General Chat

Epiphany today; my reason for posting Three Kings.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUQdSpJ3k50

Three Kings from Persian lands afar
To Jordan follow the pointing star:
And this the quest of the travellers three,
Where the new-born King of the Jews may be.
Full royal gifts they bear for the King;
Gold, incense, myrrh are their offering.

http://www.carols.org.uk/a25-hymn-for-christmas-day.htm

The words and lyrics of the old Christmas carol the 'Hymn for Christmas Day' which is also known as 'See Amid The Winter's Snow' were written by Edward Caswall (1814-1878). Caswell was the son of a vicar and attended Oxford University. In 1847 he converted to Catholic faith. He wrote original lyrics to hymns and also translated original Latin texts. The music was composed by John Goss (1800-1880). Goss was an organist at St Paul's Cathedral and a Professor at the Royal Academy of Music. He received a knighthood in 1872. In 1871 Henry Ramsden Bramley (1833-1917) and John Stainer (1840-1901) published the collection of 'Christmas Carols New and Old' in which the 'Hymn for Christmas Day' was featured.


See amid the winter's snow,
Born for us on earth below,
See the tender Lamb appears,
Promised from eternal years.

Chorus
Hail, thou ever-blessed morn!
Hail, redemption's happy dawn!
Sing through all Jerusalem,
Christ is born in Bethlehem.

Lo, within a manger lies
He who built the starry skies;
He who throned in height sublime
Sits amid the cherubim.
Chorus

Say, ye holy shepherds, say
What your joyful news today;
Wherefore have ye left your sheep
On the lonely mountain steep?
Chorus

"As we watched at dead of night,
Lo, we saw a wondrous light; [1]
Angels singing peace on earth
Told us of the Saviour's birth".
Chorus

Sacred infant, all divine,
What a tender love was thine,
Thus to come from highest bliss
Down to such a world as this.
Chorus

Teach, O teach us , Holy Child,
By Thy Face so meek and mild,
Teach us to resemble Thee,
In Thy Sweet humility!
Chorus

Thank you.

Thinking of all those for whom Christmas may be a sad time as well as a joyful time for others.

Today, the last day in Advent before Christmas Day, I opened the last door in the Advent calendar, and there was a picture of the Baby in a manager.

Happy Christmas.

Today is the anniversary of my father in law's death.
He loved Christmas and loved music.
His favorite carol was the shepherds farewell posted earlier.
The choir that he sang with sung it at his funeral as it seemed appropriate

.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p0vO4LDImrc

Dear Joy

Hello

Hope you are okay.

This is a lovely thread to read through.


Here is a comforting prayer I found recently.

Hope other readers will like it too.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dear Lord Jesus,


Please forgive me for being so grumpy as I trudge through
the never-ending tasks set before me this holiday season


My to do list seems to keep growing with shopping, church services
and family gatherings

and I'm running short of time.


Restore the joy of Christmas to my heart

and help me to relax each day and make time for

YOU

my one true Source of Joy.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Take gentle care
Very best wishes
Elizabeth, EOS
xx

Thank you for the link, Rose, and, yes, I liked it so much that I listened again :-)

I remember that from your posting last year Joy :-D

also this one, some great singing

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vnt7euRF5Pg

Christmas Food Court Flash Mob, Hallelujah Chorus
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXh7JR9oKVE

This is for all the ladies sorry gents

If I were Santa Claus, you know what I would do,
Id get rid of all those silly gifts given to you,
And deliver instead, some things just inside your back door,
Things you have lost, but treasured before.

I'd give you back all your maidenly vigor,
And to go along with it, a neat tiny figure.
Then I'd restore the old colour that once graced your hair,
Before rinses and bleaches took residence there !

I'd bring back the shape with which you were gifted,
So that things now suspended,need not be uplifted.
I'd draw in your tummy and smooth down your back
so you'd be a dream in those tight fitting slacks.

I'd remove all your wrinkles, and leave only one chin,
So you wouldn't spend hours rubbing grease into your skin,
You'd never have flashes or queer dizzy spells,
And you wouldnt hear noises like ringing of bells.

No sore aching feet, and no corns on your toes,
No searching for spectacles , when they're right on your nose.
Not a shot would you take in your arm, hip or fanny,
From a young doctor who thinks you are a nervous old granny.

You'd never have a headache, so no pills would you would you tale,
And no heating pad needed since your muscles won't ache.
Yes I was Santa, you'd never look stupid,
You'd be a cute little chick with the romance of a cupid.

I'd give a lift to your heart, when those wolves start to whistle,
And the joys of your heart would be light as a thistle,
But alas I am not Santa, I'm simply just me.

Now I wish I could tell you all the symptons Iv'e got,
As I am due at the doctors for an estrogen shot.
Even though we've grown olde this wish is sincere
Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year.

http://www.topmarks.co.uk/Christmas/Advent.aspx

During Advent there are no flowers decorating the church, but it is customary to have an Advent Crown also known as an Advent Wreath. These are made from a circle of evergreen plants such as holly and ivy. This symbolises God with no beginning or end. The evergreen is a reminder that God does not change. The holly is also a symbol of the crown of thorns that Jesus wore when he was crucified. Four candles are fixed round the circle and another is placed in the middle.

Various colours of candles have been used such as three purple and a pink with one white in the middle. The unlit candles represent darkness. One purple candle is lit on the first Sunday of Advent. On the second Sunday it is lit again together with another purple one, the third purple one is lit on the third Sunday and on the fourth Sunday the pink candle is included. On Christmas Day the white candle is also lit representing Jesus Christ as the light of the world. A recent idea is to use four red candles and one white, red being a colour associated with Christmas.

The candles act as reminders to Christians:

The first candle is the candle of 'Hope', so prayers on this day focus on hope. This candle represents the 'Patriarchs' such as Abraham and David.
The second candle is a symbol of God's 'Peace'. This candle reminds Christians of the Prophets who foretold that the Messiah would be born.
The third candle represents 'Love' and stands for John the Baptist who baptised Jesus.
The fourth candle symbolises 'Joy' and when this candle is lit Christians remember Mary the mother of Jesus who was joyful when the angel Gabriel told her she was to have a special baby.
The fifth candle reminds Christians of the birth of Jesus on Christmas Day.

http://www.whychristmas.com/cultures/holland.shtml

Christmas in Holland / The Netherlands

For most children in Holland, the most important day during the Christmas Celebrations is 5th December, when Sinterklaas (St. Nicholas) brings them their presents!

St. Nicholas' day is on the 6th December, but in Holland, the major celebrations are held on the 5th December. The name Santa Claus comes from the name Sinterklaas.

Thank you for adding.

While at junior school we learnt Silent night in French & German to help us understand the languages better & I think it did - I will always remember that Christmas.

Silent Night was written on Christmas Eve in 1818 in Oberndorf, Austria. One common story of this carol was that the organ at St. Nicholas Church was broken. Others claim that there is no evidence for this and that Joseph Mohr, the assistant pastor of the church, requested the instrumentation simply because he loved guitar music. In any event, Mohr had written a poem "Stille Nacht" in 1816. On December 24, 1818 he gave the poem to his friend the church organist, Franz Gruber. Gruber immediately composed the melody and arranged it for two voices, choir, and guitar. It was finished in time to be performed that night at the Midnight Mass. By 1955, Silent Night had become the most recorded song of all time.





Stille Nacht! Heil'ge Nacht!
Alles schläft; einsam wacht
Nur das traute heilige Paar.
Holder Knab' im lockigten Haar,
Schlafe in himmlischer Ruh!

Stille Nacht! Heil'ge Nacht!
Gottes Sohn, o wie lacht
Lieb' aus deinem göttlichen Mund,
Da uns schlägt die rettende Stund'.
Jesus in deiner Geburt!

Stille Nacht! Heil'ge Nacht!
Die der Welt Heil gebracht,
Aus des Himmels goldenen Höhn,
Uns der Gnaden Fülle läßt sehn,
Jesum in Menschengestalt!

Stille Nacht! Heil'ge Nacht!
Wo sich heut alle Macht
Väterlicher Liebe ergoß,
Und als Bruder huldvoll umschloß
Jesus die Völker der Welt!

Stille Nacht! Heil'ge Nacht!
Lange schon uns bedacht,
Als der Herr vom Grimme befreit
In der Väter urgrauer Zeit
Aller Welt Schonung verhieß!

Stille Nacht! Heil'ge Nacht!
Hirten erst kundgemacht
Durch der Engel Alleluja,
Tönt es laut bei Ferne und Nah:
"Jesus der Retter ist da!"




Silent night, holy night
All is calm, all is bright
Round yon Virgin Mother and Child
Holy Infant so tender and mild
Sleep in heavenly peace
Sleep in heavenly peace

Silent night, holy night!
Shepherds quake at the sight
Glories stream from heaven afar
Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia!
Christ, the Saviour is born
Christ, the Saviour is born

Silent night, holy night
Son of God, love's pure light
Radiant beams from Thy holy face
With the dawn of redeeming grace
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth "


Douce nuit, sainte nuit,
Tout s'endort au dehors,
Le saint couple seul veille
Sur l'enfant qui someille.
Au ciel l'astre reluit

Douce nuit, sainte nuit,
Quel bonheur dans les coeurs,
Quand les bergers entendent
Les saints anges qui chantent:
Il est né, le sauveur

Douce nuit, sainte nuit,
Jetez-vous à genoux.
Bergers, c'est le Méssie,
Jésus, né de Marie,
Dieu, fait homme pour nous

Douce nuit, sainte nuit,
Fils de Dieu, tu souris.
Voilà enfin cette heure attendue
Qui annonce notre salut,
Ta naissance, Jésus Christ

Douce nuit, sainte nuit !
Dans les cieux l'astre luit.
Le mystère annoncé s'accomplit.
Cet enfant sur la paille endormi,
C'est l'amour infini !

Paix à tous ! Gloire au ciel !
Gloire au sein maternel,
Qui, pour nous en ce jour de Noël,
Enfanta le Sauveur éternel
Qu'attendait Israël !

We have a Christingle service tomorrow for the children.

I have been preparing oranges all morning !

Advent Sunday tomorrow, 2nd December.

http://www.crivoice.org/cyepiph.html
Epiphany

http://italianowithjodina.com/tag/epifania/
Befana is the folk character who rides in on a broom on the eve of January 6th, coinciding with l’Epifania, (Epiphany), the date when i re magi (the wisemen) are said to have arrived in Bethlehem.

http://www.sacred-texts.com/etc/fwe/fwe07.htm

http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/christianity/holydays/epiphany.shtml

Silent Night across the world

http://silentnight.web.za/


1. Silent night! Holy night!
All is calm, all is bright,
Round yon Virgin Mother and Child!
Holy Infant, so tender and mild,
Sleep in heavenly peace!
Sleep in heavenly peace!

2. Silent night! Holy night!
Shepherds quake at the sight!
Glories stream from Heaven afar,
Heavenly Hosts sing Alleluia!
Christ, the Saviour, is born!
Christ, the Saviour, is born!

3. Silent night! Holy night!
Son of God, loves pure light
Radiant beams from Thy Holy Face
With the dawn of redeeming grace,
Jesus, Lord, at Thy Birth!
Jesus, Lord, at Thy Birth!

4. Silent Night, Holy Night
Here at last, healing light
From the heavenly kingdom sent,
Abundant grace for our intent.
Jesus, salvation for all.
Jesus, salvation for all.

5. Silent Night! Holy Night"
Sleeps the world in peace tonight.
God sends his Son to earth below
A Child from whom all blessings flow
Jesus, embraces mankind.
Jesus, embraces mankind.

6. Silent Night, Holy Night
Mindful of mankind's plight
The Lord in Heav'n on high decreed
From earthly woes we would be freed
Jesus, God's promise for peace.
Jesus, God's promise for peace.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-16325524

Thousands of Christian pilgrims and tourists from around the world have converged on Bethlehem for Christmas.

Some 90,000 visitors are expected in the Palestinian West Bank town, which is staging a procession and concerts.

Crowds gathered early to sing carols around the 50ft (15m) Christmas tree in Manger Square.

Celebrations will culminate in Midnight Mass at the 1,700-year-old Church of the Nativity, built on the spot where it is believed Jesus was born.

'Unique Christmas'
The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Fuad Twal, has travelled from Jerusalem to Bethlehem, where he will later lead the Midnight Mass.

Christmas Food Court Flash Mob, Hallelujah Chorus http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXh7JR9oKVE