Tagged The Sound of Music

A Wayne in a Manger and Other Christmas Weirdness

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Christmas, as we all know, is the time of year when we suspend disbelief, believing in the impossible and the incredulous, in order to keep the magic alive.

In this spirit, I present my top ten festive peculiarities and anomalies.

1. The Snowman
In The Snowman, they fly over penguins on their way to the North Pole. That’s certainly taking the scenic route, isn’t it?

2. Father Christmas’ entrance
Why didn’t he always use a magic key? When most houses stopped having chimneys and Father Christmas started to use the magic key to come in the door, I can only assume he fired the person (Bob) who had suggested chimneys. ‘A magic key, Bob! We could have been using a magic key and a doorway all this time, Bob! Do you know how high my dry cleaning bills are, Bob? Dammit, Bob!’

3. It’s a Wonderful Life
It’s a Wonderful Life is the quintessential Christmas film. The perennial favourite. The Christmas classic. We all know this, right? We’ve never actually, well, seen it though, have we? No one has seen this film. Have you seen this film? Do you know anyone who has seen this film? No. No one has seen it. The film might not even exist. Does anyone conclusively know it exists? Maybe they just did a title, a poster and a vague description of ‘something about an angel’, and never actually made the film.

4. Tinsel
Tinsel is apparently dangerous to cats and young children. They should not play with it. SO WHY IS IT SHINY?

5. Nazis
The Sound of Music and The Great Escape are shown every Christmas without fail. When, and how, did it get decided that it just wouldn’t be Christmas without the Nazis, and various highly improbable escapes from them? Nothing says Christmas spirit like the SS, right?

6. We Three Kings
What are the real lyrics to We Three Kings? Does anyone know them? Is it just a myth that there were real lyrics? Was it always about a scooter?

7. Home Alone
Some parents admit that they have left their eight year old home alone in Chicago while they are in Paris. Not only do Social Services have no issues at all with this situation, but the police have to be persuaded to go and check on the small child fending for himself. They eventually rock up, knock on the door, and get no answer. So they leave. They don’t break down the door or search for the child, oh no. They report that there was no answer and everything is fine. Did they believe they were supposed to be checking that the eight year old home alone wasn’t going around doing anything dangerous like opening doors?

8. The Elf on the Shelf
That elf. The original one. It is clear that the only rational reaction to seeing that thing is to cut off its head, burn it and quarantine the area, just to be safe. But, no, people are taking it into their houses, and encouraging their kids to interact with it. How is it doing this? Clearly it has evil powers. Mind control? More importantly, what does it want with us? If you see one of these, DO NOT LOOK DIRECTLY AT IT. (Please note: as a precautionary measure, it is advised that you do not look directly at Instagram for the remainder of the festive period.)

9. A Wayne in a Manger
I’m not religious, so I’ve probably got confused, but who is this Wayne in a manger we sing about, and what has he got to do with the Nativity?

10. Baby gifts
Did the Three Wise Men not read any new baby gift guides on Mumsnet before they set out? You know the ones: ‘don’t get lots of clothes in newborn size; booties do not stay on feet; newborn babies do not enjoy gold, frankincense or myrrh…’

 
 
Merry Christmas to all, and to all a slightly bewildered night.

The Sound of Poppins

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The Toddler is singing:
‘Supercalifragilistic*mumble mumble*docious
Even though The Sound of Music…’
Yes, she has created a Mary Poppins/Sound of Music mash up. The hair dye has not fooled her: Julie Andrews is Julie Andrews, no need for separate songs around here.

I have been hoping she will continue on with the original lyrics of Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious:
‘Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious
Even though The Sound of Music is something quite atrocious…’
Accurate, no?

Thus far, The Toddler has not obliged. I have therefore kindly completed the verse on her behalf. I expect that Julie Andrews will be wanting to use my new song, and she is very welcome.
‘Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious
Even though The Sound of Music is something quite atrocious
If you watch Mary Poppins long enough, you always will forgive me
Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.’

Obviously, following this triumph, I was feeling a little bit pleased with myself, and I have therefore taken the whole thing too far. Oh, yes, I have come up with further Mary Poppins/Sound of Music mashups.

Introducing The Sound of Poppins, in which flying nanny nuns ward off marauding Nazis and amorous chimney sweeps in fairly equal measure. Featuring an award winning soundtrack*, including:

    1. Sister Maria Suffragette
    2. ‘A spoonful of sugar helps the anschluss go down
    The anschuss go down
    The anschluss go down
    Just a spoonful of sugar helps the anschluss go down
    In the most delightful way’
    3. My Carpet Bag Things
    4. Let’s Go Fly a Swastika
    5. Goose Step in Time
    (‘It’s the Fuhrer, step in time
    It’s the Fuhrer, step in time’)

Actually, they could have used Mary Poppins in The Sound of Music. She’d have got those troublesome Nazis under control. Practically Perfect people don’t stand for invasions of Poland. Of course, then who would have stopped those bloody awful children caterwauling? (People claim the Nazis did nothing for the arts. No one ever remembers that they got the Von Trapps off the stage. Credit where it’s due, I say.)

(*Someone is surely going to award me Daftest Blog Post of the Week, right?)