Astrid Lindgren on Christmas: between the magic of childhood and social reality Christmas in the works of Astrid Lindgren (1907-2002) is not just a festive background, but a deep, multidimensional and often ambivalent image, where the pure wonder of a child's perception collides with material reality, loneliness, poverty and social injustice. Unlike the idyllic pictures of Enid Blyton, Lindgren does not create a universal utopia. Her Christmas is a celebration with a crack, where magic exists, but it is fragile and often requires human participation, compassion and courage. The magic as a natural state of the child's world For many of Lindgren's characters, especially the youngest, the magic of Christmas is something self-evident, a part of the world's structure. Little Man and Karlsson (1955-1968): For Little Man (Svanter), the anticipation of Christmas and gifts is an important part of life. But the key scene in the story "Karlsson, Who Lives on the Roof, Has Come Back Again" is the meeting of Christmas with Karlsson. Their joint decoration of the Christmas tree, with all its mischievous antics (Karlsson eats all the treats intended for the tomte — the Swedish house spirit), is a celebration of true, informal, childlike joy over adult solemnity. Karlsson, himself being the embodiment of childlike egocentrism and fantasy, becomes the best companion on the holiday. For Lindgren, wonder is not in perfect order, but in freedom and sincerity. "Emil from Lönneberga" (1963): The Christmas chapters here are full of warmth, but not without irony and humor. The preparation for the holiday in the peasant family is shown through the prism of Emil's pranks, who, despite all his mischievousness, deeply expects a miracle. Lindgren shows Christmas as a family celebration with the mundane, "smelling" specificity (the smell of ham, the preparation of sausages), making the magic earthly and tangible. The crack in the idyll: poverty, loneliness and social criticism Lindgren, who grew ... Read more