Last night I watched "Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer" with my kids before they went to bed. Yes, I know it's a little early for Christmas - but when your 5 year old is counting the days, it's hard not to start thinking about it.
It's funny - as a kid I loved this special. It was one of my favorites! Who doesn't love Rudolf?Clearly - as I learned from watching it last night - Santa doesn't!
This was probably the first time as an adult that I really watched and paid attention to the movie. I've watched it with my son before - but he was younger and so I suppose he didn't really listen to what they were saying so much as he was watching what was on the screen. But now that he's in kindergarten and around all sorts of other kids, I'm really cautious about making sure that he's aware that we're all different, and that you should always be kind to other people. I've always stressed it, but now that he's in an uncontrolled environment (code for "Without Mom") I just want him to be considerate of other people's feelings.
Santa is a real jerk in this movie! I don't mean a little jerk - I mean a grumpy, miserable, meanspirited and selfish jerk. First off, Santa comes in to see Rudolf after he's born and shrinks with horror at Rudolf's nose. And then chastised Donder and his wife for having such an imperfect little guy. Later, the Elves sing him a song..... and he tells them it's not good enough. Huh?!? And let's be honest - he only lets Rudolf lead the sleigh at the end of it all because he had no other alternative. He used Rudolf. Sure....Rudolf wasn't good enough before Christmas Eve was foggy....but now, he's a beacon of light? Please. Save it Santa. Somewhere between "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" and "Rudolf" - Kris Kringle became jaded and cynical. I much prefer the Santa of "Miracle on 34th Steet", or many of the other Christmas specials that you see during the holiday season. Santa is magical...he loves all children with the only prerequisite that they behave - not be aesthetically pleasing!
Listen, I know there's a lesson in all of this.... and that children don't "get" what we get as adults. But I find it so sad to see a Christmas special that outcasts people who are different, making them feel badly about themselves. What's the lesson in that? The moral of this story doesn't seem to be that we all fit in and have a place in this world....it seems to be that it's okay to be different so long as you serve a purpose.
Shit. I sound like a full fledged grownup, don't I?
3 comments:
Wow, I see coal in your stocking this Christmas!!!!!
I see your point, but Santa Selfish, he does give out like 20 Billion presents a year?
At least the other Reindeers cam around eventually, but Santa is like 700 years old, he is stuck in his ways.
You know, I felt the same way about it when I last saw it a couple of years ago. Of course, it's a needed plot device. Most everybody finds Rudolph ugly and that makes us root for him.
Anyway, if Santa said, "Hey, you stinky reindeer. He's OK. Let him play some reindeer games!", then there wouldn't be any story because he's the big cheese with all the pull and the reindeer would have to obey him.
I'll tell you the thing that always REALLY weirded me out about this show, though. It was Yukon Cornelius and Dennis yanking all of The Bumble's teeth. The least they could have done was show him getting some phony choppers at the end.
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