Christmas greeting 2021

[Myopic Bookworm]

A few years ago I had the pleasure of singing the Czech Christmas lullaby "Hajej, nynej, Ježišku" in Prague with a choir I belonged to at the time. I am sure that our pronunciation was a little wayward!

Thank You for Your answer.
Do You remember, where You sang? In which church (or other building or in the open air)?
Miloš

I believe it was the Church of St Nicholas in the Old Town (the Hussite church).

[Stu]

I recall my nephew, who is now nearly 40, making a Christmas card at school when he was about five with a rather creepy-looking, gurning Santa drawing on the front and a dinosaur (not sure why that was there) and he had written on it:

I WILL COME FOR ALL CHILDREN IN THE NIGHT

SATAN CLAWS

I knew what he meant to write, but it still freaked me out a bit.

[miloshlavka]

I believe it was the Church of St Nicholas in the Old Town (the Hussite church).

This is a nice church. It was originally a Roman-Catholic church, cancelled in 1787 and used for profane purposes, from 1870 it was an a orthodox church and since 1920 it's the Hussite church (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Czechoslo ... ite_Church). Something about St Nicholas Church on the Old Town Square in Prague is here: https://www.pragueexperience.com/places.asp?PlaceID=843
There is also another well-known St. Nicholas Church in Prague - in Malá Strana - both St. Nicholas Churches in the Prague centre belong to the first-class baroque architecture.

I recall my nephew, who is now nearly 40, making a Christmas card at school when he was about five with a rather creepy-looking, gurning Santa drawing on the front and a dinosaur (not sure why that was there) and he had written on it:

I WILL COME FOR ALL CHILDREN IN THE NIGHT

SATAN CLAWS

I knew what he meant to write, but it still freaked me out a bit.

Satan Claws is (are) an interesting innovation of Christmas.

[FLbreezy]

I recall my nephew, who is now nearly 40, making a Christmas card at school when he was about five with a rather creepy-looking, gurning Santa drawing on the front and a dinosaur (not sure why that was there) and he had written on it:

I WILL COME FOR ALL CHILDREN IN THE NIGHT

SATAN CLAWS

I knew what he meant to write, but it still freaked me out a bit.

That sounds like https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krampus !

[Stu]

I recall my nephew, who is now nearly 40, making a Christmas card at school when he was about five with a rather creepy-looking, gurning Santa drawing on the front and a dinosaur (not sure why that was there) and he had written on it:

I WILL COME FOR ALL CHILDREN IN THE NIGHT

SATAN CLAWS

I knew what he meant to write, but it still freaked me out a bit.

That sounds like https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krampus !

Reminds me of the old Irish sitcom Father Ted when the older priest, Ted, has some unexpected bad news to deliver and the young priest asks the older one:

Dougal: "So you're like Santa Clause then Ted?"

Ted: "No. Dougal. In fact, well, I'm the opposite of Santa Clause."

Dougal: "Oh No! You're the Anti-Santa!"

[miloshlavka]

I recall my nephew, who is now nearly 40, making a Christmas card at school when he was about five with a rather creepy-looking, gurning Santa drawing on the front and a dinosaur (not sure why that was there) and he had written on it:

I WILL COME FOR ALL CHILDREN IN THE NIGHT

SATAN CLAWS

I knew what he meant to write, but it still freaked me out a bit.

That sounds like https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krampus !

Krampus is similar to Slavic chort (cs + sk: čert, ru: чёрт, uk: чорт,...) - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chort. Similarly as Krampus in southern Germania, also chort accompanies Saint Nicholas at evening 5th December (the evening before St. Nicholas feast) in streets of Czech cities, towns and villages.
Saint Nicholas evolved into Santa Claus in some Western countries. and rescheduled distribution of his presents to the Christmas. Here, in Bohemia, St. Nicholas continues to distribute (little) presents at the evening 5th December, whereas (bigger) Christmas presents are distributed by Christkind (cs: Ježíšek, sk: Ježiško) (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christkind) here in Bohemia, Moravia and Slovakia (and maybe in some neighbo(u)ring countries).

[STEVIE]

Merry Christmas from a snowy Aberdeen to all the Cafe patrons and beyond too.
Steve.

[Kirbstone]

...and a right merry ol' Christmas to you also, Milosh. I love your history lessons from a part of Europe rich in everything cultural. I have unbounded admiration for your command of the English language, too.
In marked contrast to your landlocked Baroque churches I submit a distant view of where there still stands a place of worship set up in the 7th Century by a crowd of daft ascetic monks. It is perched at more than 200 meters altitude, some 16Km offshore and the surrounding ocean allows one to land on that Skellig island only 100-odd days per year, so it is easy to be cut off for days at a time.

Tom

[Barleymower]

Merry Christmas everyone, lots of peace and joy to you and your families this Christmas.

Screenshot_20221218_151554_Brave.jpg

2023 will be a new dawn in men's fashions!

[Kirbstone]

Stevie,
Your recliner 'comfort' zone reminds me of an unlamented Stena Line ferry we used many times and which is now happily withdrawn. To get a kip on the 3.5 hour Irish sea crossing you need to stretch out and the current ferries allow this.

Your outfit is eye-catching but I'd never personally kit myself out like that. Boring old me!

Merry Christmas,

Tom

[Ray]

Stunning picture, Tom. Absolutely beautiful.

For those not aware, these islands were the ones used in Star Wars’ The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi films. You can see why from the picture above. Otherworldly.

[miloshlavka]

...and a right merry ol' Christmas to you also, Milosh. I love your history lessons from a part of Europe rich in everything cultural. I have unbounded admiration for your command of the English language, too.
In marked contrast to your landlocked Baroque churches I submit a distant view of where there still stands a place of worship set up in the 7th Century by a crowd of daft ascetic monks. It is perched at more than 200 meters altitude, some 16Km offshore and the surrounding ocean allows one to land on that Skellig island only 100-odd days per year, so it is easy to be cut off for days at a time.

Tom

Thanks for Your post. Very interesting, very nice - and very well protected (by nature) island. I'm just afraid the island isn't very fertile, so getting food there may not have been easy. Perhaps fishing could help.
When it comes to my English, online translators help me. I'm just afraid sometimes that I'm writing complete nonsense.

[miloshlavka]

Merry Christmas from a snowy Aberdeen to all the Cafe patrons and beyond too.
Steve.

Than You, Steve. Snowy (and yesterday also foggy) weather is also here. On the next picture is the road I followed going on foot from Nový Knín to the evangelical church in Hvozdnice - https://en.mapy.cz/turisticka?planovani ... 63538&z=13 - cca 13 km (8,078 mi).

0807_Velka_Lecice_2022-12-18_Cesta_do_Senesnice.JPG

- - -
And now I Now I'll leave here a link to the song Christmas Truce by Sabaton. I think such things need to be reminded, especially in this day and age.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPdHkHslFIU
Lest we forget.
- - -
Czech subtitles in the clip are not accidental - it was filmed in Bohemia - in the vicinity of Rožmitál pod Třemšínem (cca 35 km from my home - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ro%C5%BEm ... 1%C3%ADnem ).
- - -
And it is interesting that the town of Rožmital pod Třemšín is quite important for the Czech Christmas. It was in Rožmitál pod Třemšínem that he worked at the turn of the 18th century. and 19. teacher and composer Jakub Jan Ryba ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jakub_Jan_Ryba ), author of the Czech Christmas Mass Hey master ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Czech_Christmas_Mass ). It had its world premiere in the Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross in Starý Rožmitál (the western part of Rožmitál pod Třemšínem) ( https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Cate ... it%C3%A1l) ) on Christmas 1796.
Here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TP3C0omN5JE - is a recording of this mass from a slightly unusual place - from the terminal hall of the main railway station in Prague from 23. December 2019. In the background, reports of train departures are occasionally heard.
And here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQVLooZeJfo - from evangelical St. Salvator Church in Prague (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Cate ... %A1_ulice) )
- - -
And one more interesting fact: the translation of the name Jakub Jan Ryba is Jack John Fish. And the fish (usually fried carp) is the usual Christmas Eve dish.

[pelmut]

Once again it's time for the Christmas Quiz. As usual there is a theme running through the questions -- and as usual, I'm not going to tell you what it is.  Rather than just doing it on your own, it's more fun if you share it with a group of people (either collaboratively or competetively).  The answers will be posted on the website after Christmas.

Happy Christmas

[Kirbstone]

Nothing but the very latest tech for TJK here, bending over his 1924 Thorens Leophone with a shellac 78 RPM record of Bing Crosbie crooning White Christmas out over the crackles.
Volume control is literally 'put a sock in it' (the horn bell). I use soft disposable needles which give a softer sound and I suspect don't wear the record out so quickly.
Under that Santa hat the outfit is Lowland Potain and a generic tartan kilt, When the 3-minute record gets going I'll grab a glass of decent Malt Whiskey and toast the merry lot of you Forum contributors.
I then grab hold of a Susato low 'C' whistle and slot into a rendering of 'figgy pudding' ....and we wish you merry Christmas and a happy NewYear!

Tom