Christmas Entertainment

Before movies and television, several important Christmas performances were presented that have remained key to the celebration of Christmas, including various stage versions of Charles Dicken’s A Christmas Carol and Tchaikovsky’s ballet The Nutcracker, based on a story by E.T.A. Hoffmann.

One of the greatest Christmas productions ever created was Handel’s Messiah, first performed in Dublin, Ireland in 1742. Handel composed this inspired production during a brief period of 3½ weeks. At the first London performance, King George II had the impulse to stand during the “Hallelujah Chorus”, and this has remained a tradition for the audience today. Other significant staged Christmas performances include Amahl and the Night Visitors, an opera by Gian Carlo Menotti, and The Other Wise Man by Henry Van Dyke.

Hollywood has done more than its share of shaping the modern celebration of the Christmas holiday through the many movies and television shows that have been produced. Some of the early Hollywood movies that remain popular today include: A Christmas Carol, Miracle on 34th Street, The Bishop’s Wife, It’s a Wonderful Life, Holiday Inn, and White Christmas.

There are multitudes of Christmas television specials produced and re-televised every year. Certain early television specials have become a significant part of celebrating Christmas for many people. They include: Rudolph, the Red-nosed Reindeer, Frosty the Snowman, Santa Claus is Coming to Town, A Charlie Brown Christmas, and How the Grinch Stole Christmas.