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| 25. Kids Opening Presents |
10 Christmas Songs Written by Jewish Writers
- Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree Johnny Marks (also Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and Run Rudolph Run)
- It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year Edward Pola and George Wyle (born Sidney Edward Pollacsek and Bernard Weissman)
- Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Sammy Cahn (born Cohen) and Jule Styne (born Julius Kerwin Stein)
- Santa Baby Joan Javits and Philip Springer
- Silver Bells Jay Livingston (born Jacob Harold Levison) and Ray Evans
- Winter Wonderland Richard B Smith and Felix Bernard (born Bernhardt)
- White Christmas Irving Berlin (born Israel Baline)
- The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire) Mel Torme
- Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas Ralph Blane and Hugh Martin
- Santa Claus Is Coming To Town Fred Coots and Haven Gillespie
(also Do you hear what I hear? by Noël Regney and Gloria Shayne and Getting ready for Christmas Day Paul Simon. At a stretch Do they know it's Christmas? Midge Ure and Bob Geldof who had a Jewish grandfather).
Saudi Christmas
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| People buy Christmas hats from a shop selling various items for Christmas celebrations, after the government eased restrictions on the sale of Christmas ornaments and decorations, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia December 9, 2020. (REUTERS) Not sure if I'm happy about this or not. Mostly happy. More here. |
The Innkeeper
There are one or two things about this publication that I am a little unhappy about but if you want a good little book that will give you a good angle on the Christmas story do get this book and read it or try here on YouTube to hear John Piper reading it aloud.
Christmas Crime
Here is a nice selection of detective fiction for Christmas time. The last volume (Christmas in the snow) fails as it is not really Christmassy or snowy enough all through
Christmas Albums by Maddy Prior and the Carnival Band
If you like folk music these are great albums.
A Tapestry of Carols (Saydisc 1986 CD-SDL 366)
Carols and Capers (Park Records 1991 PRKCD9)
Carols at Christmas (Park Records 1996 PRKCD45) [Live]
Gold Frankincense and Myrrh (Park Records 2001 PRKCD59)
An Evening of Carols and Capers (Park Records 2005 DVD PRKDVD87, CD PRKCD86) [Live]
Ringing the Changes (Park Records 2007 PRKCD98)
Vaughan Williams Carols Songs & Hymns (Park Records 2010 PRKCD111) [Not all Christmas music]
A Christmas Caper: The Best of Maddy Prior & the Carnival Band (Park Records 2012 PRKCD124)
English Folk Carols (Regis Records nd RRC1335) [Also featuring one track by Sneak's Noyes]
Some Topical Christmas Jokes 2020
1. What is Dominic Cummings’ favourite Christmas song? Driving Home for Christmas
2. Did you hear that production was down at Santa's workshop? Many of his workers have had to Elf isolate
3. Why did Mary and Joseph travel to Bethlehem by donkey ? All Virgin flights were cancelled
4. Why are Santa's reindeer allowed to travel on Christmas Eve? They have herd immunity
5. Why did the pirates have to go into lockdown? Because the "Arrrr!" rate had risen
6. Why is it best to think of 2020 as like a panto? Because eventually, it's behind you. (Oh yes it is, oh no it isn't)
7. Why couldn't Mary and Joseph join their work conference call? Because there was no Zoom at the inn
8. Why can't Boris Johnson make his Christmas cake until the last minute? He doesn't know how many tiers it should have
9. What do the Trumps do for Christmas dinner? They put on a super spread
10. Which Christmas film was 30 years ahead of its time? Home Alone
11. How do you play Dominic Cummings Monopoly? Ignore the rules, move anywhere on the board you like, and never Go To Jail
12. Why won't Santa lose any presents this year? He's downloaded Sack and Trace
13. How is the pandemic like my stomach after Christmas? It'll take ages to flatten the curve
14. How is Prince Andrew coping with the stresses of Christmas this year? Fine. No sweat
15. Why wasn't Rudolph allowed to take part in vaccine trials? Because they only wanted guinea pigs
16. Which government scheme supports Christmas dinner? Eat Sprout To Help Out
17. How can you get out of talking to your boss at this year's staff Christmas party? Put him on mute 18. How does Santa keep track of all the fireplaces he's visited? He keeps a logbook
19. Who dresses in red and gives to the children this Christmas? Marcus Rashford
20. Why did Mary and Joseph have to travel to Bethlehem? Because they couldn't book a home delivery
(These jokes were compiled by TV Channel Gold)
Christmas Stories by P D James
These two books of Christmassy detective stories were put together in recent years from magazine items and so on and are worth a read. There are four tales in the first and six in the second. The second is less Christmassy than the first. It is an interesting phenomenon the detective story and the late P D James is clearly a master of it. Very enjoyable.
Penguins leave their igloo
It's a very attractive and popular Xmas image but igloos are built by Inuit in the north
and penguins live in the south
10 Popular Christmas Films
Not sure how I got this list but here it is
- Almost Christmas 2016 A dysfunctional family gathers together for their first Christmas since their mom died.
- Arthur Christmas 2011 Santa's youngest son must deliver a bicycle to an overlooked girl before Christmas morning dawns.
- A Muppet Family Christmas 1987 Kermit and his friends spend Christmas staging a surprise visit to Fozzie Bear's mother's farm.
- How the Grinch Stole Christmas! 1966 Animated musical. A mean and stingy green creature wants to ruin Christmas.
- How the Toys Saved Christmas 1996 The story follows some toys as they struggle to avoid the heartless Mr Grimm, who plans to auction off the toys to the highest bidder, and to find their true homes.
- Home for Christmas 2010 Set in the small Norwegian town of Skogli, this film looks at those who are desperately trying to (re)connect with their families.
- I'll Be Home for Christmas 1998 A son in college has not been home since his mother died and his father remarried. His father offers his vintage car if he is home by a certain time for Christmas.
- Surviving Christmas 2004 A lonely millionaire pays a family $250,000 to spend Christmas with him by living in the home that he grew up in.
- The Man Who Invented Christmas 2017 In 1843, Dickens sets out to write and self-publish a novel that he hopes will revive his career. He spends the next six weeks bringing Ebenezer Scrooge, Tiny Tim and other characters to life in "A Christmas Carol."
- The Nightmare Before Christmas 1993 The mascot of Halloween, Jack Skellington grows tired of having to be scary on Halloween and decides to try celebrating/hosting Christmas.
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