It snowed!!
A Child’s Christmas In Wales
By Dylan Thomas
One Christmas was so much like another, in those years around the sea-town corner now and out of all sound except the distant speaking of the voices I sometimes hear a moment before sleep, that I can never remember whether it snowed for six days and six nights when I was twelve or whether it snowed for twelve days and twelve nights when I was six.
All the Christmases roll down toward the two-tongued sea, like a cold and headlong moon bundling down the sky that was our street; and they stop at the rim of the ice-edged fish-freezing waves, and I plunge my hands in the snow and bring out whatever I can find. In goes my hand into that wool-white bell-tongued ball of holidays resting at the rim of the carol-singing sea, and out come Mrs. Prothero and the firemen.
Dylan Thomas’ 1955 poem of the same name–originally written for radio–was adapted to the screen by director Don McBrearty. Dylan’s captivating and musical prose brings the viewer into the Welsh living room with Denholm Elliott, who is Old Geraint, the grandpa who settles in on a rainy Christmas Eve to share with young grandson Thomas, his memories of Christmas as a child.
This is the most wonderful of all holiday movies.
Hi qugrainne! I love Thomas’s A Child’s Christmas in Wales. We had a recording by DT himself and I loved the richness of the sound and the imagery. Remember Mrs Prothero (sp?) asking the firemen if they wanted something to read! Thanks for the reminder. And that’s a cute advent thing you have going there. I might just have to return every day to check out what’s next.
Nice to hear from you, Pete! You are so right: I have listened to the DT recording and it is wonderful. He is such a beautiful (as you said, rich) writer – you really do see the story. If you haven’t seen the film version, however, I highly recommend it. They did such an incredible job with casting and setting the scene – I have watched it every December for years and years and years and never tire of it. The scene after the fire is hysterical, “Would you like something to read?” to the firemen!
I hope you do come back and open “a door” every day. I have lots of fun stuff planned.
Cool slide! I love snow globes!
Hi Bobbi, I love snow globes too! They are so magical.
Oh how we love this version of Child’s Christmas! It is a tradition in our house to watch it every Christmas Eve right before we go to bed. With the soft strains of Sheep May Safely Graze still ringing in our ears! Lovely.
My tradition is to watch it the evening after I have decorated the tree. Aren’t traditions wonderful!?