A Small Miracle: A Christmas Story

Description

On Christmas Eve, a poor old woman plays her accordion in the street. Apart from two children, the passers-by ignore her and by the end of the day she has to sell her accordion to buy some food. Worse is to come. On her way home a thief steals her money. She discovers that he has also vandalized the church-the little Nativity figures lie scattered on the floor and the collection box is empty. The old woman restores order and sets off exhausted towards her caravan. But before long she collapses in the snow. And now the magic begins. The little Nativity figures come to life and carry her safely home. They make sure that her good deeds are rewarded so that in the morning she wakes to the most wonderful Christmas she could ever imagine. The traditional nativity characters feature in the story but the setting is contemporary and the plot touching and original. * Music by Ochremedia * Animation by Spider Eye and S.O.B. * Screenplay by Nick Whitby * Storyboards by Alison de Vere * Produced in association with Jerusalem Productions BONUS FILM: On Christmas Eve On Christmas Eve a little girl writes a letter to Father Christmas listing all the presents she hopes he will bring her. But she is worried. The houses on her estate don't have chimneys. How will he get in? As she falls asleep, a magical adventure unfolds. The cloth mice in her cupboard come alive. They prompt some fairies in the neighbouring wood to guide Father Christmas safely through the blizzard, up to her front door and into her house. When the little girl wakes on Christmas morning she finds all the presents she was hoping for at the foot of her bed. * Music by Peter Shade * Animation by Cosgrove Hall * Storyboards by Alison de Vere * Produced by Joy Whitby and Brian Cosgrove Review: Lovely - This is a quiet, gentle, musical Christmas story which can be enjoyed by toddlers and adults alike. A poor gypsy street musician playing her old accordion to make ends meet at Christmas time is ignored by the busy shopping crowds. She has no resort but to pawn her beloved old instrument. Then she is the victim of a cruel theft. Ah, but Mary, Joseph, and the Wise Men have all benefitted from her kindness that very Christmas Eve and they take matters into their own hands. There is no dialogue, only the gentle music and the lovely drawings that move. Review: Powerful - When I was given this book to look at on retreat by my directress I knew it had to be something special. First it is wonderful that the aurthor can spread such a beautiful lesson to all of us without words. Its like what St. Francis said "preach the gospel and use words only when needed". I cried every time I looked at this book and studied each picture more carefully and with a deep sense of the wonder of God taking care of our needs not our wants and how happy one can be with so little.