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Quarter Days: Yuletide

December 28, 2018 by Alina K. Field in category Quarter Days by Alina K. Field tagged as Christmas, Hogmanay, New Year's in Scotland, winter solstice

Winter Solstice

’Tis the Fourth day in the Twelve Days of the great feast of Christmas and I’m back to talk about celebrating the winter holidays in the British Isles where the stories I’ve been writing are set.

A week of binge-watching the series Shetland gave me a good appreciation of the closeness of Scotland to Scandinavia. Given the Celtic and later Viking influence, It’s no wonder that many of this season’s customs date back to pagan festivities marking the winter solstice. The word Yule (as in Yuletide and Yule Log) comes from the Norse word “jul” or “houl” meaning wheel.

Saturnalia

Ancient Rome also celebrated the winter solstice in the Saturnalia festivities of ancient Rome. I mentioned in my December post last year that the early Christian church built a religious holiday, Christmas, around this natural time of ancient celebration. Many of the Christmas traditions—Yule logs, mistletoe, feasting–date back long before the designation of December 25^th as the birthday of Jesus.

Hogmanay

Though we’re a week out from the shortest day of the year, nights are still long, so why not keep partying? The seventh day of Christmas, December 31^st brings us to the celebration of the new year. In Scotland, reaching back to their Norse roots, the locals celebrate Hogmanay with torchlight parades, bonfires, and lots of good whisky.

My favorite Scottish New Year’s tradition is the First Foot.

Needed: a tall, dark, and handsome man

Tradition says that if the first person to cross the threshold in the new year is a tall, dark, handsome man, the home and all who dwell therein will have good luck in the coming year. (No red-headed men, please—they’re considered unlucky!) I saw this set up in a blurb for a Christmas romance this year, and then promptly lost the link. If you recognize that story, please mention it in the comments below.

Whatever winter holiday you celebrate, I hope you’re surrounded by family and friends. I wish you many blessings in the New Year. Have a Happy Hogmanay!

The Misteltoe Bough, by Francis Wheatley

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A Holiday Poem

December 27, 2018 by A Slice of Orange in category Things That Make Me Go Mmmrrh . . . by Geralyn Corcillo

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Hello, Wonderful Readers! I wish you all, more than anything, a relaxing and delightful holiday season.

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A Gift by Neetu

December 26, 2018 by Neetu Malik in category Poet's Day by Neetu Malik tagged as A Gift, moments, Neetu Malik, poetry

A Gift

I will not count the seconds
I will not check the clock

I will listen only to the sound of
my own inhale and exhale and
the tapping of keys

watch my breath stir the strands
of my hair
as it falls below my chin
over this keyboard
          my fingers
typing this note
to myself, this moment
a gift I give


to me

© Neetu Malik

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‘Twas the Night Before Christmas

December 24, 2018 by marianne h donley in category Apples & Oranges by Marianne H. Donley tagged as 'Twas the Night Before Christmas, Christmas, The Night Before Christmas

For your Christmas Eve listening pleasure a selection of readings of The Night Before Christmas. First up Stephen Fry.

Next up is Stan Lee:

LeVar Burton reads the poem with illustrations from Tomie DePaola.

Elton John!

I was surprised to find Bob Dylan in my list, but here he is:

Even William Shatner had a version:

The Learning Station’s animated version with music:

This one is NOT the traditional version of the poem but John Cleese’s version in which Santa gets captured and the reindeer eaten and . . .well I won’t spoil the ending. It made me laugh, but if the ideas of capturing Santa or eating reindeer makes your blood boil don’t listen.

Which one was your favorite?

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BOOK REVIEW: THE DAY BAILEY DEVLIN’S HOROSCOPE CAME TRUE BY REBECCA FORSTER – A REVIEW BY VERONICA JORGE

December 22, 2018 by Veronica Jorge in category Book Reviews by Veronica Jorge, Write From the Heart by Veronica Jorge tagged as book review, The Day Bailey Devlin's Horoscope Came True by Rebecca Forster, Veronica Jorge

The Day Bailey Devlin’s Horoscope Came True (Book 1 of the Bailey Devlin Series) by Rebecca Forster

Amazon Digital Services 2015 ASIN: B013XGNI06

Some people don’t celebrate Christmas. Others have overdosed on holiday movies. But EVERYONE loves a good story especially if, like a great meal, it satisfies and nourishes. And we all have hopes, dreams and wishes for the upcoming year.

So before you pick that next book off the shelf or make your New Year resolutions, you need to read Rebecca Forster’s, The Day Bailey Devlin’s Horoscope Came True. You’ll be glad you did!

Bailey Devlin, a lawyer in the making, wants a better life. Don’t we all! She’s sick and tired of living on the low-end as a sandwich maker, coupon-cutting to make ends meet, (they never do), and stifling her gourmet appetite. If she can just pass the upcoming bar exam she’ll have everything she always wanted. So she thinks.

Guided by the stars, Bailey follows her daily horoscope predictions. The latest one tells her that someone will knock on her door and she must let him in. Him? Has to be the love of her life to complete her dream.

Not.

It’s the 92 year-young Grandpa she never knew she had and she’s the designated next-of-kin to care for him. Bailey likens him to a hunk of kryptonite that lands in her living room sapping her strength.

Her life gets turned upside down: bar exam study partners that meet in her apartment ditch her, Ethan, her musician neighbor, and Jeffery, her lawyer friend help her with Grandpa but compete with each other for her affection.

And yes, things get worse.

Bailey shows up in the wrong court room one day to protest a ticket and is berated by the judge. Grandpa rises to her defense by stomping his walker on a guard’s foot, and challenging the judge to remove his sissy dress and “let’s take it out back.” She and Grandpa wind up in a jail cell!

Way past fed-up, unable and unwilling to care for Grandpa, and convinced it will be best for all concerned, Bailey commits Grandpa into the Rainbow Rest Retreat nursing home.

The day of the bar exam arrives and Bailey’s life is back on track… until Jeffery arrives to alert her that Grandpa has suffered a heart attack. Bailey is forced to choose between this stranger called Grandpa and her dream life.

Tende Write from the Heart | Veronica Jorge | A Slice of Orange r and hilarious, The Day Bailey Devlin’s Horoscope Came True will leave you wanting more. It might even make you hug that relative who drives you nuts.