CHRISTMAS BERRY
The Christmas berry
Evergreen and spiny
With flowers of every hue
From white to blue
With abundant berries
Bright red as cherries
A CAROL FOR THE 21ST CENTURY – WE THREE KINGS
We three Kings of Orient are,
Bearing gifts we traverse afar,
Beer and liqueur
CD and voucher
Following yonder star
THE BEST CHRISTMAS STORIES – CHRISTMAS NOVELLA # 5
The Haunted Man and the Ghost’s Bargain, A Fancy for Christmas-Time
The Haunted Man and the Ghost’s Bargain, A Fancy for Christmas-Time was written by Charles Dickens.
It’s perhaps more often known as The Haunted Man and the Ghost’s Bargain or even just as The Haunted Man.
It was the fifth and final Christmas novella and was first published in 1848.
It is more a story about the spirit of Christmas than about Christmas itself, in the same style as A Christmas Carol, the first in the series of Christmas books.
But instead of Ebeneezer Scrooge the story centres on a Professor Redlaw and those close to him.
Redlaw, a teacher of chemistry is an embittered man who often broods over wrongs done him and grief from his past life.
He is haunted by a spirit, who takes away all of his grief and sorrows but without them he develops uncontrollable anger and bitterness as he interacts with those from in his sphere.
The moral of the tale is that you have to remember past sorrows and wrongs done to you and forgive those responsible.
The novel concludes with everyone back to normal and Redlaw, like Ebenezer, a changed man.
ARE YOU WEARING RED TINSEL?
Are you wearing red tinsel?
Tied amidst your lustrous curls
Red can be a devilish colour
So are you a devilish kind of girl?
THE BEST CHRISTMAS MOVIES EVER – THE CASE FOR CHRISTMAS
This is a variation on the classic “Miracle On 34th Street” which has Santa facing a class-action suit for disappointing children at Christmas.
As a result he hires, widower and single parent, Michael Sherman (Dean Cain) as his lawyer. He chose Michael in order to both defend the lawsuit and to give Santa the chance to bring Michael out of his emotional malaise.
Although it doesn’t in anyway live up to “Miracle On 34th Street” it is still a very enjoyable piece of Christmas entertainment.
Santa is portrayed exceptionally well by George Buza while the love interest Lauren, (Rachel Blanchard) is an absolute delight.
Also the hero’s daughter Lily Sherman (Helen Colliander) gives a particularly mature performance.
All round it is an excellent movie although the Elves are a little annoying.
LAST CHRISTMAS I GAVE YOU # 3
Last Christmas, I gave you my heart,
But I’m sorry to say,
That your gift to me
Was chlamydia
FAVOURITE CHRISTMAS SONG # 52 BLUE CHRISTMAS
Despite the general awfulness of the Christmas song there are however always exceptions to the rule and I have a short list of personal favorites.
Without exception all my choices not only include the song but the best performer of that song and so in no particular order here is my fifty second selection.
"Blue Christmas"
Written by Billy Hayes and Jay W. Johnson
Performed by Elvis Presley
I’ll have a blue Christmas without you
I’ll be so blue just thinking about you
Decorations of red on a green Christmas tree
Won’t be the same dear, if you're not here with me
And when those blue snowflakes start falling
That's when those blue memories start calling
You’ll be doin all right, with your Christmas of white
But I'll have a blue, blue blue blue Christmas
[Instrumental]
You’ll be doin all right, with your Christmas of white,
But I'll have a blue, blue Christmas
CHRISTMAS ARRIVAL
So what should we name you?
On such an auspicious day
It must be a fitting name
And chosen in a respectful way
We couldn’t name you Jesus
That just wouldn’t fit
You couldn’t go thru life
Named Jesus Schmitt
And anyway you’re a girl
So we named you Kit
FAVOURITE CHRISTMAS CAROL # 35 CANDLELIGHT CAROL
Candlelight Carol
Music and lyrics written by John Rutter
How do you capture the wind on the water?
How do you count all the stars in the sky?
How do you measure the love of a mother
Or how can you write down a baby's first cry?
Candlelight, angel light, firelight and star-glow
Shine on his cradle till breaking of dawn
Silent night, holy night, all is calm and all is bright
Angels are singing; the Christ child is born
Shepherds and wise men will kneel and adore him
Seraphim round him their vigil will keep
Nations proclaim him their Lord and their Saviour
But Mary will hold him and sing him to sleep
Candlelight, angel light, firelight and star-glow
Shine on his cradle till breaking of dawn
Silent night, holy night, all is calm and all is bright
Angels are singing; the Christ child is born
Find him at Bethlehem laid in a manger
Christ our Redeemer asleep in the hay
Godhead incarnate and hope of salvation
A child with his mother that first Christmas Day
Candlelight, angel light, firelight and star-glow
Shine on his cradle till breaking of dawn
Silent night, holy night, all is calm and all is bright
Angels are singing; the Christ child is born
CHRISTMAS PICKUP # 1
When you’re on the pull
If you want to break the ice
Say something funny
Or say something nice
Be complimentary
Or just lie in your endeavour
Be devastatingly witty
Or say something clever
During the Christmas season
Walk up to them and say
“They call me Jingle Bells
Because I go all the way”
Thursday, 8 December 2016
Wednesday, 7 December 2016
Christmas Selection Box # 15
A CAROL FOR THE 21ST CENTURY – RUDOLPH THE RED NOSED REINDEER
Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer, had a very shiny nose,
And if you ever saw it, you would even say it glows,
All of the other reindeer used to laugh and call him names,
They never let poor Rudolph join in any reindeer games.
(Now I don’t want you to think it was because he was a freak
The simple truth is Rudolph was a really anti social little bastard)
ARE YOU WEARING GOLDEN TINSEL?
Are you wearing Golden tinsel?
Tied amidst your lustrous curls
It makes you look so beautiful
And more like an angel than a girl
THE BEST CHRISTMAS STORIES – CHRISTMAS NOVELLA # 4
The Battle of Life: A Love Story
The Battle of Life: A Love Story is Christmas novella number four by Charles Dickens, first published in 1846.
It is set in an English village that stands on the site of a historic battle.
Some characters refer to the battle as a metaphor for the struggles of life, hence the title.
Uniquely it is the only one of the five Christmas Books that has no religious of supernatural themes and is ostensibly a love story for two sisters, Grace and Marion.
As is typical with Dickens however the ending is a happy one.
LAST CHRISTMAS I GAVE YOU # 2
Last Christmas, I gave you my heart,
But I’m sorry to say,
You really
Needed a kidney
THE BEST CHRISTMAS MOVIES EVER – WILL YOU MERRY ME?
Despite the silly title it’s actually a very enjoyable film.
It’s about Rebecca Fine (Vikki Krinsky) a Jewish girl. From an upper class Los Angeles family and Henry Kringle (Tommy Lioutas), from a choir-singing, church going, dyed in the wool traditionalist family from the Midwest who are in love.
Not only that they become engaged just before Christmas and as a result the Fine’s agree to delay their vacation in Aspen and meet the Kringle’s the week of Hanukah just before Christmas in Madison, Wisconsin.
Which is when the humour really starts as the two cultures collide and despite both sides good intentions and their trying to respect each other’s' traditions, it turns out to be a bumpy ride.
The film is definitely at its funniest when the main protagonists, Suzie Fine (Wendie Malick) and Marilyn Kringle (Cynthia Stevenson) butt antlers.
Very enjoyable and well worth a watch you will soon forget the silly title.
TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS # 12
Twas the night before Christmas
And all thru the bungalow
not a creature was stirring
In the firelight glow
FAVOURITE CHRISTMAS CAROL # 34 I HEARD THE BELLS ON CHRISTMAS DAY
I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day
Music by Johnny Marks
Lyrics written by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
I heard the bells on Christmas day
Their old familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet the words repeat
Of peace on earth, good will to men.
And thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along the unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.
Till ringing, singing on its way
The world revolved from night to day,
A voice, a chime, a chant sublime
Of peace on earth, good will to men.
And in despair I bowed my head
“There is no peace on earth,” I said,
“For hate is strong and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.”
Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
“God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail
With peace on earth, good will to men.”
CHRISTMAS GREEN
The Christmas green
Festively untypical
It’s just a club moss
With creeping stems
Similar to ferns
With erect branches
It has no scarlet hues
Nor star shaped flowers
It’s quite unremarkably
Just another evergreen
FAVOURITE CHRISTMAS SONG # 19
Despite the general awfulness of the Christmas song there are however always exceptions to the rule and I have a short list of personal favourites.
Without exception all my choices not only include the song but the best performer of that song and so in no particular order here is my nineteenth selection.
In Dulci Jubilo
Music by Mike Oldfield, Lyrics by M. Oldfield / W. Murray
Good Christian men, rejoice,
With heart and soul, and voice;
Give ye heed to what we say:
Jesus Christ is born to-day;
Ox and ass before him bow,
And he is in the manger now.
Christ is born to-day!
Christ is born to-day!
Good Christian men, rejoice,
With heart and soul, and voice;
Now ye hear of endless bliss:
Jesus Christ was born for this!
He hath oped the heavenly door,
And man is blessed evermore.
Christ was born for this!
Christ was born for this!
Good Christian men, rejoice,
With heart and soul, and voice;
Now ye need not fear the grave:
Jesus Christ was born to save!
Calls you one and calls you all
To gain his everlasting hall.
Christ was born to save!
Christ was born to save!
WHEN MY LITTLE DOG’S SETTLE DOWN
When my little dog’s settle down
On Christmas Eve amidst the snores
The little doggies dream like a child
And they dream about Santa Paws
Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer, had a very shiny nose,
And if you ever saw it, you would even say it glows,
All of the other reindeer used to laugh and call him names,
They never let poor Rudolph join in any reindeer games.
(Now I don’t want you to think it was because he was a freak
The simple truth is Rudolph was a really anti social little bastard)
ARE YOU WEARING GOLDEN TINSEL?
Are you wearing Golden tinsel?
Tied amidst your lustrous curls
It makes you look so beautiful
And more like an angel than a girl
THE BEST CHRISTMAS STORIES – CHRISTMAS NOVELLA # 4
The Battle of Life: A Love Story
The Battle of Life: A Love Story is Christmas novella number four by Charles Dickens, first published in 1846.
It is set in an English village that stands on the site of a historic battle.
Some characters refer to the battle as a metaphor for the struggles of life, hence the title.
Uniquely it is the only one of the five Christmas Books that has no religious of supernatural themes and is ostensibly a love story for two sisters, Grace and Marion.
As is typical with Dickens however the ending is a happy one.
LAST CHRISTMAS I GAVE YOU # 2
Last Christmas, I gave you my heart,
But I’m sorry to say,
You really
Needed a kidney
THE BEST CHRISTMAS MOVIES EVER – WILL YOU MERRY ME?
Despite the silly title it’s actually a very enjoyable film.
It’s about Rebecca Fine (Vikki Krinsky) a Jewish girl. From an upper class Los Angeles family and Henry Kringle (Tommy Lioutas), from a choir-singing, church going, dyed in the wool traditionalist family from the Midwest who are in love.
Not only that they become engaged just before Christmas and as a result the Fine’s agree to delay their vacation in Aspen and meet the Kringle’s the week of Hanukah just before Christmas in Madison, Wisconsin.
Which is when the humour really starts as the two cultures collide and despite both sides good intentions and their trying to respect each other’s' traditions, it turns out to be a bumpy ride.
The film is definitely at its funniest when the main protagonists, Suzie Fine (Wendie Malick) and Marilyn Kringle (Cynthia Stevenson) butt antlers.
Very enjoyable and well worth a watch you will soon forget the silly title.
TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS # 12
Twas the night before Christmas
And all thru the bungalow
not a creature was stirring
In the firelight glow
FAVOURITE CHRISTMAS CAROL # 34 I HEARD THE BELLS ON CHRISTMAS DAY
I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day
Music by Johnny Marks
Lyrics written by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
I heard the bells on Christmas day
Their old familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet the words repeat
Of peace on earth, good will to men.
And thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along the unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.
Till ringing, singing on its way
The world revolved from night to day,
A voice, a chime, a chant sublime
Of peace on earth, good will to men.
And in despair I bowed my head
“There is no peace on earth,” I said,
“For hate is strong and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.”
Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
“God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail
With peace on earth, good will to men.”
CHRISTMAS GREEN
The Christmas green
Festively untypical
It’s just a club moss
With creeping stems
Similar to ferns
With erect branches
It has no scarlet hues
Nor star shaped flowers
It’s quite unremarkably
Just another evergreen
FAVOURITE CHRISTMAS SONG # 19
Despite the general awfulness of the Christmas song there are however always exceptions to the rule and I have a short list of personal favourites.
Without exception all my choices not only include the song but the best performer of that song and so in no particular order here is my nineteenth selection.
In Dulci Jubilo
Music by Mike Oldfield, Lyrics by M. Oldfield / W. Murray
Good Christian men, rejoice,
With heart and soul, and voice;
Give ye heed to what we say:
Jesus Christ is born to-day;
Ox and ass before him bow,
And he is in the manger now.
Christ is born to-day!
Christ is born to-day!
Good Christian men, rejoice,
With heart and soul, and voice;
Now ye hear of endless bliss:
Jesus Christ was born for this!
He hath oped the heavenly door,
And man is blessed evermore.
Christ was born for this!
Christ was born for this!
Good Christian men, rejoice,
With heart and soul, and voice;
Now ye need not fear the grave:
Jesus Christ was born to save!
Calls you one and calls you all
To gain his everlasting hall.
Christ was born to save!
Christ was born to save!
WHEN MY LITTLE DOG’S SETTLE DOWN
When my little dog’s settle down
On Christmas Eve amidst the snores
The little doggies dream like a child
And they dream about Santa Paws
Tuesday, 6 December 2016
The Girl in the Red Dress
The Girl in the Red Dress (Part One)
Steve Berry had always had a dislike for Christmas, despite all the jollity and faux fun because unlike many of his Christmas mad friends he had no happy Christmas memories to anesthetise him against the season.
His parents were alcoholics and each year their Christmas came in a bottle and thanks to his father Steve’s came with a slap.
So his childhood Christmases were memories he would rather have forgotten.
But adulthood brought no relief and it always seemed to him that when shit happens Christmas just magnifies the misery.
If someone dies at Christmas the very season makes it more keenly felt.
He could testify to that as his mother died on Christmas Eve when he was 19.
He has no idea where his father is and quite frankly he doesn’t care.
He never showed up for the funeral and he could be dead as well for all he knew.
So as a result he has never trusted Christmas, he knows that shit lurks beneath the coloured lights and paper chains.
He used to dream of getting away at Christmas and going somewhere that doesn’t celebrate it in any way shape or form.
But where exactly is that place. If anyone has any ideas then answers on a postcard to Steve Berry.
So each year like the rest of us he is subjected to all the usual false jollity, Christmas Parties, Secret Santa’s and Christmas Lunch, Paper hats, crackers and all that shit.
And everywhere he would go from October onwards was bedecked with tinsel, garlands, bells, baubles and led lights.
Each and every shop plays endless spools of regurgitated Christmas tunes and God forbid you ever broach the subject of the morons who decorate the outside of their houses.
Steve never had a girlfriend at Christmas he always dumped them. Or got himself dumped, when they started to get too jolly.
So when he was 21 he developed the perfect anti Christmas strategy.
He would always save a chunk of annual leave and finished work at least one week before the big day and returned after the New Year debacle.
He would stock up with food along with the other festive numpties and armed with a stack of DVD box sets he became a Christmas recluse until the year turned.
It’s been 9 years now and he believes so far so good.
He has found it has become easier over the years with catch up TV, he just needed to avoid the adverts that remind him that it’s Christmas or that he can’t afford a holiday.
So he was in the Pig and Whistle, not exactly a real shit hole of a pub but the only one in town guaranteed not to play Christmas stuff because the landlord Phil hated Christmas almost as much as Steve did.
It was his last night out before his Christmas exile and it was his intention to get totally shitfaced as he had almost three weeks to recover.
He was not a social animal, he liked his own company and if he ever engaged in conversation with fellow patrons it was because he had initiated it.
He was averse to being rude if someone else spoke first.
So he was just enjoying his third pint as he sat in the furthest most corner of the bar reading his book when it happened.
“Hello” she said
Steve ignored her, normally if he didn’t respond they’d get the message and go away
“Hello” she said louder “Are you ok?”
“I was” he sighed
“Oh dear Mr Grinch” she said “what you need is some Christmas spirit”
“I’m fine” he insisted
“I don’t think you are sitting on your own in the furthest most corner” she said
Steve looked at her for the first time, she was roughly his age, maybe a little younger, and she was wearing a red dress and red and white striped stockings and had tinsel in her mousy hair.
“Who are you? The Christmas fairy?” he asked gruffly
He wanted to tell her to fuck off but she was quite cute.
“No I’m Holly, Phil’s niece” she said
“Holly? How very festive” He said sarcastically
“Yes I’m going to instil a little Christmas spirit” Holly said
“But Phil hates Christmas” Steve informed her
“I know” she said “which is why he’s going to Las Vegas until the New Year”
“When?” He asked
“Half an hour ago” she replied
“So are you going to come and join the rest of us?”
“No thanks I don’t do Christmas” he said and returned to his book
“Oh well perhaps some Christmas music will get you in the mood” she said resolutely
“Oh God” he said
The Christmas party mix was really grating on him but he was too far along with his Christmas strategy to go off hunting for another Christmas free pub so he had to put up with it.
As the evening wore on she persisted in trying to draw him out of his corner, but to no avail.
He left the corner only to go to the bar and get another drink and then returned to his solitude.
Apart from the music upsetting his plans there was the added annoyance of customers, more arriving every hour, word had got out that Phil “The Grinch who stole Christmas” had gone for the duration, and that there was a new Santa in town.
This only became a problem however when while he was at the bar and somebody took over his corner.
So he returned to the bar again.
“Back again already Steve?” Holly asked
“Someone is in my seat” he said
“Well pull up a stool” she suggested
“Do I have a choice?” he said grumpily
“You’re just a little ray of sunshine” she said and laughed
“I can see I’m going to have to use all my magic on you”
He settled himself down
“I’ve never seen it so busy in here” Steve said
“I know” Holly said “I’m going to need more staff at this rate”
“Good luck with that” he said
The Girl in the Red Dress (Part Two)
He woke up the next morning with his face stuck to the mock leather of a bench seat.
And when he painfully sat himself up he saw he was in the lounge bar of the Pig and Whistle.
Well he had intended getting shit faced the night before, so mission accomplished there, he had expected to wake up with a hangover, so another box ticked, but it was never part of the plan to wake up at the pub.
“Good morning sunshine” Holly called as she crashed through the door wearing a dressing gown and slippers.
“Ow” he said “have some respect for the dead”
She put a mug of black coffee on the table in front of him and peered at his bloodshot eyes
“Blimey! Can you actually see through those?” she asked
“I hope you don’t drink like that when you’re working”
“Well I don’t need to worry about work until January” he said and sipped at his coffee
“Don’t you remember anything about last night?” Holly asked with a wry smile on her lips
He closed his eyes and replied
“I remember I don’t like Christmas”
“Anything else?” Holly persisted
“It was very busy, very noisy” Steve said but could remember nothing else
“Do you remember me saying I needed more staff?” she asked
“Yes I do remember that” he replied
“Good” she said “because your it”
“What?” he said loudly and then winced
“You volunteered to work right through till New Year’s Eve”
“I can’t have” Steve said
“Well you did” She insisted and showed him a piece of paper detailing the fore mentioned offer signed by Steve.
“That doesn’t count” he said “I was pissed”
“It’s legally binding” Holly stated “It’s notarized by a solicitor”
Steve stared at the signature
“Sam Culver?” he said “he’s not a solicitor he’s a forklift driver”
“Be that as it may he has still witnessed your signature on this contract” she said coolly
“Contract?” he said in disbelieve
“Contract” she confirmed
“Oh please you’re not really going to hold me to this?” Steve said waving the “contract” in her direction
“You start tonight” she informed him
“Oh God I’ve sold my soul to the Christmas fairy” he said with his head in his hands
“I prefer Christmas angel” she said “But I’m not the one with tinsel in my hair”
“Oh shit” he exclaimed
“Get yourself a hair of the dog, I’m going to get dressed” Holly said smiling
“Oh and there’s no drinking on the job, by the way”
Over the week and a half that followed his entrapment, between his first shift and Christmas Eve, Holly had done her best to elicit the details of why it was that Steve hated Christmas so much.
Holly had noticed right at the beginning that he was not the miserable git that she first thought.
In fact that first night when he was forced to sit at the bar he had been very funny, once he managed to forget it was Christmas.
But every time he heard someone utter the words happy Christmas it was like he’d been stabbed.
So she relentlessly picked away at the scab every day, but she couldn’t get him to open up, but she wasn’t prepared to give up under any circumstances.
Steve would never have admitted it and despite his initial protests he was rather enjoying working behind a bar again.
He hadn’t done it since he left university and started working as an accountant.
The repetitive festive music still grated on him, though less so, even the Christmas t-shirts and jumpers that Holly made him wear had become less onerous.
Holly herself led by example and wore an almost inexhaustible supply of festive outfits and he had to admit she still looked cute in which ever one she was wearing.
She was a nosey cow though and kept poking and prodding at him trying to find out what made him tick.
But it amused him that his not playing ball was driving her crackers.
The Girl in the Red Dress (Part Three)
On Christmas Eve he drove to the pub, arriving at 9.30am, and thought
“It’s going to be a long day”
It was bitterly cold and the sky was grey and overcast, he sniffed the air and knocked on the front door which Holly opened within a couple of minutes and she was already dressed in her Christmas outfit, namely Mrs. Clause.
“Morning Steve” she said “Happy Christmas Eve”
“Why are you always so cheerful?” he asked in response
“Because “it’s a wonderful life”” she said
“Oh God are you going to throw festive film titles at me all day?”
“I hadn’t thought of that” she said “but it sounds like fun”
He took his coat off and revealed his jumper of the day adorned with a reindeers head.
“There’s snow in the air” he said hanging up his coat
“Lovely” she replied with a chuckle “White Christmas”
“Stop it” Steve said
Holly had walked to the bar picked something up and returned with it behind her back.
“What’s that?” he asked suspiciously
“Antlers” she said triumphantly and put them on his head
“Please no” he said “that’s too much”
“Stop whining Grinch or I’ll put the Christmas tape on” she threatened
They knew it was going to be busy in the pub that day so in addition to Holly and Steve there were barmaids Clare and Petra and in the kitchen were Stefano and Ausra.
It wasn’t manically busy but there was a steady flow all day, shoppers popping in for a warm, that kind of thing, and as it was such a bitter cold day the kitchen did a roaring trade in warming chili, casseroles and stews so much so that they kept the kitchen going right through the afternoon.
It was not however a day for cold desserts.
By five o’clock they had sold out and the till drawers were stuffed.
Holly kept taking them away to the office but they kept filling up.
While Holly counted the takings in the office, Steve and Petra manned the bar and Clare helped Steph and Ausra clear away.
Job done they joined Steve at the bar and were enjoying a well-earned drink when Holly came out.
“Well done you lot” she said “I hope that drink is on the house”
“It is” Steve said
“We have had a phenomenal day” she said handing out pay packets “so there’s a little something extra in there”
“Thanks boss” Stephanos said
“Cheers Hol” Petra
“Thanks Holly” Clare and Ausra said simultaneously
What she didn’t tell them was that the little extra was 100 pounds per head, they wouldn’t find that out until later.
“Where’s mine?” Steve asked
“Grinch tax” Holly said to the great amusement of the others and patted his cheek
“Charming” he replied but was laughing when he said it he knew that the others were finished until after Christmas he still and the evening shift.
Although he wasn’t bothered about the money particularly he knew he would get it, he had actually enjoyed Christmas Eve for the first time ever.
They all finished their drinks and it was the moment that Steve hated most, the final farewell when Christmas wishes were exchanged.
“Merry Christmas” Clare said and kissed Steve
“And you” he replied
“Happy Christmas Stevie” Ausra said kissing him
“Yes you too” said Steve
Happy, Happy Christmas” Petra said planting a very exuberant kiss on his mouth
“Ditto” he replied
“A very happy Christmas my friend” Stephanos said extravagantly and feigned to kiss him but shook his hand instead and roared with laughter.
“Have a good one” Steve said and also laughed.
When they had gone Steve noticed it had started snowing lightly.
“So why can’t you say Happy Christmas?” Holly asked
“I told you it was going to snow” he said
“Don’t change the subject” Holly persisted
“I can say it, I just didn’t need to as everyone else said it”
He answered “I didn’t want to wear the phrase out”
“Baubles” Holly said
Holly disappeared upstairs for half an hour and when she came down she had changed outfits
She wore a different red Dress with white trim and a more daring neckline
But instead of her customary stripy tights she was wearing black tights with holly motifs, how appropriate Steve thought as he was wiping down the tables in readiness for the next wave of punters.
Steve thought she was quite cute but he would have to liberate her from the Christmas stuff first if she was ever to progress further than cute.
“I wish I’d asked Steph to keep some Chili back” Holly said “I’m starving”
“Don’t worry” he said “when Debbie arrives I’ll go over the road and get a take away”
“Ok” she concurred “but what takeaway”
“Your choice, my treat” he replied
“What a Christmas treat?” Holly asked
“No just a treat” he replied and smiled
Debbie arrived right on time.
“The snows settling” she said as she went behind the bar
“Hi Debbie” Holly said
“So what’s your poison?” Steve asked
“Pizza” She replied very definitely “Pepperoni”
“Have you eaten Debbie?” he shouted
“Yes but I can eat a slice or two” she replied
As he walked across the road to Dominoes he noticed the snow was falling faster and would lay quite deep if it persisted.
Despite Debbie saying she would only eat a piece or two he decided to get a pizza each, he’d seen Debbie eat before and for a skinny bird she could really pack it away.
When he got back to the pub the clientele had almost doubled so he thought it was the beginning of the evening rush and wasn’t sure if they’d have time to enjoy the pizzas.
He needn’t have worried it proved to be a false dawn and the rush never materialized.
He was right about one thing Debbie demolished a whole pizza.
By seven o’clock the numbers hadn’t really changed even if the faces had.
And by eight with the snow falling thick and fast in near blizzard conditions it was fairly obvious punters weren’t going to be venturing out in any significant numbers.
Knowing that Debbie had a ten mile journey home Holly said
“I think you’d better get off hon or you won’t get home at all”
“Are you sure Hol?” Debbie asked
“Absolutely” She said and handed Debbie her coat and her pay packet.
“Thanks Holly” she said “Happy Christmas”
“Happy Christmas and drive safely” she said “Text me when your home”
“Ok, happy Christmas Steve” she said
“And you Deb” he replied
The Girl in the Red Dress (Part Four)
Holly had walked to the door with Debbie and stared out the window for a long time as she watched her get underway.
When she returned to the bar she said
“You’d better get off as well Steve”
“No I’ll stay a bit longer” he replied
“This might be your last chance” she said “it’s coming down like billy-o”
“That’s ok” he said “I can always kip in the lounge bar again”
It was a strange night although there weren’t many customers they still managed to sell quite a lot of beer.
They had a succession of punter coming in for jugs of ale, so much so that they ran out of jugs.
But all in all it was very quiet.
So by 9 o’clock Holly said
“Right let’s have a drink”
“I thought you didn’t like the staff drinking on duty” he said
“What the hell its Christmas” she replied and noticed that he visibly tensed at the word Christmas
She pulled him a pint and poured a glass of wine for herself.
And they sat on stools on the punters side of the bar to drink them.
“Do you mind if I crash here tonight Holly? He asked
“I’d rather you crashed here than out there” She replied
“And it looks like my plans for tomorrow will need to be revised, so we can spend the day together, if you like”
“Ok thanks” he said
They were well into their second drink when Holly asked
“So what exactly is the deal with you and Christmas?”
“Do we have to go there” he asked
“Yes we do” she said “I’ve been watching you this week and every time someone wishes you a happy Christmas you react as if you’ve been stabbed”
“Well I wouldn’t go that far” Steve responded
“I would” she said but he just shrugged
“Come on Steve” she insisted “You are such an infuriating man, cough it up”
“Can’t you just leave it alone?” he said
“You can’t tell me you haven’t enjoyed this week” she said “or that you would have preferred to be locked away in your flat pretending that that Christmas was just a bad dream”
Steve drained his glass and went through the hatch and pulled himself another one.
“I don’t want to go into all the details, suffice is to say that for me There was no happy little boy waiting for Santa on Christmas Eve” he said painfully
“My childhood was unbearable and Christmas was even more so”
Holly didn’t speak but sat with head sympathetically inclined
“Not everyone is raised by Mary Poppins” he said factiously
“That’s not very fare” Holly said hurtfully
“I suppose you think my Christmases were happy?”
Steve merely snorted
“I had a lousy Christmases as a child, my parents didn’t believe in it so we didn’t celebrate it,” she said forcefully
But Steve looked unconvinced
“My parents are hippies” She stated “Christmases for me were spent in a VW Camper van on Salisbury plain, don’t get me wrong, I love my parents and for me at the time it seemed perfectly normal and I was perfectly happy”
Holly paused
“And I would get a present, though it was never wrapped in Christmas paper, there was no Christmas trees, No baubles or tinsel, No garlands or colored lights, in my childhood Christmas just didn’t exist”
“So now you’re over compensating” Steve said and took another drink.
“Not at all I decided that feeling sorry for myself was not an option, and
I refused to be dictated to by the past” she said “I decided I would make new memories and stop looking back”
“I was 17 when I first experience a proper Christmas, and I thought it was wonderful, magical and I’ve made sure I’ve enjoyed everyone since”
“There is no similarity between our childhoods” he said
“Your childhood was happy it just didn’t include Christmas,
Mine was desperately unhappy”
“And you blame Christmas for it” Holly said “I know for your life was different, but I want to squeeze the most joy I can from every moment”
Steve just looked at her as she took a brief pause
“Just as you should” She said and put her hand on his knee
At that moment the doors opened and a new group of punters came through the door.
He stood behind the bar drying glasses as he watched Holly as she chatted to the clientele in turn.
He liked it as she walked from table to table, she had a gait that was easy on the eye and the way the flared skirt moved across her legs was quite sensual.
Then one by one the meagre band of customers disappeared into the snowy night.
It was midnight and as the last customer left for the night, Holly wished them a happy Christmas and locked the front doors.
As she slipped the last bolt across and drew the curtain.
Steve appeared behind her just as the church bells chimed.
Holly turned and faced him
“Merry Christmas Holly” he said and kissed her
Steve Berry had always had a dislike for Christmas, despite all the jollity and faux fun because unlike many of his Christmas mad friends he had no happy Christmas memories to anesthetise him against the season.
His parents were alcoholics and each year their Christmas came in a bottle and thanks to his father Steve’s came with a slap.
So his childhood Christmases were memories he would rather have forgotten.
But adulthood brought no relief and it always seemed to him that when shit happens Christmas just magnifies the misery.
If someone dies at Christmas the very season makes it more keenly felt.
He could testify to that as his mother died on Christmas Eve when he was 19.
He has no idea where his father is and quite frankly he doesn’t care.
He never showed up for the funeral and he could be dead as well for all he knew.
So as a result he has never trusted Christmas, he knows that shit lurks beneath the coloured lights and paper chains.
He used to dream of getting away at Christmas and going somewhere that doesn’t celebrate it in any way shape or form.
But where exactly is that place. If anyone has any ideas then answers on a postcard to Steve Berry.
So each year like the rest of us he is subjected to all the usual false jollity, Christmas Parties, Secret Santa’s and Christmas Lunch, Paper hats, crackers and all that shit.
And everywhere he would go from October onwards was bedecked with tinsel, garlands, bells, baubles and led lights.
Each and every shop plays endless spools of regurgitated Christmas tunes and God forbid you ever broach the subject of the morons who decorate the outside of their houses.
Steve never had a girlfriend at Christmas he always dumped them. Or got himself dumped, when they started to get too jolly.
So when he was 21 he developed the perfect anti Christmas strategy.
He would always save a chunk of annual leave and finished work at least one week before the big day and returned after the New Year debacle.
He would stock up with food along with the other festive numpties and armed with a stack of DVD box sets he became a Christmas recluse until the year turned.
It’s been 9 years now and he believes so far so good.
He has found it has become easier over the years with catch up TV, he just needed to avoid the adverts that remind him that it’s Christmas or that he can’t afford a holiday.
So he was in the Pig and Whistle, not exactly a real shit hole of a pub but the only one in town guaranteed not to play Christmas stuff because the landlord Phil hated Christmas almost as much as Steve did.
It was his last night out before his Christmas exile and it was his intention to get totally shitfaced as he had almost three weeks to recover.
He was not a social animal, he liked his own company and if he ever engaged in conversation with fellow patrons it was because he had initiated it.
He was averse to being rude if someone else spoke first.
So he was just enjoying his third pint as he sat in the furthest most corner of the bar reading his book when it happened.
“Hello” she said
Steve ignored her, normally if he didn’t respond they’d get the message and go away
“Hello” she said louder “Are you ok?”
“I was” he sighed
“Oh dear Mr Grinch” she said “what you need is some Christmas spirit”
“I’m fine” he insisted
“I don’t think you are sitting on your own in the furthest most corner” she said
Steve looked at her for the first time, she was roughly his age, maybe a little younger, and she was wearing a red dress and red and white striped stockings and had tinsel in her mousy hair.
“Who are you? The Christmas fairy?” he asked gruffly
He wanted to tell her to fuck off but she was quite cute.
“No I’m Holly, Phil’s niece” she said
“Holly? How very festive” He said sarcastically
“Yes I’m going to instil a little Christmas spirit” Holly said
“But Phil hates Christmas” Steve informed her
“I know” she said “which is why he’s going to Las Vegas until the New Year”
“When?” He asked
“Half an hour ago” she replied
“So are you going to come and join the rest of us?”
“No thanks I don’t do Christmas” he said and returned to his book
“Oh well perhaps some Christmas music will get you in the mood” she said resolutely
“Oh God” he said
The Christmas party mix was really grating on him but he was too far along with his Christmas strategy to go off hunting for another Christmas free pub so he had to put up with it.
As the evening wore on she persisted in trying to draw him out of his corner, but to no avail.
He left the corner only to go to the bar and get another drink and then returned to his solitude.
Apart from the music upsetting his plans there was the added annoyance of customers, more arriving every hour, word had got out that Phil “The Grinch who stole Christmas” had gone for the duration, and that there was a new Santa in town.
This only became a problem however when while he was at the bar and somebody took over his corner.
So he returned to the bar again.
“Back again already Steve?” Holly asked
“Someone is in my seat” he said
“Well pull up a stool” she suggested
“Do I have a choice?” he said grumpily
“You’re just a little ray of sunshine” she said and laughed
“I can see I’m going to have to use all my magic on you”
He settled himself down
“I’ve never seen it so busy in here” Steve said
“I know” Holly said “I’m going to need more staff at this rate”
“Good luck with that” he said
The Girl in the Red Dress (Part Two)
He woke up the next morning with his face stuck to the mock leather of a bench seat.
And when he painfully sat himself up he saw he was in the lounge bar of the Pig and Whistle.
Well he had intended getting shit faced the night before, so mission accomplished there, he had expected to wake up with a hangover, so another box ticked, but it was never part of the plan to wake up at the pub.
“Good morning sunshine” Holly called as she crashed through the door wearing a dressing gown and slippers.
“Ow” he said “have some respect for the dead”
She put a mug of black coffee on the table in front of him and peered at his bloodshot eyes
“Blimey! Can you actually see through those?” she asked
“I hope you don’t drink like that when you’re working”
“Well I don’t need to worry about work until January” he said and sipped at his coffee
“Don’t you remember anything about last night?” Holly asked with a wry smile on her lips
He closed his eyes and replied
“I remember I don’t like Christmas”
“Anything else?” Holly persisted
“It was very busy, very noisy” Steve said but could remember nothing else
“Do you remember me saying I needed more staff?” she asked
“Yes I do remember that” he replied
“Good” she said “because your it”
“What?” he said loudly and then winced
“You volunteered to work right through till New Year’s Eve”
“I can’t have” Steve said
“Well you did” She insisted and showed him a piece of paper detailing the fore mentioned offer signed by Steve.
“That doesn’t count” he said “I was pissed”
“It’s legally binding” Holly stated “It’s notarized by a solicitor”
Steve stared at the signature
“Sam Culver?” he said “he’s not a solicitor he’s a forklift driver”
“Be that as it may he has still witnessed your signature on this contract” she said coolly
“Contract?” he said in disbelieve
“Contract” she confirmed
“Oh please you’re not really going to hold me to this?” Steve said waving the “contract” in her direction
“You start tonight” she informed him
“Oh God I’ve sold my soul to the Christmas fairy” he said with his head in his hands
“I prefer Christmas angel” she said “But I’m not the one with tinsel in my hair”
“Oh shit” he exclaimed
“Get yourself a hair of the dog, I’m going to get dressed” Holly said smiling
“Oh and there’s no drinking on the job, by the way”
Over the week and a half that followed his entrapment, between his first shift and Christmas Eve, Holly had done her best to elicit the details of why it was that Steve hated Christmas so much.
Holly had noticed right at the beginning that he was not the miserable git that she first thought.
In fact that first night when he was forced to sit at the bar he had been very funny, once he managed to forget it was Christmas.
But every time he heard someone utter the words happy Christmas it was like he’d been stabbed.
So she relentlessly picked away at the scab every day, but she couldn’t get him to open up, but she wasn’t prepared to give up under any circumstances.
Steve would never have admitted it and despite his initial protests he was rather enjoying working behind a bar again.
He hadn’t done it since he left university and started working as an accountant.
The repetitive festive music still grated on him, though less so, even the Christmas t-shirts and jumpers that Holly made him wear had become less onerous.
Holly herself led by example and wore an almost inexhaustible supply of festive outfits and he had to admit she still looked cute in which ever one she was wearing.
She was a nosey cow though and kept poking and prodding at him trying to find out what made him tick.
But it amused him that his not playing ball was driving her crackers.
The Girl in the Red Dress (Part Three)
On Christmas Eve he drove to the pub, arriving at 9.30am, and thought
“It’s going to be a long day”
It was bitterly cold and the sky was grey and overcast, he sniffed the air and knocked on the front door which Holly opened within a couple of minutes and she was already dressed in her Christmas outfit, namely Mrs. Clause.
“Morning Steve” she said “Happy Christmas Eve”
“Why are you always so cheerful?” he asked in response
“Because “it’s a wonderful life”” she said
“Oh God are you going to throw festive film titles at me all day?”
“I hadn’t thought of that” she said “but it sounds like fun”
He took his coat off and revealed his jumper of the day adorned with a reindeers head.
“There’s snow in the air” he said hanging up his coat
“Lovely” she replied with a chuckle “White Christmas”
“Stop it” Steve said
Holly had walked to the bar picked something up and returned with it behind her back.
“What’s that?” he asked suspiciously
“Antlers” she said triumphantly and put them on his head
“Please no” he said “that’s too much”
“Stop whining Grinch or I’ll put the Christmas tape on” she threatened
They knew it was going to be busy in the pub that day so in addition to Holly and Steve there were barmaids Clare and Petra and in the kitchen were Stefano and Ausra.
It wasn’t manically busy but there was a steady flow all day, shoppers popping in for a warm, that kind of thing, and as it was such a bitter cold day the kitchen did a roaring trade in warming chili, casseroles and stews so much so that they kept the kitchen going right through the afternoon.
It was not however a day for cold desserts.
By five o’clock they had sold out and the till drawers were stuffed.
Holly kept taking them away to the office but they kept filling up.
While Holly counted the takings in the office, Steve and Petra manned the bar and Clare helped Steph and Ausra clear away.
Job done they joined Steve at the bar and were enjoying a well-earned drink when Holly came out.
“Well done you lot” she said “I hope that drink is on the house”
“It is” Steve said
“We have had a phenomenal day” she said handing out pay packets “so there’s a little something extra in there”
“Thanks boss” Stephanos said
“Cheers Hol” Petra
“Thanks Holly” Clare and Ausra said simultaneously
What she didn’t tell them was that the little extra was 100 pounds per head, they wouldn’t find that out until later.
“Where’s mine?” Steve asked
“Grinch tax” Holly said to the great amusement of the others and patted his cheek
“Charming” he replied but was laughing when he said it he knew that the others were finished until after Christmas he still and the evening shift.
Although he wasn’t bothered about the money particularly he knew he would get it, he had actually enjoyed Christmas Eve for the first time ever.
They all finished their drinks and it was the moment that Steve hated most, the final farewell when Christmas wishes were exchanged.
“Merry Christmas” Clare said and kissed Steve
“And you” he replied
“Happy Christmas Stevie” Ausra said kissing him
“Yes you too” said Steve
Happy, Happy Christmas” Petra said planting a very exuberant kiss on his mouth
“Ditto” he replied
“A very happy Christmas my friend” Stephanos said extravagantly and feigned to kiss him but shook his hand instead and roared with laughter.
“Have a good one” Steve said and also laughed.
When they had gone Steve noticed it had started snowing lightly.
“So why can’t you say Happy Christmas?” Holly asked
“I told you it was going to snow” he said
“Don’t change the subject” Holly persisted
“I can say it, I just didn’t need to as everyone else said it”
He answered “I didn’t want to wear the phrase out”
“Baubles” Holly said
Holly disappeared upstairs for half an hour and when she came down she had changed outfits
She wore a different red Dress with white trim and a more daring neckline
But instead of her customary stripy tights she was wearing black tights with holly motifs, how appropriate Steve thought as he was wiping down the tables in readiness for the next wave of punters.
Steve thought she was quite cute but he would have to liberate her from the Christmas stuff first if she was ever to progress further than cute.
“I wish I’d asked Steph to keep some Chili back” Holly said “I’m starving”
“Don’t worry” he said “when Debbie arrives I’ll go over the road and get a take away”
“Ok” she concurred “but what takeaway”
“Your choice, my treat” he replied
“What a Christmas treat?” Holly asked
“No just a treat” he replied and smiled
Debbie arrived right on time.
“The snows settling” she said as she went behind the bar
“Hi Debbie” Holly said
“So what’s your poison?” Steve asked
“Pizza” She replied very definitely “Pepperoni”
“Have you eaten Debbie?” he shouted
“Yes but I can eat a slice or two” she replied
As he walked across the road to Dominoes he noticed the snow was falling faster and would lay quite deep if it persisted.
Despite Debbie saying she would only eat a piece or two he decided to get a pizza each, he’d seen Debbie eat before and for a skinny bird she could really pack it away.
When he got back to the pub the clientele had almost doubled so he thought it was the beginning of the evening rush and wasn’t sure if they’d have time to enjoy the pizzas.
He needn’t have worried it proved to be a false dawn and the rush never materialized.
He was right about one thing Debbie demolished a whole pizza.
By seven o’clock the numbers hadn’t really changed even if the faces had.
And by eight with the snow falling thick and fast in near blizzard conditions it was fairly obvious punters weren’t going to be venturing out in any significant numbers.
Knowing that Debbie had a ten mile journey home Holly said
“I think you’d better get off hon or you won’t get home at all”
“Are you sure Hol?” Debbie asked
“Absolutely” She said and handed Debbie her coat and her pay packet.
“Thanks Holly” she said “Happy Christmas”
“Happy Christmas and drive safely” she said “Text me when your home”
“Ok, happy Christmas Steve” she said
“And you Deb” he replied
The Girl in the Red Dress (Part Four)
Holly had walked to the door with Debbie and stared out the window for a long time as she watched her get underway.
When she returned to the bar she said
“You’d better get off as well Steve”
“No I’ll stay a bit longer” he replied
“This might be your last chance” she said “it’s coming down like billy-o”
“That’s ok” he said “I can always kip in the lounge bar again”
It was a strange night although there weren’t many customers they still managed to sell quite a lot of beer.
They had a succession of punter coming in for jugs of ale, so much so that they ran out of jugs.
But all in all it was very quiet.
So by 9 o’clock Holly said
“Right let’s have a drink”
“I thought you didn’t like the staff drinking on duty” he said
“What the hell its Christmas” she replied and noticed that he visibly tensed at the word Christmas
She pulled him a pint and poured a glass of wine for herself.
And they sat on stools on the punters side of the bar to drink them.
“Do you mind if I crash here tonight Holly? He asked
“I’d rather you crashed here than out there” She replied
“And it looks like my plans for tomorrow will need to be revised, so we can spend the day together, if you like”
“Ok thanks” he said
They were well into their second drink when Holly asked
“So what exactly is the deal with you and Christmas?”
“Do we have to go there” he asked
“Yes we do” she said “I’ve been watching you this week and every time someone wishes you a happy Christmas you react as if you’ve been stabbed”
“Well I wouldn’t go that far” Steve responded
“I would” she said but he just shrugged
“Come on Steve” she insisted “You are such an infuriating man, cough it up”
“Can’t you just leave it alone?” he said
“You can’t tell me you haven’t enjoyed this week” she said “or that you would have preferred to be locked away in your flat pretending that that Christmas was just a bad dream”
Steve drained his glass and went through the hatch and pulled himself another one.
“I don’t want to go into all the details, suffice is to say that for me There was no happy little boy waiting for Santa on Christmas Eve” he said painfully
“My childhood was unbearable and Christmas was even more so”
Holly didn’t speak but sat with head sympathetically inclined
“Not everyone is raised by Mary Poppins” he said factiously
“That’s not very fare” Holly said hurtfully
“I suppose you think my Christmases were happy?”
Steve merely snorted
“I had a lousy Christmases as a child, my parents didn’t believe in it so we didn’t celebrate it,” she said forcefully
But Steve looked unconvinced
“My parents are hippies” She stated “Christmases for me were spent in a VW Camper van on Salisbury plain, don’t get me wrong, I love my parents and for me at the time it seemed perfectly normal and I was perfectly happy”
Holly paused
“And I would get a present, though it was never wrapped in Christmas paper, there was no Christmas trees, No baubles or tinsel, No garlands or colored lights, in my childhood Christmas just didn’t exist”
“So now you’re over compensating” Steve said and took another drink.
“Not at all I decided that feeling sorry for myself was not an option, and
I refused to be dictated to by the past” she said “I decided I would make new memories and stop looking back”
“I was 17 when I first experience a proper Christmas, and I thought it was wonderful, magical and I’ve made sure I’ve enjoyed everyone since”
“There is no similarity between our childhoods” he said
“Your childhood was happy it just didn’t include Christmas,
Mine was desperately unhappy”
“And you blame Christmas for it” Holly said “I know for your life was different, but I want to squeeze the most joy I can from every moment”
Steve just looked at her as she took a brief pause
“Just as you should” She said and put her hand on his knee
At that moment the doors opened and a new group of punters came through the door.
He stood behind the bar drying glasses as he watched Holly as she chatted to the clientele in turn.
He liked it as she walked from table to table, she had a gait that was easy on the eye and the way the flared skirt moved across her legs was quite sensual.
Then one by one the meagre band of customers disappeared into the snowy night.
It was midnight and as the last customer left for the night, Holly wished them a happy Christmas and locked the front doors.
As she slipped the last bolt across and drew the curtain.
Steve appeared behind her just as the church bells chimed.
Holly turned and faced him
“Merry Christmas Holly” he said and kissed her
Christmas Selection Box # 14
THE BRUSSELS SPROUTS
To some people
They can cause distress
But there is a sentiment
I‘d like to express
Sprouts are for life
Not just for Christmas
A CAROL FOR THE 21ST CENTURY – THE ROCKING CAROL
Little Jesus sweetly sleep, do not stir,
We will lend a coat of fur,
We will rock you, rock you, rock you,
We will rock you, rock you, rock you,
Little Jesus sweetly sleep, just you stick,
We will lend you man made fabric,
We wont rock you, rock you, rock you,
We wont rock you, as were not qualified
THE BEST CHRISTMAS STORIES – CHRISTMAS NOVELLA # 3
The Cricket on the Hearth. A Fairy Tale of Home
The Cricket on the Hearth. A Fairy Tale of Home was the third of the Christmas novella written by Charles Dickens and published in 1845
The Cricket of the story constantly chirps on the hearth and acts as the Peerybingles family guardian angel.
At the start of the tale a mysterious elderly stranger comes to visit and takes up lodging at Peerybingle's house for a few days.
The villain of the piece is the miser Tackleton who is on the eve of marrying Edward Plummer's sweetheart, May.
Edward having gone off to South America and was believed to be dead leaving May at the mercy of Tackleton who she did not love.
During the course of the story the miser does his best to cause mischief but in the end, the mysterious lodger is revealed to be none other than Edward who has returned home in disguise.
And in the best traditions of dickens all ends well.
TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS # 11
Twas the night before Christmas
And all around the Crescent
Not a creature was stirring
Not even a peasant
THE BEST CHRISTMAS MOVIES EVER – THE CHRISTMAS CHOIR
Three weeks before Christmas, workaholic accountant Peter Brockman (Jason Gedrick) is dumped by his fiancée, Jill Crosby (Cindy Sampson), because of his non participation in their lives.
He metaphorically drowns his sorrows, drinking a soda, in a piano bar and gets talking with the lounge's "volunteer" pianist and singer Bob (Tyrone Benskin) who plays for tips.
They discuss their love of music and forgotten dreams of youth.
Bob invited Peter to his home for dinner with his family, but his home turned out to be a homeless shelter run by Sister Agatha (Rhea Perlman) and his family were a group of homeless men.
After being introduced to Bobs “family” a jam session ensued.
His visit to the home served as an epiphany and he suggested they form a choir in order that the men could raise a little extra pocket money for the holidays.
The choir faced many obstacles along the way and there were many ups and downs.
Alongside his work with the choir he also met Marilyn (Marianne Farley) who worked in the subway kiosk and a relationship develops between them and she is also instrumental in reconciling Peter with his alcoholic father Henry Brockman (Michael Sarrazin).
This is a very nice Holiday tale which is based on a true story and is most enjoyable.
LAST CHRISTMAS I GAVE YOU # 1
Last Christmas, I gave you a scarf
But the very next week
You said “it was so last year”
Bloody cheek
FAVOURITE CHRISTMAS CAROL # 33 AWAY IN A MANGER
Away In a Manger
Music written by James R. Murray 1887
Lyrics unknown
Away in a manger, no crib for a bed,
The little Lord Jesus laid down his sweet head.
The stars in the bright sky looked down where he lay,
The little Lord Jesus asleep in the hay.
The cattle are lowing, the baby awakes,
But little Lord Jesus no crying he makes.
I love Thee, Lord Jesus, look down from the sky
And stay by my side until morning is nigh.
Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask Thee to stay
Close by me forever, and love me, I pray.
Bless all the dear children in thy tender care,
And fit us in heaven, to live with Thee there.
ARE YOU WEARING SILVER TINSEL?
Are you wearing Silver tinsel?
Tied amidst your lustrous curls
It makes you look so beautiful
And more like an angel than a girl
FAVOURITE CHRISTMAS SONG # 18
Despite the general awfulness of the Christmas song there are however always exceptions to the rule and I have a short list of personal favourites.
Without exception all my choices not only include the song but the best performer of that song and so in no particular order here is my Eighteenth selection.
Merry Christmas Everybody
Music & lyrics by Noddy Holder and Jim Lea
Performed by Slade
Are you hanging up a stocking on your wall?
It's the time that every Santa has a ball
Does he ride a red nosed reindeer?
Does a 'ton up' on his sleigh
Do the fairies keep him sober for a day?
Chorus:
So here it is merry Christmas
Everybody's having fun
Look to the future now
It's only just begun
Are you waiting for the family to arrive?
Are you sure you got the room to spare inside?
Does your granny always tell ya that the old songs are the best?
Then she's up and rock 'n' rollin' with the rest
Chorus:
So here it is merry Christmas
Everybody's having fun
Look to the future now
It's only just begun
What will your daddy do
When he sees your Mama kissin' Santa Claus?
Ah ah
Are you hanging up a stocking on your wall?
Are you hoping that the snow will start to fall?
Do you ride on down the hillside in a buggy you have made?
When you land upon your head then you've been slayed
Chorus (3x)
So here it is merry Christmas
Everybody's having fun
Look to the future now
It's only just begun
CHRISTMAS FLOWER
The Christmas flower
Festively untypical
Having poisonous milk
And being tropical
But scarlet petal-like leaves
Make them appear more topical
To some people
They can cause distress
But there is a sentiment
I‘d like to express
Sprouts are for life
Not just for Christmas
A CAROL FOR THE 21ST CENTURY – THE ROCKING CAROL
Little Jesus sweetly sleep, do not stir,
We will lend a coat of fur,
We will rock you, rock you, rock you,
We will rock you, rock you, rock you,
Little Jesus sweetly sleep, just you stick,
We will lend you man made fabric,
We wont rock you, rock you, rock you,
We wont rock you, as were not qualified
THE BEST CHRISTMAS STORIES – CHRISTMAS NOVELLA # 3
The Cricket on the Hearth. A Fairy Tale of Home
The Cricket on the Hearth. A Fairy Tale of Home was the third of the Christmas novella written by Charles Dickens and published in 1845
The Cricket of the story constantly chirps on the hearth and acts as the Peerybingles family guardian angel.
At the start of the tale a mysterious elderly stranger comes to visit and takes up lodging at Peerybingle's house for a few days.
The villain of the piece is the miser Tackleton who is on the eve of marrying Edward Plummer's sweetheart, May.
Edward having gone off to South America and was believed to be dead leaving May at the mercy of Tackleton who she did not love.
During the course of the story the miser does his best to cause mischief but in the end, the mysterious lodger is revealed to be none other than Edward who has returned home in disguise.
And in the best traditions of dickens all ends well.
TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS # 11
Twas the night before Christmas
And all around the Crescent
Not a creature was stirring
Not even a peasant
THE BEST CHRISTMAS MOVIES EVER – THE CHRISTMAS CHOIR
Three weeks before Christmas, workaholic accountant Peter Brockman (Jason Gedrick) is dumped by his fiancée, Jill Crosby (Cindy Sampson), because of his non participation in their lives.
He metaphorically drowns his sorrows, drinking a soda, in a piano bar and gets talking with the lounge's "volunteer" pianist and singer Bob (Tyrone Benskin) who plays for tips.
They discuss their love of music and forgotten dreams of youth.
Bob invited Peter to his home for dinner with his family, but his home turned out to be a homeless shelter run by Sister Agatha (Rhea Perlman) and his family were a group of homeless men.
After being introduced to Bobs “family” a jam session ensued.
His visit to the home served as an epiphany and he suggested they form a choir in order that the men could raise a little extra pocket money for the holidays.
The choir faced many obstacles along the way and there were many ups and downs.
Alongside his work with the choir he also met Marilyn (Marianne Farley) who worked in the subway kiosk and a relationship develops between them and she is also instrumental in reconciling Peter with his alcoholic father Henry Brockman (Michael Sarrazin).
This is a very nice Holiday tale which is based on a true story and is most enjoyable.
LAST CHRISTMAS I GAVE YOU # 1
Last Christmas, I gave you a scarf
But the very next week
You said “it was so last year”
Bloody cheek
FAVOURITE CHRISTMAS CAROL # 33 AWAY IN A MANGER
Away In a Manger
Music written by James R. Murray 1887
Lyrics unknown
Away in a manger, no crib for a bed,
The little Lord Jesus laid down his sweet head.
The stars in the bright sky looked down where he lay,
The little Lord Jesus asleep in the hay.
The cattle are lowing, the baby awakes,
But little Lord Jesus no crying he makes.
I love Thee, Lord Jesus, look down from the sky
And stay by my side until morning is nigh.
Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask Thee to stay
Close by me forever, and love me, I pray.
Bless all the dear children in thy tender care,
And fit us in heaven, to live with Thee there.
ARE YOU WEARING SILVER TINSEL?
Are you wearing Silver tinsel?
Tied amidst your lustrous curls
It makes you look so beautiful
And more like an angel than a girl
FAVOURITE CHRISTMAS SONG # 18
Despite the general awfulness of the Christmas song there are however always exceptions to the rule and I have a short list of personal favourites.
Without exception all my choices not only include the song but the best performer of that song and so in no particular order here is my Eighteenth selection.
Merry Christmas Everybody
Music & lyrics by Noddy Holder and Jim Lea
Performed by Slade
Are you hanging up a stocking on your wall?
It's the time that every Santa has a ball
Does he ride a red nosed reindeer?
Does a 'ton up' on his sleigh
Do the fairies keep him sober for a day?
Chorus:
So here it is merry Christmas
Everybody's having fun
Look to the future now
It's only just begun
Are you waiting for the family to arrive?
Are you sure you got the room to spare inside?
Does your granny always tell ya that the old songs are the best?
Then she's up and rock 'n' rollin' with the rest
Chorus:
So here it is merry Christmas
Everybody's having fun
Look to the future now
It's only just begun
What will your daddy do
When he sees your Mama kissin' Santa Claus?
Ah ah
Are you hanging up a stocking on your wall?
Are you hoping that the snow will start to fall?
Do you ride on down the hillside in a buggy you have made?
When you land upon your head then you've been slayed
Chorus (3x)
So here it is merry Christmas
Everybody's having fun
Look to the future now
It's only just begun
CHRISTMAS FLOWER
The Christmas flower
Festively untypical
Having poisonous milk
And being tropical
But scarlet petal-like leaves
Make them appear more topical
Monday, 5 December 2016
Christmas Selection Box # 13
MERRY CHRISTMAS AND GOODWILL TO ALL MEN
“Merry Christmas
And goodwill to all men”
Does that irritate you?
I’m not alone then
The men have done nothing,
Remember
Since the final BBQ
Back in September
It’s the mums
Who spend the whole of December
With everything to do
And everything to remember
While they sit
TV remote in hand drinking beer
Where is the mums well deserved
Christmas cheer
Why can’t we sit down?
On our overworked bums
“Merry Christmas
And goodwill to all mums”
A CAROL FOR THE 21ST CENTURY - AWAY IN A MANGER
Away in a manger
No crib for a bed …
The little Lord Jesus
Lay down his sweet head
I don’t think it matters
How gently you sing
Social services don’t care
For this kind of thing
THE BEST CHRISTMAS STORIES – CHRISTMAS NOVELLA # 2
The Chimes: A Goblin Story of Some Bells that Rang an Old Year Out and a New Year In
The Chimes: A Goblin Story of Some Bells that Rang an Old Year Out and a New Year In, by Charles Dickens was published in 1844 and was the second in his series of "Christmas books":
The chimes are the old bells in the church on whose steps the principle character, Trotty Veck, plies his trade.
During the course of the story Trotty loses his faith in man's destiny to improve and as a result the bells call to him in the night and he feels compelled to climb the bell tower.
Once in the bell chamber the spirits of the bells and their goblin attendants reprimand him and tell him that he actually fell to his death on his climb up.
He is then forced to watch a series of visions of his daughter Meg and those closest to him and finds himself helpless to intervene.
The final vision was of his daughter Meg poised to jump into the river whereupon he cries out that he has learned his lesson and finds himself able to touch her and prevent her from jumping.
With the conclusion of that vision Trotty finds himself awakening at home as the bells ring in the New Year as if from a vivid dream.
The book concludes with the customary happy ending.
ON THE EVE OF THE SPECIAL DAY # 2
On the eve of the special day
As the fire burns in the grate
I long for eternal goodwill
And an end to eternal hate
THE BEST CHRISTMAS MOVIES EVER – THE MARCH SISTERS AT CHRISTMAS
Having long been a fan of Louisa May Alcott's classic “Little Women”, I approached this modern retelling of the tale with some trepidation.
But the March Sisters at Christmas is a pleasantly surprising adaptation and has been brought to modern times quite sympathetically.
In order to keep the family home from being sold, the four very modern March sisters, Jo (Julie Marie Berman), Meg (Kaitlin Doubleday), Beth (Melissa Farman) and Amy (Molly Kunz) must tackle home improvement on their own while their romantic entanglements involving the boy next door Teddy Lawrence (Justin Bruening), an old flame John Brooke (Charlie Hofheimer) and a new acquaintance Marcus Baer (Mark Famiglietti) become a distraction.
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO THE ONE I LOVE # 2
Though my love for Christ is boundless
On Christmas day I cannot be untrue
For my love for you is over flowing
And he must share my heart with you
FAVOURITE CHRISTMAS CAROL # 28 THE FRIENDLY BEASTS
The Friendly Beasts
Old English Christmas Carol writer unknown
Jesus our brother, kind and good
Was humbly born in a stable rude
And the friendly beasts around Him stood
Jesus our brother, kind and good.
"I," said the donkey, shaggy and brown,
"I carried His mother up hill and down;
I carried her safely to Bethlehem town."
"I," said the donkey, shaggy and brown.
"I," said the cow, all white and red
"I gave Him my manger for a bed;
I gave Him my hay to pillow His head."
"I," said the cow, all white and red.
"I," said the sheep with curly horn,
"I gave Him my wool for His blanket warm;
He wore my coat on Christmas morn."
"I," said the sheep with curly horn.
"I," said the dove from the rafters high,
"Cooed Him to sleep that He should not cry;
We cooed Him to sleep, my mate and I."
"I," said the dove from the rafters high.
"I," said the camel, yellow and black,
"Over the desert, upon my back,
I brought Him a gift in the Wise Men's pack."
"I," said the camel, yellow and black.
Thus every beast by some good spell
In the stable dark was glad to tell
Of the gift he gave Emmanuel,
The gift he gave Emmanuel.
LISTEN ON CHRISTMAS MORNING
On Christmas morning
While tree tops still glisten
If you stop opening presents
And take a moment to listen
You will hear a sound
Unmistakable, clear and true
The sound of Love
Will be in the room with you
FAVOURITE CHRISTMAS SONG # 17
Despite the general awfulness of the Christmas song there are however always exceptions to the rule and I have a short list of personal favourites.
Without exception all my choices not only include the song but the best performer of that song and so in no particular order here is my seventeenth selection.
“All I Want For Christmas Is You” written by Mariah Carey and performed by The Puppini Sisters
All I Want For Christmas Is You –
I don't want a lot for Christmas
There's just one thing I need
I don't care about the presents
Underneath the Christmas tree
I just want you for my own
More than you could ever know
Make my wish come true
All I want for Christmas is...
You
I don't want a lot for Christmas
There's just one thing I need
I don't care about the presents
Underneath the Christmas tree
I don't need to hang my stocking
There upon the fireplace
Santa Claus won't make me happy
With a toy on Christmas day
I just want you for my own
More than you could ever know
Make my wish come true
All I want for Christmas is you
You baby
I won't ask for much this Christmas
I don't even wish for snow
I'm just gonna keep on waiting
Underneath the mistletoe
I won't make a list and send it
To the North Pole for Saint Nick
I won't even stay awake to
Hear those magic reindeers click
'Cause I just want you here tonight
Holding on to me so tight
What more can I do
Baby all I want for Christmas is you
Ooh baby
All the lights are shining
So brightly everywhere
And the sound of children's
Laughter fills the air
And everyone is singing
I hear those sleigh bells ringing
Santa won't you bring me the one I really need
Won't you please bring my baby to me...
Oh I don't want a lot for Christmas
This is all I'm asking for
I just want to see my baby
Standing right outside my door
Oh I just want you for my own
More than you could ever know
Make my wish come true
Baby all I want for Christmas is...
You
DEPARTMENT STORE SANTA
Against my better judgement
I took my young son to the store
And we queued up for an hour
So he could see Santa Claus
The grotto was cheap and nasty
It was a terrible site to behold
I thought the whole thing a rip off
And my son thought he was too old
Santa’s little helper was pregnant
The head Elf was high as a kite
But I thought if we stayed in line
Every thing would turn out alright
Well he climbed onto Santa’s lap
To tell him his Christmas wish
But Santa smelled of whisky
And his trousers smelled of piss
It was about making memories
Well, according to my wife
But instead of a memorable visit
I think we scarred him for life
“Merry Christmas
And goodwill to all men”
Does that irritate you?
I’m not alone then
The men have done nothing,
Remember
Since the final BBQ
Back in September
It’s the mums
Who spend the whole of December
With everything to do
And everything to remember
While they sit
TV remote in hand drinking beer
Where is the mums well deserved
Christmas cheer
Why can’t we sit down?
On our overworked bums
“Merry Christmas
And goodwill to all mums”
A CAROL FOR THE 21ST CENTURY - AWAY IN A MANGER
Away in a manger
No crib for a bed …
The little Lord Jesus
Lay down his sweet head
I don’t think it matters
How gently you sing
Social services don’t care
For this kind of thing
THE BEST CHRISTMAS STORIES – CHRISTMAS NOVELLA # 2
The Chimes: A Goblin Story of Some Bells that Rang an Old Year Out and a New Year In
The Chimes: A Goblin Story of Some Bells that Rang an Old Year Out and a New Year In, by Charles Dickens was published in 1844 and was the second in his series of "Christmas books":
The chimes are the old bells in the church on whose steps the principle character, Trotty Veck, plies his trade.
During the course of the story Trotty loses his faith in man's destiny to improve and as a result the bells call to him in the night and he feels compelled to climb the bell tower.
Once in the bell chamber the spirits of the bells and their goblin attendants reprimand him and tell him that he actually fell to his death on his climb up.
He is then forced to watch a series of visions of his daughter Meg and those closest to him and finds himself helpless to intervene.
The final vision was of his daughter Meg poised to jump into the river whereupon he cries out that he has learned his lesson and finds himself able to touch her and prevent her from jumping.
With the conclusion of that vision Trotty finds himself awakening at home as the bells ring in the New Year as if from a vivid dream.
The book concludes with the customary happy ending.
ON THE EVE OF THE SPECIAL DAY # 2
On the eve of the special day
As the fire burns in the grate
I long for eternal goodwill
And an end to eternal hate
THE BEST CHRISTMAS MOVIES EVER – THE MARCH SISTERS AT CHRISTMAS
Having long been a fan of Louisa May Alcott's classic “Little Women”, I approached this modern retelling of the tale with some trepidation.
But the March Sisters at Christmas is a pleasantly surprising adaptation and has been brought to modern times quite sympathetically.
In order to keep the family home from being sold, the four very modern March sisters, Jo (Julie Marie Berman), Meg (Kaitlin Doubleday), Beth (Melissa Farman) and Amy (Molly Kunz) must tackle home improvement on their own while their romantic entanglements involving the boy next door Teddy Lawrence (Justin Bruening), an old flame John Brooke (Charlie Hofheimer) and a new acquaintance Marcus Baer (Mark Famiglietti) become a distraction.
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO THE ONE I LOVE # 2
Though my love for Christ is boundless
On Christmas day I cannot be untrue
For my love for you is over flowing
And he must share my heart with you
FAVOURITE CHRISTMAS CAROL # 28 THE FRIENDLY BEASTS
The Friendly Beasts
Old English Christmas Carol writer unknown
Jesus our brother, kind and good
Was humbly born in a stable rude
And the friendly beasts around Him stood
Jesus our brother, kind and good.
"I," said the donkey, shaggy and brown,
"I carried His mother up hill and down;
I carried her safely to Bethlehem town."
"I," said the donkey, shaggy and brown.
"I," said the cow, all white and red
"I gave Him my manger for a bed;
I gave Him my hay to pillow His head."
"I," said the cow, all white and red.
"I," said the sheep with curly horn,
"I gave Him my wool for His blanket warm;
He wore my coat on Christmas morn."
"I," said the sheep with curly horn.
"I," said the dove from the rafters high,
"Cooed Him to sleep that He should not cry;
We cooed Him to sleep, my mate and I."
"I," said the dove from the rafters high.
"I," said the camel, yellow and black,
"Over the desert, upon my back,
I brought Him a gift in the Wise Men's pack."
"I," said the camel, yellow and black.
Thus every beast by some good spell
In the stable dark was glad to tell
Of the gift he gave Emmanuel,
The gift he gave Emmanuel.
LISTEN ON CHRISTMAS MORNING
On Christmas morning
While tree tops still glisten
If you stop opening presents
And take a moment to listen
You will hear a sound
Unmistakable, clear and true
The sound of Love
Will be in the room with you
FAVOURITE CHRISTMAS SONG # 17
Despite the general awfulness of the Christmas song there are however always exceptions to the rule and I have a short list of personal favourites.
Without exception all my choices not only include the song but the best performer of that song and so in no particular order here is my seventeenth selection.
“All I Want For Christmas Is You” written by Mariah Carey and performed by The Puppini Sisters
All I Want For Christmas Is You –
I don't want a lot for Christmas
There's just one thing I need
I don't care about the presents
Underneath the Christmas tree
I just want you for my own
More than you could ever know
Make my wish come true
All I want for Christmas is...
You
I don't want a lot for Christmas
There's just one thing I need
I don't care about the presents
Underneath the Christmas tree
I don't need to hang my stocking
There upon the fireplace
Santa Claus won't make me happy
With a toy on Christmas day
I just want you for my own
More than you could ever know
Make my wish come true
All I want for Christmas is you
You baby
I won't ask for much this Christmas
I don't even wish for snow
I'm just gonna keep on waiting
Underneath the mistletoe
I won't make a list and send it
To the North Pole for Saint Nick
I won't even stay awake to
Hear those magic reindeers click
'Cause I just want you here tonight
Holding on to me so tight
What more can I do
Baby all I want for Christmas is you
Ooh baby
All the lights are shining
So brightly everywhere
And the sound of children's
Laughter fills the air
And everyone is singing
I hear those sleigh bells ringing
Santa won't you bring me the one I really need
Won't you please bring my baby to me...
Oh I don't want a lot for Christmas
This is all I'm asking for
I just want to see my baby
Standing right outside my door
Oh I just want you for my own
More than you could ever know
Make my wish come true
Baby all I want for Christmas is...
You
DEPARTMENT STORE SANTA
Against my better judgement
I took my young son to the store
And we queued up for an hour
So he could see Santa Claus
The grotto was cheap and nasty
It was a terrible site to behold
I thought the whole thing a rip off
And my son thought he was too old
Santa’s little helper was pregnant
The head Elf was high as a kite
But I thought if we stayed in line
Every thing would turn out alright
Well he climbed onto Santa’s lap
To tell him his Christmas wish
But Santa smelled of whisky
And his trousers smelled of piss
It was about making memories
Well, according to my wife
But instead of a memorable visit
I think we scarred him for life
Sunday, 4 December 2016
Christmas Selection Box # 12
A CAROL FOR THE 21ST CENTURY – LITTLE DONKEY
Little donkey, little donkey on the dusty road,
Got to keep on plodding onwards, with your precious load.
- Stuff that cant we get the bus?
THE BEST CHRISTMAS STORIES – CHRISTMAS NOVELLA # 1
A Christmas Carol
A Christmas Carol was the first of the Christmas novellas by Charles Dickens, first published on 19 December 1843.
It’s the oft told story of the sour and miserly Ebenezer Scrooge's route to redemption through the supernatural visits from Jacob Marley and the Ghosts of Christmas’s Past, Present, and Yet to Come.
21st CENTURY NURSERY RHYMES # 191
Christmas is coming,
The stores are getting fat
But no one has put a penny
In this old mans hat;
There’s not a single penny,
Or a ha'penny to be seen,
I hate Christmas shoppers
They’re so bloody mean
THE BEST CHRISTMAS MOVIES EVER – SANTA BABY
Mary Class (Jenny McCarthy) is a highly successful business executive - who just happens to be the daughter of Santa Claus (George Wendt).
But when her father falls ill, Mary returns to the North Pole and the life she left behind to take over from her Dad and implement her innovative ideas for running Christmas.
While she’s there she is reunited with her high school sweetheart Luke Jessup (Ivan Sergei) and their feelings are rekindled but when she’s put in charge of Christmas and starts implementing her modern idea’s things get out of hand and even threatens Christmas itself.
WE THREE KINGS
We three Kings
Of Orient are
- not part of a meritocracy
FAVOURITE CHRISTMAS CAROL # 27 STAR CAROL
Star Carol Written By John Rutter
Sing this night, for a boy is born in Bethlehem,
Christ our Lord in a lowly manger lies;
Bring your gifts, come and worship at his cradle,
Hurry to Bethlehem and see the son of Mary!
See his star shining bright
In the sky this Christmas Night!
Follow me joyfully;
Hurry to Bethlehem and see the son of Mary!
Angels bright, come from heaven’s highest glory,
Bear the news with its message of good cheer:
“Sing, rejoice, for a King is come to save us,
Hurry to Bethlehem and see the son of Mary!”
Let us pay our homage at the manger,
Sing his praise on this joyful Christmas Night;
Christ is come, bringing promises of salvation;
Hurry to Bethlehem and see the son of Mary!
CANDLELIGHT
Across the distant lonely miles
There stands my love
With comrades brave
Who stands beneath a Christmas sky
Singing carols just as I
Familiar carols
And sentiments we share.
Of course it’s Christmas,
That makes me wish you near
And makes me wipe away a tear
I pray to God to keep you safe
To wrap you in his loving light
Now the bells of Christmas fill the air
And I think of my love standing there
Underneath the Christmas sky.
In the church I keep a candle lit
That will burn while we’re apart
And my undying love for him
Will keep burning in my heart
ANOTHER OLD FOLKS CHRISTMAS PARTY
Another old folks Christmas party
Old friends well met, hail and hearty
Thoughts of the past would produce a tear
But a shared memory brought some cheer
And while remembering the good old days
A glass they would all gladly raise
FAVOURITE CHRISTMAS SONG # 16
Despite the general awfulness of the Christmas song there are however always exceptions to the rule and I have a short list of personal favorites.
Without exception all my choices not only include the song but the best performer of that song and so in no particular order here is my sixteenth selection.
"Mele Kalikimaka (The Hawaiian Christmas Song)"
Written by Robert Alex Anderson Performed by KT Tunstall
Mele Kalikimaka is the thing to say
On a bright Hawaiian Christmas Day
That's the island greeting that we send to you
From the land where palm trees sway
Here we know that Christmas will be green and bright
The sun to shine by day and all the stars at night
Mele Kalikimaka is Hawaii's way
To say "Merry Christmas to you."
Mele Kalikimaka is the thing to say
On a bright Hawaiian Christmas Day
That's the island greeting that we send to you
From the land where palm trees sway
Here we know that Christmas will be green and bright
The sun to shine by day and all the stars at night
Mele Kalikimaka is Hawaii's way
To say "Merry Christmas to you."
CHRISTMAS (ACROSTIC)
Candles burn on advent crown,
Holly boughs are cut,
Red ribbon binds the wreath, and
Incense fragrances the air
Spices make the senses tingle
Treats await the patient lip, as
Merriment is close at hand,
Anticipation keenly felt, as the
Special day grows near
Little donkey, little donkey on the dusty road,
Got to keep on plodding onwards, with your precious load.
- Stuff that cant we get the bus?
THE BEST CHRISTMAS STORIES – CHRISTMAS NOVELLA # 1
A Christmas Carol
A Christmas Carol was the first of the Christmas novellas by Charles Dickens, first published on 19 December 1843.
It’s the oft told story of the sour and miserly Ebenezer Scrooge's route to redemption through the supernatural visits from Jacob Marley and the Ghosts of Christmas’s Past, Present, and Yet to Come.
21st CENTURY NURSERY RHYMES # 191
Christmas is coming,
The stores are getting fat
But no one has put a penny
In this old mans hat;
There’s not a single penny,
Or a ha'penny to be seen,
I hate Christmas shoppers
They’re so bloody mean
THE BEST CHRISTMAS MOVIES EVER – SANTA BABY
Mary Class (Jenny McCarthy) is a highly successful business executive - who just happens to be the daughter of Santa Claus (George Wendt).
But when her father falls ill, Mary returns to the North Pole and the life she left behind to take over from her Dad and implement her innovative ideas for running Christmas.
While she’s there she is reunited with her high school sweetheart Luke Jessup (Ivan Sergei) and their feelings are rekindled but when she’s put in charge of Christmas and starts implementing her modern idea’s things get out of hand and even threatens Christmas itself.
WE THREE KINGS
We three Kings
Of Orient are
- not part of a meritocracy
FAVOURITE CHRISTMAS CAROL # 27 STAR CAROL
Star Carol Written By John Rutter
Sing this night, for a boy is born in Bethlehem,
Christ our Lord in a lowly manger lies;
Bring your gifts, come and worship at his cradle,
Hurry to Bethlehem and see the son of Mary!
See his star shining bright
In the sky this Christmas Night!
Follow me joyfully;
Hurry to Bethlehem and see the son of Mary!
Angels bright, come from heaven’s highest glory,
Bear the news with its message of good cheer:
“Sing, rejoice, for a King is come to save us,
Hurry to Bethlehem and see the son of Mary!”
Let us pay our homage at the manger,
Sing his praise on this joyful Christmas Night;
Christ is come, bringing promises of salvation;
Hurry to Bethlehem and see the son of Mary!
CANDLELIGHT
Across the distant lonely miles
There stands my love
With comrades brave
Who stands beneath a Christmas sky
Singing carols just as I
Familiar carols
And sentiments we share.
Of course it’s Christmas,
That makes me wish you near
And makes me wipe away a tear
I pray to God to keep you safe
To wrap you in his loving light
Now the bells of Christmas fill the air
And I think of my love standing there
Underneath the Christmas sky.
In the church I keep a candle lit
That will burn while we’re apart
And my undying love for him
Will keep burning in my heart
ANOTHER OLD FOLKS CHRISTMAS PARTY
Another old folks Christmas party
Old friends well met, hail and hearty
Thoughts of the past would produce a tear
But a shared memory brought some cheer
And while remembering the good old days
A glass they would all gladly raise
FAVOURITE CHRISTMAS SONG # 16
Despite the general awfulness of the Christmas song there are however always exceptions to the rule and I have a short list of personal favorites.
Without exception all my choices not only include the song but the best performer of that song and so in no particular order here is my sixteenth selection.
"Mele Kalikimaka (The Hawaiian Christmas Song)"
Written by Robert Alex Anderson Performed by KT Tunstall
Mele Kalikimaka is the thing to say
On a bright Hawaiian Christmas Day
That's the island greeting that we send to you
From the land where palm trees sway
Here we know that Christmas will be green and bright
The sun to shine by day and all the stars at night
Mele Kalikimaka is Hawaii's way
To say "Merry Christmas to you."
Mele Kalikimaka is the thing to say
On a bright Hawaiian Christmas Day
That's the island greeting that we send to you
From the land where palm trees sway
Here we know that Christmas will be green and bright
The sun to shine by day and all the stars at night
Mele Kalikimaka is Hawaii's way
To say "Merry Christmas to you."
CHRISTMAS (ACROSTIC)
Candles burn on advent crown,
Holly boughs are cut,
Red ribbon binds the wreath, and
Incense fragrances the air
Spices make the senses tingle
Treats await the patient lip, as
Merriment is close at hand,
Anticipation keenly felt, as the
Special day grows near
Christmas Selection Box # 11
I’M DREAMING OF A WHITE CHRISTMAS # 2
I’m dreaming of a white Christmas,
Just like the ones I used to know
But to be honest I drink so much
I won’t even notice if it snows
THE BEST CHRISTMAS BOOKS EVER - THE POLAR EXPRESS
The Polar Express was written and illustrated by Chris Van Allsburg and published in 1985.
The book is partially set in the author's home town, Grand Rapids, Michigan, and takes place in 1956.
It begins when a young boy, who used to love Christmas, but now doubts, hears a train whistle outside his house and to his amazement, he finds the train has stopped and is waiting for him.
The conductor explains the train is called the Polar Express, and is journeying to the North Pole. Still wearing his night clothes the boy reluctantly boards the train, which is filled with chocolate and candy, as well as many other children in their pyjamas.
After an adventurous journey the train reaches the North Pole and at the centre of town thousands of elves are waiting to send Santa Claus on his way.
The boy is handpicked by Santa to receive the first gift of Christmas.
Realizing that he could choose anything in the world, he asks for one bell from one of the reindeer's harnesses.
Santa gives him the bell and he places in the pocket of his robe but later, on the train ride home, it falls through a hole in his pocket and is lost.
But on Christmas morning, his sister finds a small package under the tree, behind all of the other gifts.
And when the boy opened it he discovered that it was the bell, delivered by Santa who had found it on the seat of his sleigh.
When the boy rang the bell he and his sister revelled in the sweet sound.
Their parents of course were unable to hear it because they did not believe.
21st CENTURY NURSERY RHYMES # 182
Father Christmas, Father Christmas,
Got an itch, Got an itch;
Coming down the chimney,
Coming down the chimney;
On his snitch, On his snitch.
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO THE ONE I LOVE # 1
Merry Christmas sweetheart, the one I love,
On this day when love is keenest felt,
The day when closed minds are opened
And even the coldest hearts can melt
THE BEST CHRISTMAS MOVIES EVER – NAUGHTY OR NICE
Krissy Kringle (Hilarie Burton) dislikes Christmas intently, mainly because she’s had to go through life with the name Krissy Kringle.
But she also suffered the indignity of having her street renamed “Candy Cane Lane” as a result of her name and the street name she gets regular deliveries of Christmas mail.
This particular year however was worse than normal when she is fired from the Ad Agency where she works instead of getting the promotion she was expecting and is forced to take a job as a present wrapper at the Mall and must dress as an Elf.
When she arrives home and forces open her front door, amidst the mountain of Christmas mail she finds a special delivery intended for Santa Claus, the Naughty or Nice book which he had left behind while visiting a child.
Krissy uses the power of the book to expose the naughty deeds of those around her, but soon finds that her newfound power can have devastating results.
Gabriel Tigerman is excellent as Krissie’s partner in crime at the Mall, Marco Webb and Michael Gross and Meredith Baxter put in a convincing performances as her parents Walter and Carol Kringle.
CHRISTMAS DREAM # 4
I dream of Christmas
Warming us from winters chill
When hearts are overflowing
With seasonal good will
FAVOURITE CHRISTMAS CAROL # 29 O CHRISTMAS TREE (O TANNENBAUM)
O Christmas Tree (O Tannenbaum)
Traditional German Carol Writer unknown
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree!
Thou tree most fair and lovely!
Oh Christmas tree, O Christmas tree!
Thou tree most fair and lovely!
The sight of thee at Christmastide
spreads hope and gladness far and wide
Oh Christmas tree, O Christmas tree
Thou tree most fair and lovely!
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree!
Thou hast a wondrous message:
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree!
Thou hast a wondrous message:
Thou dost proclaim the Saviour's birth
Good will to men and peace on earth
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree!
Thou hast a wondrous message
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree!
You stand in verdant beauty
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree!
You stand in verdant beauty
Your boughs are green in summer's glow
And do not fade in winter's snow
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree!
You stand in verdant beauty
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree!
How laden are your branches
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree!
Your presence here enhances
Your silver star does glisten bright
Reflecting all the candlelight
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree!
How laden are your branches
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree
You fill all hearts with gaiety
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree
You fill all hearts with gaiety
On Christmas Day you stand so tall
Affording joy to one and all
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree
You fill all hearts with gaiety
CHRISTMAS FOLLY REVISITED
I have no need of jollity
Or happy yuletide fare
I have no Christmas gift to wrap
There’s no one here to share
I have no time for Christmas
Just the time to reminisce
I have no need of mistletoe
Because she’s not here to kiss
So I will spend the time alone
On a lonely Christmas day
But I have no need of sympathy
Because I let her slip away
FAVOURITE CHRISTMAS SONG # 33 - JINGLE BELL ROCK
Jingle Bell Rock
Written By Joe Beal
Performed By Hilary Duff
Jingle bell, jingle bell
Jingle bell rock
Jingle bell swing
And jingle bells ring
Snowin' and blowin'
Up bushels of fun
Now the jingle hop has begun
Jingle bell, jingle bell
Jingle bell rock
Jingle bells chime in
Jingle bell time
Dancin' and prancin'
In jingle bell square
In the frosty air
What a bright time
It's the right time
To rock the night away
Jingle bell, time
Is a swell time
To go glidin' in a
one horse sleigh
Giddy-up, jingle horse
Pick up your feet
Jingle around the clock
Mix and mingle
In a jinglin' beat
That's the jingle bell rock
WHILE SHEPHERDS WATCHED - SAFELY
While shepherds watched their flocks by night
All seated on the ground,
An inspector from the HSE came down
And he quickly wore a frown
I’m dreaming of a white Christmas,
Just like the ones I used to know
But to be honest I drink so much
I won’t even notice if it snows
THE BEST CHRISTMAS BOOKS EVER - THE POLAR EXPRESS
The Polar Express was written and illustrated by Chris Van Allsburg and published in 1985.
The book is partially set in the author's home town, Grand Rapids, Michigan, and takes place in 1956.
It begins when a young boy, who used to love Christmas, but now doubts, hears a train whistle outside his house and to his amazement, he finds the train has stopped and is waiting for him.
The conductor explains the train is called the Polar Express, and is journeying to the North Pole. Still wearing his night clothes the boy reluctantly boards the train, which is filled with chocolate and candy, as well as many other children in their pyjamas.
After an adventurous journey the train reaches the North Pole and at the centre of town thousands of elves are waiting to send Santa Claus on his way.
The boy is handpicked by Santa to receive the first gift of Christmas.
Realizing that he could choose anything in the world, he asks for one bell from one of the reindeer's harnesses.
Santa gives him the bell and he places in the pocket of his robe but later, on the train ride home, it falls through a hole in his pocket and is lost.
But on Christmas morning, his sister finds a small package under the tree, behind all of the other gifts.
And when the boy opened it he discovered that it was the bell, delivered by Santa who had found it on the seat of his sleigh.
When the boy rang the bell he and his sister revelled in the sweet sound.
Their parents of course were unable to hear it because they did not believe.
21st CENTURY NURSERY RHYMES # 182
Father Christmas, Father Christmas,
Got an itch, Got an itch;
Coming down the chimney,
Coming down the chimney;
On his snitch, On his snitch.
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO THE ONE I LOVE # 1
Merry Christmas sweetheart, the one I love,
On this day when love is keenest felt,
The day when closed minds are opened
And even the coldest hearts can melt
THE BEST CHRISTMAS MOVIES EVER – NAUGHTY OR NICE
Krissy Kringle (Hilarie Burton) dislikes Christmas intently, mainly because she’s had to go through life with the name Krissy Kringle.
But she also suffered the indignity of having her street renamed “Candy Cane Lane” as a result of her name and the street name she gets regular deliveries of Christmas mail.
This particular year however was worse than normal when she is fired from the Ad Agency where she works instead of getting the promotion she was expecting and is forced to take a job as a present wrapper at the Mall and must dress as an Elf.
When she arrives home and forces open her front door, amidst the mountain of Christmas mail she finds a special delivery intended for Santa Claus, the Naughty or Nice book which he had left behind while visiting a child.
Krissy uses the power of the book to expose the naughty deeds of those around her, but soon finds that her newfound power can have devastating results.
Gabriel Tigerman is excellent as Krissie’s partner in crime at the Mall, Marco Webb and Michael Gross and Meredith Baxter put in a convincing performances as her parents Walter and Carol Kringle.
CHRISTMAS DREAM # 4
I dream of Christmas
Warming us from winters chill
When hearts are overflowing
With seasonal good will
FAVOURITE CHRISTMAS CAROL # 29 O CHRISTMAS TREE (O TANNENBAUM)
O Christmas Tree (O Tannenbaum)
Traditional German Carol Writer unknown
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree!
Thou tree most fair and lovely!
Oh Christmas tree, O Christmas tree!
Thou tree most fair and lovely!
The sight of thee at Christmastide
spreads hope and gladness far and wide
Oh Christmas tree, O Christmas tree
Thou tree most fair and lovely!
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree!
Thou hast a wondrous message:
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree!
Thou hast a wondrous message:
Thou dost proclaim the Saviour's birth
Good will to men and peace on earth
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree!
Thou hast a wondrous message
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree!
You stand in verdant beauty
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree!
You stand in verdant beauty
Your boughs are green in summer's glow
And do not fade in winter's snow
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree!
You stand in verdant beauty
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree!
How laden are your branches
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree!
Your presence here enhances
Your silver star does glisten bright
Reflecting all the candlelight
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree!
How laden are your branches
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree
You fill all hearts with gaiety
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree
You fill all hearts with gaiety
On Christmas Day you stand so tall
Affording joy to one and all
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree
You fill all hearts with gaiety
CHRISTMAS FOLLY REVISITED
I have no need of jollity
Or happy yuletide fare
I have no Christmas gift to wrap
There’s no one here to share
I have no time for Christmas
Just the time to reminisce
I have no need of mistletoe
Because she’s not here to kiss
So I will spend the time alone
On a lonely Christmas day
But I have no need of sympathy
Because I let her slip away
FAVOURITE CHRISTMAS SONG # 33 - JINGLE BELL ROCK
Jingle Bell Rock
Written By Joe Beal
Performed By Hilary Duff
Jingle bell, jingle bell
Jingle bell rock
Jingle bell swing
And jingle bells ring
Snowin' and blowin'
Up bushels of fun
Now the jingle hop has begun
Jingle bell, jingle bell
Jingle bell rock
Jingle bells chime in
Jingle bell time
Dancin' and prancin'
In jingle bell square
In the frosty air
What a bright time
It's the right time
To rock the night away
Jingle bell, time
Is a swell time
To go glidin' in a
one horse sleigh
Giddy-up, jingle horse
Pick up your feet
Jingle around the clock
Mix and mingle
In a jinglin' beat
That's the jingle bell rock
WHILE SHEPHERDS WATCHED - SAFELY
While shepherds watched their flocks by night
All seated on the ground,
An inspector from the HSE came down
And he quickly wore a frown
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