Hermione Granger Weekend on Freeform: Special Harry Potter Weekend event

Hermione and her Persian kneazle cat, Crookshanks. ©Warner Bros. Motion Pictures

OK, my fellow Potterheads, it’s Harry Potter Weekend on Freeform! This month's Harry Potter Weekend focuses on Harry's best friend, the muggle born witch Hermione Granger. Sirius Black and Remus Lupin declared her the brightest witch of her age, and she sure is! Freeform has even christened this month's Harry Potter Weekend as Hermione Granger Weekend. Harry Potter couldn't have saved the world without her.

Below, you can find the complete schedule for February’s Hermione themed Harry Potter Weekend. Because the TV rights for Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix currently belong to HBO/Cinemax, that film won’t be included in the Harry Potter Weekend marathon. Freeform always invites fans to tweet along with them on Twitter, and to share in the love of J.K. Rowling's fairy story on their Facebook page. For more information, visit Freeform’s website.

Hermione Granger Weekend schedule for Feb., 2017:

Friday, Feb. 3:

3:30p – Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

7p – Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Sat., Feb. 4:

7a – Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

10:30a – Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

2:30p – Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

5:30p – Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

9p – Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

12:30a – Tom Felton Meets the Superfans

Sunday, Feb. 5:

7a – Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

10:10a – Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

1:50p – Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

5:30p – Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1

9p – Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2

Mon. Feb. 6:

1:30p – Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1

5p – Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2

Harry Potter Weekend Next Week

The Harry Potter Weekend starts Feb. 3 on Freeform.

Basic cable network Freeform (formerly ABC Family Channel) is the home of the popular Harry Potter Weekends .The network has been airing the Harry Potter movie marathons monthly, which is a treat for Potterheads. The reason for the monthly programming events (which formerly aired a few times each year) is that Freeform will be losing the TV rights for the fairy tale film series in July of 2018.

The movie rights had been going back and forth between ABC/Disney/Freeform and HBO/Cinemax ever since they became available for television.  In 2016, however, ABC/Disney and HBO lost out to 

NBC/Universal in a bidding war. That means that beginning in July of next year, NBC/Universal networks (which include Syfy and USA) will be the only networks that will be able to air the Harry Potter franchise. The TV rights deal supposedly also includes the “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” movie series.

NBC/Universal also owns Universal Studios theme parks, the home of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. The company wanted to bring the Harry Potter movies into the family. NBC Universal says that they will have special content to share with fans when the movies air. They haven’t announced whether they’ll offer special programming events like the Harry Potter Weekends, or not.

Fans should enjoy the monthly Harry Potter marathons while they can. The Harry Potter Weekend begins Friday, Feb. 3. Here’s the complete schedule. Times are U.S. Eastern Time.

 Harry Potter Weekend Schedule:

Fri., Feb. 3:

3:30 p.m. – Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

7 p.m. – Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Sat., Feb 4:

7 a.m. – Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

10:30 – Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

2:30 p.m. – Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

5:30 p.m. – Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

9 p.m. – Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

12:30 a.m. – Tom Felton Meets the Super Fans

Sun., Feb 5:

7 a.m. – Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

10:10 a.m. – Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

1:50 p.m. – Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

5:30 p.m. – Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1

9 p.m. – Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2

Mon., Feb 6:

1:30 p.m. – Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1

5 p.m. – Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2

According to freeform, all programming is subject to change. Fans can participate by following and commenting on Freeform’s official Facebook and Twitter. Visit Freeform’s website by clicking here.

The Mystery of Bernard Sleigh’s Fairyland Map

"An Anciente Mappe of Fairyland: Newly Discovered and Set Forth" by Bernard Sleigh, from 1918.

English artist Bernard Sleigh (1872-1954) was born in Birmingham, England. He began his art studies at age 14, when he was apprenticed to a wood engraver. He received his formal art education at the famed Birmingham School of Art. He specialized in illustration, painting murals, stained glass, in addition to wood engraving. Like his contemporary, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Sleigh believed in fairies, and supported Doyle in his mystical endeavors and research.

Detail of the "Anciente Mappe of Fairyland" featuring the Great God Pan, Red Gnome Rock, and the Water Babies.

Included among his illustrated works are: “The Sea King’s Daughter & Other Poems” (1895) by Amy Mark; “Carols, Their Origin, Music and Connection with Mystery-Plays” (not dated) by William J. Phillips; “The Song of Songs” (1937) by Ernest Renan; and “The Immortal Hour” (1939) by Fiona McLeod. Sleigh also became a writer himself, and illustrated his own works, including the poem “A Faery Pageant” (1924); a book of fairy stories titled “The Gates of Horn” (1926); and “Witchcraft” (1934).

Detail of the "Anciente Mappe of Fairyland" featuring Elfrain Cove, Tom Thumb, and Little Bo Peep.

Bernard Sleigh is probably best known for his work “An Anciente Mappe of Fairyland: Newly Discovered and Set Forth.”* Created in 1918, it is a beautifully crafted work of art and cartography. The magical map is even included in the Geography and Map Division of the Library of Congress. The Library of Congress labels the map as an “imaginary locality,” but we know they just have to say that because most mundane people sadly aren’t aware that fairies are real. (By the way, the U.S. National Oceanographic & Atmospheric Administration’s website has a page about mermaids, which I’ll write about at a later date).

Detail of the "Anciente Mappe of Fairyland" featuring Kelpie Bay and the Elfin Sound.

The map reveals Fairyland people and places such as: the Elfin Temple; Goblin Land; the Faerie Shrine; the castle from “La Belle et la Bête” (Beauty and the Beast); Rapunzel’s tower; Bogle’s Corner; the Elfrain Cove, and so much more! In addition to his “Anciente Mappe of Fairyland,” Sleigh also created a cloth map in 1920 titled “A Map of Fairyland,”* which is described as “a Rosebank fabric.” An image of this Fairyland map is also on file in the Library of Congress. 

Bernard Sleigh's 1920 cloth "Map of Fairyland.

Now, what cause would the Library of Congress of the United States have to keep in its records two maps of Fairyland created by an English person, in England? And, did Bernard Sleigh create these maps, or did he, as he said, discover an ancient Fairyland map that he copied, and set forth before the human world? Muggles can be so silly in their insistence that fairies and magic aren’t real!

*Note: Click on highlighted titles to go to Library of Congress pages to see close up views of Fairyland maps.

50th Anniversary of Disney's 'The Gnome-Mobile'

Walt Disney's classic "The Gnome-Mobile" celebrates its 50th anniversary this year.

Disney's classic family fairy film “The Gnome-Mobile” celebrates its 50^th anniversary this year. This delightful movie is based on a book by the famous novelist Upton Sinclair. The movie stars character actor Walter Brennan in the dual roles of D.J. Mulrooney and Knobby the gnome, and Karen Dotrice and Matthew Garber (from Disney's “Mary Poppins”) as his grandchildren.

The Gnome-Mobile is the story of millionaire lumber baron D.J. Mulrooney, who learns the importance of conservation after befriending a pair of gnomes. Mulrooney and his grandchildren, Elizabeth and Rodney, go on a picnic in the woods, where Elizabeth encounters a lonely gnome named Jasper.

Jasper tells Elizabeth that he and his grandfather, Knobby, are the last gnomes in the great redwood forest. He believes there may be other gnomes elsewhere, but they have no way to search for them. Elizabeth introduces Jasper to her brother and grandfather and offers to take Knobby and Jasper to look for other gnomes in her grandfather's Rolls Royce. The group dubs the car “the Gnome-Mobile.”

Their journey is complicated by a greedy freak show owner who wants to exploit the gnomes, and by one of Mulrooney's employees, who has the lumber baron locked in a mental hospital. With the help of the Gnome-Mobile the children must rescue their grandfather and the little gnomes.

Sadly, this enchanting movie is not remembered by many people, and does not air on television. Luckily, it is available on Amazon Instant Video as well on DVD alone, or along with another great fairy movie, “Darby O'Gill and the Little People” in a Disney collection at Amazon.com.

“The Gnome-Mobile” is great family fun, and a must have for a fairy movie collection.  

Ring in the New Year with Harry Potter

Potterheads can celebrate the New Year with a Harry Potter Weekend on Freeform. 2017 marks the 20th anniversary of the publication of J.K. Rowling’s “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone” in the U.K. There’s no better way to kick-off this anniversary year than with a Harry Potter movie marathon. The marathon is part of Freeform’s “Moments to Celebrate” programming event which runs from Dec. 26 through Jan. 1, but the movie marathon ends on Jan. 2, 2017.

Below is the complete schedule for the Harry Potter Weekend. Times are U.S. Eastern Standard Time. Please visit Freeform’s official website for more information:

Friday, Dec. 30:   

“Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” – 3:30 p.m.

“Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets” – 7 p.m.

Sat., Dec. 31:

“Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” – 7 a.m.

“Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets” – 10:30 a.m.

“Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban” – 2:30 p.m.

“Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire” – 5:30 p.m.

“Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” - 9 p.m.

“Tom Felton Meets the Superfans” – 12:30 a.m.

Sun., Jan. 1:

“Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban” – 7 a.m.

“Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire” – 10:10 a.m.

“Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” – 1:50 p.m.

“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1” – 5:30 p.m.

“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2” – 9:58 p.m. (Follow “Beyond” series preview)

Mon., Jan. 2:

“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1” – 1:30 p.m.

“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2” – 5 p.m.

Gather your fellow Potterheads for a New Year’s Eve Hogwarts feast, and toast to a magical 2017 with a glass of butterbeer. Join in the festivities with Freeform on Twitter and Facebook. Happy New Year!

The Julenisse: Scandinavian Yule/Christmas Fairies

Julenisse by Curt Nystrom Stoopendaal (1893-1965)

In the Norse tradition, a type of fairy called a nis or nisse takes the place of Santa Claus, bringing gifts to good children on Christmas Eve.

Nisse, according to the nineteenth-century Irish historian and author Thomas Keightley, are the same type of fairies called “brownies” in southern Scotland and England, “kobolds” in Germany, and tomte in Sweden. They are also sometimes called “gnomes.” Keightley suggests that Nisse is a shortened form of the name Nicholas, in the same way that the names Niels, Niclas, and Klas or Claas are. So the Julenisse is the nis that comes during the pre-Christian festival Jul or Yule, the celebration that is held at the winter solstice. When Norway converted to Christianity in the tenth century, King Haakon I moved the Yule celebration to coincide with Christmas, and over time Yule became the Norwegian name for Christmas.

In Scandinavia, Yule is not just a day—it’s an entire season, beginning in mid-December and lasting until mid-January. It begins on December 13, the day when the sun sets the earliest. December 13 is celebrated in Scandinavia as Santa Lucia Day, which, according to travel writer Rick Steves, “kicked off a period when gnomes and trolls ran wild and no work was allowed.” During that time, people left out a gift of food—porridge with a pat of butter on top was traditional--for the Julenisse, just as children leave cookies and milk for Santa. Rick Steves says, “Many farms would make up a bed for the nisse on Christmas Eve, and set an honorary place for him at the table.”

The Julenisse resembles Santa Claus in more than just his name. He looks like an old man with a white beard. According to author Edain McCoy, his face is “merry and kind.” Traditionally, he wears a grey suit and a red cap, although some illustrators make his suit red rather than grey. He also rewards good behavior by performing work around the family farm, like sweeping the kitchen and currying the horses.

The Julenisse is also like Santa’s elves: he is smaller than a human (Keightley says that he is about the size of “a year-old child”), and he is an expert worker. His clothes and hat also resemble those of Santa’s elves. Some sources say that his ears are slightly pointed, and some refer to the Julenisse as an elf. It seems likely that the Julenisse influenced our modern concept of Santa—and of Santa’s elves.