Animated Painting – The Spirit of Christmas…

digital painting, 26 Comments
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Every year on Thanksgiving night,
I revisit the true Spirit of Christmas.

I now have many more life experiences to factor in, accepting “what is” and discovering the last ten months has also included many hidden gifts.
During the Christmas season I have a few “go to” sources and treasure their wisdom all over again;

The following quotes are a wonderful reminder of the true Spirit of Christmas.

First we have Charlie Brown. I think many people identify with Charlie and feel a little confused about Christmas, especially this year, and many are feeling the pressure.

“I think there must be something wrong with me, Linus.
Christmas is coming, but I’m not happy.
I don’t feel the way I’m supposed to feel.” – Charlie Brown

Next is Sally Brown, and she has another idea about Christmas;

“Christmas is getting all you can get while the getting is good.” – Sally Brown

Sally cracks me up, every single time.

Christmas is about having your heart in its true place,
when all of the pure love you give becomes the greatest source of your own abundant joy each day.
The bonus is this also becomes a joy and support to others.

“And the Grinch, with his Grinch-feet ice cold in the snow,
stood puzzling and puzzling, how could it be so?
It came without ribbons.
It came without tags.
It came without packages, boxes or bags.
And he puzzled and puzzled ’till his puzzler was sore.
Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn’t before.
What if Christmas, he thought, doesn’t come from a store.
What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more.” – Dr. Seuss.
And …….
“And what happened then?
Well, in Whoville they say that the Grinch’s small heart grew three sizes that day!”

There is a magical “wakeup” moment for Scrooge as well, when he caught on that it wasn’t money or gifts,
it was the giving and receiving love.
But first,
he had to forgive himself,
others,
and the past.
Scrooge chose the magic of living in the moment.

“I don’t know what to do!” cried Scrooge, laughing and crying in the same breath; and making a perfect Laocoön of himself with his stockings.
“I am as light as a feather, I am as happy as an angel, I am as merry as a school-boy.
I am as giddy as a drunken man.
A merry Christmas to every-body!
A happy New Year to all the world! Hallo here! Whoop! Hallo!”
― Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol

“There is nothing in the world so irresistibly contagious as laughter and good humor.”
― Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol

“I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year.
I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future.
The Spirits of all Three shall strive within me. I will not shut out the lessons that they teach.”― Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol“

Believe in goodness….and cherish faith.

“At one time, most of my friends could hear the bell, but as years passed, it fell silent for all of them.
Even Sarah found one Christmas that she could no longer hear its sweet sound.
Though I’ve grown old, the bell still rings for me, as it does for all who truly believe.”
― Chris Van Allsburg

“Seeing is believing, but sometimes the most real things in the world are the things we can’t see.”
― Chris Van Allsburg

The Simple and powerful Spirit of Christmas

The greatest gift you can give arrives from a never-ending supply, has no sell by date, is always available, and can be given freely.

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL

 

Thank you.

 

    1. You are so very welcome Buddy. I think most everyone feels a pressure to be bouncing off the walls with joy, at least I do. Then I remind myself that the Christmas Spirit begins privately…in my experience, revisiting all I treasure about life itself. Like a good soup I just keep adding to it all day, until it’s ready to share all around. Merry Christmas gratitude and blessings to you and yours!

      Liked by 1 person

  5. Oh, my goodness, the animated art is wonderful! Loving bird and loving rabbit. Affirming message.

    I like Sally, too, for her straightforward acquisitiveness.

    In the Christmas Carol movie starring Alistair Sim, a line is added after Scrooge has changed. He throws down his pen and says, “Oh, I don’t deserve to be so happy.” Moves me every time I hear and see it.

    Have a merry Christmastime!

    Christopher

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Thank you so much Christopher for your very kind, thoughtful, and inspiring comment. I am just so tickled you enjoyed it.
      Hey, I’ve seen that version with Alastair Sim! It was made in the ‘50’s…and wasn’t it titled “Scrooge?” Matter of a fact, I think I still have it on CD. I never caught that last line you’ve mentioned, so I will be digging it out and watching it again!
      I also enjoyed the 1954 version with Basil Rathbone and Fredric March. It’s the only version I’ve seen that actually shows the distraught spirits flying around and crying about how they now in death cannot help those on earth.
      Thank you so much, and Merry Christmas to you and yours!

      Liked by 1 person

  6. Thank you so much for your post. It really touched my heart in such a soothing way Liza. I feel like the bunny and the bird in animation are spectacular and so filled with gentleness. Just what I needed! I love Charlie Brown there is so much honesty in those comics. I recently pulled out a hardcover book of Charles Schultz’s comics that I got when I was younger. It’s filled with Charlie Brown and all his friends. I’m loving reading it so many years later and especially at this time of year. Wishing you a blessed holiday season! Thank you sooo much for sharing your special talent. I really enjoy all your posts. : )

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. O Catherine, I am so humbled, and deeply, gratefully, thankful for your comment. Sometimes I have doubts about my work… and to read your comment is a great Christmas gift to me. I am so pleased what I felt creating it could be shared by someone else as receptive to simple kindness.
      I always thought Charlie spoke for a lot of us from time to time… I just loved his integrity to voice it, as well as each character. Happy holidays to you and yours… and thank you for your uplifting and joyful gift to me! Merry Christmas Catherine!

      Liked by 1 person

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