A Hearth’s Warming Understanding · 4:26pm May 15th, 2016
Well... season six, episode eight, A Hearth's Warming Tail, was a straight retelling of A Christmas Carol that, while pretty well executed (I love you, Luna), missed a HUGE opportunity to engage with the very real existence of people who are lonely or grieving over the holidays, have bad memories associated with Xmas, or otherwise have legitimate reasons not to join in with forced cheer.
It would have been great to provide a model for kids to know how to deal with that. The answer isn’t always “lecture the person about their grouchiness” and/or “force the person to a party”. Sometimes the answer is:
Starlight: “I was thinking I might just skip it.”
Spike: *horrified gasp*
Twilight: *remaining calm* “Oh. Why is that?”
Starlight: “I just find it all a little silly. It’s mostly a day dedicated to presents and candy, isn’t it?”
Spike: “And why would you deny yourself presents and candy? That’s crazy talk.”
Starlight: “It’s just… what if I don’t feel like celebrating? I’m not the greatest at being happy to a schedule, and it’s not like I can put it off by a day or two if I’m not in the mood for it. It just feels like… forcing ponies to have fun, you know? And that reminds me of… how I used to be. Making everypony fake smiles because they were afraid of not fitting in.”
Spike: “Oh.”
Starlight: “I… I’m sorry to bring that up. I just think I should be by myself and not bring everypony down. It’s better that way.”
Twilight: “I understand. I haven’t always been the most social pony either, Starlight. But if you do come to the party, I promise we’ll be happy to have you there, even if all you want to do is stay off to one side with a book and some hot chocolate. Hey, if the girls are used to my ways, they can cope with anything.”
Spike: “Well, that’s true.”
Starlight: *sigh* “But then… if I come, then I have to buy presents, in case other ponies bring presents for me. But Twilight, I’m no Pinkie Pie. I’m no good at thinking of a personal, thoughtful gift for everypony… on a deadline! I mean, I could buy them something easy, like candy, but then it doesn’t mean anything. It’s something I’m just buying because I have to, and then I’d be worried they’ll be able to tell my heart wasn’t in it.”
Twilight: “I see what you mean, Starlight. Maybe we can find another option? Let’s see. Off the top of my horn… you’ve baked with Pinkie a few times, right? What if, instead of presents, you made individual cakes for your friends? There’s nothing more personal than something you made by yourself.”
Starlight: “I… guess… something like that would work.”
Spike: “I’m always in the mood for cake.”
Twilight: “Or horn-knitted socks, or an empty scrapbook for everypony that they can fill over the coming year! But listen, Starlight: I won’t insist you come, and if you don’t want to, I’ll explain it to the others. They won’t think you’re rude, I promise.”
Starlight: “Thank you, Twilight. I… I’ll think about it, ok?”
*awkward pony-pony-dragon hug*
(It bugs me when people write Spike as an insensitive idiot/comedy relief with nothing of his own to add, but I felt I should base him on how he appeared in the episode, which was… that.)
