Hatch # 18: Boxing day, smoxing stay...

It is now the day after Christmas Eve here, referred to in many countries (mainly former British colonies...), as Boxing day. I've never understood why they call it that, so today's post is dedicated to uncovering once and for all what the deal with weird sports related names for pucblic holiday days is:)

The origins for the name are uncertain and the theories are many - all include some sort of literal boxes except for the one that actually refers to the activity of boxing. Earlier it was December 27th that was Boxing Day, but it coincides with Saint Steven's day and thus has been renamed and is celebrated on the 26th of the month.

In Norway we call what is elsewhere known as boxing day (the 26th of December), 'annen juledag', which translates as 'second day of Christmas', but since our Christmas Eve and the celebrations that belong to it is placed on the 24th, and ya'll celebrate it on the 25th, what you call boxing day would be the 25th for us...
Wow, that was complicated. I think I managed to get across that everything moves one day closer to the beginning of the month for us...:D If not, look boxing day up in wikipedia - u'll get all the information u can possibly want and then some;)

Hatch # 17: The time is here!

As you know, in Norway we celebrate Christmas on the 24th of December - we don't do your weird Boxing Day-thing;) So today consists of - for me - getting up early to watch Disney's Christmas cavalcade, the Norwegian classic 'Reisen til Julestjernen' (translates into 'the Journey to the Christmas Star') and the best part of holiday tv in this neck of the woods - 'Tre Nøtter til Askepott' ('Three Acorns for Cinderella'). It's a German/Chzeck movie from 1973 that portrays Cinderella in a more likeable light than both Disney and the fairy tale itself - she's not waiting for the Prince to come rescue her - in fact they rip into each other on several occasions...;)
Cinderella with her faitful steed
...while cleaning up the ashes from the fireplace...
...and accepting the proposal from the handsome Prince...

Anyhoo, the Prince was the very first man I developed a crush on, and I watched Cinderella and him find each other despite obstacles in the path year after year. I still watch, even if I do know half the lines in Chzeck by heart...lol

After having watched the necessary mood-setting movies and cartoons, it's time to get ready for church - not so much coz it's church but because I get to meet old friends that I haven't seen in the past year and that's always good:) When everyone has been wished a merry Christmas we head home to the neatly prepared Xmas feast that of course is 'pinnekjøtt' - it always is and damned well always will be! Then we clean up, have dessert and watch the final part of the calendar show for the season before it's time to open the precisely planned presents...

I wonder what my darling brothers have thought of this year?:D And how they will like what I got them...Well, I'll soon find out!

A merry Christmas to all of you - may it bring you loads of hard presents (the best kind..hihi), and good times with the people you care about!

Hatch # 10: The most beautiful there is...

I think I might have found the most beautiful Christmas carol there is... And through a TV-show's soundtrack none the less! Glory to the producers of 'Grey's Anatomy' for making this song a part of their impeccable soundtrack...

"It Came Upon A Midnight Clear"

It came upon the midnight clear,
that glorious song of old,

from angels bending near the earth,

to touch their harps of gold:

"Peace on the earth, goodwill to men

from heaven's all gracious King!"

The world in solemn stillness lay

to hear the angels sing

Still through the cloven skies they come,

with peaceful wings unfurled;

and still their heavenly music floats

o'er all the weary world:

above it's sad and lowly plains

they bend on hovering wing,

and ever o'er its Babel sounds

the blessed angels sing

Oh ye beneath life's crushing load,

whose forms are bending low,

who toil along the climbing way

with painful steps and slow;

look now, for glad and golden hours

come swiftly on the wing;

oh rest beside the weary road

and hear the angels sing

Apart from 'Little Drummer Boy', I do believe I've aquired a new favourite - the beauty of the poetry in this song's lyric is amazing and well worth bringing to the table - especially in Norway where we pretty much worship our carols...:) There is two more verses in the song - not used in the versions I've heard - but I'll list them anyway....

Yet with the woes of sin and strife
the world has suffered long;
beneath the angel-strain have rolled
two thousand years of wrong;
and man, at war with man, hears not
the love-song that they bring;
o hush the noise, ye men of strife,
and hear the angels sing (3rd verse)

For lo! the days are hastening on,

by prophets seen of old,

when with the ever-circling years

shall come the time foretold,

when the new heaven and earth shall own

the Prince of Peace, their King,

and the whole world send back the song

which now the angels sing (5th and final verse)

This carol was originally a poem written by the minister Edmund Hamilton Sears in 1849. The music for it was composed by Richard Storrs Willis in 1859 after he was inspired by the poem.

Hatch # 7: Making my list...

...and checking it twice, which isn't particularly motivating. For each completed task, two more pops up. I've finished pressies for my flatmates, but there's still loads more to go, or so it feels for my strained budget.

It looks like that might be improved soon, as I'm starting my training for the part-time writing-job I've gotten, which is exciting! It entails writing pieces of texts containing specific key words that will give hits in search engines and means I'll need to register as an independent one woman-buisness. That's the complicated part - meaning accounting and a crapload more tax forms, but it's been done by thousands of people before me and thus shouldn't be brain surgery... At least I'm hoping it won't be! Lol... Apart from extra budgeting means, the job will provide me with some new writing-training and I'm looking forward to it, especially since it's in a field I haven't got that much practice in.

Anyhoo - I've finished one pleasant task - putting together the Christmas outfit I'll be wearing for all the family get-togethers - and these are my perfect new 'dancing shoes'!:)


Other great news - my precious ticket to the Wolfmother-concert in Oslo on the 18th of Febuary arrived in the mail - and this is what pure bliss to the neat price of 60 AUS will look like! Woooman, you're a woman... Singing my heart out and looking forward to it more than I can put into words, even though it would've been even better in native surroundings with my peeps...:)