Ghosts of Christmas Past

Hello Friends

Because it is difficult now to handle fragile things as I drop them, I have not decorated this year, so here are a few photographs of Christmases past to wish you One and All

🌟

🕯️A🕯️

🕯️Very🕯️

🕯️Happy🕯️

🕯️Christmas🕯️

xx

🎁🎁xx🎁🎁

one of my many trees back in the day

Annual Lilies of Remembrance

The organ loft St Davids Cathedral

Nativity

Several images of my various collections:  Santas, Sleighs, Snowglobes

The Famous Singing Penguins raising money for charity

Nativity St Davids Cathedral

Nativity St Non's Chapel by the Sea

made for me by a dear friend

Home made fresh cranberry relish 

Vintage cake decorations

Christmas reading samples in Christmas colours

My Special Nativity

I hope you all have good food, good friends and fellowship to share your day, and may your Christmas dreams and wishes all come true.

Nadolig Llawen

i chi gyd 

Christmas in Iceland

Hello Friends!

I thought today I'd share a little bit about Christmas in Iceland. In some ways, it is similar to Christmas in Wales but in other ways, it is very different indeed. First, we'll take a brief look at the National Folk Museum of Iceland in Reykjavik. It's a small collection of traditional Icelandic buildings constructed from wood and turf.

Please note: the majority of these photographs are photographs of the original 35mm film images.

National Museum of Iceland 

A small brass band entertains, while the guide in the foreground is wearing a traditional cloak woven from Icelandic sheep fleece.  She will be warm and cosy in her cloak, whatever the weather.  It was a very beautiful garment, of which I was quite envious!

l

A few various photographs of interiors. There is a traditional fir tree as we would know it, however, the majority of the decorations will be handcrafted. Very often they are made out of recycled materials.  Until fairly recently, post WWII, importing of manufactured goods to Iceland was often intermittent, unreliable and expensive, so there is a strong history of make do and mend, recycling and upcycling.  Improvements to transport may have changed all that now, but the museum continues to preserve the ethos of bygone days.

Trees were hung with paper cones of sweets, and small baskets made out of hexagonal shapes cut out of last year's Christmas cards and stitched together with yarn would be filled with cookies and other sweet treats.  These ladies are making cones and baskets to sell.  The homemade tree was commonplace, instead of a real fir tree.

The emphasis is very much on home made, recycling, good food, and above all, family time.

Knitted ornaments, shapes woven from straw, woven paper hearts, and candles are also traditional Christmas decorations.

A traditional food served at Christmas is Laufabrauð, an unleavened flatbread {you can read more here} made using a special type of cutter.  The cuts are then folded into intricate patterns before the dough is cooked.

I purchased this paper cut replica at the museum, as made by the ladies, above.

This is a traditional cutting iron for sale in the museum shop {photo from site}

Another tradition in Iceland are the Yuletide Lads. These are the thirteen sons of the ogress Grýla and they come down from the mountains, one a day until on the 25th of December, all the boys are here. and then one by one they return to the mountains.  Each of them has an attribute for creating havoc, with Anglicised names such as Pot  Licker, Skyr Gobbler, Door Slammer, Sausage Stealer, and Window Peeper.   

You can read more about Grýla and her infamous Black Cat, and there's a full list of the Lad's names here.

Icelandic children do not put out Christmas stockings on Christmas Eve. But for the 13 days before Christmas, when the Icelandic lads are coming down out of the mountains, they put a shoe by the door or the window sill and if they have been good children they get a treat in their shoe, but if they have been naughty, they receive a potato.

Over the years, the fear of Gryla and her sons has softened somewhat, but in centuries past it must have been a very frightening time for small children especially in the deep dark days of an Icelandic winter!

A wonderful Christmas tradition they have in Iceland is the Jólabókaflóðið. It literally translates to flood of books. in the weeks coming up to Christmas, all authors release their new titles. Then, on Christmas Eve, the tradition is that the family gathers in the living room by the fireside and they all read their new books while eating chocolate.  What could be better: It is a tradition that would be worth observing!

Speaking of books, I am making a donation to the Book Trust in lieu of sending Christmas cards this year. Books have always held a special part of my heart for all of my life but as a small child, Christmas wasn't Christmas unless I had at least one book And thankfully, I usually had many!  The gift of a book to a child is a very important thing, in my opinion. It encourages so many things, not only the basic skills of reading, but opens up a whole new magical world of the imagination. 

Well, I have just scratched the surface of Christmas in Iceland. I've put in a few links if you want to explore further, you can.

Gleðileg jól

Until next time.
Stay safe stay well. Stay warm!
Debbie.  xx

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Season's Greetings

Hello Friends

Warmest Wishes for a Happy Christmas, however you celebrate.

All the doors on my {accidentally} tiny Advent calendar are now open

and my Scandinavian glass nativity is waiting to be lit at midnight

I've sorted out some reading for the coming days, and it's colour coordinated to the season!

and made a sweet angel card for my Godmother, which she loved

The old and battered nativity which I've owned for years is now in pride of place, for Christmas isn't Christmas without this treasure, as many of you know.

However you celebrate this, or any other year, may you find peace this Christmastide.

1 Corinthians 13:13 “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love”

Nadolig Llawen

Until next time

Stay safe and stay well

Deborah xo

My Christmas Wish to You

Hello Friends!

I had a rude awakening this morning around 5:30 a.m. when Mum came to my bedroom door. I was awake and out of bed in an instant to find out what was wrong, but it was only Mum, bless her, wanting to know if I was asleep or not. Is the irony of this lost on anyone?

So, tucking Mum back in her bed for a few more hours, back to bed I went ~~~ although the bed was warm and comforting I found I was failing miserably at regaining the cosy dream through which I was previously wandering, that was when the words started to bat around in my head.  A Christmas wish from me to you. I tried to compose it but at 5:30 a.m. words trundle merrily along the route~less thoroughfare of my brain and leave at the nearest junction never to be seen again ~~~

Eventually, the alarm sounded and I shivered in the cold of my unheated room, a cold that I had not noticed in the urgency of my early wake up call. As my day began, sitting, sipping my coffee, I found a little gift in my reading list, a new entry by Susan Branch {my happy place} and there I read a lovely verse that she had shared which pretty much sums up, succinctly, what I was trying to compose in lengthy prose,

1 Corinthians 13:13 “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love”

Later, an email arrived in my inbox with a very similar message, taken from an early 16th century writing by Fra Giovanni Giocondo (c.1435–1515) a Franciscan friar.  I quote:

“I salute you. I am your friend, and my love for you goes deep.  There is nothing I can give you which you have not. But there is much, very much, that, while I cannot give it, you can take. No heaven can come to us unless our hearts find rest in it today. Take heaven! No peace lies in the future which is not hidden in this present little instant.

Take peace! The gloom of the world is but a shadow. Behind it, yet within our reach, is joy. There is radiance and glory in darkness, could we but see.  And to see, we have only to look. I beseech you to look!

Life is so generous a giver. But we, judging its gifts by their covering, cast them away as ugly or heavy or hard. Remove the covering, and you will find beneath it a living splendor, woven of love by wisdom, with power. Welcome it, grasp it, and you touch the angel’s hand that brings it to you.

Everything we call a trial, a sorrow or a duty, believe me, that angel’s hand is there. The gift is there and the wonder of an overshadowing presence. Your joys, too, be not content with them as joys. They, too, conceal diviner gifts.

Life is so full of meaning and purpose, so full of beauty beneath its covering, that you will find earth but cloaks your heaven. Courage then to claim it; that is all! But courage you have, and the knowledge that we are pilgrims together, wending through unknown country home.”

So, my friends, whether you celebrate Christmas or any of the other number of feasts at this time of year, these words are my Christmas gift to you, to keep and to hold in your hearts all year long, to live and abide by the true meaning of Christmas all year long.  The times in which we live are bleak so we must hold faith and hope dear, and remember that LOVE is the greatest gift of all ~~~

Nadolig Llawen
Deborah xoxo

Christmas Countdown, Traditions and Trivia Day Twenty Two

Hello Friends!

Nearly there ~ here is today's Advent picture and scripture ~~~

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I don't know what it is with the northern Europeans but they certainly do have some very unfriendly and frightening characters in their Christmas lore! Over the last few days one name keeps popping up everywhere, and that is Krampus, so I decided to investigate.  I really do not like what I found, I had not heard of this dreadful character before, but have decided to tell you about him anyway. Like the Mari Lwyd of Wales, which I wrote about earlier, it is something that belongs more in Hallowe'en than Christmas.

So who, or what is Krampus?  He is an anthropomorphic half goat half demon figure from areas of Europe that include Austria, Bavaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovenia and Northern Italy.  He is a sort of companion to Saint Nicholas, but Krampus is the one who punishes all the children who have been naughty.  In some areas where the Feast of Saint Nicholas is celebrated on December 6th, the preceding evening is the Night of Krampus, or Krampusnacht, when the beast roams the streets seeking out children who have been bad to give them gifts of coal into shoes left outside for him to find {another common theme in Europe for naughty children} Being the stuff of nightmares, in some countries this creature with his horns, dark hair, and fangs, comes with a chain and bells that he lashes about, along with a bundle of birch sticks meant to swat naughty children. He then hauls the bad kids down to the underworld.

For many years Krampus's frightening presence was suppressed both by the the Catholic Church who forbade the celebrations, and by fascists in World War II Europe found Krampus despicable because it was considered a creation of the Social Democrats.  However, of late, there is a resurgence in Krampus's popularity and books have been written and a film made of this demonic Christmas character.

Personally, I don't understand the necessity, or the logic, behind such scary stuff, especially when aimed at young children, but who are we to question the traditions of centuries?  I give you my word, no more evil Christmas characters!

~~~~~

Moving on to Iceland where tonight's eleventh Yuletide Lad is Doorway Sniffer who will be here between 22nd December - 4th January
Also known as Gáttaþefur and Keyhole Sniffer, he has an enormous nose and a very good sense of smell. He loves the smell of cakes and Laufabrauð being baked, and will stand at the door using his great sense of smell to sniff out any cakes he can steal.

Until next time ~~~
~~~Deborah xoxo

Christmas Countdown, Traditions and Trivia Days Twenty and Twenty One

Hello Friends!

Oooops, I did it again! I missed a day, but I had company coming and was busy fixing an early Christmas lunch for my Godmother for our annual Christmas gift exchange. It was a lot of fun, and I made a variation on the theme of Sherry Trifle using macerated strawberries and Marsala. It was very delicious and will be made again.

In the meantime, I'll do another double up, so here are the Advent images for December 20th {yesterday} and today the 21st ~~~

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Today is the Winter Solstice. I look forward to this day every year because after six months of the days getting shorter and the evenings longer, tomorrow we will see the start of the long haul back into the light as each dark evening grows shorter and the light slowly returns to the northern hemisphere. Soon, the darkness will be forgotten in the heady days of late spring and early summer and all will be light.

The date of each solstice varies annually, and it can be any time between 21 and 23 of December and although the solstice itself only lasts for a brief moment, it is an important day known by many different names, including Midwinter, Yule, and Jól .  I often try to imagine what it must have been like for our ancient ancestors as they stood by, helplessly watching the sun sink slowly lower in the sky each day, as the days shortened and the nights lengthened; how frightening it must have been for them, wondering what was happening in the days before they understood that this is a natural part of the cycle of the year, of the changing seasons, and what they must have thought they had done to displease their gods.  Is it any wonder that some of the major feasts and festivals of so many religions are in December?

Food was scarce and cattle and livestock were slaughtered so that they did not have to be fed using valuable stored supplies of food through the very lean months ahead, so the supply of fresh meat was plentiful and perfect for feasts and celebrations.  Wine and beer that had been made earlier in the year was also ready to be drunk.  Let the festivities and merrymaking commence!

Our neolithic ancestors were aware of the importance of this astronomical event and it is not coincidental that the primary axes of important henges, such as Stonehenge and Newgrange are carefully aligned with the solstice sunset and sunrise respectively.

Christina Rossetti's poem {later to become a hymn, or Christmas carol} "In The Bleak Midwinter" makes a direct reference to the solstice in the title. It is a favourite of mine.

In the bleak mid-winter

Frosty wind made moan,

Earth stood hard as iron,

Water like a stone;

Snow had fallen, snow on snow,

Snow on snow,

In the bleak mid-winter

Long ago. 

Our God, Heaven cannot hold Him

Nor earth sustain;

Heaven and earth shall flee away

When He comes to reign:

In the bleak mid-winter

A stable-place sufficed

The Lord God Almighty,

Jesus Christ. 

Enough for Him, whom cherubim

Worship night and day,

A breastful of milk,

And a mangerful of hay;

Enough for Him, whom angels

Fall down before,

The ox and ass and camel

Which adore. 

Angels and archangels

May have gathered there,

Cherubim and seraphim

Thronged the air -

But only His mother

In her maiden bliss

Worshipped the Beloved

With a kiss. 

What can I give Him,

Poor as I am?

If I were a shepherd

I would bring a lamb;

If I were a wise man

I would do my part;

Yet what I can, I give Him -

Give my heart.

~~~~~

The ninth Yuletide Lad to visit on the 20th December was Sausage Swiper who will be around until 2nd January.  In days of old, he would sneak into the rafters of the house and steal any sausages that were being smoked there. As this practice is very rare in most Icelandic households, these days he will attempt to steal any slices of pepperoni found on pizzas.  He might also be called Bjúgnakrækir, Sausage Snatcher, Sausage Thief, Sausage Pilferer.

On December 21, Window Peeper arrives until 3rd January.  Also known as: Gluggagægir, Peeper, Peeping Tom, he is the tenth Yule Lad and while he is not a greedy as the others, he will stand outside the home, looking through the window looking for any toys that have been left out, if he sees any he likes the look of, he will break in and steal them.

Until next time ~~~
~~~Deborah xoxo

Christmas Countdown, Traditions and Trivia Day Eighteen

Hello Friends!

We're on the home straight now, a week from today it's Christmas Day. It is hard to believe how quickly this year has flown by ~~~

Here is today's Advent calendar picture and scripture ~~~

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We have a lovely tradition in the cathedral at Christmas called Lilies for Remembrance.  Displays of pure white lilies are arranged on the altars, the font, at the bases of pillars, and in the small chapels and annexes throughout the cathedral.  For a small sum you may dedicate a lily to a loved one who has gone before.  I have seven names that I dedicate lilies to, and here are some of the images I've taken over the years of the displays ~~~

Here is a photo of the organ loft decorated for Christmas. I often feel the presence of my Grandparents when I look at the organ loft, for my Grandfather was Verger at the cathedral for 35 years, and my Grandmother was Housekeeper at the Deanery, which is just up the hill from the south door. I often sense they are standing there looking down on the building that played such an important part in both their lives, and which meant so much to them ~~~

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Tonight's Yuletide Lad, number seven to come down from the mountains, is Door Slammer, also called Hurðaskellir or Door Banger. He enjoys nothing better than disturbing you while you sleep by making plenty of noise during the night by banging doors.  He leaves on December 31st.

Until next time ~~~
~~~Deborah xoxo