by Beth Cronk, Litchfield head librarian
“Come, ye thankful people, come, Raise the song of
harvest-home; All is safely gathered in, Ere the winter storms begin.” This Thanksgiving hymn by Henry Alford was
written in 1844, but here in rural Minnesota we still understand the importance
of bringing in the harvest before winter begins. My neighbors were working hard at that in the
little bit of warm weather we had lately.
The Litchfield Library, along with all Pioneerland libraries,
will be closed on Thursday for Thanksgiving.
We’ll be open normal hours the rest of the week. As you gather with family and friends, or as
you have a quiet day at home, perhaps you’d like to have a Thanksgiving movie
on hand to watch after you’re done eating turkey. There are a number of movies in the
Litchfield Library collection that have some connection to the holiday.
A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving is the obvious choice if you
have children in the house. Not as good
as A Charlie Brown Christmas or It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, this
25-minute TV special from 1973 is still fun.
Charlie Brown has a predicament: what to do when his pushy friend
Peppermint Patty invites herself and others to his house for Thanksgiving
dinner, even though his family is going to be leaving for his grandmother’s
house? Snoopy saves the day with an
assortment of snacks served on the ping-pong table. To be like Charlie Brown, my family usually
eats popcorn, pretzels, toast, and jelly beans on Thanksgiving night, a
tradition we started when my kids were little.
Intended for a bit older audience than Charlie Brown, Pieces of April is a 2003 movie about a free-spirited 21-year-old attempting to make
Thanksgiving dinner for her estranged family.
Her parents, siblings, and grandma drive to New York City from suburban
Pennsylvania while April discovers her oven doesn’t work, and she turns to her
eccentric neighbors for help. Katie
Holmes stars in this comedy about family dysfunction; critics say it’s endearing,
if a little edgy.
Holiday Inn is one of those 1940s classics: Bing Crosby,
Fred Astaire, and music by Irving Berlin.
A couple of friends who have left show business run an inn that is open
only on holidays – a perfect vehicle for a movie full of holiday-themed musical
numbers. There is a Thanksgiving holiday
in the movie, and the Christmas scenes include the song “White Christmas,” so
you can start to get in that holiday spirit, as well.
Paul Blart: Mall Cop isn’t a favorite of movie critics,
but you might get some laughs out of it anyway.
Kevin James stars in a story about a New Jersey security guard who
defends a mall from a group of organized criminals who take shoppers hostage on
Black Friday.
Do you watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on
Thanksgiving morning? The movie Miracle on 34th Street begins with the parade, where the actor playing
Santa is discovered to be drunk and is switched with a very popular
replacement. The replacement is then hired
to work as Santa in the store, but things take a turn when he claims to be the
real Santa Claus. The 1947 version,
starring Maureen O’Hara and Natalie Wood, won three Oscars.
I am thankful for all of the library users and supporters in
our area who help make our library a hub of the community. I wish you and yours
a peaceful and bountiful Thanksgiving Day.
