Enjoy:
This is so sweet, this short movie made in 1945 reminds me very much of my Italian grandparents, the Oddos. This movie short won an academy award.
My husband watched this and loved it today. When it was over he was teary eyed. You see, it really is the way many Italians were. ...And we remember. : )
A Star in The Night (1945)
This is a picture of me and my precious, precious Grandpa Oddo. We often shared our birthdays near New Years as pictured here. He was one of the sweetest things ever. He had sung in the opera when a young man in New York. He was discovered when he was hanging his laundry on the line in the city there, a lady from the opera was walking down the street and heard him. He later returned to our great southern state to the city here to be with his Italian mother who had arrived and then came to the waterfront where he loved it so, I guess you could call him the Great Caruso on the bay, he did what he loved most. A shrimper with his own boat on the bay, the family had a fishing camp with boats they would rent out, and a little store attached to their home. Grandpa was happy just being there. Precious, precious man.
Today I was thinking of their home and the sweet simplicity as I was making a New Orleans red bean soup, faglioli style with pasta. As I move in my kitchen doing this and that, cutting and creating the art, I thought of my Grandma Oddo. ...Oh I wish I still had her too. : )
Here's another:
Dominick the Donkey by Lou Monte
It's just not an Italian Christmas without Dominick the Donkey!
A darling blast from the past:
A Visit to Santa (1952)
On youtube it states1963 but on Turner Classics the info states 1952. This was so neat I thought; the old cars, the way the children are dressed, such a sweet innocence. The sweet dollies and toys. At the end St. Nicholas has quite the wonderful reminder of the true Christmas, our Savior's birth. My husband was also fascinated with this reel wonder, it is sooo the way it was.
Meet John Doe (1941) -Ending-
This is just wow. Love this... (spoiler warning)
At 3:37 you will hear some very poignant words. This movie is one of those Frank Capra greats. Most all of Frank Capra movies are greatness.
Frank Capra was from the same village my grandpa was from; Bisaquino, Sicily. The Oddo family is mentioned in one of the Capra biographies.
You don't have to die to keep it alive. Someone already died for that once...The first John Doe and He's kept that idea alive for nearly 2000 years...
And last but not least, that famous speech from It's a Wonderful Life. (1946)
You tell'em George...
I tried to find the raw and emotional real prayer scene where Jimmy Stewart actually wept over mankind at the bar but I was unable to find on youtube. I actually had Christian tracts on that scene and would place them in my Christmas cards and unfortunately was not able to find more.
This scene is a good one though...It reminds me of my husband in his real estate company, helping the common man in an old town. We want to be George Baileys in life, not Mr. Potters.
Have a sweet Christmas week. I'm having fun being funny at times...
Left some treats for delivery friends, so fun: 
...and also having quiet Peace in my heart as I celebrate true Christmas in my heart...Jem took this the other evening when he took me out to dinner.
Praying for a Peaceful Christmas for all, and may we carry in our hearts and spirits the good things that those precious ones before us taught us so beautifully as they traveled this earth, their hearts meshed with ours, now more then ever...May the Holy Spirit of Christ dwell among us as we sense that Holy Presence of Christ in the stillness.
God be with you all this most wondrous Christmas season,
~ Amelia
