Christmas Message

Written by Paul Donovan

Mr. Shaugnessy asked if I would write something for Christmas that expressed what I found meaningful at this time of year.  Suggestions such as, “A Christmas Carol” or “It’s a Wonderful Life” were appealing topics to me as they certainly express some of the key values that we remember during the Christmas season.  While I dearly love these films, I somehow feel that the practical realities of life can make their messages a bit surreal.  So, I have decided that “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer” would be my focus for this year.

 While it may seem strange to choose a film about a flying reindeer with a glowing red nose as a way of emphasizing the practical realities of life, there is a whole aspect to this story that I think we can often forget, especially during our Christmas celebrations.

As Christmas approached when I was a boy, I loved watching Rudolph, and would invariably find myself in tears over the cruelty of “all of the other reindeer” and even of Rudolph’s own father he when rejected the young reindeer.  Rudolph’s companions in his quest to find a place where he was valued included Hermie, an elf who wanted to be a dentist, and Yukon Cornelius, an odd friendless prospector.  While escaping from the abominable snowman, this odd band of misfits discovered an island inhabited by misfit toys.  Of course the toys felt especially unwanted at Christmas when all the other toys were finding homes where they were loved.