Lessons From Modern Christmas Stories

BY RITA

Last weekend I was working on holiday cards for Wilfrida’s Closet, while settling into a Christmas movie marathon on a cable channel that specializes in feel good movies aimed at women. I started listening more intently—not watching, but listening—and noticing common themes showing up in these sugary, heartwarming plots. I suddenly started to feel anxious watching these flicks--not exactly my plan for the day.
As my last blog explained, I have been weaning myself away from the wealth of bad news floating around the media waves, and have committed to opening my mind to the sugary sweet stuff. At this point, my sugar thermometer was skyrocketing.

The Feel Good Plot

The basic plot of each movie was a combination of the following:

An attractive smart young woman leaves her:

(a) Family

(b) Boyfriend/lover

(c) Picturesque, idealized, small town and goes off to THE BIG

CITY!

(d) One of the above, some of the above, or all of the above

In THE BIG CITY! the heroine might:

(a) Be successful, have a fabulous apartment but live a lo

nely, loveless life

(b) Lose touch with her true love from back home

(c) Have a boyfriend, soon to become fiancé, that is a

terribly flawed human, but handsome and successful.

(d) Fail at accomplishing her dream and out of pride stay in

THE BIG CITY!

(e) One of the above, some of the above, or all of the above.

The leading lady that starts in THE BIG CITY! ending up in the perfect hamlet or returning home because of :

(a) A family crisis

(b) A work assignment

(c)She makes some crazy-ass wish and an elf allows her to see how perfect

her life could be had she stayed or if she wasn’t living her soulless life

(d) Her car breaks down

(e) One of the above, some of the above, or all of the above.

Eventually, our heroine reconnects with all that is good in la vida. She might save a town, find love, and dump the loser, realizing there is no place like home—while being fashionably dressed the entire time, of course.

The Moral Of The Story

The moral always is: THE BIG CITY! is bad and loveless, and only in a small municipality can one repurpose one’s self for the greater good in work and life. Then, and only, will we all live happily ever after, on a small living wage.

There are positive aspects to these stories, too. These leading ladies, like so many young people have had to return home because they cannot afford living on their own. As a result they are reconnecting with family and friends. There are good things to be found in our economic crises. With the limited job market, repurposing yourself for the greater good is noble and needed. Lowering outrageous expectations and being a part of a supportive, forgiving, and loving community, can readjust a life compass and a society.

But what kind of message are these movies sending to women overall? Why is living in the city always the default for loosing your soul and your roots? It has allowed so many who have left home to become who they dreamed of being, or not…choices…choices…choices! Small or big, with or with out a man, with a great career or not, why is this still an issue?

Someone please tell me where that incredible apartment is with the perfect location and great décor, I will take over the leading lady's lease or buy our heroine’s place so she can find true love, her true purpose in a small, still to be named magical town....

Wait...where was I? I can lose my point and my mind when inhaling too much sugar, forgive me.