DOB?

 

In Rome a monk living about 530 ad

                   A mathematician and an astronomer

Was given the task of calculating

                   And reforming the Christian calendar

In essence to pin point with all precision

                   The date of Jesus Christ’s birth exactly

A miscalculation was discovered later

                   He was four years out unfortunately

Christ was born on January the sixth 

                   According to the scholarly Egyptians

The date of Christ’s death was thought

                   More important to the early Christians

Rome selected Christ’s birth date to be

                   On the twenty fifth day of December

To coincide with the old pagan festivals

                   Like that of Mithras and Saturnalia

The sixth of January is Christmas day

                   For the apostolic church from Armenia

But its the following day that’s Special

                   For the Orthodox Church of Russia

THE BEST CHRISTMAS MOVIES EVER – THE HOLLY AND THE IVY (1952)

 

Family Members assemble to celebrate Christmas in the home of their widowed father, Rev. Martin Gregory (Ralph Richardson) in a quaint English village where his daughter Jenny (Celia Johnson) keeps house for him.

They are joined by his other daughter Margaret (Margaret Leighton), son Michael (Denholm Elliott), Aunt Lydia (Margaret Halstan) Aunt Bridget (Maureen Delaney) and family friend Richard Wyndham (Hugh Williams).

They all present themselves as well met but deep secrets are hidden on the pretext that the Reverend wouldn't understand “because he's a parson”

But of course nothing can be kept hidden for ever so the truth begins to be revealed bit by bit in a memorable crescendo.

John Gregson also stars as Jenny’s love interest in this wonderful real Christmas story about real people in an emotional roller coaster that leaves you wanting more.

FAVOURITE CHRISTMAS CAROL # 11 - THE COVENTRY CAROL

 

THE COVENTRY CAROL

Music and lyrics traditional

 

Lully, lullay, Thou little tiny Child,

Bye, bye, lully, lullay.

Lullay, thou little tiny Child,

Bye, bye, lully, lullay.

 

O sisters too, how may we do,

For to preserve this day

This poor youngling for whom we do sing

Bye, bye, lully, lullay.

 

Herod, the king, in his raging,

Charged he hath this day

His men of might, in his own sight,

All children young to slay.

 

That woe is me, poor Child for Thee!

And ever mourn and sigh,

For thy parting neither say nor sing,

Bye, bye, lully, lullay.

SEASONAL GREETINGS FROM THE FIRST NATIONS OF AMERICA

Choctaw, Muskhogean

Yukpa, Nitak Hollo Chito

Cree, Algonquian

Mitho Makosi Kesikansi

Inuit

Jutdlime pivdluarit ukiortame pivdluaritlo

Iroquois

Ojenyunyat Sungwiyadeson honungradon nagwutut. Ojenyunyat osrasay.

Navajo, Athapaskan

Merry Keshmish

THE NOT SO GREAT WAR

“Your country needs you,” said Kitchener

You’re needed to fight them over there

 “It will be over by Christmas,” they said

But it was just getting started instead

In the cold trenches on Christmas morn

The guns remained silent after the dawn

Soon forgetting the horrendous conditions

Men began emerging from their positions

The opposing soldiers met in no mans land

Then smiled and shook their enemies hand

Briefly at peace both sides felt regrets

Then they exchanged gifts of cigarettes

A day without a single shot fired at all

They even got to play a game of football

Sadly the men returned their own way

They began killing again on Boxing Day 

THE BEST CHRISTMAS MOVIES EVER – I'LL BE SEEING YOU (1944)

 

Mary Marshall (Ginger Rogers), serving a six year term for involuntary manslaughter, is given a Christmas furlough from prison to visit her closest relatives, her Aunt and Uncle (Spring Byington and Tom Tully) and niece Barbara (Shirley Temple) in a small Midwestern town.

On the train she meets Sergeant Zach Morgan (Joseph Cotton), on leave for the holidays from a military hospital, where his physical wounds have healed, but is still fragile mentally and is subject to panic attacks.

The pair are attracted to one another and in the warm atmosphere of the Christmas season friendship blossoms into romance, but Mary is reluctant to tell him of her past and that she must shortly return to prison to serve the remainder of her sentence.

FAVOURITE CHRISTMAS SONG # 20 - Christmas All Over Again

 

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 twentieth selection.

 

Christmas All Over Again

Written and performed by Tom Petty

Well it's Christmas time again, decorations are all hung by the fire
Everybody's singin', all the bells are ringing out
And it's Christmas all over again, yeah again

Long-distance relatives, haven't seen'em in a long, long time
Yeah I kind of missed 'em, I just don't wanna kiss 'em, no
It's Christmas all over again, yeah again

And all over town little kids gonna get down
And Christmas is a rockin' time, put your body next to mine
Underneath the mistletoe we go, we go

Everybodys singin', all the bells are ringin' out
It's Christmas all over again, yeah again

And right down our block little kids start to rock
And Christmas is a rockin' time, put your body next to mine
Underneath the mistletoe we go, we go

Merry Christmas time come and find you happy and there by your fire
I hope you have a good one, I hope momma gets her shoppin' done
And it's a Christmas all over again
Baby it's Christmas all over again
And it's Christmas all over again

Now let's see...I want a new Rickenbacker guitar,