Wednesday 11th December - Christmas Carol

Almost halfway through Blogvent already!  Goodness, doesn't time fly when you're weeping over puppies abandoned in snow?  Anyway, onwards, ever onwards...

Christmas Carol (1904) Robert W. Wright

This day-glo wonder is a very jolly scene of domestic loveliness.  A chap, we shall assume father of the children, is playing a jolly Christmas carol to the assembled kiddiwinks.  There is nothing at all to depress you here.  Mind you, I was wondering where Mum was...Uh-oh....

Firstly, I wonder about the figure of Dad.  He looks quite pensive, melancholic.  The violin points downward and he doesn't look very happy.  I get surprisingly teary at quite a few carols as they are quite emotional.  'See Amid the Winter Snow' is quite moving, and I always end up crying during 'It Came Upon a Midnight Clear', but mainly because it was used in the movie version of Little Women and I haven't got over what happens to Beth yet.  Or that Jo doesn't marry Laurie.  Sob!  How could he marry Amy?!  How?! Moving on.

I was struck by how much light is in the picture.  Light streams in from both the door and window, and for a scene in a house, it is bright and colourful, which contrasts with the seemingly sombre mood of the people in the room.  The girl in green leaning over her sister is smiling, but the sister in front of her looks pensive.  The light that enters the room makes me think that the mother is present in spirit and that the little family will be alright.

I'm also struck by the fact that although the music is out, the father is not referring to it as he plays.  This either means that he knows it off by heart or he's blind.  I'm guessing the former, otherwise why would the music be there in the first place?  Unless he's hoping his children will join in with their instruments.  T'uh, kids.  Maybe he's playing a tune he has played year after year, now he doesn't need the music.  Maybe the wistful expression he wears is because he is remembering other Christmases, past Yules where people were present that aren't there now.  I get the same thing every year where I unpack the decorations my mother made.  One of them is made out of fabric she made me a dress in too.  Lawks, it is the season for rum melancholy if you open that particular door.

I'm off to find some jollier images for the rest of Blogvent or else we're all going to end up drinking the cooking sherry for breakfast on Christmas Eve.  Either that, or I am going to drink the cooking sherry in order to cheer up.

See you tomorrow...