As the world seems to escape further and further from the real meaning of Christmas, it is important to remind ourselves that the holiday wasn't created to give praise to some old fat bearded man in a red suit. Yes, Jessica Riggs (Rebecca Harrell) believes in Santa, but she also believes in the baby boy born in a manger in the middle of a Bethlehem stable. She sings gloriously loud and proud of her innocent faith, and while her teacher appreciates her enthusiasm, she must ask her to tone it down a bit so the other kids singing in the annual Christmas pageant aren't drowned out. Her classmates consider her a bit of a geek, so poor Jessica is almost a bit of an outcast. This makes her faith all the more powerful and her story all the more touching.
Jessica's down on his luck father (Sam Neill) has been working hard to make ends meet, and while he's not enthusiastic about the holidays, he doesn't want to spoil his daughter's. Jessica happens to come across an injured reindeer whom she is certain is the mythic Prancer. Her efforts to take care of the deer's injury are interfered with by the concerned adults of the small community she lives in, and when the deer ends up in a cage, Jessica is concerned because she fears Prancer's absence will stall Christmas around the world.
While most of the cynical adults don't see Jessica's perspective on the situation, a few do, including local handyman Abe Vigoda and aging recluse Cloris Leachman. Her typical curmudgeon character was once a major patroness of the Christmas decorating season but has withdrawn from society, and it is up to the little Jessica to show her that a closed heart can be re-opened. The magic of the season is felt throughout and brings joy into both the viewers and cynical characters Jessica encounters throughout. As I prepare for the New York City holiday season with tons of Santas and elves running around creating havoc, I can look back at films like this, "A Christmas Story" and other classics, and remind myself that the distractions meant to make us forget about and what the season really is about.
Jessica's down on his luck father (Sam Neill) has been working hard to make ends meet, and while he's not enthusiastic about the holidays, he doesn't want to spoil his daughter's. Jessica happens to come across an injured reindeer whom she is certain is the mythic Prancer. Her efforts to take care of the deer's injury are interfered with by the concerned adults of the small community she lives in, and when the deer ends up in a cage, Jessica is concerned because she fears Prancer's absence will stall Christmas around the world.
While most of the cynical adults don't see Jessica's perspective on the situation, a few do, including local handyman Abe Vigoda and aging recluse Cloris Leachman. Her typical curmudgeon character was once a major patroness of the Christmas decorating season but has withdrawn from society, and it is up to the little Jessica to show her that a closed heart can be re-opened. The magic of the season is felt throughout and brings joy into both the viewers and cynical characters Jessica encounters throughout. As I prepare for the New York City holiday season with tons of Santas and elves running around creating havoc, I can look back at films like this, "A Christmas Story" and other classics, and remind myself that the distractions meant to make us forget about and what the season really is about.