Once Upon a Sesame Street Christmas

Did you know that Sesame Street wasn’t always the kind place we know it to be today?  Legend has it that Santa and his reindeer use to fly over Sesame Street because it lacked warmth and kindness.  That changed when Elmo’s great, great, great grandfather visited Sesame Street and started to act kindly to the people he found there.  It took a while, but his acts of kindness were contagious.  For example, Cookie Monster started sharing his home-baked cookies instead of eating them all himself. When one of the kids on Sesame Street takes Elmo’s ball, Elmo asks for it back.  The kid keeps it and Elmo lets her.  Later, she gives it back.  After kindness blooms on Sesame Street, Santa returns.  This is the delightful story of Once Upon a Sesame Street Christmas.

WILL’s Education Department, in collaboration with the Hoopeston Public Library, presented the film at the library.  Some of the children came dressed in their pajamas and some brought pillows.  They ate cookies and drank milk as they watched. After the film, Children’s Librarian Janell Sechriest and WILL’s Kellie Blanden led the children in an ornament-making activity. The parents left with some goodies too: a hand-out with tips to increase reading at home and a Sesame Street ornament-making activity.  Each child received a book to take home.

We love showing high-quality programs to young children.  If you would like us to present a screening at your library, club or school district, please email us at krmarsha@illinois.edu.