Christmas

A Merry Christmas Wish and Music

Lynette M Burrows

It’s Christmas Eve as I write this, the twenty-fourth of December. Tomorrow is Christmas. A religious holiday for some. A pagan holiday for some. Part of a week or two or a month of holidays for some. And just another day for some.  Whether or not you celebrate a December holiday, my Merry Christmas wish is that you find a bit of charity, peace, and love on this day and each day for the rest of your life. In that spirit, here are a few of my favorite versions of Christmas carols.  Deck the Halls Pentatonix I love a cappella music so it’s no wonder I’m a fan of Pentatonix. “Deck the Halls“ (originally titled “Deck the Hall“) is a traditional Christmas carol. The melody is Welsh, dating back to the sixteenth century,[1] and belongs to a winter carol, “Nos Galan“, while the English lyrics, written by the Scottish musician Thomas Oliphant, date to 1862. Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deck_the_Halls Carol of the Bells (for 12 Cellos) Piano Guys This version is a clever use of technology to create a beautiful version of this old carol.   “Carol of the Bells“ is a popular Christmas carol, with music by Ukrainian composer Mykola Leontovych in 1914[1] and lyrics by Peter J. Wilhousky. The song is based on the Ukrainian […]

Christmas Is More Than The Sights

Lynette M Burrows

I had an experience early in my high school career that began to open my eyes about how other people see the world. As a freshman, I wanted to fit in. And somehow I seemed to gather all the weirdos around me. I didn’t want to be one of them. But one of them, one of the weirdos I met, made a profound impact upon me. She taught me that Christmas is more than the sights. The New Girl My homeroom teacher assigned me to show the new girl around. This new student stood out from everyone else. It embarrassed me for her. But she was blind. She couldn’t see that her messy hair or her mismatched clothes or that her eyes moved two different directions. She carried a cane and only needed a ‘guide’ for a few days. I escorted her through the push and shove of teens rushing through the halls until she’d memorized the way to her next class.  Selfish & Embarrassed I was a selfish sixteen-year-old. It never occurred to me to wonder how she felt being in a new school. Not being able to see. Relying on total strangers to help her. But in the few […]

Holiday Quotes to Get You in the Spirit

Lynette M Burrows

December holidays are plentiful and different and yet… they each offer more than shopping, and gift getting, and partying. No matter which day you celebrate, here are some holiday quotes to get you in the spirit. Happy Bodhi Day A generous heart, kind speech, and a life of service and compassion are the things which renew humanity. Buddha Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared. Buddha Happy Kwanzaa Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.” Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. “If you want to go quickly, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” African Proverb Happy Hanukkah “To me every hour of the light and dark is a miracle, every cubic inch of space is a miracle.” – Walt Whitman  “At this time of year, when the sun is most hidden, the holiday of Hanukkah celebrates the rays of hope and light. Often, it is through simple and unrecognized miracles that we are able to feel the warmth of hope and light.”~ Rafael Goldstein “A candle is a small thing. But one candle can […]