So many celebrations this time of the year in the Northern Hemisphere center on the passing of the shortest day of the year and renewal as daylight grows long. While we rejoice at the returning of the light, it is still set against the contrast of the darkness. Thus it is natural to have some melancholy lying underneath the merriment. We also miss those gone or far away. We get nostalgic for what has passed.
And we see that so much in the best Christmas songs, movies, short stories, books and other celebrations of the season. Here’s just a few of my favorites melancholy celebrations:
- “A Child’s Christmas in Wales” is an annual tradition in our family. We listen to Dylan Thomas’ own reading of it.
- A Christmas Story is a personal fav. It is very vignette-y. Once, during a 24 hr marathon on television, I essentially watched the movie backwards as a caught each of the little stories in reverse order over the course of the day.
- It’s a Wonderful Life of course has the sweet blend of despair and triumph.
- White Christmas by Bing Crosby. I’ve heard that it was predicted to be a flop because of its melancholy, but then Pearl Harbor happened.
- A Christmas Carol by Dickens is full of life’s regrets – though of course it’s not too late to change.
Certainly the list could be much longer. If you have a favorite winter holiday melancholy song/poem/movie/story that isn’t included above, please add it in the comments.
Addendum: how timely! NPR had a piece this morning on what’s going on in your brain when you experience nostalgia.
May the Light of the New Year shine brightly on you.
Ramblings 
