Piece Comment

Review of A Bosnian Christmas Carol


This is an interesting piece about Christmas in a foreign land -- the strange traditions which inspire both laughter and tears, the intimate connections made with strangers and old friends alike, and the suprising feelings that come from spending time in a war ravaged land. This is a personal piece, told in first person by a reporter visiting his family, so it would make sense in a magazine style show or any program that would value a unique, individual take on the holidays.

I was a bit turned off by the initial "wacky holiday celebrations!" take that predominates the first half of the piece -- it feels extremely trite when the narrator tells us to ignore the whole history of the Bosnian war. But by the end of the story, as the reporter embraces the full emotional impact that war can have on Christmas and on a community, the story goes to a new level worthy of the holiday it's celebrating.