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Christmas
My mother arrived in the evening of Christmas Eve--we sucked down a couple of drinks and then went to Midnight Mass at St. Mary's. The service was quite long--St. Mary's is more high church than even I am used to--and after almost two hours, Mom was dropping so we left after communion. St. Mary's is VERY high church--they sing most of the service, including the Gospel. I am not too crazy about that at Xmas--I love the power of Luke's words: "And Mary kept all these things in her heart and pondered them." The choir was phenomenal and they sang some great stuff, including a Poulenc Mass which was lovely. The music was all very Anglican--the pre-Mass carols section started with a Vaughan Williams carol as well as the Vaughan Williams setting of "O Little Town of Bethlehem" (set to "Forest Green") and of course, "Once in Royal David's City." Mom tickled me as the soprano cantor sang the first verse--for many years, I started off Midnight Mass at St. Andrew's (the parish where I grew up) singing that verse behind the altar. Another interesting musical piece was a Peter Warlock piece called "Bethlehem Down" which went like this:
"When He is King we will give Him the Kings' gifts,
myrrh for its sweetness, and gold for a crown,
beautiful robes," said the young girl to Joseph,
fair with her firstborn on Bethlehem Down.
Bethlehem Down is full of the starlight,
winds for the spices, and stars for the gold,
Mary for sleep, and for lullaby music
songs of a shepherd by Bethlehem fold.
When He is King, they will clothe Him in gravesheets,
myrrh for embalming, and wood for a crown,
He that lies now in the white arms of Mary
sleeping so lightly on Bethlehem Down.
Here He has peace and a short while for dreaming,
close huddled oxen to keep Him from cold,
Mary for love, and for lullaby music
songs of a shepherd by Bethlehem fold.
Isn't that lovely?
Christmas Day was bright and cold. Doug came over around 1:00 and we tore into the stockings, my favorite part. Oh look--Santa Cat brought a stocking for Doug! I also made some syllabub which is a Southern version of egg nog (which I also make myself)--much lighter than egg nog, made with brandy, chablis, half-and-half, sugar and lemon peel. It's quite yummy. I received some very nice gifts--thank you everybody, I love you all! (Proper WASPY thank you notes to follow, of course.) Ryan gave me an hilarious book called Yiddish with Dick and Jane:
"Hello, Sally," says Jane.
"You look wonderful.
That is a nice outfit."
"No it isn't," says Sally.
"This is a schmatte."
Duncan gave me Arcadia which I can't WAIT to read. My aunt, whom Doug met last September, gave me an especially lovely gift--my grandmother's class ring from her boarding school, Baldwin. This thing is old--she graduated in the '20s--and the gold is quite worn down. It has her initials in the inside of the ring, NEM (for Nancy Elizabeth Metcalf) and the school seal. Clarissa also gave me a silver bathroom tray with my grandmother's monogram on it. I love heirlooms.
After that we went out to an Italian restaurant right around the corner that turned out to be the perfect choice--just the right amount of atmosphere and not too expensive. Wine, pasta and a very rich Italian cake. The perfect Christmas dinner.
It's in every one of us to be wise
Find your heart and open up both your eyes
We can all know everything without ever knowing why
It's in every one of us by and by
Merry Christmas!
"When He is King we will give Him the Kings' gifts,
myrrh for its sweetness, and gold for a crown,
beautiful robes," said the young girl to Joseph,
fair with her firstborn on Bethlehem Down.
Bethlehem Down is full of the starlight,
winds for the spices, and stars for the gold,
Mary for sleep, and for lullaby music
songs of a shepherd by Bethlehem fold.
When He is King, they will clothe Him in gravesheets,
myrrh for embalming, and wood for a crown,
He that lies now in the white arms of Mary
sleeping so lightly on Bethlehem Down.
Here He has peace and a short while for dreaming,
close huddled oxen to keep Him from cold,
Mary for love, and for lullaby music
songs of a shepherd by Bethlehem fold.
Isn't that lovely?
Christmas Day was bright and cold. Doug came over around 1:00 and we tore into the stockings, my favorite part. Oh look--Santa Cat brought a stocking for Doug! I also made some syllabub which is a Southern version of egg nog (which I also make myself)--much lighter than egg nog, made with brandy, chablis, half-and-half, sugar and lemon peel. It's quite yummy. I received some very nice gifts--thank you everybody, I love you all! (Proper WASPY thank you notes to follow, of course.) Ryan gave me an hilarious book called Yiddish with Dick and Jane:
"Hello, Sally," says Jane.
"You look wonderful.
That is a nice outfit."
"No it isn't," says Sally.
"This is a schmatte."
Duncan gave me Arcadia which I can't WAIT to read. My aunt, whom Doug met last September, gave me an especially lovely gift--my grandmother's class ring from her boarding school, Baldwin. This thing is old--she graduated in the '20s--and the gold is quite worn down. It has her initials in the inside of the ring, NEM (for Nancy Elizabeth Metcalf) and the school seal. Clarissa also gave me a silver bathroom tray with my grandmother's monogram on it. I love heirlooms.
After that we went out to an Italian restaurant right around the corner that turned out to be the perfect choice--just the right amount of atmosphere and not too expensive. Wine, pasta and a very rich Italian cake. The perfect Christmas dinner.
It's in every one of us to be wise
Find your heart and open up both your eyes
We can all know everything without ever knowing why
It's in every one of us by and by
Merry Christmas!