HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1986-12-24, Page 26WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 24, 1986
"Chestnuts roasting on an open fire,
Jack Frost nipping on your nose,
Yuletide carols being sung by a choir,
And folks dressed up like Eskimos."
Ah yes, Christmas is almost here. The
cold weather is settling in. Christmas
lights are sparkling. A wreath hangs on
the door. The kitchen is filled with the
aroma of freshly baked shortbread. The
fireplace fills the family room with
warmth.
The spirit of the season is best reflected
in the music of Christmas and one of the
best ways to celebrate this is through a
carol sing.
A good way to share your Christmas joy
is to sing the praises of the season with
friends and family. We sing in our homes.
We sing at church. We can take our songs
to neighbors with an evening of carolling.
This holiday season, why not hold A
Christmas Carol Party.
Gather a group of friends together. Bun-
dle up warmly against "Jack Frost", arm
yourselves with carol sheets and plan a
route around your neighborhood.
Afterwards, invite allthe carollers back
to your home for a drink of egg nog or hot
chocolate.
An evening of carolling can be fun and
rewarding too. And, for the people who
listen from their windows, the informal
concert is always much appreciated.
To make your carol night as pleasant as
possible here are a few tips to help.
1. Plan your night carefully. Listen to the
weather forecasts. With any luck you'll
pick a calm evening. If it's stormy, wait
until another evening. If it's slippery, walk
with extra care.
2. Dress warmly. You'll need boots, and
one or two pairs of socks to keep your toes
warm. Don't forget your mittens, hat,
scarf, and, your longjohns. Carolling is no
fun if you're too cold to sing.
3. Invite a group of friends together to take
part in the carol sing. The more the mer-
rier. Invite your friends, your neighbors,
members of your church choir. Be sure to
include men, women, teenagers and
children.
4. Make extra copies of carol sheets for
everyone. To protect the carols from snow
or wind you might try to borrow some
sturdy folders like those the church choirs
use.
5. Plan to start your carolling around 7
p.m. If you begin early, most people will
be in their homes, and, children will still
be awake to hear the singing. Carolling is
less appreciated after 9:30 or 10 p.m. when
most neighborhoods are settling in for the
evening.
6. Plan a route for yourselves. Pick well
lighted streets with lots of houses along thi
way. You may also consider visiting the
hospital or the senior citizens home in your
neighborhood. Be sure to call ahead of
time for permission to sing here. Don't
forget to head downtown too. These nights
the stores are open until 9 p.m. and
Christmas shoppers and store keepers
alike will appreciate carollers and an
evening of Main Street entertainment.
Be sure to sing a variety of traditional
carols with at least two or three verses.
Favorite songs for carollers include
"Silent Night, Joy To The World, Come
Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, 0 Come All Ye
Faithful," to name a few.
Don't forget the more modern
ir
Christmas songs - "Rudolph The Red Nos-
ed Reindeer, Jingle Bell Rock, Frosty The
Snowman."
Make your repertoire as varied as possi-
ble and be ready to sing requests. You
may conclude your impromptu concert
with a rousing chorus of "We Wish You A
Merry Christmas" as a grand finale.
Once you've gone through your route, in-
vite the carollers back to your home for a
warm drink and some Christmas goodies.
Light a fire, warm your toes, relax and en-
joy the festive mood that carol singing
creates.
"Joy to the earth! The Savior reigns;
Let men their songs employ
While fields and floods, rocks, hills and
plains
Repeat the sounding joy."
May all your Christmases be white
GOD REST YOU MERRY
GENTLEMEN
G OD rest you merry,
gentlemen,
Let nothing you dismay.
Remember Christ our
Saviour
Was born on Christmas day,
To save us all from Satan's power
When we were gone astray.
(Refrain)
O tidings of comfort and joy, com-
fort and joy,
O tidings of comfort and joy.
In Bethlehe } Jewry,
This blesse" aie was born,
And laid wir ;.manger,
Upon this l , se' 'morn.
To which His mother Mary
Did nothing take in scorn.
From God, our heavenly Father,
A blessed angel came;
And unto certain shepherds
Brought tidings of the same;
How that in Bethlehem was born
The Son of God by Name.
The sh ds at those tidings
Rejoic- fi mifch in mind,
And le locks a -feeding,
In tem ';;' , storm and wind;
And went to Bethlehem
straightway,
The Son of God to find.
Now to the Lord sing praises,
All you within this place,
And with true love and
brotherhood
Each other now embrace;
This holy tide of Christmas
All other doth deface.
GOOD KING WENCESLAS
GOOD MosWenceslas looked
out,
On the Feast of Stephen,
When the snow lay Mind ..
about,
Deep, and crisp, and even;
Brightly shone the mood that
night,
Though the frost was cruel,
When a poor man came in sight,
Gathering winter fuel.
"Hither, page, and stand by me,
If thou know'st it, telling,
Yonder peasant, who is he?
Where and what his dwelling?"
"Sire, he lives a good league
hence,
Underneath the mountain,
Right against the forest fence,
By Saint Agnes' fountain."
"Bring me flesh, and bring me
wine,
Bring me pines hither;
Thou and I Wiirsee him dine,
When we bear tit* thither,"
Page and rOpriardi, forth they
went
Forth they went together;
Through the rude wind's wild
lament
And the bitter weather.
"Sire, the night is darker now,
And the wind blows stronger;
Fails my heart, I know not how;
I can go no longer."
"Mark my footsteps, my good
page;
Tread thou in them boldly;
Thou shalt find the winter's rage -
Freeze thy blood less coldly.
In his master's steps he trod,
Where the snow lay dented;
Heat was in the very sod
Which the Saint had. printed.. ._ ...
Therefore, Christian men, be sure,
Wealth or power possessing;
Ye who now will bless the poor
Shal..ourselves. find blessing.....
SILENIi NIGHT
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 pray at the sight;
Gloriesstream from heaven .afar,
Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia,
Christ the Saviour is born!
Christ, the Saviour 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.
HAVE A HOLLY,
JOLLY CHRISTMAS
is a fairy tale, they say,
He was made of snow,
but the children know
how he came to life one day.
There must have been some
magic
in that old silk hat they found
For when they placed it on his
head,
HAVE a Holly Jolly he began to dance around.
Christmas„,Oh, Frosty the Snow Man
It'syear est time of the as h. e as he could be,.
I .don't know if..there..11..be And.a� ildren. say ..
he o#1..l .ugh..an .play
Bim' haeme a 'cup -of -cheer.
just ie e...as you and me.
Have a Holly Jolly hristmas
And when you walk,down the
street
Say t'Hello” to friends you know
And everyone you meet!
Oh Ho the Mistle Toe
Hung where you can see
Somebody waits for you
Kiss her once for me.
Have a Holl istmas
d in caseOh didn't
Olitj3y Goll ha Holly Jolly
Frosty the Snow Man
knew the sun was hot that day,
So he said, "Let's run
and we'll have some fun now
before I melt away."
Down to the village
with a broomstick in his hand,
Running here and there
all around the square, sayin',
"Catch me if you can."
He led them down the streets of
town
right to. the ...traffic ..cop...
And he only paused a moment
when he heard him holler "Slop ! "
For Frosty .the..Snow Man ....
fp„'hrist , his bar!
THE SNOWMAN
ROSTY the Snow Man
vet` a jolly, happy soul,
With a corncob pipe
and a button nose
and two eyes made out of coal.
Frosty the Snow Man
had to hurry on .his way,
But he waved good-bye, sayin',
"Don't you cry;
I'll be back again someday."
Thumpety thump thump,
thumpety thump thump,
Look at Frosty go;
Thumpety thump thump,
thumpety thump thump,
Over the hills of snow.
tb