A Feel Sorry New Year's Eve

~ A Few British Ornaments on the Tree ~

Adrian Henry's Talking After Christmas Blues

Well I woke up this mornin' it was Christmas Day
And the birds were singing the night away
I saw my stocking lying on the chair
Looked right to the bottom but you weren't there
there was
apples
oranges
chocolates
. .. . aftershave
but no you.

So I went downstairs and the dinner was fine
There was pudding and turkey and lots of wine
And I pulled those crackers with a laughing face
Till I saw there was no one in your place
there was
mincepies
brandy
nuts and raisins
. . . mashed potato
but no you.

Now it's New Year and it's Auld Lang Syne
And it's 1 2 o'clock and I'm feeling fine
Should Auld Acquaintance be Forgot?
I don't know girl, but it hurts a lot
there was
whisky
vodka dry Martini (stirred
but not shaken)
.... and 12 New Year resolutions
all of them about you.

So it's all the best for the year ahead

As I stagger upstairs and into bed
Then I looked at the pillow by my side
. . .I tell you baby I almost cried

there'll be

Autumn

Summer
Spring
. . . . and Winter

all of them without you.

[all ellipses in original]

Adrian Henri (1932 - 2000)
Thanks to Curtis for the link

What leads up to a feel sorry New Year's Eve?
A feel sorry hard candy Christmas!

Resolutions for 2021: More Reading, Writing & Movies

Ring, happy bells, across the snow:
The year is going, let him go . . .

Last Fortnightly of 2020:
10 Movies, 10 Images

@The Fortnightly Kitti Carriker
A literary blog of connection & coincidence;
custom & ceremony

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Last Book Blog of 2020:
Power of Reading

@Kitti's List

Ideal Stable Conditions

It's just possible that any star will do!

“Early-stage religion is largely preparing you for the immense gift of this burning, this inner experience of God, as though creating a proper stable into which the Christ can be born. Unfortunately, most people get so preoccupied with their stable, and whether their stable is better than your stable, or whether their stable is the only 'one, holy, catholic, and apostolic' stable, that they never get to the birth of God in the soul. There is no indication in the text that Jesus demanded ideal stable conditions; in fact, you could say that the specific mentioning of his birth in a 'manger' is making the exact opposite point. Animals at least had room for him, while there was 'no room for him in the inn' (Luke 2:8) where humans dwelled." (13 - 14)

by Richard Rohr, Franciscan Friar (b 1943)
from Falling Upward: A Spirituality for the Two Halves of Life

***************

A Nest on the Floor

Mother & Child

Holy Family

Dashing!

What better exclamation to capture both
the spirit of the season and the spirit of the photo?!

Dashing!

Look at my Grandma & Grandpa Carriker in 1959 (and 1953)! They are practically riding in a one - horse open sleigh! Of course they had a car in 1959, so I'm not sure why they are in this apparently horse - drawn carriage. Perhaps it was some kind of throw-back community historical event, a harvest festival, or barn raising -- or maybe just a fun photo op. True, the photo portrays neither horse nor snow, yet the tree looks wintry. And they look dashing! I love their accessories -- Grandpa's hat and string tie, and Grandma's scarf!

Speaking of dashing, here is
a dashing Christmas card
from a sweet grand-daughter!

A festive two - horse - drawn carriage
featured on a Christmas card from 1961
sent from my sister (age 11 at the time)
to our Grandpa & Grandma Lindsey & Uncle Earl.
Recently rediscovered in a box of greeting cards
that Grandma had saved over the years.

“A warm and friendly wish
for Christmas
and the coming New Year

Merry Christmas to All
To Grandma, Grandpa & Earl
From Peggy”

“How are you? We are all fine.
We are busy but having fun. It
is now Thursday. We had snow
today when I was in school. It is
about 1” deep now but it might do
some more tonight. It is real cold
out here. I had better close it now
because I am running out of space.”

P.S.
Grandma & Grandpa on a cycle in their backyard

Willard Samson Carriker
~ "Jack" ~
Dec 6, 1898 - March 6, 1974

Melvina Adeline Beavers Carriker
~ "Shug" [as in "Sugar] ~
May 17, 1901 - November 18, 1981

Mildred's First Christmas Tree

One thing you can say
about Aunt Ethel & Uncle Harry:
They sure knew how to put up
a stylish Christmas tree!

On the back of this photograph,
my Grandmother Rovilla has written:
"Mildred's first Christmas tree
On Burn Street in Independence, Kansas"

[Mildred was born in January 1913,
so this must be December 1913]

Unfortunately, there is no note on the back of this one.
I know it is my Great - Aunt Ethel, who was married
to my grandmother's brother Harry Heideman.
But I'm not sure if this is their daughter Mildred
(born January 23, 1913)
or her sister Ila Maxine (born March 29, 1917).

Notation on the back,
presumably written by Ethel or Harry:
"Our Xmas tree this yr"
In my grandmother's handwriting: "Harry's"
~ but no date given ~

Mildred, Ethel ~ Baby Ila, Harry
~ sometime in 1917 ~

Visions of Sugarplums

Outdoor Ornament Reflection
photographed in 2013 by my cousin Steven aka AJ

Throwback holiday nails . . .

. . . from back in the day (2015) when I didn't search my soul before every mani - pedi, but just went on a whim whenever it seemed fun...and visions of sugarplums danced in my head.

As my sister Di so sweetly sadly expressed it:
"I too miss the olden days of not weighing the risk of every whim."

****************

To cheer us up a bit in preparation for the holidays,
British treats of every kind from my sister-in-law Tee!

Festive Fencepost

"Now by the post-and-rail fences . . .
the spirits of friends, dead or alive, thicker they come, a great
crowd, and I in the middle . . .

. . . there I wander with them . . ."

~ Walt Whitman ~


"There where the dim past and future mingle
their nebulous hopes and aspirations
there I lie. . . ."

~ Lenrie Peters ~

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For more fencepost poetry and decorations

see my current post:

"Fencepost of Homestead Past"

@The Fortnightly Kitti Carriker
A literary blog of connection & coincidence;
custom & ceremony

P.S.
~ First Snow of the Season ~
December 16th, 2020

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December 16, 2008

Songs for Hanukkah

~ Solid Brass Maccabee Menorah by Artist David Klass ~

Light One Candle

Light one candle for the Maccabee children
With thanks that their light didn't die
Light one candle for the pain they endured
When their right to exist was denied
Light one candle for the terrible sacrifice
Justice and freedom demand
Light one candle for the wisdom to know
When the peacemaker's time is at hand

Don't let the light go out!
It's lasted for so many years!
Don't let the light go out!
Let it shine through our hope and our tears. (2)

Light one candle for the strength that we need
To never become our own foe
And light one candle for those who are suffering
Pain we learned so long ago
Light one candle for all we believe in
That anger not tear us apart
And light one candle to find us together
With peace as the song in our hearts

Don't let the light go out!
It's lasted for so many years!
Don't let the light go out!
Let it shine through our hope and our tears. (2)

What is the memory that's valued so highly
That we keep it alive in that flame?
What's the commitment to those who have died
That we cry out they've not died in vain?
We have come this far always believing
That justice would somehow prevail
This is the burden, this is the promise
This is why we will not fail!

Don't let the light go out!
Don't let the light go out!
Don't let the light go out! 

 
1982 ~ Music and lyrics by Peter Yarrow 

of Peter, Paul and Mary

Also by David Klass

The Dreidel Song

I have a little dreidel. I made it out of clay.
And when it's dry and ready, then dreidel I shall play.
Oh dreidel, dreidel, dreidel, I made it out of clay.
Oh dreidel, dreidel, dreidel, then dreidel I shall play.

It has a lovely body, with legs so short and thin.
When it gets all tired, it drops and then I win!
Dreidel, dreidel, dreidel, with leg so short and thin.
Oh dreidel, dreidel, dreidel, it drops and then I win!

My dreidel's always playful. It loves to dance and spin.
A happy game of dreidel, come play now let's begin.
Oh dreidel, dreidel, dreidel, it loves to dance and spin.
Oh dreidel, dreidel, dreidel. Come play now let's begin.

I have a little dreidel. I made it out of clay.
When it's dry and ready, dreidel I shall play.
Oh dreidel, dreidel, dreidel, I made you out of clay.
Oh dreidel, dreidel, dreidel, then dreidel I shall play.

1927 ~ English version by Samuel S. Grossman (lyrics)
and Samuel E. Goldfarb (music)

~ as I recall from my very first piano lesson book ~
~ way back in 1966, a gold star on the Dreidel Song! ~

Coffee for Santa

Fun cards from MOMA!
See Santa's little "to go" cup?
I wish it were more brightly colored,
like a Starbucks holiday design!

2020

Previous St. Nicholas Day Posts

2009 ~ The Little St. Nick

2011 ~ Happy St. Nicholas Day!

2012 ~ Viracocha, St. Nicholas, Buller Clos

2019 ~ A Grim St. Nicholas

~ An Old Favorite from My Friend Jill ~

All Through the Night

Moonrise ~ 7:36 p.m. December 1, 2020
Moonset ~ 7:31 a.m. December 2, 2020

Starting with A Child's Christmas in Wales (listen at 48:32), I have long been familiar with the song "All Through the Night" as a lullaby or a Christmas song with slight variations in the lyrics:

All Through the Night

Sleep, my child, and peace attend thee
All through the night
Guardian angels God will send thee
All through the night
Soft the drowsy hours are creeping
Hill and dale in slumber sleeping
I my loving vigil keeping
All through the night

While the moon her watch is keeping
All through the night
While the weary world is sleeping
All through the night
Over thy spirit gently stealing
Visions of delight revealing
Breathes a pure and holy feeling
All through the night
All through the night . . .

More recently, I have learned of the hymn:

God That Madest

God, that madest earth and heaven,
darkness and light;
who the day for toil hast given,
for rest the night;
may thine angel-guards defend us,
slumber sweet thy mercy send us;
holy dreams and hopes attend us,
this livelong night.

Guard us waking, guard us sleeping,
and, when we die,
may we in thy mighty keeping
all peaceful lie;
when the last dread call shall wake us,
do not thou, our God, forsake us,
but to reign in glory take us
with thee on high.

Reginald Heber (1783-1826)
& Richard Whatley (1787-1863)

And the earlier Welsh version:

Ar Hyd Y Nos

Holl amrantau'r sêr ddywedant
Ar hyd y nos
"Dyma'r ffordd ifro gogoniant"
Ar hyd y nos
Golau arall yw tywyllwch
I arddangos gwir brydferthwch
Teulu'r nefoedd mewn tawelwch
Ar hyd y nos
Hyd y nos.

O mor siriol, gwena seren
Ar hyd y nos
I oleuo'i chwaer ddaearen
Ar hyd y nos.
Nos yw henaint pan ddaw cystudd
Ond i harddu dyn a'i hwyrddydd
Rhown ein golau gwan i'n gilydd
Ar hyd y nos.
Hyd y nos.

Translation:

All the stars' twinkles say
All through the night
"This is the way to the realm of glory,"
All through the night.
Other light is darkness
To show true beauty
The Heavenly family in peace
All through the night.
Through the night.

O, how cheerful smiles the star,
All through the night
To light its earthly sister
All through the night.
Old age is night when affliction comes
But to beautify man in his late days
We'll put our weak light together
All through the night.
Through the night.

A Silvery Advent

Holly Fairy by Cicely Mary Barker
Happy December & First Week of Advent

Featured Previously in Red & Gold;
here's a silver set:

Silver & Gold

Silver and gold, silver and gold
Ev'ryone wishes for silver and gold
How do you measure its worth?
Just by the pleasure it gives here on earth

Silver and gold, silver and gold
Mean so much more when I see
Silver and gold decorations
On ev'ry Christmas tree

Sung by Sam the Snowman ~ Burl Ives
Music & lyrics by Johnny Marks