Red-Nosed

Target’s toy ad disguised as a magazine arrived in our mailbox last week. Of course, this has become Sarah’s favorite “book”.

On one of the pages, there is an ad for a DVD of Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer. You know the movie. It’s the classic one that used to be shown on television every year. I briefly mentioned that we had that movie somewhere in our box of Christmas stuff. I didn’t even think she’d heard what I’d said until two hours later when she emerged from the garage with that movie in her hands. Somehow, she’d remembered and conned her dad into digging through the boxes to find it for her.

She ran inside and begged to watch the movie. Although I could use the break, I hesitated. I remembered the Abominable Snowman in the movie and how he scared the crap out of me as a kid. I didn’t want to traumatize her and turn her off of a Christmas classic at such a young age, but she was so excited and pleading. As usual, I caved.

The movie started, and she was immediately engrossed. It is a great movie. Still, I braced myself for the appearance of the monster. I was working out some way to soften his character – he’s just sleepy or he needs a hug. Turns out I didn’t need to do that at all. She saw the monster and didn’t even blink.

Oh, but she soon would cry. I mean have-to-be-held-in-my-lap-and-comforted-while-tablespoons-of-hurt-
flowed-out-of-her-big-blue-eyes kind of crying. Do you know what sent her into a fit of tears? First, Clarice was ordered to go home by her dad leaving Rudolph all alone. She began weeping and asking, “Why did she go home?” I couldn’t tell her it was because Clarice’s dad is a bigot who probably would disown her if she wore white shoes after Labor Day, so I told her that Clarice had to go home to take a nap. This seemed to calm her.

The calm was only temporary. Later in the movie, Rudolph is wandering through the snow with Hermey the Elf when Rudolph’s parents head out to find him. Sarah broke down again at this point, “Where are his mama and daddy?” Sobbing, “Where are Rudolph’s mama and daddy?” I had to hold her and wipe her tears until Rudolph was reunited with his mom and dad again. I never expected her to be affected by this movie in this way. I just thought it’d be a fun movie with elves and singing for her. What do I know?

Despite all of the drama, I think the movie was a hit. Later that evening, she begged to watch it again and said it was her favorite. Hey, who doesn’t like a good tearjerker?