I know it’s truly Christmas when I watch The Ghosts of Christmas Eve, the Trans-Siberian Orchestra’s video about a young runaway girl who is inspired to find her way home on Christmas Eve.
The 45-minute video is a wonderful telling of the Christmas story, narrated by distinguished actor Ossie Davis, the caretaker of an abandoned, rundown theater. The Caretaker introduces performances by Jewel, and Michael Crawford, among others, showing the runaway (Allie Sheridan) what Christmas is all about, and why she should be spending it with family.
Opening with a magnificent updated electric “Joy to the World,” the story segues into a beautiful performance by Jewel Kilcher (“Hark, the Herald Angels Sing”), a stunning segment called “Christmas Eve (Sarajevo 12/24),” a truly magnificent rendition of “O Holy Night” by Michael Crawford, and closing with a lump-in-the-throat celebration – "(She’s Coming Home) This Christmas Day.”
If you don’t have the DVD, you should get it. Not so much for children, but for yourself … to remind you every year what Christmas is all about.
Each year, around this time, since I bought the DVD in 2001, I’ve worked my way up to watching The Ghosts of Christmas Eve. The schedule goes something like this: First I watch One Magic Christmas with Mary Steenburgen. Then I watch Santa Claus: The Movie, with David Huddleston and Dudley Moore. Next, I watch Mannheim Steamroller’s “Christmas Live” concert DVD.
Finally, I watch The Ghosts of Christmas Eve. I did that last night.
So now … it’s truly Christmas for me.
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