Markus Ehrenberg asks himself every Christmas whether it’s worth taking a look at the television or theater programs.
At the latest when Libuše Šafránkovárides across the screen on Christmas Eve, we know what the hour has struck. “Three hazelnuts for Cinderella”, the classic fairy tale film on television – we can set the clock by it again this time (ARD, 1.40 p.m.). The Czechoslovak variant of the well-known fairy tale: Cinderella doesn’t accept everything, but takes up the fight against injustice with cunning, wit and three witch hazels. There is hardly a better and more hopeful way to start Christmas Eve.
Unless you tune in to Radio Eins at midday (from 1 p.m.) and let Robert Skuppin and Volker Wieprecht sprinkle you with tongue-in-cheek jokes and cooking recipes in the “Nativity Show”.
In Berlin and elsewhere, rituals determine these days. As a TV program manager, you don’t have to worry too much about December 24th. RTL (2:50 p.m.) celebrates the “Miracle of Manhattan” with Richard Attenborough, Kevin is of course “Home Alone” (Sat) again in the US film from 1990, the first one turns on people in the comedy “When the Fifth Light is Burning”. Stuck at Berlin Airport on Christmas Eve, for the die-hard Cop John McClane alias Bruce Willis saves the world in “Die Hard 3” (RTL2, every 8:15 p.m.).
When the level has risen at home and to calm down, “Die Feuerzangenbowle” (ARD, 9.45 p.m.) will be played later on an annual resubmission.
Well, you can also celebrate without the media. Unpack, eat, talk. Or go to the Queer Party at SO 36 in Kreuzberg from 10 p.m. Or in the Berlin Volksbühne, which wants to keep the Festflash with Wladimir Kaminer and “Christmas in Ukrainian” (from 9 p.m.).
There used to be punk concerts at Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz on Christmas Eve, for example with Mark E. Smith and his band “The Fall”. How subversive we felt going there after roast goose and unwrapping presents. Mark E. Smith is dead, we too are getting older and a little more contemplative.
Let’s face it: Basically, Christmas has to start with Cinderella and end with James Stewart. As George Bailey, he rightly asks on Christmas Day (3sat, 1.45 a.m.) in the Frank Capra film classic: “Isn’t life beautiful?” A savings bank official is prevented from taking his own life at Christmas by an angel. Phew, yes, it’s Christmas!
