Christmas in Australia

 

Above: On Santa's Knee


Many people when they think of Christmas, picture snow, fires blazing, snowmen built by happy children and happy people skating across the frozen lakes. But here in Australia, there is no snow, there are no fires and there certainly aren't any snowmen or skaters. Here it is the middle of summer, hot desert winds and the threat of bushfires. Most of the Christmas carols we hear are about the Northern Hemisphere - snow, cold etc.

 

Above: Australian Christmas Carol Book

But did you know - there are Australian Christmas carols, not that many perhaps, but we do have a few. One of my favourites is "the Three Drovers". The music and lyrics were both written by e used to sing this at school. Sadly, these Australian Christmas carols aren't played over the loud speakers in shopping centres on or the radio. I learned these when I was in grade 3 or 4 and still have my carol book (pictured above)

Here is my all time favourite Australian Christmas Carol, "The Three Drovers" - a drover is a chap who spends his live droving - moving sheep or cattle over long distances.


Today's quote: Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful ~ Norman Vincent Peale.

'Twas the Night Before Christmas

Many years ago, a talented American gent Clement Clarke Moore, wrote a poem about Christmas Eve and how Father Christmas or Santa Claus flies through the sky in a sleigh pulled by eight reindeer and how he lands on the rooftops and comes down the chimneys to leave gifts for children. Little could he have known how popular his poem would become.

Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St Nicholas soon would be there.

 

Today's quote: Dear Santa, I already have everything I could possibly wish for this year. Got my family, good friends and LOVE. Please take care of those who need you. THANK YOU!! XX

Christmas 2010

I would like to wish everyone a happy and holy Christmas filled with joy and love. May your day and the days to follow be happy and fullfilled. I have not been very well and have not visited your lovely blogs but I will do so hopefully in a few days.

 

I wish for everyone a life of happy times and love.

Today's quote: Christmas is not a time nor a season, but a state of mind. To cherish peace and goodwill, to be plenteous in mercy, is to have the real spirit of Christmas ~ Calvin Coolidge.

Christmas Downunder - Aussie Style

Pass the Salad
Christmas 2009 - A great day was had by all. I hope your Christmas was wonderful too.
Cheers.

But the Angel said to them,
Do not be afraid, for behold,
I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people,
For today in the city of David,there has been born for you a Saviour,
Who is Christ the Lord.

"Adeste Fideles" is the name of a hymn tune attributed to John Francis Wade and the first line of the Latin text for which the tune was written. The text itself has unclear beginnings, and may have been written in the 13th century.



I wish everybody a happy and holy Christmas, and for those who are unhappy or troubled, may you find peace, love and happiness. May the Spirit of Christmas fill your heart with hope and bring you joy.

Christmas Angels

'Angels' in Greek mean 'Messengers' The Angel Gabriel gave Mary the message that She was to bear a child. It is said we all have a Guardian Angel. We place an Angel on top of our Christmas tree. According to the New Testament, when people are sorry for their sins, the Angels rejoice. Angels voices filled the skies on the night of Jesus birth.

Angels We Have Heard On HighThe words of this song are based on a traditional French carol known as Les Anges dans nos campagnes (literally, "Angels in our countryside"). Its most common English version was translated in 1862 by James Chadwick.

This recording is from Carols by Candlelight. Every Christmas Eve since around 1955, in the Sidney Myer Music Bowl here in Melbourne, the carols have been performed and proceeds go to the RVIB. (Royal Victorian Institute for the Blind.) And every Christmas Eve, hundreds of people have their television stations tuned to channel 9 watching this wonderful performance.

Just to add, this recording has the best version of "Angels We Have Heard On High". The singer is Mariah Carey and this song has sort of become her "signature" piece at the carols. Thousands of people sit on chairs, and on the grass, holding a lighted candle, waving them around for two or three hours every Christmas Eve.
Christmas Blessings.
God bless.

The Empty Christmas Stocking

The Christmas Stocking These are my family's stockings, and we have from left - Master 5, Master 4, Master nearly 2, Miss 8 months and Miss 7 months.

I want to tell you the story of an empty stocking

Once upon a midnight clear, there was a child's cry, a blazing star hung over a stable, and wise men came with birthday gifts. We haven't forgotten that night down the centuries. We celebrate it with stars on Christmas trees, with the sound of bells, and with gifts.

But especially with gifts. You give me a book, I give you a tie. Aunt Martha has always wanted an orange squeezer and Uncle Henry can do with a new pipe. For we forget nobody, adult or child. All the stockings are filled, all that is, except one. And we have even forgotten to hang it up. The stocking for the Child born in a manger. Its His birthday we're celebrating. Don't let us ever forget that.

Let us ask ourselves what He would wish for most. And then, let each put in his share, loving kindness, warm hearts, and a stretched out hand of tolerance. All the shinning gifts that make peace on earth.

Cantique de Noël (O Holy Night)
The first time I heard this carol it brought tears to my eyes, it is so beautiful. Composed by Adolphe Adam in 1847 to the French poem "Minuit, chrétiens" by Placide Cappeau (1808-1877), a wine merchant and poet. Cappeau was asked to write a Christmas poem by a parish priest.

The great Enrico Caruso recorded this on 23rd February 1916.


Boun Natale.

The Kinglake Christmas Tree

From the ashes comes hope ~ Kinglake was one of the towns that was wiped out in the Black Saturday bushfires this year. The two blackened stumps are remnants of that fire. This photo was taken last week - outside the Kinglake police station. The adding of a Christmas tree and decorations brings a glimmer of hope not only to children but adults as well. Below the photo is the story of the Christmas Tree.

The Story of the Christmas Tree
Many hundreds of years ago, people thought evergreen trees were special and put candles on them to banish the dark of winter. Throughout 10th century Europe came a beautiful story, (said to have been told by an Arabian named Georg Jacob) that on the night that Christ was born, all the trees in all the forests - even those in frozen countries - blossomed for one night, and bore fruit.

In 13th century France, legend tells of a huge tree in the forest lit with candles - some were straight, some upside down, and at the top of the tree there was an infant with a halo around his head. The tree represented humanity, the candles were people, good and bad, and the child was Jesus.

It is said that Martin Luther returning home one dark night, saw stars twinkling through the evergreen trees, and brought indoors a small fir and lit it with candles to show his family. From there, indoor Christmas trees spread throughout Germany and across Europe - Prince Albert set up a Christmas tree in England when he married Queen Victoria in 1841.

From Germany comes today's beautiful old Christmas carol O Tannenbaum (O Christmas Tree) sung by the Vienna Boy's Choir. A Tannenbaum is a fir tree and this version was written in 1824 by Ernst Anschütz. The melody is an old folk tune.

Fröhliche Weihnachten

The Sounds of Christmas

Music is what feelings sound like These three young girls started playing yesterday outside the Healesville shopping centre and brought smiles to all who passed.

Each day from now until Christmas Day I will be posting something Christmas related and will include a (Youtube) video of some of my favourite Christmas carols. I hope you enjoy them as much as I like listening to them.

Today it is Il est né le Divin Enfant, a traditional French Christmas carol, the original words written in Latin by a Franciscan Priest in the XIIIth century, and sung by the children's choir, the Petits Chanteurs à la Croix de Bois.


Joyeux Noel.