When my children were little, I (and others) read to them every day. When Hannah—four years older than Mary, seven years older than Rebecca—learned to read, she read to us.
Being sick in bed with a nasty ear infection or strep throat when you’re a kid stinks, but if your big sister is Hannah Fons, she’ll be at your bedside, reading The House at Pooh Corner, Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle’s Magic, or The Twits. What makes being read to by Hannah so special is how she “does the voices” in all the dialogue sections. She’s got a special knack.
When the kids got older, at Christmas time we all got into the act. We read “A Christmas Carol” aloud, passing the book around and all of us “doing the voices,” speaking in British accents that would probably make true Brits cringe.
For at least the past five Christmases, we have traveled to Chicago—where Mary and Rebecca live. Mark and I drive over from Iowa, and Hannah flies in from New York. A special treat each year is attending a performance of “A Christmas Carol” at The Goodman Theater. No matter how we experience the story, whether on television, in the movie theater, at The Goodman Theater, or in our own living room, Scrooge’s redemption moves us to collective family tears every time.
Alas, there is no Christmas in Chicago this year. The Goodman Theater is dark. Hannah is staying put in New York.
BUT HARK! Hannah has arranged to read “A Christmas Carol” to us, via Instagram Live, from her apartment in the East Village of New York, at 7 p.m. EST (6 p.m. here in the Midwest) on Christmas Eve. She’s practiced, she’s got it down to an hour and a half, she’s working on the lighting, and she’s tweaking her fake British accent.
I know there is a lot going on today, most of it virtual, but if you’d like to join the Fons family circle, and have an Instagram account, here’s how to do it: follow Hannah’s account @amazonesque, and look for her profile picture at the top of your feed tonight at 7pm EST/6pm CST. (It’ll have a colorful ring around it and the word “LIVE”.) Tap or click her picture to view the live stream!
If you don’t have an account, or would rather watch from your lap- or desktop, here’s a link with instructions: https://later.
PS Several of my followers who missed Hannah’s reading asked for a link. Hannah is a busy person, and as she mentions, because the storytime is a little over an hour and a half long it took some fancy footwork to get it in a deliverable form. Here’s what she wrote to me:
Hai Mama! A thousand pardons for not doi no this before – the video is so long, it took more than just a copy/paste to share it. I uploaded it to Vimeo, and made it public, so anyone with this link should be able to view it:
Elliott (the other Marianne)
Awesome! Thank you for sharing your family traditions with us! We have stared the Italian traditional Feast of the Seven Fishes and are heading through to St Stefano Day (Dec 26) with all the baking as well. Have a Happy Christmas!
Georgene Gruendeman
I will be on to night with bells on. Miss seeing you Marianne!! I do like the girls that are on the show now.
Merry Christmas
Becky Hale
How awesome! Thanks for sharing and I hope you have a Merry Christmas.
Alisha Newton
I love this! My Dad used to read to us every night.
Kim Heger
Sadly I am only reading this after the fact! Was her reading recorded so we might watch if we didn’t catch it live?
Thanks,
Kim
Marianne Fons
Here’s Hannah’s response to my request for a link to her reading:
Hai Mama! A thousand pardons for not doi no this before – the video is so long, it took more than just a copy/paste to share it. I uploaded it to Vimeo, and made it public, so anyone with this link should be able to view it:
https://vimeo.com/507569297
Jan Sturtevant
I dream of being with friends who like to read aloud and/or be read to. So far no takers.
I remember when I was 5 and my brother was 7, we had our tonsils out on the same day. In very, very early and out in one day because Dad couldn’t afford for us to spend the night. Dad read to us that night when we couldn’t sleep. It seemed like he read for hours while we tried to be brave.
I’m reading your post a few weeks after Christmas, so I’ve missed Hannah’s rendition of “A Cristmas Carol.” Phooey.
I enjoy reading your posts, Marianne. Quilting, reading, writing, with a bit about the cinema–everything I love! Not to mention that your posts sometimes spark a memory for me and I can’t resist writing about it.
Kim Heger
Was Hannah’s reading recorded anywhere we could still watch please?
Thanks,
Kim in KS
Marianne Fons
Kim, I am working on finding a way you and others can access Hannah’s delightful reading! Thank you.