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O Holy Night; Ladywell Primary School 2012

On 20 November 2012, a 6yr old boy from Motherwell, Lanarkshire died after a 4 week battle with meningococcal septicaemia (meningitis).

His primary school choir recorded "O Holy Night" in their gym hall.
It reached the top 40 of the UK charts and No18 on itunes download chart.
This single raised £7000 for Meningitis Research

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

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROpqaec5hIM

Elvis' Christmas (Full Album)1957
:-)

Brightest and best of the sons of the morning,
Dawn on our darkness and lend us thine aid;
Star of the East, the horizon adorning,
Guide where our infant Redeemer is laid.

Cold on His cradle the dewdrops are shining;
Low lies His head with the beasts of the stall.
Angels adore Him in slumber reclining,
Maker and Monarch and Saviour of all.

Shall we not yield Him, in costly devotion
Odours of Edom and offerings divine,
Gems of the mountain and pearls of the ocean,
Myrrh from the forest and gold from the mine?

Vainly we offer each ample oblation,
Vainly with gifts would His favour secure.
Richer by far is the heart's adoration;
Dearer to God are the prayers of the poor.

Brightest and best of the sons of the morning,
Dawn on our darkness and lend us thine aid;
Star of the East, the horizon adorning,
Guide where our infant Redeemer is laid.

Thank you, Elizabeth.

Dear Joy and All

Hello

Hope you like this prayer.

It is beautiful reminder of the true meaning of the festive season.


"CHRISTMAS SHOPPING"


Dear Jesus,


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


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


and I'm running short of time!


Restore the joy of Christmas to my heart . . .


and help me to relax each day and make time for


YOU--

my one true Source of Joy.


Take gentle care
Best wishes
Elizabeth, EOS
xx

http://www.whychristmas.com/customs/advent.shtml

Advent is the period of four Sundays and weeks before Christmas (or sometimes from the 1st December to Christmas Day!). Advent means 'Coming' in Latin. This is the coming of Jesus into the world. Christians use the four Sundays and weeks of Advent to prepare and remember the real meaning of Christmas.

There are three meanings of 'coming' that Christians describe in Advent. The first, and most thought of, happened about 2000 years ago when Jesus came into the world as a baby to live as a man and die for us. The second can happen now as Jesus wants to come into our lives now. And the third will happen in the future when Jesus comes back to the world as King and Judge, not a baby.

1 Thessalonians 4:17 - Then we which are alive [and] remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.



Luke 12:40 - Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.

Epiphany today; my reason for posting Three Kings.

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

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

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

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


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Thank you.

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

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

Happy Christmas.

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

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

Dear Joy

Hello

Hope you are okay.

This is a lovely thread to read through.


Here is a comforting prayer I found recently.

Hope other readers will like it too.

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

Dear Lord Jesus,


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


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

and I'm running short of time.


Restore the joy of Christmas to my heart

and help me to relax each day and make time for

YOU

my one true Source of Joy.

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


Take gentle care
Very best wishes
Elizabeth, EOS
xx

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

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

also this one, some great singing

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

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

This is for all the ladies sorry gents

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The candles act as reminders to Christians:

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

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

Christmas in Holland / The Netherlands

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

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

Thank you for adding.