The Christmas Thread

[Square Ball]

seen my first Christmas tree in a house earlier on, a bit too early even for me

[ross4life]

http://www.santabot.com/

[ziggysego]

http://www.santabot.com/

Got confused after my first question.

[ziggysego]

Santa Claus is from Draperstown

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kchlcrvdxqQ&sns=em

[Hashtag]

The feast of the immaculate conception is today. Will be turning on the Christmas lights in the house tonight. Put the tree up on Tuesday night as tonight didn't suit. Lights only get switched on tonight though. Merry Christmas.
10 Days of work left. Ho Ho Ho.

[Hashtag]

How much is a turkey per pound this year?

[Billys Boots]

The feast of the immaculate conception is today.

Unusually short gestation period, I'd have thought.

[The Iceman]

The feast of the immaculate conception is today.

Unusually short gestation period, I'd have thought.

It is to celebrate the Immaculate Conception of Mary, not Jesus.

[Hashtag]

The feast of the immaculate conception is today.

Unusually short gestation period, I'd have thought.

It is to celebrate the Immaculate Conception of Mary, not Jesus.

It is celebrated nine months after the nativity of Mary.

[Billys Boots]

The feast of the immaculate conception is today.

Unusually short gestation period, I'd have thought.

It is to celebrate the Immaculate Conception of Mary, not Jesus.

It is celebrated nine months after the nativity of Mary.

Cool, I didn't know that common-or-garden non-divine folk like Mary could have been immaculately conceived. 

[thejuice]

Its quite interesting, I've been reading up on the history of Christmas and pre-Christian Winter festivals and rituals. The 25th of December is the birthday of a few different figures from history and in particular to the Romans as it was when they celebrated the solstice (Brumalia). The most commonly referred to were Misthras and Sol Invictus, culturally descended from the Greek sun god Helios.

There is a lot of carry-over like Yule(Jul) which was the Nordic New year celebration which was part of the solstice fire festival. Some of them are quite bizarre, like the Tio de Nadal or Caga Tio in Northern Spain. In Scotland there was Hogmanay.

We had our own in Lá an Dreoilín or Wren Day, the Wren being considered the druidic bird of winter. It was part of the tradition of Wassailing, which was a wide spread tradition across Europe of visiting friends and singing together, while praying for a good harvest.

It's fascinating, I must keep an eye out for any solstice celebrations going on this year.  I wonder is there anything happening on the Hill of Uisneach in Westmeath? I know they used to do a bit for Bealtine.

[AQMP]

The feast of the immaculate conception is today.

Unusually short gestation period, I'd have thought.

It is to celebrate the Immaculate Conception of Mary, not Jesus.

It is celebrated nine months after the nativity of Mary.

Cool, I didn't know that common-or-garden non-divine folk like Mary could have been immaculately conceived.

The Immaculate Conception refers to Mary being concieved without the stain of original sin on her soul, unlike the rest of us.

[Billys Boots]

The feast of the immaculate conception is today.

Unusually short gestation period, I'd have thought.

It is to celebrate the Immaculate Conception of Mary, not Jesus.

It is celebrated nine months after the nativity of Mary.

Cool, I didn't know that common-or-garden non-divine folk like Mary could have been immaculately conceived.

The Immaculate Conception refers to Mary being concieved without the stain of original sin on her soul, unlike the rest of us.

That's what I thought.  A bit strange to be celebrating it a while after it 'happened' and a few weeks before the supposed anniversary of the childbirth, no?

[Denn Forever]

Not for the Children.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFUgRRYmLvk

[Windmill abu]

How it would be told today


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sghwe4TYY18