Monday, 5 December 2011

Deck the Halls





Deck the halls with boughs of holly, Fa la la la la la la la!
'Tis the season to be jolly, Fa la la la la la la la!
Don we now our gay apparel, Fa la la la la la la la!
Troll the ancient Yuletide carol, Fa la la la la la la la!
See the blazing yule before us, Fa la la la la la la la!
Strike the harp and join the chorus, Fa la la la la la la la!
Follow me in merry measure, Fa la la la la la la la!
While I tell of Yuletide treasure, Fa la la la la la la la!
Fast away the old year passes, Fa la la la la la la la!
Hail the new, ye lads and lasses, Fa la la la la la la la!
Sing we joyous all together! Fa la la la la la la la!
Heedless of the wind and weather, Fa la la la la la la la!

And for a Christmas down under, 

Deck the Shed With Bits of Wattle

Bucko & Champs



Deck the sheds with bits of wattle*, fa la la la, la la la la,

Whack some gum leaves in a bottle, fa la la la, la la la la la,

All the shops are open Sundies, fa la la la, la la la la,
Buy you Dad some socks and undies, fa la la la, la la la la la.

Deck the sheds with bits of gumtree, fa la la la, la la la la,
Hang the deco's off the plum tree, fa la la la, la la la la la,
Plant some kisses on the missus, fa la la la, la la la la,
Have a ripper Aussie Christmas, fa la la la, la la la la la.

Say g'day to friends and rellies, fa la la la, la la la la,
Wave them off with bulging bellies, fa la la la, la la la la la,
Kids and babies, youngies, oldies, fa la la la, la la la la,
May your fridge be full of coldies, fa la la la, la la la la la.

Chop the wood and stoke the barbie, fa la la la, la la la la,
Ring the folks in Abudabe**, fa la la la, la la la la la,
Pop the stuffing in the turkey, fa la la la, la la la la,
Little Mary's feeling ercky***, fa la la la, la la la la la.

Rally rally round the table, fa la la la, la la la la,
Fill your belly while you're able, fa la la la, la la la la la,
Joyce and Joaney, Dave and Darryl, fa la la la, la la la la,
Sing an Aussie Christmas carol, fa la la la, la la la la la.






Mitt Hjerte Alltid Vanker


Mit hjerte altid vanker
Tekst: H. A. Brorson, 1732
Melodi: Carl Nielsen, 1914






Mit hjerte altid vanker
i Jesu føderum,
did samles mine tanker
i deres hovedsum.
Der er min længsel hjemme,
der har min tro sin skat
Jeg kan dig aldrig glemme,
du søde julenat!

Men ak, hvad skal jeg sige,
når jeg vil tænke på,
at Gud af Himmerige
i stalden ligge må,
at Himlens fryd og ære,
det levende Guds Ord,
skal så foragtet være
på denne slemme jord!

En perle, der forgættes,
så nøje ledes op,
den blanke demant sættes
i gylden krones top.
Man kaster ej en drue
blandt tørre grene ned,
skal jeg min Gud da skue
i sådan usselhed?

Hvi skulle herresale
ej for dig prydet stå?
Du havde at befale,
hvad end du peged på!
Hvi lod du dig ej svøbe
i lyset som et bånd
og jordens konger løbe
at kysse på din hånd?

Hvi lod du ej udspænde
en himmel til dit telt
og stjernefakler brænde,
du store himmelhelt?
Hvi lod sig ej til syne
en mægtig englevagt,
som dig i silkedyne
så prægtig burde lagt?

Nej, Jesus får sit leje
i denne gode jul,
hvor betlere de pleje
at lægge sig i skjul.
Det var og ej hans eget,
det hø, hvori han lå,
han havde ej så meget,
han kunne ligge på.

En spurv dog har sin rede
og sikre hvilebo,
en svale ej tør lede
om nattely og ro,
en løve véd sin hule,
hvor den sin ro kan få:
skal sig min frelser skjule
i fremmed stald på strå?

Ak, kom, jeg vil oplukke
mit hjerte, sjæl og sind
med tusind længselssukke,
kom, Jesus, kom her ind!
Det er ej fremmed bolig,
du har den dyre købt,
her skal du blive trolig
i kærligheden svøbt.

=====
MITT HJERTE ALLTID VANKER

Mitt hjerte alltid vanker
i Jesu føderom,
der samles mine tanker
som i sin hovedsum.
Der er min lengsel hjemme,
der har min tro sin skatt;
jeg kan deg aldri glemme
velsignet julenatt!

Akk, kom jeg opp vil lukke
mitt hjerte og mitt sinn
og full av lengsel sukke:
Kom, Jesus, dog herinn!
Det er ei fremmed bolig,
du har den selv jo kjøpt,
så skal du blive trolig
her i mitt hjerte svøpt.

Jeg gjerne palemgrene
vil om din krybbe strø,
for deg, for deg alene
jeg leve vil og dø.
Kom, la min sjel dog finne
sin rette gledes stund,
at du er født herinne
i hjertets dype grunn.


My heart doth always wander
To Jesus' manger bed.
His lowly birth I ponder;
To Him my thoughts are led.
My yearning finds assurance,
And faith renews so bright,
When I recall with reverence
That blessed Christmas night.

Ah come, dear Lord, be with me,
And in my heart reside.
Sweet comfort Thou shalt give me;
Come, Jesus, here abide.
To my heart be no stranger - 
Thy home it e'er shall be.
And as within the manger
My love shall cradle Thee.

Thy holy crib I'll honor
And round it palm leaves lay.
To Thee alone, dear Savior,
I give my life each day.
Come, grant me heav'nly pleasure
And true delight impart.
For Thou art my soul's treasure,
Born deep within my heart.

Saturday, 3 December 2011

Year-End Light Up @NUS Alumni Complex

Day 3 of YK’s Advent Blog






















Come

Come & see

A Christmas tree

An all lit up Christmas tree

Look closely, what else do you see?
Just me

 and me
a holiday poem 
by  YK

Friday, 2 December 2011

The 89th National Christmas Tree Lighting @The Ellipse, White House

Day 2 of YK’s Advent Blog


This is a holiday tradition in USA dating back to1923 at The Ellipse, south of the White House, where a Christmas tree, called "The National Christmas Tree"  was erected and the president and family will press a button to light it up.  Following are the highlights from this year's lighting:


The 44th President of the United States, Barack Obama, speaks before the lighting of the National Christmas Tree on the Ellipse, 4:30am EST, that's 4:30pm on 2nd Dec Singapore time.
First lady Michelle Obama and Kermit the Frog read "The Night Before Christmas"

Thursday, 1 December 2011

Advent 2011 - 24 Blogs to Christmas

Having spent Christmas in Germany and Denmark, I was introduced to the tradition of Advent - the 24 days leading up to the arrival of Baby Jesus, or Christmas.


The Advent Calendar started In Germany.  I remembered for Advent 2003 in Germany, each of us colleagues received a carton with 24 windows.  Behind each window was a small piece of milk chocolate.  According to tradition, I was supposed to open up one window to eat the chocolate with each approaching day.  I still remembered my Spanish colleague finishing up all 24 the minute she received it.


In Denmark, the tradition is to burn a marking of a candle with 24 markings every evening from the 1st to the 24th of December.  Following are some examples of Danish Christmas Advent calendar candle:
                    
From left to right: Georg Jensen (2011), Holmegaard (2011), Royal Copenhagen


Here in tropical Singapore, I've yet to meet somebody who follow the Advent tradition.  So let me be the first to create an Advent blog comprising 24 blogs leading to Christmas 2011.  Stay tuned ...