This calendar with little chocolates and a picture in it for every day is for little Lucas. We are going to see him on Sunday, the 7th of December, meaning he may find chocolates from number 1 to 7! (Sorry, that we could not give him the calendar before the 1st of December.)
I had every year an Advent Calendar when I was a child. However my calendars never had any chocolates in it. The idea to have chocolates in advent calendars came up many years later. But for the 6th of December, on St. Nicolas Day, we usually got some special pre Christmas treat. The night before that day we had to put our shoes in front of our bedroom door. If we had been ‘good’ children, we would find on the morning of the 6th, that good St. Nicholas had put some delicious things into our shoes, like ginger bread, chocolates, nuts and apples.
“German and Austrian Christmas customs have spread throughout the world wherever Christmas (Weihnachten) is celebrated. From the Christmas tree (Tannenbaum) to “Silent Night” (“Stille Nacht“) and on to the Advent calendar (Adventskalender), people around the globe have adopted many traditions that began in the German-speaking world.”
This is our Advent Crown (Adventskranz) with four candles in it, one for each Sunday of Advent. This Adventskranz has been with us for many years. For each Advent we dig it out again. In times gone past we would of course rather have bought a fresh Adventskranz made of Tannenzweigen (fir-twigs).
We also dig out some old advents calendars every year for advent. The numbers on the calendars go from 1 to 24, which is of course Christmas Eve.
Peter fastened the calendars to a wall and tries to find the relevant number of the day every morning! Some numbers are really hard to find!This picture shows a Weihnachtsmarkt in Berlin in the 19th century!
It doesn’t feel like it’s enough anymore to simply sign a petition or wave a sign to protest this governments illegal detention and torture of asylum seekers. Nor is it appropriate to close our eyes to the reality of the situation simply because it frightens us.
Do you really think that you are only judged for what you do in this life, often it’s what you don’t do that counts against you most. [I should know] Just because you didn’t raise a hand to someone doesn’t absolve you of the responsibility to try to stop it once you know it’s occurring.
That time is passed and I don’t really care how upsetting you find the situation we’re in here in Australia we can no longer afford for the majority of us to simply sit back, hands in a flutter saying It’s so overwhelming.
German and Austrian Christmas customs have spread throughout the world wherever Christmas (Weihnachten) is celebrated. From the Christmas tree (Tannenbaum) to “Silent Night” (“Stille Nacht“) and on to the Advent calendar (Adventskalender), people around the globe have adopted many traditions that began in the German-speaking world.
The Christmas songs, that I remember from my childhood, have a special meaning for me. Some songs were very joyful, others more reflective, that is ‘besinnlich’. Besinnlich meant we became deeply and seriously thoughtful while singing these songs . This kind of singing appealed to me. Advent was the only time of the year when my family would sing some songs together. And it went on for four Sunday afternoons in a row. After the fourth Sunday of Advent some serious preparations for Christmas Eve started. We children were not included in these preparations. As children we therefore became highly impatient while we were waiting for Christmas Eve – “Heiligabend” .
“Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht,” and “O du fröhliche” were very popular songs during my childhood. (I was born in 1934.)
German
Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht, Alles schläft; einsam wacht Nur das traute hochheilige Paar. Holder Knabe im lockigen Haar, Schlaf in himmlischer Ruh! Schlaf in himmlischer Ruh!
Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht, Hirten erst kundgemacht Durch der Engel Halleluja, Tönt es laut von fern und nah: Christ, der Retter ist da! Christ, der Retter ist da!
Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht, Gottes Sohn, o wie lacht Lieb’ aus deinem göttlichen Mund , Da uns schlägt die rettende Stund’. Christ, in deiner Geburt! Christ, in deiner Geburt!
Words: Joseph Mohr, 1816 Music: Franz Xaver Gruber, 1818
English
Silent night, holy night All is calm all is bright ‘Round yon virgin Mother and Child Holy infant so tender and mild Sleep in heavenly peace Sleep in heavenly peace
Silent night, holy night, Shepherds quake at the sight. Glories stream from heaven afar, Heav’nly hosts sing Alleluia; Christ the Savior is born Christ the Savior is born
Silent night, holy night, Son of God, love’s pure light. Radiant beams from Thy holy face, With the dawn of redeeming grace, Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth
O du fröhliche This very popular German Christmas carol has Italian origins. In 1788 the German philosopher, theologian, and poet Johann Gottfried von Herder (1744-1803) brought the melody to Germany after a trip to Italy. Originally a Sicilian fisherman’s song, the melody was used for the Latin hymn “O Sanctissima.” Around 1816 Johannes Daniel Falk (1768-1826) wrote the German lyrics for what soon became one of the most popular German Weihnachtslieder. The English version is known as “O How Joyfully.”
O du fröhliche O You Merry (Christmastide)
MELODIE: Sizilianisches Fischerlied – Johann Gottfried von Herder (1788) TEXT: Johannes Daniel Falk (1816)
DEUTSCH Johannes Daniel Falk, 1816O du fröhliche, o du selige, Gnadenbringende Weihnachtszeit! Welt ging verloren, Christ ist geboren, Freue, freue dich, o Christenheit!
O du fröhliche, o du selige, Gnadenbringende Weihnachtszeit! Christ ist erschienen, Uns zu versöhnen, Freue, freue dich, o Christenheit!
O du fröhliche, o du selige, Gnadenbringende Weihnachtszeit! Himmlische Heere Jauchzen dir Ehre, Freue, freue dich, o Christenheit!
ENGLISH (lit. prose) See poetic version belowO you merry, o you blessed, Merciful Christmastide! The world was lost, Christ was born, Rejoice, rejoice o Christendom!
O you merry, o you blessed, Merciful Christmastide! Christ appeared, To reconcile us, Rejoice, rejoice o Christendom!
O you merry, o you blessed, Merciful Christmastide! Heavenly hosts, Exult your honor, Rejoice, rejoice o Christendom!
English poetic version, author unknown O How Joyfully (O du fröhliche)
O how joyfully, o how blessedly, Comes the glory of Christmastime! To a world so lost in sin, Christ the Savior, enters in: Praise Him, praise Him Christians, evermore!
O how joyfully, o how blessedly, Comes the glory of Christmastime! Jesus, born in lowly stall, With His grace redeems us all: Praise Him, praise Him Christians, evermore!
O how joyfully, o how blessedly, Comes the glory of Christmastime! Hosts of angels from on high, Sing, rejoicing, in the sky: Praise Him, praise Him Christians, evermore!
“The “deal” between the Palmer United party and the immigration minister to reintroduce temporary protection visas is looking shaky as PUP expresses deep concerns Scott Morrison’s legislation goes far beyond what was agreed.
. . . . . .
Guardian Australia understands the Senate is very likely to insist on a clear “pathway to permanence”.
Palmer had immediate concerns about the bill and sent a “please explain” letter to Morrison when a parliamentary human rights committee including five members of the Coalition found the bill was incompatible with human rights.”
Peter found a series of old German Christmas songs in the computer. It was very rewarding to be able to listen to all these songs while celebrating the First of Advent.
A picture from the computer of the Vienna Boy’s Choir singing German Christmas songs.
We listened to a lot of Christmas songs by different groups and artists. They all sang the German texts that we are still quite familiar with, bringing back memories to what it was like when we were children. Here some names of the songs: O Tannenbaum, O du fröhliche, Ave Maria, Kling Glöckchen kling, Leise rieselt der Schnee, and so on.
We had tea and German ‘Oblaten Lebkuchen’.
Then I could not help myself taking a few more pictures!
“And when the mines are finished and the water is all gone we will be left with an arid desert.”
We should really know better than let it come to this!
THE TRAGEDY OF A NATION:
WHEN GOVERNMENT BECOMES THE ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE:
We have posted a link to Peter Wellingtons (Qld Ind) page where he refers to the decision in Qld Parliament last night to give mining companies unfettered access to the water of the Great Artesian Basin.
It now seems clear that the plan of the Abbott Federal Government and both the Baird Government in NSW and the Seeney Newman Government in Qld is to mine all the productive farmland and give all the available water across to the mining and coal seam gas companies.
Since there are no genuine attempts being to help the tragic plight of our drought stricken farmers, it would seem that the next part of that plan to simply allow the banks to sell them off and…
Three years ago I took the above picture. Now that the first Sunday of Advent 2014 is at our doorstep I am looking forward to set up our lovely advent “crown” on our table again plus some special sweet treats and of course a cup of coffee. First of Advent 2014: Here we come!
I think this is a fascinating article in the International Spiegel. How could it come to these ‘misunderstandings’ between Europe and Russia? There is a war in the Ukraine now. Why?
A lot of the party food had chicken in it. I tried to find food with no chicken. There were lots of sweets too. But I did not go for any sweets today. I had a cup of coffee though.
This cheese was very nice.
Marta proudly holds up some of the food that she had brought along.
Edith as cheerful as ever.
The song Feliz Navidad . I wish you a merry Christmas
Whoever wanted to do some heart move exercises could join in.
Ayleen’s cousin Gary took this picture of Ayleen and me.
Today, Thursday, we met for Marta’s class for the last time this year. There are no classes for December and January. The next heart move class is going to be on the first Thursday in February. Today I did not join in any of the exercises because of a sore knee. There is probably some kind of inflammation in the knee. I hope it is going to get better soon.
German and Austrian Christmas customs have spread throughout the world wherever Christmas (Weihnachten) is celebrated. From the Christmas tree (Tannenbaum) to “Silent Night” (“Stille Nacht“) and on to the Advent calendar (Adventskalender), people around the globe have adopted many traditions that began in the German-speaking world.
AuntyUta 