Today’s Film: Meet Me in St Louis
This film is #2 on Rotten Tomatoes Best Christmas Movies and with good reason. It is filled with all the things that, in my opinion, make a holiday classic. Loving families, romance, Christmas spirit, and some excellent songs, including the absolute classic “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”. The film centres around the Smith family living in St Louis during the build up to the 1904 World’s Fair, and all of their exploits throughout the year, including Esther’s (Judy Garland) attempts to get the boy next door to notice her. The climax of the film is at Christmas, when the whole family believes they must leave their beloved St Louis and move to New York. Meet Me in St Louis was a massive hit when it was first released in 1944 and has gained in popularity ever since.
Today’s Tradition: Noche de Rábanos: (Night of the Radishes Festival) Oaxaca, Mexico
The Oaxaca radish festival began over 100 years ago when there was a prolific radish crop. Today people travel from throughout Mexico and the state of Oaxaca to see the giant radishes carved with depictions of Oaxacan life. On the morning of December 23rd, the artists arrive in the Zocalo to finish carving and assemble their radish creations. At night, the carved radishes are lit up, creating an idyllic scene during Christmas in Oaxaca.
