This thread isn’t about whether we should be teaching kids lessons about tolerance, and all that jazz.
This about the useless need to shove a character down our throats that takes away from good old fashioned Christmas for the purist like me.
This might officially be the worst poetry ever.
Forehead and horrid!
Still not as bad as the poetry of Paula Nancy Millstone Jennings.
Either I’m being whooshed or you’re unfamiliar of the story of the little girl who had the little curl. By Longfellow, no less.
While I can’t swear that that is the original Rudolph story, it does appear to be the text of the book the that my younger brother had as a kid (latter half of the 60s), and that I loved so much that I had the first part about Rudolph memorized (up through “He went to bed hopeful; he knew he’d been good!”). Well, it appears to be the text with one exception.
I bought an updated copy of “Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer” a few years ago with the 1939 text and illustrations done in 2001. In the scene where Rudolph leaves his house to join the Santa, the line is
So Rudolph pranced out through the door, very gay,
And took his proud place at the head of the sleigh.
I supposed it’s obvious why the line was changed, but the “hay, hay” in the Home and Holidays link is just lame, and probably ouhgt be “hey, hey” anyway.
I thought his name was Panzer.
Anyhow the moral of Rudolph is if you don’t fit it, people will treat you like crap unless they need something from you.
To me, it sounds very much like something Dr. Seuss would write- the rhyme scheme is similar. (At the time the story of Rudolph was published, Seuss had only written four books, only one of which was in rhyme, though he was well-known as a cartoonist and the creator of the “Quick, Henry, the Flit!” advertising campaign.)
But where do you draw the line? Might not Santa and the “original 8” spoil Christmas for the purist who thinks it should be all Bethlehem and manger?
The real issue is not that Christmas tradition changes over time, it is whether the change is in the spirit of the traditional (which IMHO Rudolph is) or whether it isn’t (i.e. Frosty the Snowman).
It’s about Christmas enhancement ( “Welcome Christmas”) or Christmas reduction (“Rockin’ around the Christmas Tree”).
It’s about Christmas blossom (Heat & Snow Miser) or Christmas weed (Winter Warlock).
Rudolph hasn’t been shoved down our throats. He hasn’t become a central figure, just another fine ornament on our holiday tree. Please, there is so much right with Rudolph, and so much wrong with so much other holiday flotsam. You’ve got the right idea. But Philster, you have the wrong target.
It kinda reminds me of arrival Father Christmas from The Lion The Witch And The Wardrobe, with the animals all having their stockings out.
Clearly, you are in the minority:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/04/arts/television/04arts-REINDEERGUID_BRF.html
I just want to make use of this thread to again tout the only Greek-root word I’ve ever had occasion to coin: Rudolph was erythrorhyncheous.
Rudolph was a smarmy little goody-two-shoes bionic freak.
Up against the wall, Rudolph, right next to Bambi.
Ringo, the Red Nose Reindeer, eh?
When i heard the title, I’d thought the ‘otherness’ was she was gay. Sadly, no.
Anyone else absolutely love the Bill Clynton(sp?) twelve tiny tales of christmas?
As for Rudolph, I figured the story was those who unfairly get made fun of sometimes prove they are better than those who make fun, but then, if people are making fun of you, you’re already proven better.
Plympton.
I agree. The *best *Christmas story, of course, is The Nightmare Before Christmas.
Let’s take the singer at his word. If Rudolph is the most famous reindeer of all, than it follows that he is more famous than Dasher, Dancer, et. al.
The singer assumes we know Dasher and Dancer, yet seems to be in doubt as to whether or not we know a reindeer who is more famous. It would be equivalent of saying “You know Tito and Jermaine and Randy, but have you ever heard of Michael Jackson?”
Who, exactly, does he think he’s singing to?
The “most famous” would imply that Rudolph is the reindeer best known to most people. But the opening lines refer to one specific individual (“you” the listener) and individual knowledge can vary. So it’s possible that you personally could know the other less famous reindeers without knowing the most famous reindeer. It’s like somebody who can name all of the original cast of ER except for George Clooney.
This reminds me of the lyrics, “You’re so vain, I bet you think this song is about you.”
Well it is, isn’t it?
Reminds me a bit of the Dick Van Dyke Show
Laura is talking to Rob)
Laura ) If you want to end up another Dwight Heatherton, go ahead!
Rob) Who’s that?
Laura) Dwight Heatheron happens to be an excellent writer who is unknown today because he got no publicity.
Rob) Then how do you know him?
Laura) Oh c’mon Rob, he’s famous.