The season of festivity in relation to Christmas seems to seep ever-more backwards into autumn. By linkage to Christmas, Northern hemisphere ‘winter’, in atmosphere, can feel present in advance of its meteorological arrival, and yet further in advance of its astronomical arrival at the solstice. Wikipedia reports that ‘In Celtic nations such as Ireland (using the Irish calendar) and in Scandinavia, the winter solstice is traditionally considered as midwinter, with the winter season beginning 1 November, on All Hallows, or Samhain.’
So, activity connected to ‘the festive season’ can commence early. Should weather of a type regarded as representing ‘winter weather’ arrive in advance of meteorological and astronomical winter, then at once activity in relation to sheep which is associated with winter needs to happen. And in some cultures and perceptions, winter does start at the beginning of November.
In New York this year, the Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectacular (an annual on the scene since 1933) opened on 5th November, with a run until 2nd January 2022. And with performances sometimes numbering as many as four a day.
An article for CBS News by Sara Kugler, entitled ‘Radio City’s Animal Farm’ portrays the backstage existence of the animal performers - ‘three camels, six sheep, two donkeys and a horse’. They are provided and cared for by Bambi Brook from her company Dawn Animal Agency, and they ‘rotate with others that live … about 75 miles from Manhattan.’ Kugler describes that ‘The camels, sheep and donkeys play themselves in a 10-minute nativity scene at the close of the 90-minute show’ and ‘Brook and her assistants dress as shepherds or camel handlers and guide the animals through the scene.’
Brook lives on site with the animals ‘throughout the eight-week run of the show to take 24-hour care of her flock’, Kugler says. She reports Brook as saying ‘You’ve brought them into this environment, and you have to make sure they’re safe and comfortable.’
Brook ‘said the animals are watched for signs that they’re tired or not enjoying the work.’ As Kugler comments, ‘How can she tell?’. Kugler goes on to report, ‘The U.S. Department of Agriculture also checks on the furry performers, making surprise visits to Radio City to check the sleeping areas, to watch the performance to make sure they’re treated well.’
The information is given: ‘Brook’s mother founded the talent agency and the Sanctuary for Animals’ and that ‘Now, more than 750 live there - 75 percent of them rescued.’ Kugler reports Brook as saying this, ‘This is our big moneymaking project for the sanctuary, and without this contract, the sanctuary wouldn’t be able to help as many animals as it does’.
What an utterly alien environment for the animals. And what a long season for them overall, albeit that the animals are rotated so that for some of the time they are at the away-from-Manhattan location.
And now to outdoors, in the UK. Before winter of 2021 had arrived meteorologically, let alone astronomically, a winter feature, snow, had come down heavily in places, and with strong winds blowing. This was a winter pre-taste in late November for sheep farmers. The agent of trouble was Storm Arwen. Catching the headlines - as example ‘Fearless farmer digs his flock from a deadly drift’ (Daily Mail, 3rd December 2021) - was how a Staffordshire smallholder rescued Herdwick ewes from a snowdrift, digging them out with his hands, and how ‘a group of rams were discovered in another field’ when the owners ‘spotted their horns poking out of the snow.’ Such instances and activities Hard Times indeed; for sheep, and for sheep farmers.
The Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectacular starts early for Christmas and goes on until after Christmas. But with the USA having an important festival, Thanksgiving, in later November, a logic can be understood of regarding as ‘holiday season’ early-November until post-Christmas. And, as been said, given the extension of activity in connection to Christmas across the globe, actually most countries now match the USA’s way - at the very least. And winter, as has been said and shown, can similarly ‘start’ before either of its allotted times of commencement. It does so through characteristics of weather; or by people’s thought and activity.
For sheep, the items mentioned for this ‘first-portion of season’ manifest contradictions of good and bad. Despite that activity and measures seem to be in place to see that sheep appearing in the Radio City Christmas Spectacular are taken care of, it nonetheless it seems an abomination that they, and the other animal performers are in the situation. The use of animals this way reeks of a mindset which is prepared to exploit animals, to use them for entertainment and spectacle (see ‘Spectacle, and Entertainment’, 22nd February 2021). Using sheep or any animals in such a context, and housing them in such an environment, does not respect their nature or dignity or cater to the creatures’ needs and preferences. And, importantly: what is being ‘said’ to the audience of the Radio City Christmas Spectacular, and to the public at large, about how animals should be treated and regarded?
Looking post-Christmas, at winter’s continuation, and towards the future, can we see anything representing ‘glad tidings’ and signifying better times ahead for sheep? Maybe there is ‘a straw in the wind’. From the 1st January 2022, the City of Helsinki intends to serve no meat (‘only seasonal plant-based food and responsibly sourced local fish’) at its ‘meetings, seminars, workshops and public events that include catering.’ And, moreover, it will use oat milk with coffee instead of cow’s milk.
This season, meanwhile, can be seen as offering sheep little by way of comfort and joy. But a major reason for them to rejoice is that they have owners and shepherds who, if sheep are lost, will - in weather however wintery and dire - search high and low to find them and bring them home to safety. But - nonetheless - oh for times when shepherds watched their flocks by night, and day.
16th December 2021