family, friends, enemies, customers, competitors, and anything representing ‘the poor.’ Why?

A sociologist would likely contend we that are culturally programmed to give at Christmas. Like so much in sociology, however, this sounds reasonable only until you actually consider it. In fact, it completely misses the point, for all the great secular Christmas stories are not about people giving. They are about people changing.

Take Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas. The Grinch, as almost anyone under 45 will tell you, was not a nice person. While ‘every Who down in Who-ville liked Christmas a lot, the Grinch who lived just north of Who-ville, did not.’ Therefore, posing as Santa Claus, he steals all the Christmas gifts and food–but then is appalled to discover the Whos, although giftless and hungry, celebrating anyhow. ‘Every Who down in Who-ville, the tall and the small, was singing! Without any presents at all…’Maybe Christmas,’ he thought, ‘doesn’t come from a store. Maybe Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more.’ So the Grinch returns the gifts and joins the celebration–but the story is not about theft and restitution. The point is that the Grinch ceases to be Grinch-like. He is, if you’ll pardon the expression, ‘born again.’

This can happen to children too. Consider Valentine Davies’ touching fable about Kris Kringle, department store Santa Claus, which in 1947 became the Academy Award-winning movie Miracle on 34th Street. Kringle doesn’t just play Santa; he insists he is Santa, much to the disgust of the disillusioned and divorced Maureen O’Hara, who has taught her small daughter that all such myths are false. However, Kringle’s magnanimity works an astonishing revolution in department store merchandising, and when a resentful psychologist tries to have him committed, a politically paranoid New York judge rules that Kringle is indeed Santa Claus. The real story, however, is the change wrought in mother and daughter as they discover the power of the imagination.

Nor need the change be from evil to good. In Gian Carlo Menotti’s magnificent Christmas opera, Amahl and the Night Visitors, the impoverished crippled boy offers his crutch as a gift to the Christ child, and instantly discovers he is no longer crippled. ‘He walks!’ sing the awestruck onlookers, while the audience (this part of it anyway) fights back tears.

Similarly, in O. Henry’s The Gift of the Magi, the young wife who can afford no gift for her beloved husband decides to sell her beautiful long hair, to buy a chain for his treasured heirloom watch. But her gift fills him with dismay. Wanting a worthy Christmas gift for her, he has sold the watch to buy combs for her beautiful hair. But then a great change takes place and they fall into one another’s arms, each realizing the other was willing to part with his dearest possession. This, not the gift itself, was what mattered. Thus their Christmas is not ruined but fulfilled.

Which leaves the most enduring secular Christmas story of them all, of course, the transformation of Ebenezer Scrooge, so brilliantly portrayed by Alastair Sim in the 1951 film version that it has eclipsed the actual Charles Dickens story. But since Dickens published A Christmas Carol in 1843, for more than a century and a half people have envisioned that ‘squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous old sinner–hard and sharp as flint, from which no steel had ever struck out generous fire; secret and self-contained and solitary as an oyster. The cold within him froze his old features, nipped his pointed nose, shrivelled his cheek, stiffened his gait; made his eyes red, his thin lips blue; and spoke out shrewdly in his grating voice.’

But then, after he experiences with painful clarity the visions of himself conveyed by the spirits of Christmas Past, Present and Future, and the last spirit ‘dwindles down into a bedpost,’ we behold the change: ‘The bedpost was his own, the room was his own. Best and happiest of all, the Time before him was his own. ‘I will live in the Past, the Present and the Future!’ Scrooge repeated as he scrambled out of bed…’I don’t know what to do! I am as light as a feather, I am as happy as an angel, I am as merry as a schoolboy. I am as giddy as a drunken man. A merry Christmas to everybody!” So radically is his life changed that he begins to change the lives of those about him and, concludes Dickens, ‘he knew how to keep Christmas well, if any man alive possessed the knowledge.’

Changed values, changed lives, changed people. This is the message of Christmas, and this the secular world divines. However feebly, however tenuously, it knows there is something strange and joyful here–indescribable and incomprehensible, yet able to transform and redefine us all. Perhaps the Christian explanation is the only one that makes sense. The Word or Expression of God, writes St. John, ‘became flesh and dwelt among us.’ That is what Christmas is all about. So have a merry one.

PHOTO (BLACK & WHITE): Ted Byfield

By Ted Byfield

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Introduction

Christianity is one of the major religions in the world. It has its foundation on Jesus Christ and His teachings recorded in the Bible. The Christian calendar is comprised of happenings which serve as reminders of Jesus and His activities while still on earth. Among the Christian festivals, some are considered more important than others because of their significance in the development of this religion (Kelemen pg3).

They include Christmas, Easter and Pentecost. Other religious festivals that are present in the Christian religion are Ascension Day, lent and epiphany among others. Some of these festivals have fixed dates for example the Christmas day, but others have no fixed dates for example Easter.

Christmas

This is one of the major Christian festivals. The word Christmas is formed from two words. ‘Christ’ which means the messiah or the anointed one and ‘mass’ which borrowed from the Roman Catholics.

It simply means death and has to do with the death of Jesus Christ. It is believed by some people that Christmas has its roots in pagan festivals and was adapted to Christianity in an attempt to win more converts into the religion (Bratcher pg1).

Symbols: Clement (pg 178) notes that candles are lit as a reminder of who Jesus Christ is. Jesus is often referred to as the light of the world and therefore the lit candles are symbolic of him as the light of the world.

The Christmas star is another symbol used during this festival. It is usually put on the tip of Christmas tree and its significance is the biblical star that proclaimed that Jesus Christ had been born. It can also show great hopes in life as a result of the birth of Jesus Clement (pg 265).Christmas tree is also another widely used symbol. It has its origin in Germany and is used as a symbol of good luck. The Christmas tree is usually decorated with many bright colored decorations.

According to Bratcher (pg 1), Christmas is supposed to be a festival to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ. The exact date as to when Christmas is supposed to be celebrated has been a controversial issue over the years with some saying that it should be done in the month of September while others think that December is the month.

Others still have held the opinion that it is a pagan occasion that should not be part of the Christian calendar. With all these conflicting issues, the exact meaning of the festival has been lost.

There have been different views about this festival and the actual meaning seems to be slowly fading away (Kelemen pg 5). Many businesses see this as a time for selling a lot of their products, while others people see it as a time to relax and engage in activities like drinking of beer. The true meaning however can only be got from the bible.

Christmas is supposed to be a time for personal reflection about the birth of Jesus Christ and how this impacts ones life. Such reflections are supposed to cause one to live in a godly way knowing that the reason that Jesus was born was that He may die for the sins of the human race. This is according to the Christians Holy book, the Bible.

Easter

History

Easter also commonly known as the resurrection Sunday is an important festival to the Christians. This is because it is the day that Jesus rose from death and hence a reason to celebrate. This festival is believed to have stated around the fourth century. Easter was usually a time to celebrate the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Easter is not just a one day event but a season full of different activities.

Symbols and meaning

Different colors are used symbolically during Easter. For example during the lent period, purple is used to symbolize affliction. It is used to show the agony that Jesus Christ underwent before and during crucifixion. Violet can also be used as an alternative because it is also symbolic of agony and affliction.

The color black is used during Good Friday and symbolizes death. It is also symbolic of sorrowing after the death of a person by the friends and relatives.

It therefore symbolizes the death of Jesus and the mourning by His disciples and relatives. Red is used by some Christian denominations for example the Roman Catholic during Palm Sunday to symbolize the imminent death of Jesus Christ. White and gold are used during the resurrection Sunday to symbolize anticipation of rising again from the death.

It is during this day that Jesus is believed to have resurrected fro the dead. The color also signifies a new beginning for Jesus’ followers because His death and resurrection marked victory over sin and therefore people could live pure lives free from sin. Gold is used significantly to show light. Jesus Christ came as the light of the world.

Apart from the colors, there are also some foods which are eaten around this time and have their significance too. According to Olver (pg 1), these foods could be those which are directly connected with Jesus Christ, those which have their origin in the pagan community and the contemporary items.

These foods are normally used during the resurrection Sunday as it is a time of jubilation for the followers of Christ because it is believed to be the day He resurrected. Eggs are a type of foods that is used to show the new life after the death and resurrection of Jesus (Olver pg1).

People would give one another eggs which were decorated. In some parts of the world, eggs together with other foods are taken to church to be blessed and are used as breakfast during the Easter Sunday. In other countries like Germany, eggs that are used to prepare Easter foods are normally emptied without breaking the shells. These are then decorated with different things for example ribbons.

They are then used to decorate some young trees. Eggs have widely been used as a symbol during Easter season in many cultures. This has been so mainly because eggs are seen as the very beginning of life and have therefore been seen as a symbol of life. There are those who believe that eggs not only have the capacity to bring forth new life but also to predict future events.

Pentecost

History

This festival is also known as whit Sunday. Compared to Christmas and Easter, Pentecost is the least popular among the Christians. Little or no attention at all is paid to this day yet it is also equally important as the two festivals. Bratcher (pg 1) notes that the day of Pentecost usually comes seven Sundays after Easter and has its origin in the biblical Old Testament.

During those times, it was mainly an agricultural occasion but with the era of the New Testament, its meaning slowly changed. The contemporary meaning of this festival from the biblical perspective can be trace to the book of Acts chapter two when there was an outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the disciples of Jesus Christ after He ascended to Heaven.

Symbols and meaning

The color red is used symbolically this day to represent the fire of the Holy Spirit that fell on the disciples as they waited on the upper room during the biblical account of Pentecost (Bratcher pg 1).

Just like Christmas and Easter, different parts of the world celebrate this day differently. In Italy for example, they recall the biblical event of Pentecost by throwing rose flowers petals from the roof top. This is specifically significant of the descending of the Holy Spirit as tongues of fire on the disciples during the Pentecost.

In other parts, for example in France, people blow trumpet. This is done during the mass and is significant of strong sound of wind that was there during the biblical Pentecost.

Although Pentecost is one of the least observed festivals in many Christian churches, it is an important occasion in the history of the church. The church is believed to have started from the events that occurred during Pentecost. This is because it is during the Pentecost that the disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit who gave them power to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Conclusion

There are many Christian festivals, with some being more popular than others even among the non Christians. These festivals mainly revolve around Jesus Christ and His life on earth.

It is therefore important that the focus of these festivals should remain to be Jesus Christ because many of them are losing their meaning and especially due to borrowing of a lot of traditions from the secular world and also anciently from the pagans.

Although most of these festivals are celebrated by many churches around the word, some of them have been controversial in terms of their origin and the dates they are normally celebrated. For example Christmas is not usually celebrated by all Christians because some argue that Jesus Christ never commanded people to commemorate his birth but He did tell them to remember his death and resurrection.

Others still argue that Jesus was not possibly born on twenty fifth of December but around September. With all these controversies surrounding the festivals, some have argued that it is good for people to focus on the significance of the day instead of arguing about the possible dates.

Works Cited

Bratcher, Dennis. The Christmas Season, Pentecost, 2011. USA: CRI / Voice, Institute. Web.

Clement, Miles. Christmas Customs and Traditions: Their History and Significance. New York: Dover Publications, 1976, pp. 178, 263-271.

Kelemen, Lawrence. The Real Story of Christmas. Web.

Olver, Lynne. Easter foods: history & symbolism, 2006. Web.

Charles Dickens, a classic English, became famous thanks to plenty of renowned literary works. Among them, the readers can find A Christmas Carol, a ghost story-styled novella about the Christmas changes of an old moneybag Ebenezer Scrooge, published in 1843. Researches note that despite the small size of the book, it quickly gained attention and brought even greater fame to its author. With a more in-depth look, one can find several Victorian-era aspects of the author, but the vital point of the book appears to be its moral sense. This side of the book promotes the possibilities to cleanse one’s sins and correct the wrongdoings.

Plot Summary

The story is set up in London, right before Christmas Eve. Ebenezer Scrooge, a greedy banker, does not enjoy the preparations for the holiday since he values only money. Nor does Scrooge approve the activity of his clerk Bob Cratchit who asks to dismiss him sooner, and his nephew Fred who unsuccessfully asks uncle to join the party. However, Scrooge is oblivious to the significant changes that will happen soon.

At first, the greedy elder is approached by the ghost of his deceased business colleague Jacob Marley. The spirit laments about his heavy punishment in the afterlife and gives Scrooge a warning that his partner still has a chance to regret the greediness. For this reason, according to Marley, several more ghosts will visit Scrooge and make him reconsider. Afterward, the character runs through three series of visions when the spirits of Christmas.

The first Ghost of the Christmas Pas reminds Scrooge about the days of his youth. Back in school, he was not wealthy but enthusiastic and hopeful. However, business affairs and financial success began to twist Scrooge. The course of events even led to the breakup with his fiancée Belle. Then, the second Ghost of the Christmas Present guides Scrooge to the houses of both Fred and Bob. The former and his friends enjoy the party and laugh about the miser uncle. The latter and his family happily celebrate the holiday, despite their poverty and illness of Bob’s son Tiny Tim. The Christmas Ghost warns Scrooge that Tim will likely not survive to the next year and that the man should fear his Ignorance and Want.

Finally, the Ghost of the Christmas future shows Scrooge the flashforward of the next Christmas. He learns about the death of an unknown person, but nobody mourns. The colleagues agree to visit the funeral only if treated with a meal, and the person’s attendants take away the belongings while mocking the stranger’s cupidity. Then, Scrooge is informed about Tim’s death and finds himself in a cemetery. He realizes that the deceased one is nobody else but himself. The events make Scrooge promise he will change his life to prevent such an outcome.

In the finale, Scrooge awakens in his bed and is happy to feel he is still alive. As the first acts of change, he sends a Christmas turkey to Bob and visits Fred’s celebration, surprising everyone. Eventually, the city came to known Scrooge “as good a friend, as good a master, and as good a man” (Dickens, 2018, p. 172). Even more, Scrooge has helped Tiny Tim to recover and became like a second father to the boy.

Scrooge and his redemption path

The main character of the plot is Ebenezer Scrooge, a money giver described by Dickens as “a tight-fisted hand at a grindstone.” Hence, the story itself appears to be an arc of redemption for a greedy and uncaring person, who is unfazed by the joy of everyday life, including Christmas. Nevertheless, as everyone knows, holidays are considered the days when miracles happen, and Scrooge’s change of heart is exactly the kind of a miracle.

The Christmas Ghosts, though magical, represent the periods of Scrooge’s life: youth, present time, and probable future. In the first vision, the character relives the moment when he came to be such a stingy and discontent man as currently. In the second one, Scrooge discovers mockery and hate of his person in social groups, as well as the fact that everyone is happy about Christmas except him. In the end, Scrooge realizes that the consequences of his ignorance would not only lead to his grave, but his image without virtues would stay forgotten. Thus, according to Chitwood. Scrooge can be considered “as a model of psychological complexity.” Since the entire Christmas Carol is, in fact, a reflection of his life. However, only after seeing himself in a mirror or from a side perspective, Scrooge can fully repent.

The ways of Scrooge’s redemption would not be possible without the circle of the characters closest to him. The ghost of Marley represents the punishment of the afterlife that can await the moneybag. Bob Cratchit, a poor clerk, desperately trying to keep his family happy, makes Scrooge reconsider whether real happiness lies in money.

Moreover, because of Bob’s financial problems, his employer feels responsible for the illness and possible death of Tiny Tim. Nonetheless, Scrooge’s nephew Fred remains one of the few who welcome Scrooge, despite his constant rejection. What is also essential, Fred reminds Scrooge about his youthful self who treated the life with optimism, yet the main character failed to comprehend the parallel before the Ghosts’ arrival.

There is always time for changing

Of course, Dickens did not mean for the book to represent only one idea or theme at a time. It muses about multiple problems, including family values and the importance of Christian holidays in one’s household, which, according to Hancock (2016), somewhat diminished during the industrialization period.

But the redemption mentioned earlier can be considered a central theme of the book. Its process does happen under the influence of Christian morals, but they seem to be the instrument instead of the cause. If one looks on Scrooge in the beginning and then on his personality in the finale, the drastic contrast demonstrates everyone’s ability to move forward, whatever the background and age. So, Scrooge’s promise of change after seeing the possible end represents that the change of heart can happen even in the elder days.

Besides, there is one additional but essential aspect of Scrooge’s resolve. The story shows that there is nothing predestined in one’s life. For this reason, one can view Scrooge as a broken and battered man who accepts his fate, but after seeing the consequences, he decided to fight it. Eventually, the vision of the Future Christmas did not come true precisely because of Scrooge’s actions to prevent it.

Conclusion

To sum up, A Christmas Carol of Dickens is one of his famous writings about the miraculous transformation of a former moneybag Scrooge to a joyful philanthropist. The entire plot is centered around his path to redemption, which becomes possible not only with miraculous Christmas Ghosts but with Scrooge reflecting on his life and finally noticing the joy of the close ones. Thus, the book is meant to present hope for a heart change even later in life, as well as the power to prevent the worst outcomes of one’s actions.

Bibliography

Chitwood, Brandon. “Eternal returns: A Christmas Carol’s Ghosts of Repetition.” Victorian Literature and Culture 43, no. 4 (2015): 675–687.

Dickens, Charles. Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol: A Book-To-Table Classic. New York, NY: Penguin Books, 2018.

Hancock, Philip. “A Christmas Carol: A Reflection on Organization, Society, and the Socioeconomics of the Festive Season.” Academy of Management Review 41, no. 4 (2016): 755–765.

Welch, Bob. 52 little lessons from a Christmas Carol. Nashville, Tennessee: Nelson Books, 2015.

A Christmas Carol by Dickens was first published on December 19, 1843. Since its publication, this book, arguably one of his most famous works, has made its mark on American culture and literature. It is difficult to underestimate the significance of A Christmas Carol, which was made into numerous TV and stage versions. Some would even argue that this Dickens’s work invented or rather reinvented Christmas, while others underline the importance of his work for the development of the new forms of literature. This essay aims to discuss the theme and the characters of the book. It starts with a summary of the plot, then examines the main characters and the themes and concludes with the personal opinion on the novella.

Dickens offers a story of Ebenezer Scrooge, a greedy and selfish older man living alone in his London house, whose only concern is money. Scrooge hates Christmas and is indifferent to other people’s suffering, including his workers. However, on Christmas Eve, he is visited by the ghost of his business partner and by the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Christmas Present and Christmas Future. The first ghost takes him on a journey through his past Christmases: one of a miserable and lonely little boy and others of a young man, more interested in gold than in his fiancé. The Ghost of Christmas Present shows Scrooge his clerk’s family Christmas, a Christmas evening of a poor, but loving family, and his nephew’s celebrations, where guests mock him for his unfriendliness and greediness. Finally, the Ghost of Christmas Future shows him his own death, which would bring more joy to people who knew him than grief. The terror of this night magically transforms Ebenezer Scrooge into a generous and good-hearted man, kind to his neighbors and eager to help those in need.

The main hero of the book, Ebenezer Scrooge, is characterized mainly by his greediness and by the fear that he creates among people who know him. Charles Dickens describes (1843, 4) him as such: “No beggars implored him to bestow a trifle, no children asked him what it was o’clock, no man […] inquired the way to such and such a place, of Scrooge”. Even his clerk is terrified of him and barely dares to speak in his presence.

According to Thompson (2017, 269), the descriptions of Scrooge’s personality allude to the Old Testament figure of King Belshazzar, the ruler who loves wealth and who is punished by God for his greed and pride. However, unlike Belshazzar, Scrooge takes advantage of the warning delivered by the Christmas ghosts and changes, fearing the dreadful end that is awaiting him. He accepts to change and declares: “I will not shut out the lessons that they [the Spirits of the Past, the Present and the Future] teach” (Dickens 1843, 57). Thus, he is a sinner, but the night that he goes through makes hem find the strength to change. This magical and radical overnight transformation becomes central to the figure of Ebenezer Scrooge.

Other central figures are the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Christmas Present and Christmas Yet to Come. The Ghost of Christmas Past is the first ghost to visit Scrooge; he is quite and rather compassionate towards Scrooge, to whom he shows the pictures of his childhood. The Ghost of Christmas Present is a joyful and vibrant character, wearing a green robe and symbolizing joy and happiness. The third Ghost is the most fearsome one; he wears a black cloak and remains silent during their journey. Although the ghosts have distinct personalities, their common characteristic is their role as the messengers. Their figures also reflect Dickens’ interest in “the narrative possibilities of the communication between the living and the dead” (Wood 2018, 412). Dickens’s interest in the supernatural urges him to experiment with the forms of expression and create the figures of these Spirits to deliver the message to Scrooge.

Another prominent figure is Tiny Tim, who is the most significant figure of childhood in the book. He is a son of Bob Cratchit, Scrooge’s clerk. He has a disability, but is full of cheer and love and brings a lot of joy to his family. His words – “God bless us every one!” – mark the end of the novella (Dickens 1843, 92). The figure of Tiny Tim reflects the conception of childhood as the stage of innocence, although it is not the only way children are represented in the novella (Robinson 2016, 8). For instance, the readers observe frightening figures of children clinging to the clothes of the Ghost of Christmas Present. Contrary to this image of “figures which are a product of a fallen world (Robinson 2016, 2), Tim is a constant reminder to everyone of the courage in the face of difficulties.

The characters of A Christmas Carol serve to express Dickens’s Christian humanistic views and attitudes. According to Newey (2016, 12), A Christmas Carol is one of the most important works of Charles Dickens in a sense that it “brings into focus many of Dickens’s core concerns and attitudes of mind.” Dickens demonstrates the transformation of a greedy lender with no sympathy to others, which symbolizes capitalist and rationalist values, into the embodiment of Christianity and humanism.

The contrast between Dickens’s characters furthers strengthens the differences between two ideologies, the humanistic and the capitalist one. The family of Bob Cratchit, Scrooge’s clerk, is a model of a loving family, poor in money but rich in heart, while Scrooge himself reflects utilitarian, purely rationalist values. The values of family loyalty, humanism, kindness, are confronted with the rationalism and greediness of the protagonist.

Another theme of the novella is the relationship between the supernatural and the living. As stated above, Dickens’s works have significantly contributed to the development of the Victorian ghost story. His fascination with the supernatural makes him create the powerful figures of the Ghost of Christmas Past, Christmas Present and Christmas Future, who communicate with the protagonist and act as the messengers of the divine. This communication between the living and the supernatural is central to the plot. This theme reoccurs in Dickens’s works, for instance, in “The Signalman,” although in total, it is present in about 18 Dickens’s stories. The critical result of the supernatural intervention is that it leads to change and transforms the protagonist.

Although often presented as a children’s story, Dickens’s novella A Christmas Carol tells a reader a lot about Dickens’s attitudes and views about the world. This novella promotes the humanistic ideology based on Christian values: love, empathy, and generosity. Moreover, the author experiments with literary forms and contributes to the development of the ghost story. The supernatural plays a central role in the transformation of the main hero. However, the idea that the protagonist needs supernatural intervention in order to change might be problematic for the humanistic perspective that is centered on the agency of human beings. The humanistic perspective stresses the inherently good qualities of human nature, which is contradictory to the idea that supernatural intervention is necessary in order to bring change.

References

Newey, Vincent. 2016. The Scriptures of Charles Dickens: Novels of Ideology, Novels of the Self. New York: Routledge.

Robinson, David E. 2016. “Redemption and the Imagination of Childhood: Dickens’s Representation of Children in A Christmas Carol.” Literator 37 (1): 1-8. Web.

Thompson, Terry W. 2017. “The Belshazzar Allusion in Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol.” The Explicator 75 (4): 268-270. Web.

Wood, Claire. 2018. “Playful Spirits: Charles Dickens and the Ghost Story.” In The Routledge Handbook to the Ghost Story, edited by Scott Brewster and Luke Thurston, 87-96. New York: Routledge.

Introduction

The drama of an American playwright Barbara Robinson called The Best Christmas Pageant Ever is a vivid example of a Christmas story. According to the impressions received after viewing, it can be noted that most of the events in the play had much in common with the original Robinson’s work. The cast successfully coped with the tasks to entertain viewers, accurately convey the mood of the author’s play, and influence the audience’s perception.

Actors’ Reasons to Perform in the Play

The desire of the actors to present this play to the public is probably connected not only with the necessity to do their work but also to convey more intimate information to the audience. As it is known, the art of the theater is characterized by the fact that it specifically connects viewers with the characters who are on the stage. Characters do not just talk about their stories but share their energy, which is present in the play The Best Christmas Pageant Ever.

The task of a professional actor is to make sure that the audience not only believes in what is happening on the stage but also can experience the same emotions and feelings about which the author was thinking when writing his or her work. One of the central attempts of the cast of Robinson’s play is to show how people can influence events around them and behave so that everyone to be able to live in harmony with others. Thus, if a person thinks about some moments of his or her life when leaving the theater, actors have done everything right.

Actors’ Success in Reaching Their Goals

The actors had the task to make sure that the audience did not just believe what was happening on the stage but could also think about their own lives and compare their personal experience with the play’s events. Judging by the public’s reaction, the performers coped with this task quite well. Obviously, the actors achieved collective goals and were able to interest the audience with the story that took place on the stage. The very essence was to convey the images of the main characters to viewers as accurately as possible and describe the conflict that arose among them. Perhaps, almost all people’s emotional reaction was the same: they openly sympathized with the father of the family, were surprised at the antics of the brothers, etc. According to the general feeling after the play, it is possible to claim that the so-called “message” of the actors was fully received.

Aesthetic Opinions of the Individual Work in the Production

One of the criteria according to which it is possible to evaluate the interest of a particular play is its perception after viewing. Thus, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever should be recommended to friends because the authors managed to create a good performance even though they did not pay much attention to decorations. For example, the director did not focus on visual effects, and more attention was paid to acting. The authors also did not resort to special sound techniques, and the dialogues of the actors were not interrupted by any particular accompanying elements. As for the characters’ costumes, they were quite in line with the time when the action took place; however, the primary accent was made on acting. It was hardly possible to improve something significantly. Perhaps, if more attention had been paid to decorations, the audience could have been enticed even stronger. Nevertheless, the basic task was to convey the author’s idea accurately, and the creators managed to do it.

Conclusion

Thus, according to the perception after watching the play The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, it is possible to claim that the cast successfully coped with the primary tasks. The team of creators did not use special visual and sound effects to make additional entourage, which, however, did not harm the story perception. The acting was at a rather high level, and most of the events entirely coincided with Robinson’s original work.

Work Cited

Cohn-Eichner, Eleanor. “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever.” StageAgent. Web.

The book “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” tells a story about the children who lived in poverty and people who decided to help them. However, the play based on this book presented a new vision of its characters and ideas. The main goal of this paper is to analyze this production, highlighting its most striking aspects.

The purpose of this production is to deepen the understanding of the story and its themes. I think that this play was chosen because it provided much space for expressing the main ideas of the book. The diversity of characters, an interesting and unusual plot, and the variety of settings are factors that contributed to the comprehensive embodiment of the author’s vision. The artists emphasized the importance of secondary characters. Also, the idea of the strong interdependence of unfortunate kids was expressed very emotionally. The artists aimed to make an audience associate the shortcomings of characters with their own. Due to talented acting, many spectators recognized themselves in the characters on the stage.

I believe that artists successfully reached their goals. For example, the roles of Bob Badley and Mrs. Armstrong underlined the significance of the side characters. Although Bob Badley’s role is seemingly minor, he quietly helped the spectators put together all hints to see the big picture and the logic of the narrative. He showed the parallels between the tattered, deprived, and isolated Herdmans and the Holy Family. Also, despite lying on a stretcher, Mrs. Armstrong revealed an enormously big personality. The children who played the Herdmans acted in a highly coherent manner. These characters helped to illustrate the poor conditions in which they lived more clearly. The episode when the Herdmans shared their welfare basket with the baby “Jesus” revealed the close interdependence of poor children. Gladys and Imogene demonstrated a profound sense of injustice. The memory of Gladys sleeping in a drawer demonstrated enormous social inequality.

The spectators could recognize themselves in different characters. For example, the character of Mrs. McCarthy who was presented as an annoyingly disgruntled person is a widespread personality type. Another example is Mrs. Slocum who was shown very charmingly and lovely. She unexpectedly got involved in the main drama and became a victim of her innocent intentions.

The play is very touching and inspiring. Poor kids that lived in harsh conditions got the opportunity to shape up. Kind people felt empathy with their difficult fate and tried to help hapless children. Thisperformancedeeply impressed me. I saw all these characters in real life. It let me immerse myself in the atmosphere of this emotional story. I experienced compassion and joy for the noble children and adults who helped each other reconsider their values.

I will certainly recommend this product to my friends. First, it was a high-quality performance. The directing was excellent. The visualization of the book was comprehensive and bright. However, the play completely relied on the professionalism of the actors who performed at the highest level. All characters were demonstrated very naturally. Grace Badley was portrayed by the actor amazingly. Her anxiety, fears, and stereotyping were presented professionally and remarkably. However, the children on the stage attracted major attention. The Bradley kids gave a steadfast performance, making the audience feel self-conscious. Alice was portrayed fantastically. Alice’s bad traits were shown so skillfully that this character elicited strong condemnation in the audience. However, Imogene amazed me the most in this play. When she decided to play Mary, Imogene did not know anything about the Christmas Story. The actor gradually transformed tired and skeptical Imogene into Saint Mary.

Theater scenery and costumes played a crucial role as well. These attributes enhanced the impression of this play. They created a specific atmosphere that helped artists express their emotions more profoundly and naturally. However, I believe that the accompanying music might have been less intense. The sound put excessive pressure on the spectators.

This performance revealed ideas that might elude people while reading the book. The actors presented personalities that surround us in real life. Also, the play helped to understand more deeply such significant aspects of the story as the level of social inequality, the interdependence of poor children, and the necessity of giving people opportunities to evolve.

Introduction

Carl Jung developed his theory of personality based on people’s orientation on themselves or the outer world. Such concepts as introversion, extroversion, archetypes and collective unconscious prevail in this theory. It is possible to apply the theory when considering one of the most famous children’s books How the Grinch Stole Christmas written by Theodor Geisel.

Using Jungian concepts, it is possible to analyze Grinch’s personality as well as peculiarities of the Who-ville world. It is important to note that the book is a story about the conflict between introversion and extroversion that results in the victory of extroverted people who are the basis of the human society.

Grinch’s Introversion

According to Jung, there are two major types of personalities: extrovert and introvert ones. Extroverts are eager to share their feeling and emotions with others, they also feel comfortable when they are among people interacting with them. On the contrary, introverts are people who prefer their inner world and do not like interacting with others in any way. Grinch can be regarded as a classic illustration of an introvert person.

First, the protagonist lives in a secluded place far from the rest of the people of the country “just north of Who-ville” (Geisel 3). He does not have friends and he hardly speaks to anyone. The only creature close to him is his dog Max. Therefore, it is possible to conclude that he is self-oriented and prefers his inner world to the society and communication. Notably, he often looks at the way the people of Who-ville live and he usually compares their ways to his own attitude. He uses his own values to judge the way others live.

Grinch hates any expression of happiness or joy and he also hates noise. He likes “least of all” when people are getting together and singing merry songs standing “hand-in-hand” (Geisel 10). This suggests that the main character of the book does not like communicating with others and he does not even understand the point in getting together and having fun. He prefers contemplation in his cave where he feels safe and cozy. Importantly, he later will try to change the world to adjust it to his own principles and values.

Jung’s theory holds it that there are hardly pure cases of introversion and extroversion and mental functions help to analyze any personality. According to Jung’s theory, eight mental functions that people use to adapt to the world exist. When it comes to Grinch, he can be characterized mainly by two functions, which are introverted feeling and introverted thinking. First, Grinch is eager to achieve harmony and create the world that would correspond to his values. This is an example of introverted feeling.

The character decides to “stop this whole thing” and he believes that he “MUST stop this Christmas from coming” (Geisel 11). He wants to make all the rest of the world as silent and introvert as he is. The main character does not like songs and, hence, no one should sing them. The protagonist strives for silence where all individuals will contemplate. Of course, the main reason for his actions is the desire to have silent space for his own contemplation and self-orientation. Basically, the Whos simply distract him from his inner world.

At the same time, Grinch is also characterized by introverted thinking. For instance, when Grinch sees that he has failed to ruin Christmas he starts thinking logically (in accordance with his own logic). The main character spends some time “puzzling and puzzling” when he, finally, understands what Christmas really means (Geisel 46).

Therefore, the character uses his logic that is based on his values and his previous experiences to find the causes and effects of certain actions. He does not address anyone to find an answer and he does not want to refer to the experience of other people and generations. He is oriented on his inner world that provides him with all the necessary answers.

Extroversion of People of Who-ville

As has been mentioned above, Grinch is a classic example of an introverted person and the people of Who-ville can be regarded as a classical illustration of extroversion. During Christmas, the Whos “young and old” always “sit down to a feast” and they “stand close together” and “start singing” (Geisel 10).

Clearly, these people are eager to share their emotions and they love communicating and interacting. It is possible to state that Who-ville is the country of happy extroverts. Importantly, in happy days and in the period of some turmoil, these people get together and support each other as, when they find no presents or decorations, they still manage to start the feast by singing.

The Use of Archetypes

Apart from the use of conventional types of personalities, the author also makes use of archetypes in his story. According to Jung, people share some views on certain objects or concepts. For instance, in many cultures, there are such symbols as an old wise person or the Great Mother. In the first place, the main character is an archetypical representation of the villain.

Villain is often imagined as a loner who hates the rest of the world and wants to spoil everything. Villains are often depicted as introverted persons. In people’s imagination, villains do not have friends or even family. This is a conventional and archetypical view on the nature of the good and the bad.

Another archetype in the book is Grinch’s heart. In many cultures, heart is associated with kindness, compassion, forgiveness, sociability and other characteristics of extroversion. At the beginning of the story, it is noted that Grinch has the heart that is “two sizes small” (Geisel 3). The author assumes that the small heart prevents him from feeling the spirit of Christmas and being as extroverted as the rest of the people of Who-ville.

On the contrary, at the end of the book, the main character’s heart grows “three sizes” and he returns all the presents and trimmings (Geisel 48). More so, he participates in the festivities and “HE IMSELF … ! / The Grinch carved the roast Beast” (Geisel 50). This means that his big heart makes him kind and happy and extroverted as the rest of the people pf Who-ville are.

Collective Unconscious

Finally, it is possible to trace Jungian concept of collective unconscious in the book. As has been mentioned above, there are archetypes. They are developed in terms of the culture of people and the scope of these beliefs and archetypes was called collective unconscious.

For instance, the shadow is seen as something dangerous and evil, while light is something desirable and safe. The book is based on a very specific concept that appeared in the United States in the middle of the 20^th century. It can be regarded as a part or form of collective unconscious.

The American culture developed quite a specific attitude towards Christmas. It became the most popular holiday that was associated with beautiful decorations and abundance of presents. Thus, it is possible to admit that the vast majority of Americans see Christmas as a holiday full of presents, decorations and entertainment.

The author stresses that this view could hide the real value of the popular holiday. Interestingly, the author also reveals an optimistic view on the American attitude towards Christmas. Since Grinch and the people of Who-ville understand that Christmas “doesn’t come from a store” but it “means a little bit more”, it is clear that the author believes that Americans have the same attitude (Geisel 46).

Conclusion

On balance, it is possible to note that the book provides a view on the eternal conflict between introversion and extroversion. The author creates the protagonist who is a classical illustration of an introverted person living in the world full of extroverts. The book is also full of archetypes that are quite typical for children’s books as they reflect major concepts present in a specific culture.

The author explores the way Americans see Christmas and it is clear that he is optimistic, as he believes that people still focus on the spirit of Christmas rather than presents and decorations. Of course, it is also clear that introversion is seen as something worse than extroversion as, at the end of the book, Grinch becomes an extroverted person and is fully integrated into the world of Who-vill.

Works Cited

Geisel, Theodor. How the Grinch Stole Christmas! New York, NY: Random House, 1985. Print.

The story tells of miserly Ebenezer Scrooge’s ideological, ethical, and emotional transformation after the supernatural visits of Jacob Marley and the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Yet to Come. The story is told from the point of view of the protagonist, Ebenezer Scrooge. One of the key themes in “A Christmas Carol” is repentance and redemption. The Ghost of Christmas Past showed Scrooge his childhood, teenage years, and importantly, the moment when he could have chosen a different path in life. This leads Scrooge to repent for his past choices and dedicate himself to living a better life. The Ghost of Christmas Present reveals how Scrooge’s current choices are affecting other people, leading him to further reflect on his past and present behavior. Ultimately, these experiences help Scrooge redeem himself and become a better person.

After his transformation, Scrooge is a changed man, he is full of love and kindness, and he regrets his previous ways. His repentance and redemption are complete when he dies surrounded by loved ones who cherish him; the Ghost of Christmas Past’s rehabilitation of Scrooge. It similarly takes Scrooge on a journey through his past, showing him how he became the cold-hearted man he is today (Thompson 268). By the end of their time together, Scrooge has learned from his mistakes and is beginning to repent for his ways. The lead character in the story is Ebenezer Scrooge; the ghosts that led Scrooge to repentance and redemption include the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Christmas Present, and Christmas Yet to Come (Thompson 270). These spectral guides revealed to Scrooge the joys and sorrows of his own life, current events among the poor and a glimpse of what could become of him if he did not change his ways. Taken together, these remembrances persuade Scrooge to live out the rest of his days in charity and goodwill.

The Ghost of Christmas Past showed Scrooge scenes from his past, including happy memories and painful ones. This led Scrooge to see that his miserly ways had cost him dearly (DeVito 34). The ghost showed Scrooge the consequences of his choices in the present, including how they would affect people around him. This was the final push that led Scrooge to repent and seek redemption. Before his transformation, Scrooge was described as wrenching, scraping, covetous, clutching, grasping, and old sinner! Who cared more about money than anything else (Dickens 8). Scrooge was very different before the ghost visited him. He was mean, bitter, and lonely. Scrooge, at one point, mentioned that anybody who was for the idea of merry Christmas should be boiled and buried (Dickens 39). He refused to celebrate Christmas or enjoy life, but after the visit from the ghosts, Scrooge became a kinder, more generous man. He started to enjoy life again and even celebrated Christmas.

Ghost of Christmas Present is the most jovial and friendly of the three- after all, he is there to show Scrooge the joys and wonders of the festive season. Christmas Present revealed some disturbing things that were happening at that moment. For instance, he showed Scrooge how the Cratchits were celebrating Christmas despite their poverty (Dickens 79). He showed Scrooge how his nephew Fred was celebrating Christmas with friends and family. Similarly, he was shown how his nephews were speaking badly of him at the party (Dickens 57). Finally, he showed Scrooge scenes of future winters where no one would mourn his death because he had been such a mean and miserly person (DeVito 14). He showed Scrooge the joys and happiness that could be found during the Christmas season, reminding him of what he had lost over the years (McLaren 31). These experiences helped Scrooge realize the error of his ways and inspired him to change his life positively. Christmas Present played a pivotal role in Scrooge’s redemption and repentance.

The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come is the third and final spirit who visits Ebenezer Scrooge in Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol. This spirit represents Scrooge’s own future self and shows him what will become of him if he does not change his ways. The ghost takes Scrooge to several different scenes. The first is a graveyard, where Scrooge sees his own tombstone (Dickens 82). Scrooge saw a neglected grave with his name written; he could not believe it and asked himself whether he was the man who lay upon the bed (Dickens 83). The second is a scene in which two men are discussing the recent death of a fellow named Ebenezer Scrooge. The men speak unkindly about Scrooge, gleefully sharing stories of his stinginess and generally feeling glad that he is gone and guessing his funeral to be cheap. “I have not heard,” said the man with the large chin, yawning again. “Left it to his company, perhaps, he has not left it to me, that is all I know” (Dickens 71). The image of Scrooge on his knees crying at his own tombstone is a powerful portrayal of repentance and regret (Thompson 268). Scrooge Mourns himself shows the true nature of regret, which is not simply feeling sorry for oneself, since when he was alive, he could not imagine being buried in such a tomb.

There are a number of symbols and images used throughout Dickens’ A Christmas Carol that helped in pointing to some deeper themes in the story. One example is the use of fire and flames; whenever Ebenezer Scrooge is visited by a ghost, there is always a roaring fire in the room, lending an eerie feeling to the scene. However, the image of fire symbolizes hope and rebirth (Nizomova 11). Conversely, the fire is used to symbolize a number of things in the story, most notably, redemption. As Scrooge is redeemed by the end of the story, so too are the Cratchits. After all, it is through their shared experience of grief and loss that they come to understand each other and ultimately bond as a family, fire has connotations of hope and change (McLaren 15). As Dickens vividly describes the scene where Marley’s ghost first appears to Scrooge, readers get a sense of foreboding and despair.

Works Cited

DeVito, Carlo. Inventing Scrooge: The Incredible True Story Behind Charles Dickens’ Legendary” A Christmas Carol.” Cider Mill Press, (2017).

Dickens, Charles. “A Christmas Carol.” (n.d.).

McLaren, Mary-Rose. “A Christmas Carol.” (2019).

Nizomova, Shodiyevna Shohista. “Symbolic Interpretations of Water and Fire in Modern Poetry.” Middle European Scientific Bulletin 11 (2021).

Thompson, Terry W. “The Belshazzar Allusion in Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol.” The Explicator 75.4 (2017): 268-270.

Executive Summary

This report deals with the Salford Christmas Land project. The event will be held during November and December. It is aimed at providing a pleasant Christmas experience to the community and developing an important touristic attraction. The city council will attract sponsors and local entrepreneurs. One of the major objectives is also to facilitate communication between people of different backgrounds to help the inhabitants of Salford to address diversity issues.

Introduction

Purpose

This report includes detailed information on the project Salford Christmas Land. The Salford Christmas Land project is a family event for members of the community as well as guests of the city. The major theme of the Christmas event will be diversity, which is a topical question in the city council as well as the community (Equality and diversity 2014).

Background

It is necessary to add that Salford is famous for its attention to festivities, and Christmas is one of the major holidays for all people. The city council has arranged various events both free of charge and those that had certain fees (Salford’s Christmas countdown 2013). At that, the city has never had a grand Christmas event that would make people relax and reflect on an important issue as well as develop particular skills to address the issue. This year, it is possible to help people have fun and learn more about diversity in the community and ways to handle it. Since the major stakeholders are children, this will be a valuable experience.

Literature Review

Before considering the exact plan for the Salford Christmas Land, it is necessary to choose the most appropriate approach to handle it. Such major methods of activities estimation as analogous, bottom-up, parametric, and simulation exist (Richman 2011). The analogous approach is based on the analysis of the previous event, its costs, duration, flaws, advantages, and so on. This information helps to develop a plan for an event that will take into account the previous experience.

Parametric modeling is based on the use of complex mathematical parameters and standards to estimate the costs of an event. The bottom-up model is based on the estimation of costs of all individual works and estimation of the total. This approach is quite complex as the estimation should be quite detailed (Richman 2011). The simulation model is based on the use of the computer simulation where the specific software estimates the costs (duration, and so on) of the project and provides possible alternatives. This is a costly approach as it requires purchasing the necessary software (Richman 2011).

The analogous model is the most suitable in this case as it does not require significant investment (compared to the simulation) or complex calculations (compared to a parametric approach or bottom-up model). To assess the success of a project, it is possible to use the “Three Qs” approach that is based on answering the following three questions (Dowson & Bassett 2015). What was successful and how can it be improved? What was a failure and what can be learned from it? What ideas and issues occur and how can they be addressed?

Furthermore, several examples can be used as an illustration of possible flaws and benefits in a project. For example, the case of Abingdon Christmas festivities and the Hungry Horse restaurant accident (2012), or the Ringwood Lapland-themed park (Usborne 2014). However, the case of the Harrogate Christmas tourist attraction is one of the most illustrative as it is characterized by the most conventional errors many project managers make (Christmas blunder and: appalling Harrogate attraction 2014). It is necessary to look into details of the case to identify the errors to be avoided in the Salford Christmas Land.

Introduction to the Harrogate Case

The Harrogate Christmas tourist attraction event was heavily advertised through different media. The organizers promised an unforgettable experience for the entire family before the Christmas festivities. The celebrity designer Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen was involved in the project, which also was seen as a sign of the future success of the event (Robinson 2014).

However, the Harrogate attraction proved to be a complete disaster, and many visitors asked refunds. The project was shut down one day after its launch. It is noteworthy that it was reopened and journalists even gave positive feedback while some visitors were still dissatisfied (Buckley 2014). The visitors claimed that the staff was rude (when reopened), the activities were not age-appropriate and the facilities did not meet the expectations (Buckley 2014).

It is necessary to note that the inability to meet the customers’ expectations was the major error made (Christmas blunder and 2014). The Harrogate attraction was heavily publicized, and people had quite high expectations. In the end, it turned out that the advertisements exaggerated the reality or simply lied. This led to dissatisfaction and even frustration. Another significant flaw in the event was the inability to keep to the plan and meet the deadlines.

It has been acknowledged that time management and proper scheduling are central to the success of any project (Tum, Norton & Wright 2006). The activities, as well as the facilities, were not ready when the Harrogate attraction was open to the public. This led to misunderstandings, arguments, and dissatisfaction. Quality control and supervision proved to be inefficient as well. At that, these stages are vital as the project can be launched only when the quality of services to be provided is appropriate (Burke & Barron 2014).

Project Objectives

Chaturvedi (2009) notes that the identification of the project’s objectives is central to the development of an efficient plan. Therefore, it is important to start the process of identifying the objectives of the Salford Christmas Land. The objectives can be formulated as follows:

1. To arrange a pleasant Christmas experience for families of Salford.
2. To ensure meeting visitors’ expectations and provide high value for the customers’ money.
3. To facilitate communication between people of different backgrounds.

Quality Management and Performance Measurement

As has been mentioned above quality management is vital to the success of any project. According to Richman (2011), quality management consists of the determination of quality policies/objectives/responsibilities, and it also includes such stages as planning, performing, and performing quality control. Thus, it is important to assign the project manager who will also be the project quality, control manager.

This professional will develop the performance measurement as well (Bladen, Kennell, Abson & Wilde 2012). The measurement will include customer perspective, financial perspective, learning perspective. Central aspects of the measurement are provided below (see fig. 1).

Stakeholder Analysis

It is also essential to identify the major characteristics of the stakeholders involved to be able to understand their expectations (Mendes, Guerreiro & Valle 2009). Thus, the major stakeholders are children and their parents (of Salford and other cities), the city council, the local media, local entrepreneurs, the community. The brief analysis of the stakeholders involved shows that all of them have certain expectations and will play different roles during the Salford Christmas Land project (see Table 1). It is noteworthy that all of the stakeholders will expect to have an enjoyable experience.

Table 1: Analysis of the Stakeholders involved.

Bowdin (2010) notes that it is essential to identify areas where stakeholders’ interests may overlap or even conflict. Salford Christmas Land is not associated with any conflict of interest. On the contrary, there is a vivid recurrent interest. Christmas is one of the most important holidays in the UK. It is also regarded as a family holiday. Almost all stakeholders are likely to want to have fun. There is another recurrent theme. Many stakeholders focus on the development and maintenance of family values. Therefore, it is crucial to make sure that the event will be enjoyable and family-focused.

Activities to Be Implemented

It is necessary to note that the event will include several activities for visitors. Jones, Comfort, and Hillier (2009) state that many cities and towns hold Christmas gift markets where handmade toys and jewelry, books, foodstuffs, and so on are sold. This is a tradition people love. Therefore, it should be included in the Salford Christmas Land. It will be called Salford Christmas FAIRland.

Apart from focusing on family values and diversity, it is essential to make sure that the project is creative enough. Goldblatt (2002) stresses that creativity is one of the most important components of any event. Modern people are accustomed to many things, but they still want to be pleasantly surprised. Therefore, it is crucial to make the venue as well as the activities creative. It is also important to use creative and innovative ways to manage the project (Foley, McGillivray & McPherson 2009). The theme of the activities can be “The Grinch Who Stole Father Christmas”.

The outline of the event is as follows:

The visitors come to the venue and meet an elf-guide who tells them about the Salford Christmas FAIRland. According to the elf’s speech, children will see many sights and major places in the land, they will also visit the great Fair and after that, they will meet Father Christmas. The journey starts with the Happy Woods where little elves sing songs and dance, some animals participate in the show. Then, the visitors go to the come to the fair where they can buy some souvenirs. There is also a short performance of jugglers and acrobats as well as a short doll theatre play.

After that, there is breaking news on TV, “Grinch stole Father Christmas”. The visitors have to find him and save Father Christmas. This endeavor consists of walking through an obstacle course, race, maze. The elf-guide helps the visitors. Finally, the visitors come to Grinch’s cave where he asks questions, and children answer them to save Father Christmas. The end is a big (but short dancing party). Importantly, visitors are given one cup of hot chocolate, a chocolate bar, and a small souvenir during the journey (at the beginning, end, and in the middle of the event). These are included in the fee.

The project schedule is provided in Table 2. The project will start on the 1^st of September and will end on the 25^th of January when the report on the project (its outcomes, feedback from the stakeholders, flaws if any). Each month will be divided into decades during which certain stages will take place. Notably, some stages will last 10 days while some will take up to several months. Negotiations with partners will include making agreements with sponsors, suppliers, the management of the venue, local entrepreneurs. Quality control will be carried out before the start of the event and during the entire project.

Table 2: Project Schedule.

Resources to Be Used

It is necessary to note that the event will require a significant financial investment. At that, the city budget can be used partially as the City Council can find sponsors. Thus, it is essential to agree with the MediaCityUK, which is the perfect venue for the event. The services and most goods will be provided by local entrepreneurs, which will also minimize costs. The budget of the project is presented in Table 3.

Table 3: The Project’s Budget.

Constraints and Risks

To implement a successful project, the project managers have to consider possible risks and constraints (Allen 2010). This project can be associated with financial, ethical, safety, legal, reputation risks. As far as financial issues are concerned, the entry fee will be quite low (£15), and few people may attend the event, which will lead to certain financial losses. As such, sponsors may lose money since they will not receive the publicity they are expecting. The city budget will also be used, and the loss of this money is possible as well. Apart from financial losses, the city council, as well as sponsors and many partners involved, may face reputation risks. The case of the Harrogate project shows that the reputation of the designer and the organizers was significantly damaged (Varma 2014). Safety issues may include injuries of the visitors and staff. These are also associated with legal risks as injured people may sue the organizers. At that, there will be no weather issues as a major part of the event will be held indoors.

Communication to Be Utilised

The success of the project also depends on the way it is publicized. Smith (2009) stresses that the community should know meaningful details about the event. The local media will play an important role while the World Wide Web will be the primary channel of communication. Thus, the event will be advertised through local media (newspapers, TV, radio), social networks, the city council’s website, and the website of the MediaCityUK.

Possible Success or Failure Factors

The Harrogate project shows that many factors may affect the success or failure including the lack of control, the failure to meet the deadlines, excessive publicity (McDermott 2014). Although this project presupposes a lot of attention to these aspects, some issues may still arise. These can be high demands of the visitors, partners’ inability to meet the deadlines, force major, as well as competition (since many companies arrange various events including concerts, quests, and so on).

Future Operations

Salford Christmas Land can become a pilot project that will provide the city council with the necessary experience in holding such events. The venue can become annual. Flaws or any constraints will be taken into account when developing new projects. The themes will also be changed.

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