Snow, No, but I won't be a Scrooge this Christmas

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 Winter is still technically 2 hours and 45 minutes away. Fall in this area of coastal North Carolina is ending on a chilly, wet note. Hence, winter will begin on the same note.

The current forecast is for cool and cloudy days between now and Christmas. Christmas itself will be warmer, in the 60s but still cloudy.

Having lived well over half of my life in North Carolina, not once in all those years have I enjoyed a white Christmas. Not while I was growing up in Wilmington and not since I've moved back and settled in Goldsboro has there been snow on the ground on Christmas Day. Due to climate change, the chances are that I will never see my yard covered in snow for Christmas. Sadly, the scene in the photo topping this post will never be recreated on my front lawn.


 

The rain and cold does make it untenable to venture outside for any sustained activity. This, in turn, makes sitting in front of the fireplace (electric with LED flames), watching another fireplace on TV, and listening to TSO's Christmas album while writing this post a very desirable alternative.

Why are we watching a fireplace on TV what with all the holiday movies and shows we could be viewing? Truthfully, we've about had our fill of Hallmark and Lifetime Christmas romance movies for one year. I've also watched at least 6 versions of Dicken's A Christmas Carol so far this season.


 

My favorite version of A Christmas Carol is the Patrick Stewart version. For fun, The Muppets Christmas Carol tops my list. One of our family traditions is to watch the musical version Scrooge every year. Our DVD collection includes several other versions as well, dating back to a 1937 version produced in London.

Generally speaking, I prefer the more traditional tellings of the story. One exception to this is An American Christmas Carol starring Henry Winkler. Perhaps because this retelling stays so close to the spirit of the original while giving it a definite early 20th Century American twist.

Another Americanized version of the story, set in what were at the time the movie came out modern times, is Scrooged starring Bill Murray. This treatment of the classic is set in NYC and the Scrooge character is the heartless, uncaring president of a television network.

There are several other versions out there. Too many to count. If you have a favorite, please let me know in the comments.


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