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DoodlebearsI was just wondering what kind of Christmas shows you all go to. Here in the UK my family all go to see the traditional pantomime.
Jane 
If I had time I'd go to Stratford-upon-Avon to see their Christmas production...we went to see Alice in Wonderland...and they did The Wind In the Willows....not exactly panto...but they make it very seasonal.... I dunno what they're doing this year
Alas there's just no time.....like the white rabbit said.....'I'm late......I'm late'.....
Oh, last year we did go to a Christmas Music concert at the Symphony hall in Birmingham...that was good...Walking in the Air ..and all that kinda stuff
I have to say that we normally don't go out to see any shows anymore. But we LOVE watching Christmas movies! My favorite is "A Christmas Carol"... the 1938 version with Reginald Owen. Hubby's is "Miracle on 34th Street". We have both of those on DVD (Christmas Carol 1938 was just released on DVD last month!!)
We have LOTS of other favorite holiday movies too... but those are the 2 top ones
Flying Fur StudiosYou know, thanks Jane. You gave me a great idea!
I'm going to see what kind of xmas shows we have. There MUST be something.
I wish I could do a big Shelli in San Fran day, but this will have to do.
Kim-Bee BearsI like watching the Nutcracker! I love ANY ballet!
Upstate New YorkI have to say that we normally don't go out to see any shows anymore. But we LOVE watching Christmas movies!
Same here! I'm partial to It's a Wonderful Life, Holiday Inn, White Christmas and A Christmas Carol. Love the oldies!
Posts: 1,277I used to go to a lot of shows but I don't think I ever did at Christmas time. It's been a long time since I've been to a show. Heck, I can't even remember the last time I went to a movie theatre!
However, I do like to watch the Christmas movies on TV too. I still like watching the Christmas cartoon specials too. 
Oh and if you get the Family Chanel... they have bunches of Christmas movies on from 6pm to 8pm! Lots of the classic claymation movies too 
We saw NUTCRACKER at the SF Ballet one year. This year I'm taking my boys to see the new Cirque du Soleil show, CORTEO, just before Christmas.
We always dig well into the holiday kid movies; one of my long-standing favorites is the one with the Heat Miser and Snow Miser. Those guys are too much! (<groan>) That one, and the one with Herbie the Dentist, and the Abominable Snowman. There are even action figures out of those characters now, and that show is about as old as I am!
This year my mom and I thought the boys were ready for some traditional oldies; they generally find black and white movies boring (kids today; aargh!) So she's bringing up IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE and MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET. Neither of which, I have to admit, I've ever seen, start to finish. What's wrong with ME???
:)
My absolute favorite Christmas tradition is that, on Christmas Eve, every single year, we always sit down as a family, snuggled close under a fleecy blanket, and watch the original, Boris Karloff narrated, HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS cartoon, with only the tree lights on in the room around us. And then, we get into my big bed together, and I read them THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS, before sending them off to sleep. Even at 10 and 12, they still look forward to these rituals and traditions, which I believe to be one of the most wonderful parts of the holidays each and every year.
PS Little heartache for me this year: This will be the first year that one of my kids knows the "truth" about Santa; and he was so sweet I had to tell him outright, deciding to do so on my own... because he never asked. I just couldn't let him go off to Jr. High not knowing. That was a teasing situation just waiting to happen!
OK - right now I'm supposed to be sewing for the bear fair at Hove on Sunday but I keep being mysteriously drawn to the PC and Teddy Talk. I know I'll regret it by Saturday!
Anyway, I'm really excited we're taking the girls to see the Edward Scissorhands ballet at Sadlers Wells on Christmas Eve. It's a matinee performance so we'll be home in time to do all those cosey Christmas Eve things ................... wrapping pressies, watching old movies and peeling two tonnes of vegetables for Christmas Dinner! I don't know what it will be like as ballet but the trailer is enough to get you in the Christmas mood. If you fancy a peek its at http://www.sadlerswells.com/whats_on/20 … rhands.asp
Anyway, I had better get back to the sewing .................
Estelles canal bears and Tod TeddiesOh yes I could watch nutcracker over and over I allso love Coppelia
I totally sympathise , Shelli...I remember when Lucie and Oliver came in from school one day ( probably then aged the same as your 2) and Lucie said to me...
' There isn't any such thing as Father Christmas is there...it's your Mum and Dad that bring the presents isn't it?" and this in front of Oliver who is 2 years younger and still believed.
I really had to think on my feet....so I said...'Oh yes there is such a thing as Father Christmas but the thing is, he only comes to people who believe in him...' She didn't quite know what to do then!!
It's terrible when the time comes to burst the bubble...and I loved it when they believed....
My parents used to send us off to bed early on Christmas eve...and we were told not to get up or open our eyes or else our presents would fly back up the chimney...I remember trying desperately not to open my eyes...my sister used to say she could hear sleigh bells!!
I miss having children around at Christmas....but now we have our two Grand-babies for Santa to visit.
I like to read 'A Christmas Carol' on Christmas eve....that and have one or two too many glasses of sherry!!
Past Time Bears"The Nutcracker" is always being presented in most of the surrounding cities. On TV, there's It's a Wonderful Life. My younger daughter is collecting the whole story via porcelain figurines that Walgreen's stocks. She's been collecting the pieces for several years and I always contribute to the series by running around at all the area Walgreen's trying to find pieces that she doesn't already have. AAAACCCKKK! Thank goodness for www.walgreens.com!
...I remember trying desperately not to open my eyes...my sister used to say she could hear sleigh bells!!
Oh that brings back a memory! One year my dad took my brother and I out into the front yard Christmas Eve night to look up in the sky for Santa Claus. I swear I heard sleigh bells... and my brother said he saw a reindeer hoof up in the sky!
OH Shelli,... I'm so sorry! I still remember the night my mom told me 
I had suspected... but waited till after Christmas to ask for sure. And I was SO sad when I had to tell my daughter 
We used to do all kinds of things with my daughter! She used to have to fly to Oregon (from CHicago) to visit her father for a week at Christmas (we'd switch off, Christmas and New Years)
One year when she came home, when she FINALLY went to bed (it was AFTER Christmas) she found a brand new bunkbed in her room (that she wanted) Then we all went looking around to see "what happened" to her old bed and we found a few pieces of it lying in the ashes of the fireplace... Santa had taken the old one up the chimney and a wheel or two fell off as he did.
The year before that... my husband (her stepdad) played a joke on himself. All of us always got a few presents from Santa (although Jen got most of course!) He took some coal and wrapped those up as his own presents. I opened first, then Jen... then Bob. Bob thought that Jen would be laughing hysterically at him.... but no.... she looked all sad... looked at the other package for Bob and started to shove some of her own gifts to Bob saying "I think that other package is coal too" and was crying. What a sweetheart 
Upstate New YorkPS Little heartache for me this year: This will be the first year that one of my kids knows the "truth" about Santa; and he was so sweet I had to tell him outright, deciding to do so on my own... because he never asked. I just couldn't let him go off to Jr. High not knowing. That was a teasing situation just waiting to happen!
Ugh ... I remember trying to convince Nathan of the very same thing. And I remember him saying "well put to Nathan from Santa on my gifts anyway please." To this day, we do that with only his gifts.
Wild Thyme OriginalsI'm really excited we're taking the girls to see the Edward Scissorhands ballet at Sadlers Wells on Christmas Eve. I don't know what it will be like as ballet but the trailer is enough to get you in the Christmas mood. If you fancy a peek its at http://www.sadlerswells.com/whats_on/20 … rhands.asp
Oh I am insanely jealous!!!!! I loved the Tim Burton movie... HUGE fan of Tim Burton here! I'd imagine that would be a fabulous story to adapt to ballet! AND, I actually performed with Sadler's Wells when I was a youngster! They did a USA tour when I was about 13 or 14, and I was allowed to perform as an extra in one of their ballets, simply because I fit into the costume! It was such a great learning experience for me... ballet wise obviously, because they are such a wonderful company.... plus, I learned about such interesting things like British folks call bangs "fringes"... as in "Miss, you are going to have to hide those fringes before you put on this bonnet!" Things like that! Anyway, I'm sue it will be a great experience! Green with envy here!
Beary truly,
Kim Basta
Wild Thyme Originals
Apple Dumpling DesignsPS Little heartache for me this year: This will be the first year that one of my kids knows the "truth" about Santa; and he was so sweet I had to tell him outright, deciding to do so on my own... because he never asked. I just couldn't let him go off to Jr. High not knowing. That was a teasing situation just waiting to happen!
WHAT!!!!! NO SANTA CLAUS? WHO SAID? I DON'T BELIEVE YOU AND YOU CAN'T CONVINCE ME OTHERWISE
Hi Kim
I know I'm very lucky girl and I am so looking forward to it. I trained to be a dancer, but at 18 I finally had to admit that it wasn't the right path for me. So every Christmas my husband books a ballet and now my children are old enough they come too (much to my relief and my Mums great disappointment neither of my girls are remotely interested in ballet lessons!). Anyway I have finally convinced my hubby that although the Nutcracker is lovely, it might be nice to see something different. So last year we went to see the Royal Ballets Cinderella at Covent Garden - it was absolutely stunning.
That must have been wonderful for you to have performed with the Sadlers Wells tour - that must really have been an inspiring experience. Now I'm the one that's green with envy!!!
Well, I'll let you know after Christmas what it was like (I'll try not to make you too jealous) - as you say I'm sure it will be fantastic.
Best wishes
Vicky
Here we have "Christmas in the Park" throughout the country - they have big free concerts in each of the main centres - families go and have picnic teas and we have christmas carols, stars performing etc. Loads of fun if you go with a big group. I have never been here in Wellington but always used to go in my home town (though my favourite favourite concert of the year is Classical Sparks in February...it's the final event in a summer of free programs and the finale is the symphony orchestra playing the 1812 overture with firework accompaniament - terribly cheesy but I love it and miss it)
I have always wanted to see "It's a wonderful life" because I know it's such a tradition for the US Christmas. My mum bought the dvd this year and I purposely didn't watch it when I went home at August because I wanted to save it for christmas day.
DoodlebearsHey I just thought...Do you have pantomimes in America or Australia or anywhere out of the Uk??? Do you know what a pantomime is exactley????????
Jane.
Matilda Huggington-beareYes we know what a panto is. Its when guys dress up in drag and the soapy starlets wear tights and make fools of themselves. It is .....just......becoming a thingy over here now.
I go to the theatre, love a good english farce. We all head to the pool or the beach, and if it gets too hot maybe the cinema in order to avail one's self of the air conditioning facilities.hahahah
I'm sorry ,but I'm finding it rather hard to believe your children could be so gullible. Surely they know the truth by the age of six. Dont they just find it out for themselves? I really find it odd.
Political correctness has come to aust in a big way. Children are nolonger allowed to sit on santas lap. If a parent gives permission, when a photo is taken santas hands must be in full view. Children now sit in a chair next to santa. They are no longer allowed to go HOHOHOHO! as they travel through the shopping centres. BECAUSE they may scare the children. They now walk through the centres in total silence.
Santas also cannot pat a child on the head because of differing religions. etc.....etc......
BAA HUMBUG :twisted: So much for xmas cheer.
Don't you thing that a bit of make believe for children is a good thing. There will be plenty of time for harsh reality when they are older....mine believed in Santa right up to the end of primary school..(if I can remember that long ago)...but I think allowing them that fantasy lets them open up their minds and emerge as creative, imaginative adults.
I think children aren't children for long enough these days...what with mobile phones and computer games....whatever happened to the good old the Teddy Bear!!! LOL!!!!
Patsy Lake BearsI agree Jenny ..... my children believed in Santa and fairies until they were 12-13 ... they grow up much too quickly these days .. I used to love to keep it alive we could see fairies in the garden, they had always just got away as we got to them ..... but we could see them. Has anyone seen Finding Neverland .... I love that movie and that was what our world was like....... being on my own with the children I lived in a make believe world ..... my prince would come one day .... I had to come to Australia to find him ...... 
Past Time BearsI believed in Santa until I was 10 years old! Think I've posted before that I really never wanted to grow up to be an adult because they seemed so unhappy and stressed! I finally asked my mom if there really was a Santa because I'd heard "rumors" at school. She chose not to discuss it with me, but gave me the "Yes, Virginia . . . there is a Santa Clause" article to read and told me to figure it out myself.
Sue Ann your mom sounds like she could be a wonderful and wise woman.
