Today’s Film: Nightmare Before Christmas
Is it a Christmas movie or is it a Hallowe’en movie? Why not both! This film has been loved ever since it came out in 1993, so much so that it takes over Disneyland from September to January. Jack Skellington is the Pumpkin King of the town of Hallowe’en, but has become dissatisfied with his role and is looking for something more. When he stumbles upon Christmas Town, he thinks he has finally found the thing to complete his life but will it be all he wishes? Henry Selick and Tim Burton brought this wonderful stop motion film to life and Danny Elfman’s music is the cherry on top of this Christmas delight. It is a wonderful dark twist on the holidays which brings all the best of Hallowe’en and Christmas together in one film.
Today’s Tradition: Up Helly Aa; Shetland, Scotland
Up Helly Aa is a tradition that originated in the 1880s. Since then the festival has been an annual occurrence in the Shetland calendar. Known as the Viking Fire Festival globally it is a celebration of the end of the winter and the return of the sun. Each town in Shetland has a different day to celebrate with the largest being held in Lerwick on the last Tuesday of January. Each year 46 “squads” of participants dress up and form a parade through the darkened streets with flaming torches culminating in the burning of a Viking galley which is made from scratch each year. Despite being the Viking fire festival only one squad is dressed as Vikings. The Jarl squad as they are known have to design and make their own suit which like the design of the galley are a closely guarded secret until the day of the festival.
