The Christmas Thread

[Dinny Breen]

Have a good Christmas lads/lassies and best wishes for the New Year

Advent, by Patrick Kavanagh

We have tested and tasted too much, lover-
Through a chink too wide there comes
in no wonder.
But here in the Advent-darkened room
Where the dry black bread and the sugarless tea
Of penance will charm back the luxury
Of a child's soul, we'll return to Doom
The knowledge we stole but could not use.

And the newness that was in every stale thing
When we looked at it as children: the spirit-shocking
Wonder in a black slanting Ulster hill
Or the prophetic astonishment
in the tedious talking
Of an old fool will awake for us and bring
You and me to
the yard gate to watch the whins
And the bog-holes, cart-tracks, old stables where Time
begins.

O after Christmas we'll have no need to go searching
For the difference that sets an old phrase burning-
We'll hear it in the whispered argument
of a churning
Or in the streets where the village boys are lurching.
And we'll hear it among decent men
too
Who barrow dung in gardens under trees,
Wherever life pours ordinary plenty.
Won't we be rich, my love and I, and
God we shall not ask for reason's payment,
The why of heart-breaking strangeness in dreeping hedges
Nor analyse God's breath in common statement.
We have thrown into the dust-bin the clay-minted wages
Of pleasure, knowledge and the conscious hour-
And Christ comes
with a January flower.

***********************************************************

from The Dead, by James
Joyce

"A few light taps upon the pane made him turn to the
window. It had begun to snow again. He watched sleepily the flakes, silver and
dark, falling obliquely against the lamplight. The time had come for him to set out on his
journey westward. Yes, the newspapers were right: snow was general all over Ireland. It was
falling on every part of the dark central plain, on the treeless hills, falling
softly upon the Bog of Allen and, farther westward, softly falling into the
dark mutinous Shannon waves. It was falling,
too, upon every part of the lonely churchyard on the hill where Michael Furey
lay buried. It lay thickly drifted on the crooked crosses and headstones, on
the spears of the little gate, on the barren thorns. His soul swooned slowly as
he heard the snow falling faintly through the universe and faintly falling,
like the descent of their last end, upon all the living and the dead."

************************************************************

[gerrykeegan]

Anyone in working this morning? On an empty bus this morning, hopefully boss let's us off early, heading for pints in keoghs in Dublin city centre, looking forward to it, and then wrapping up Santas pressies later on with a few pints in board. Hope everyone has a good one.

[JUst retired]

The wife plucked and stuffed the turkey last night.
Today I have the awful job of killing it. I hate that job.

[AQMP]

Have a good Christmas everyone!

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

[laoislad]

Anyone in working this morning? On an empty bus this morning, hopefully boss let's us off early, heading for pints in keoghs in Dublin city centre, looking forward to it, and then wrapping up Santas pressies later on with a few pints in board. Hope everyone has a good one.

Been out since 6am will probably be working till 6pm.
Wouldn't mind a flexi day today..

[gerrykeegan]

Anyone in working this morning? On an empty bus this morning, hopefully boss let's us off early, heading for pints in keoghs in Dublin city centre, looking forward to it, and then wrapping up Santas pressies later on with a few pints in board. Hope everyone has a good one.

Been out since 6am will probably be working till 6pm.
Wouldn't mind a flexi day today..

Greedy f**ker! I'd say the old Christmas Eve callout rate is pricey, the poor old dubs getting rode!

[Declan]

In for a few hours this morning. Happy Christmas and New Year to all

[BenDover]

Something to warm the hearts
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-20807844

nollaig shona duit!

[AZOffaly]

Happy Christmas Everyone, hope ye and yer families have a happy, peaceful Christmas.

[ziggy90]

A happy Christmas to all on the board their families and loved ones.

[Harold Disgracey]

Nollaig Shona daoibh go léir agus Athbhliain faoi shéan is faoi mhaise daoibh, agus go mba seacht fearr sinn go léir ag an am seo ar an bhliain seo chugainn!

[leaveherinsir]

Happy Christmas to all the "Gahboarders"!

[give her dixie]

A very happy and peaceful Christmas to each and everyone of my fellow GAA Boarders.

[stew]

Happy Christmas to one and all, hope you all enjoy the festivities and I need you all to say a prayer for Armagh football, we need the almighty if we are to win the McKenna cup.

[theticklemister]

Happy Christmas?

1,000 words into a 5,000 word essay; no Christmas eve drinks for me