Wenceslas

 

Wenceslas

‘Good King Wenceslas’ is a popular English Christmas carol, telling the story of Saint Wenceslaus, Duke of Bohemia in the tenth century. He is the patron saint of the Czech Republic.

He was a good ruler and generous to his people. Every Christmas he would go with several of his pages to take food, firewood and clothing to his poorest and most needy subjects. He also encouraged the rich to give to the poor.

The ‘Feast of Stephen’ mentioned in the first verse is St Stephen’s Day, the second day of Christmas, more familiar to most as Boxing Day.

Good King Wenceslas looked out

On the feast of Stephen

When the snow lay round about

Deep and crisp and even

Brightly shone the moon that night

Though the frost was cruel

When a poor man came in sight

Gath'ring winter fuel.

It is another of those carols that children are taught and often do not understand. Thus ‘Wenceslas’ becomes ‘Wences last’. In similar vein, in ‘Away in a manger’ the verse that asks

‘And stay by my side  

Until morning is nigh’     

is rendered as

‘And stay by my side  

Until morning is night’     

 . . . and who can forget that wonderful character in ‘The angel Gabriel’ – ‘Most highly-flavoured lady’ ?

Children adapt the words that are unfamiliar to them to their evident satisfaction and to the amusement of listening adults.

                     

 

Christmas Day

A stirring carol for today, 'Joy to the world' arranged by John Rutter and sung by the WDR Radio Choir. accompanied by the WDR Symphony Orchestra at the Kölner Symphonie, Cologne. 

Wherever you are and whatever you may be doing, I wish you peace, comfort and good company.

Happy Christmas!

Christmas Eve

 

Christmas Eve

                                                        All images courtesy of Wikimedia Commons                                                        

At the first stroke of midnight on Christmas Eve legend has it that all animals are given the power of human speech for that one special night. So, in homes and stables, fields and forests, animals domestic and wild acknowledge the miracle of Christmas, along with the bees, who sing a hymn at midnight just as Christmas Day breaks.

 The Adoration of the Christ-child by Mary and St Joseph from the Book of Hours of Simon de Varie

The origins of this folklore are lost but it is repeated to generations of wide-eyed children who try to stave off sleep so that they may hear the beasts speak.

                 Detail from 'The Nativity' by Zanobi Strozzi (1412-1468)  

                                    Note the kneeling ass and ox 

Reindeer

 

Reindeer

Images courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

The first time I saw reindeer I was so surprised at the size of them. I had expected them to be much larger, probably because of childhood years imagining them pulling a sleigh through the cold midnight skies. They range from 85 cms (2' 8") for a female to 150 cms (4' 9")for a male at the shoulder.

As we approach Christmas Eve, the traditional time for spotting flying reindeer, I looked more closely at these lovely creatures. Wild herds once roamed freely across Scotland until the 13^th century but were hunted to extinction.

There is a free-ranging reindeer herd of around 150 animals in the Cairngorms National Park. The deer were introduced to Scotland in 1954 by a Swedish Sami reindeer herder, Mikel Utsi.

With their built-in snowshoes, which are effective on snow, but less so on ice, these beautiful animals have eyes that adjust to the harsh light reflected from snow. Reindeer are the only deer in which females can grow antlers and the shape and style of the antlers varies in different subspecies.

They may not have red noses but they do have many blood vessels in their noses which ensure that their brains are constantly supplied with warm blood to keep them active.

The following short video clip explains a little more about their lives.

https://youtu.be/pKRIm_-RvA0?si=xqUl1U1C88Ub0eAB

Midwinter

 

Midwinter

December 22^nd is the 2023 date of the winter solstice in the northern hemisphere.  This day is variously known as Midwinter, the Shortest Day or the Longest Night. We expect to have around 7½ hours of daylight, though if it’s a gloomy day it will seem much less than that. In the most northerly parts of the northern hemisphere there may be no daylight at all. After that, the days start to lengthen, at the rate of about 15 minutes per week.  

In my experience the coldest weather comes in the months following Midwinter. January and February are nasty, brutish and cold.

Christina Rossetti’s poem ‘In the Bleak Midwinter’ is a favourite carol of mine and has been sung to two major settings, one by Harold Darke (1888-1976)

and the other, perhaps more familiar, by Gustav Holst (1874-1934)

 

An unexpected gift

It’s a pleasure to receive an unexpected gift – the wrapping, the shape, the weight – all intriguing. Then comes the joy of unpeeling the paper to discover what is hidden inside. If a small child is opening a present, the accompanying narrative will run along the lines of, “I wonder what it can be?’ and ‘What do you think it is?’ and, if you are the giver, a rather nervous, “I hope you like it’ and “If you’ve already got one, we can change it.’

Somehow, the anticipation lessens as one leaves childhood behind. Very often, we know what we’re receiving. In years past, when my husband was frequently away for weeks on business, I would be tasked with buying and wrapping my own present from him, as well as the rest of the family’s gifts. I didn’t mind – it made me laugh and enjoy it all the more.

 Though he is now retired, I am still consulted about his gift to me, because he doesn’t want to risk getting the wrong thing. I won’t tell you how many years we’re known each other but I would have thought he’d have some clue to my taste by now. To be fair, he has, but he likes to be sure! He knows not to give me things with plugs on – surely every man knows that?

 We have more than enough and need no more but, for our children’s sakes, we accede to the spirit of the season (and also to birthdays) to please them. They’re very sweet.

Anyway, today an unexpected gift arrived in the form of a positive Covid test for Barry. Robert and James have also tested positive. We were invited to spend Christmas Day with Susannah and James and Bethan and Robert were planning to visit us on Boxing Day, but neither of those things will happen now. It’s just as well – we have no appetite for a delicious banquet and would not make entertaining guests as we keep sneezing and falling asleep – not at the same time, of course. That begs the question, do we sneeze when we sleep? Answers on a postcard, please.  

At present we are drinking water and eating nothing, but still dutifully feeding the animals at regular intervals. I hope they don’t catch it – it is a zoonotic disease and the advice is to avoid contact with them. The trouble is that if I do that, they’ll starve, which is not a happy alternative.

I haven’t yet tested to discover if I have Covid or just the lurgy. The headache and fogginess of the last few days is somewhat trying, but as I always have a headache and no appetite before Christmas I’m not too bothered.

I hope any gifts you receive will be welcome and enjoyable!

 

Let there be light!

 

Let there be light!

In the dark and often dreary winter mornings it is cheering to come downstairs into the light. At the bottom of the stairs the hall table holds a lighted tree and some candles while in the sitting room the Christmas tree lights glow a warm red.

 We have a number of candles of various sizes, all powered by batteries. They were dotted all over the room and though they were pretty they didn’t make much of an impact.

Should we instal a prie-dieu?

The Entropy Gang’s December 2023 blog

 

The Entropy Gang’s December 2023 blog

Herschel: I think Gilbert has kept you up to date with goings-on in our household. He’s still very young, though, and doesn’t always realise what’s happening.

Jellicoe:  He’s a good-tempered pup and doesn’t make much noise. He only grumbles when I try to steal his food.  Feeding times are the highlights of my day.

Herschel: I just wait patiently. Well, I do yowl sometimes but I think my brother is quite rude. He moves closer and closer to the MAID when it’s nearing time for her to feed us. Then he starts patting her face and giving her little nips on her arm.

Jellicoe: I object to that. I’m just gently reminding her. She’s getting on in years, you know.

(The MAID: Harrumph!)

Herschel: So are you and I and we don’t need to be reminded about anything.

Jellicoe: You’re right. I’d apologise to her if I thought she’d understand, but, well, HUMANS, you know . . .

Herschel: There you go again, being all superior. Where would you be without the HUMANS?

Jellicoe: I know, but you must admit they can’t do half the things we can. I mean, have you ever seen them leap up to the top of the grandfather clock?

Herschel: No, and neither have I seen them catch birds, though they don’t like us doing that. Leaving all that aside, how would you cope without the MASTER and the MAID and the VETS?

Jellicoe: You’re right. The MASTER took me to see the VETS again the other day. I wasn’t ill but he and the MAID were having difficulty getting blood to test for my glucose curve, whatever that is.

Herschel: Yes, I’ve watched the MASTER pricking your ear while the MAID holds you tightly. It doesn’t look much fun for you – or them.

Jellicoe: My poor ears were getting sore but I’m very good and don’t struggle much. The MAID said that as my ears were getting pierced I might need some earrings soon. I didn’t fancy that.

Herschel: So? What happened?

Jellicoe: Well, the VETS showed the MASTER how they do it and now he won’t use five or six testing strips every time.

Herschel: Why does he have to do it?

Jellicoe: It’s all to do with numbers. They mustn’t be too high or too low or I start to wobble and the stuff the MAID injects has to be adjusted. We were there for ages but when the MASTER asked how much he owed them, they said he didn’t and they were happy to help.

Herschel: That’s good, then. How much stuff do you have to have each day?

Jellicoe: It went down to 2½ units but now it’s 3 again. I think the MAID needs a microscope to read the scale.

Herschel: It will be Christmas soon. There are pretty lights everywhere.

Jellicoe: We hope all the HUMANS on earth can find some peace and joy and learn to live together.

TTFN

Party

 

Party

We went to a party on Saturday at Susannah and James’s house. I think they were catering for the 5,000, with many bottles of champagne and other inviting beverages, 30 litres of tonic water -  and associated nibbles, naturally.

Children of 15 and under who hadn’t made other plans accompanied their parents. They were all boys, funnily enough. Some were friends or at least acquaintances, but none of them were particularly socially aware, so there was an element of Lost Boys without the leadership of Peter Pan. Thank goodness for screens of various sizes!

Anyway, as they were mostly out of sight and mind, though perfectly safe in the house, the adults carried on enjoying themselves regardless.  

No-one who goes to a house belonging to any member of our family can expect or hope for an animal-free environment. Susannah and James have two dogs and four cats and we took Roxy and Gilbert, as they had been invited. We were a little anxious about it as we knew there would be lots of food conveniently placed at dog’s nose level and Labradors are not known for their reticence where food is concerned. We need not have worried. They behaved beautifully and were sociable and friendly guests, although Gilbert’s wildly wagging tail narrowly missed knocking over glasses several times.

It was lovely to see such a mix of affable people and it was a thoroughly enjoyable time. It was particularly pleasant to see our daughter-in-law and her two very tall handsome sons. All the rest of the family had been unable to come – it’s such a busy time before Christmas and everyone and everything seems to be booked up months in advance. We slipped away to feed our starving cats, leaving behind a diminishing but happy throng.

Gilbert and Roxy have been exceptionally quiet today, being unused to socialising,  and so have we.

Christmas greetings

Christmas greetings, austerity style.

Oh, what a mess we're in!

 

Geese

 

Geese

                                            Greylag goose

                        Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

The Greylag goose (Anser anser) is the only native breeding goose in Britain. It was first domesticated in Ancient Egypt 3000 years ago. It is a large, bulky bird  and is thought to be the ancestor of most domestic goose breeds. Greylag geese mate for life. 

 

Christmas is coming, the geese are getting fat,

Please to put a penny in the old man’s hat,

If you haven’t got a penny, a ha’penny will do, 

If you haven’t got a ha’penny, a farthing will do,

If you haven’t got a farthing, God bless you!

This old rhyme has been spoken and sung for centuries and first appeared in print in 1885, ascribed to that well-known and modest author Anon. It is difficult to find any more information about it.

Goose was the traditional Christmas meat until the 1950s when turkey began to overtake it in popularity and availability. Goose was also roasted at other festivities, notably Michaelmas.

Goose has a short season, being reared naturally between September and December. In the UK, before most common land was seized under the Enclosure Acts, small communities grazed flocks of geese on open spaces in their parishes. Apart from the meat, which was much prized above other poultry, the birds gave eggs, feathers, down and quills. After cooking, the fat produced was used for medicinal as well as culinary purposes.

Goose quills were used as dipping pens until the 19^th century. The pinion feathers – flight feathers on the outer edges of the wings – were used to make the flights or fletches on arrows as they were shorter and stiffer and would not interlock with other feathers. The most fortunate in society used down and feathers for their mattresses, which were a softer alternative to straw or horse hair.

Today, the most favoured – and expensive - duvets are filled with goose down to provide warmth and excellent insulation without great weight. Hungarian goose down is the supreme duvet filler. The geese raised in the cold climate of Hungary produce thicker and fluffier down, which provides greater warmth and superior insulation.

 

Decorated

Decorated

The cats were not enthralled with the idea of being decorated for Christmas. There was a great deal of rushing around as they tried to rid themselves of the rustling, strange-smelling adornments. Thus, in some instances, their photographs are rather fuzzy

'Who will rid me of this turbulent tinsel?'

Herschel decides on the off-the-shoulder look

Jellicoe raced around as if by moving really quickly the thing around his neck would be left behind. His off-the-shoulder look eventually became an off-the-tummy look and finally an on-the-floor look. He and Herschel quickly forgave me for my insult to their dignity, Jellicoe even deciding to sleep on the tinsel. It's true, as Eleanor Farjeon said, 'Cats sleep anywhere.'

Gilbert and Roxy took the whole exercise in their stride and didn't attempt to escape. 

                                Just look at those eyes!

                        How long will it be before I'm disturbed?

                                                 Not long!

                                    I love him really!

Gilbert and Roxy went to sleep with their fancy collars. Is there a poem starting, 'Dogs sleep anywhere'? There should be.

End of term

 

End of term

                            Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

The schools in this area break up for Christmas soon. Weary teachers and pasty-faced children stagger towards the final day of term, the work gradually tailing off as the holiday beckons. Everyone is under the weather, coughing and sneezing, all reserves of energy almost depleted. Lists have been checked a multitude of times to ensure that each child has made a Christmas card, a calendar, a tree or table decoration, a hat to wear at school Christmas lunch - no-one must be left out. Costumes for the play have been gathered and named.

In a primary school, particularly among the younger children, Christmas has been ‘done’ a hundred times by the end of term. Many rehearsals of Nativity plays have led to the final performances, when angels and kings, shepherds and animals, and of course, Mary and Joseph, are transformed by the donning of costumes.

 The angels are never quite sure whether they're angels or fairies but love the glittery, scratchy tinsel headdresses. The angel Gabriel may be wearing neat wings or enormous appendages which threaten to weigh him down or lift him aloft in a strong wind. The shepherds wear dressing gowns and their striped or checked tea towel headdresses have a tendency to slip off. The kings have elaborate cardboard crowns and carry brightly wrapped ‘gifts’ while the animals have a variety of masks to show what they are.

Excitement builds as the moment for performance arrives. Little children worry in case their mums or grandparents aren’t in the audience. Some cry, others suck their thumbs, all are over-excited, nerves as tight as harp strings. The teachers try to keep their charges calm and then the opening music plays.

Audience and performers' eyes seek each other out and exchange small waves of recognition. The age-old story is told  and children sing the familiar carols with enthusiasm. The magic gradually overwhelms, adult eyes glistening unexpectedly as the innocence of the children adds poignancy to their performance. 'Away in a manger' lisped by little children moves even the hardest hearts.

                            Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

 The teachers, who have coached and cajoled their children and at times despaired that they would ever be ready, see the little boys and girls as if for the first time as they give their shining best. 

 Everyone is a star and the final applause is heartfelt and prolonged. 

Children exclaim that they loved doing it and want to do it all over again. Teachers praise them and give silent thanks that everything went off without a hitch. Everyone goes home singing or humming with their proud parents.

There’s nothing quite like a Christmas celebration in a primary school.                                                                                                             

Sometimes children, especially very young ones, display an excess of enthusiasm. I challenge you to get through this clip without giggling.                                                                                                                                                               .