1]
It was said to me, that if you wait five minutes after eating a first course, in all probability the wish for a pudding will vanish.
This can also be applied to the spoken word, and all desires, both good and bad. Especially when the wish, from some, to exclaim some damaging remark to a close one, or even a stranger, knowing such words will cause maximum damage to the feelings of the recipient.
Surely a five minute pause would give us all more control over such wasted words, or, alternatively, yell them alone, in your own space, thus allowing your body the benefit of "that feels better" without harming anyone else.

I find nothing more sickening than arrogant, ill-thought-out remarks from someone warming the centre of selfishness throughout their life. What gives a person the right to invade anothers space with evil words or actions? If the sufferer is innocent, why is the perpetrator free to act this way?
There appears more freedom in evil, than in peace, at least that's how it looks, though in actual fact it is not so. The evil freedom, I believe lasts but a short time, and is followed by deeper feelings of negativity, whereas the freedom in peace and goodness is harder to find, but lasts eternally when discovered.
We must all try a bit harder.

I'm typing this from my hospital, learning that I have some very, very hard days ahead of me, that now go beyond a spinal injury, and the odds may not be kind to self from hereinafter, but I'll fight it, with renewed vigour.

2]
What are you all doing tonight?
I will be in hospital in a few moments, (I'm home now, but only for a short while), then tonight will join my friends from Malta for a party.

I learnt yesterday, from the radio, that the average number of words spoken in a day by a woman is 7000, and for a man, 2000. That is quite a difference, do you believe it? Women are better communicators than men, and when something needs to be said, usually to family or friends, or neighbous, the men cannot usually be found!!
In a world where many things are shared, whatever they may be, men and women still have their interesting charateristics!! Shall we celebrate such a fact??

Another fact on the radio, was that Britain has the highest concentration of historic buildings in the world. I suppose it is plain to see, but I never realised this, and feel happy with the thought.
We bemoan so much in Britain, without ever seeing the wood for the trees.
If one thing can be improved in 2006, itis surely British self-esteem.
I am sick of certain people creating a shame on these shores.
I am not 100% British, far from it, and have spent a large part of my life away from here, very far indeed...but if I wish to be attached to any nation in the world, it is Britain...and why?
Why???

Because Britain has so much to be proud of, all the old chiches are true, and there is still a sense of fairplay here not found in a very great number of other countries. Also the humour, the people, though unhappy at times, can still crack a joke when you least expect it...and few people are ever allowed to take themselves too seriously, a great credit to you Britain. You've given the world something you don't always realise yourself.

Everybody, please, feel happier with who you are and where you are...we only have one life, within one skin, in one place at a time...enjoy it, make it valuable!!

Warm wishes to you all dear friends.
Happy New Year!!

love,
lauren6

Thai Buddhism

In Thailand I was impressed with their teachings, as I was trying to tutor English, but seemed to be learning more than the students, and mostly from these words below, and a lot more besides, written and told to me by a dear Thai friend;

"If your mind is happy, then you are happy anywhere you go. When wisdom awakens within you, you will see
Truth wherever you look. Truth's all there is. It's like when you've learned how to read - you can then read anywhere you go."

"People who suffer will accordingly gain wisdom. If we don't suffer, we don't contemplate. If we don't contemplate, no wisdom is born.

Without wisdom, we don't know. Not knowing, we can't get free of suffering - that's just the way it is.

Therefore, we must train and endure in our practice. When we then reflect on the world, we won't be afraid like before. It isn't that the Buddha was enlightened outside of the world, but within the world itself."

-Phra Ajarn Chah

Gautama Buddha's preaching was interrupted one day by a man unleashing a flurry of abusive invective.

Calmly waiting for his critic to finish, Buddha asked: "If a man offered a gift to another but the gift was declined, to whom would the gift belong?" "To the one who offered it," the man replied.

"Then," Buddha declared, "I decline to accept your abuse and request that you keep it for yourself."

On January 1, 1987, German national television aired a New Year's address by Chancellor Helmut Kohl. Unfortunately, it mistakenly reran the speech which he had delivered the year before. While such an incident would hardly raise an eyebrow in many countries, Germans found it hysterical. Indeed, on January 1, 1988, millions tuned in to see whether the blooper would reoccur. They were not disappointed. The introduction of Kohl's New Year's broadcast was followed by two minutes of blank screen. At last the presenter reappeared to correct his error: "And now," he declared, "'Dinner for One,' Freddie Frinton's comedy sketch about an overworked butler."

[The mess was eventually sorted out and the proper speech, incredibly, aired.]

On the eve of the Millennium, "Sex and the City" star Sarah Jessica Parker made an unusual New Year's resolution: to stop chewing on the inside of her own mouth - a nasty habit which often left her inner cheeks bitten, blistered and bloody. Did Parker keep her resolution? Alas, no. It "bit the dust" a mere 20 minutes into 2001.

["It's born of insecurity and lack of self-esteem and anxiety about the world," Parker explained. "It's like a minefield in there."]

Famed columnist Westbrook Pegler once published a New Years Day column comprising a single sentence, repeated fifty times. The sentence? "I will never mix gin, beer, and whiskey again."

["I claim authority to speak for the rabble," Pegler once declared, "because I am a member of the rabble in good standing."]

At their 2002 New Year's Eve bash in Beverly Hills, Ozzy and Sharon Osborne raffled off a $42,000 diamond necklace. Some time later, they contacted local police in a bid to get the article back. The problem? The woman who won the necklace had not been invited to the party!

Colour: Lime green
Music: Tosca ft Ann Clementi: oscar ...I'm in heaven with this song, especially the beginning. Beautiful! Written by the brilliant Kruder & Dorfmeister.)
Han Ensemble: suite #4

\ \ \

The weather grows cold, you sauceboxes.
-Swift, December 30th, 1710

In the 18th century, Robert Thomas's Old Farmer's Almanac sought premier position in the newly formed United States.

"Luck intervened during the production of the 1816 edition, when a typesetter accidentally placed a winter weather forecast in July and Thomas's almanac was printed predicting snow in the middle of summer. Around that time, however, a volcano erupted in Indonesia and scattered dust into the skies all over the world, and a strange, cold summer ensued. It did indeed snow in July in New England. After that event, [the almanac's] oracular reputation was sealed."

[Thomas, Robert (?- ) American publisher, noted for his immensely popular Old Farmer's Almanacs]

How's the weather with you all?
Here, in Norwich, we had five inches of snow overnight, at least where I live, and that's on top of yesterday's snow cover.
Very picturesque indeed, but now I must leave you all, and head to hospital.

Stay warm, safe and above all, happy.

Home through the snow, straining my eyes to see despite appalling visibility, and my ears to hear if Norwich City could hold on to their 2-1 scoreline, which thankfully they did. Huckerby got a great second goal for the Canaries, and though they make life hard for themselves at the best of times, their old confidence has well and truly returned, and touch wood, this is the kind of form that took us up to the Premiership in spectacular fashion, back in 2003/4. However, there is a heck of a long way to go.

Liverpool beat Everton 3-1, and Crouchy scored again. Liverpool are now the country's second team, unquestionably so. LFC will not reach the title with a Chelsea side about to raise the stakes to an ever higher position, and I can only reflect on LFC's form, which in some previous season's would have put them in first place.

My two sides are winning again...LFC with nine in a row, and NCFC with four on the trot. I'm happy.

This afternoon, I had my blood pressure checked, and once again it was too high, and so I've been called back in to hospital at 11am tomorrow morning, because the medical team informed myself that, "we must keep a closer eye on you."

Snow touching face, delicate feel of lace
Ice forming anew, cold loss of touch
Blizzard sweeping city, your memory but a trace
Snowflakes on windscreen, laying close as such.

~~~

Colour: Black and White
Music: Cher: Gypsies, tramps & thieves
Faithless: Tarantula
Plaid: Rakimou...this song is hypnotic genius...brilliance...perfection!

And so the Mediterranean party I declare a success, with cheese, chillies, salsa, salami, sausage rolls, olives, doritos, dates, several types of nut, whisky, gin, Bailey's Irish cream, San Miguel and coke, (I chose whisky and ice, which was perfect).
I had not had English sausage rolls for a long time, but when the snow was falling, (heavilly) outside, the glow of candles amongst friends, and the smell of freshly cooked sausage rolls filled the air, they were most welcome.

Listening to Radio Norfolk this morning, I heard a discussion that us easterners in Norfolk, do not, (or did not) call December 31st 'New Year's Eve' but rather, Old Year's End. It appears to be particular to Norfolk, and the Norwich area especially. How many of you have known New Year's Eve by another name?

As for today, it is known as the third day in Christianity, Childermas, (Children's Mass) in Old English, being the Feast of the Holy Innocents, which commemorates the children being slaughtered upon Herod's orders, as part of the Bible story. This is also called the Massacre of the Innocents, or el Día de los Santos Inocentes, and has traditionally been a day of practical jokes, much the same as April Fool's Day.

This morning I received a Christmas gift, delayed in the post because the postman mistook a 1 for a 7, from my friend in Shizuoka...

~~~

Althorpe. You can't think how tired I am of snow, icicles, shivering and wrapping up, and seeing Althorp like a perturbed spirit walking off his impatience, between the window and the chimney, in silent expectation...
Lady Lyttelton, December 28th, 1808

"Einstein A Go Go" by Landscape

I loved this song when I was a very little boy, hearing it spiralling out of Norwich's Carrow Road in 1980, when it made the UK top five.

It actually refers to Einstein's famous mass/energy equation E=MC2, which helped in the eventual development of the nuclear bomb.

Albert himself constantly warned of the apparent dangers he foresaw in the atomic bomb, and this song indeed, includes the line, "You'd better watch out, You'd better beware / Albert says that E equals MC squared"

Anyone who remembers this song, or who has heard it recently, will know the memorable intro, which is actually a montage of phone calls made by the band to the Washington White House, The Kremlin and other highly important locations of the time, in an effort to learn of the situation as it was in 1980...a generation under the pall and very real fear of nuclear war.

Unsurprisingly, they were turned-away at every attempt.

Christmas was one of the best in recent times for me, because there was no expectation, and only the simple, bare roots of Christmas were left, and that made for a real Christmas in all it's old meaning.

However, a few days ago I noticed something was wrong, as my blood seemed to be surging from time to time, with extreme burning, until one moment when I passed-out. Yesterday again, was more severe, and it necessitated A&E which revealed blood pressure reaching such an 'altitude' (I remember seeing something well above 220, before my falling away), that it was causing havoc to my heart, to the point where my face went blue, and I appeared to my nearest and dearest, to be gone. I cannot vouch for this, only they told me the morning after.

Whether you can believe it or not, in my 'lost moments' I saw my late grandfather and grandmother, (one from my mother's side, one from my father's side), which may have simply been a dream, but I do recall their warm expressions, and comforting silence. I have no explanation, and feel it was a dream, but whatever the reason for seeing both of them together seemed to give me the push I needed, for an hour later I was conscious once more.
The reason seems that my surgery had ignored my three calls for my repeat prescription, so I was left without my medication over Christmas.

Thankfully, I'm home now, and was at least able to learn that both Norwich City and Liverpool had won their games, which is very satisfying...NCFC now three wins on the spin, and Liverpool 8 on the bounce, without even conceding a goal, which is a la Chelsea!!

Surprisingly, Owen got a cold reception at Anfield, and was truly silenced on the pitch, his expression seemed uncomfortable. Benitez asserts he may return to Anfield in the future. I wonder?

Wishing all of you the warmth of the festive season.

~~~

Music: Canto Gregoriano, Coro de monjes del Monasterio de Santo Domingo de Silos

~~~

We have one of the old fashioned winters, snow and frost: not fulfilling the word of those who were quite sure the seasons were altered.
-Fitzgerald, Bradfield Rectory, December 27th, 1853

(It's interesting to note, that in Fitzgerald's time, they spoke of 'climate change' but one solid winter restored the traditional weather view!)

I could be the driver an articulated lorry
I could be a poet I wouldn't need to worry
I could be a teacher in a classroom full of scholars
I could be the sergeant in a squadron full of wallahs
What a waste
What a waste
What a waste
What a waste

CHORUS:
Because I chose to play the fool in a six-piece band,
First-night nerves every one-night stand.
I should be glad to be so inclined.
What a waste! What a waste!
But I don't mind.

I could be a lawyer with strategems and ruses
I could be a doctor with poultices and bruises
I could be a writer with a growing reputation
I could be the ticket man at Fulham Broadway Station
What a waste (x4)

Repeat CHORUS

I could be the catalyst that sparks the revolution
I could be an inmate in a long-term institution
I could dream to wide extremes, I could do or die
I could yawn and be withdrawn and watch the world go by
What a waste (x4)

by Ian Dury

Japan offers some exquisite culinary delights, only a fraction of which I've tried, but while there I sampled as much as I could, and found, amazingly, that everything, yes, every single thing, was extremely delicious. There were times, in izakaya for example, when the small dishes before me, containing what can only be described in broad innocence as 'fish' looked deliciously tempting...and give-in I did, with octopus and many other 'see-through' fish, which again were delicious. But a word of caution, as some years in Japan, up to 100 people die from the poison contained in the extremely toxic fish, Fugu.

Which brings me to drinks, in Japan it is easy to ask for water, Mizu, but one must remember that it's only a reference to 'cold water' and not water in general; for hot water one must say, Oyu, so as to avoid embarrassment.

Indeed, drinks in Japan, when visiting McDonald's are a size smaller than we may see in the UK or USA, and that is welcomed. The drink size in England, I find way too much, as half will suffice, so the Japanese size sits more comfortably in my size-conscious stomach which is prone to do a Maradonna after consuming soft drinks, which I find unpleasant at the best of times.

In some other 'fast-food' outlets, I noticed spaghetti with nattou, and pizza topped with squid, (which is apparently extremely popular in Japan, and again, delicious, though surprising.) It was at this time too, that I saw frog's legs on offer. I learnt to my great amazement, that Japan is the world's biggest exporter of this 'food'. There went myth number one. Curiously, frogs are considered a good luck symbol in Japan!!

It's also interesting to reflect that the Japanese stomach doesn't naturally warm to milk or dairy products as much as the western stomach, due to it's isolation in the past, and thus creating a nation of very healthy people, reliant on fish, and reaching considerable age. However, price-wise, I was shocked to see many foods were cheaper than in England, but some watermelons, (admittedly special varieties), were selling for the equivalent of 80-85 pounds. I passed on those.

As for my homestay lodgings, which were fantastic, located in Chiba-ken, with a delightful host family. I was given instruction on the bathroom routine, as the toilet is never in a Japanese bathroom. And the bath is never used for cleaning yourself. This routine I came to love, because the piping hot water was beneficial, the bath tub soaking relaxing, and beer offered directly afterwards! It seems strange? Well, in England it seems strange, but in Japan somehow seems highly appropriate. (Never more than one beer, but that was excellent for sleep.) However, the one which I appreciated the most was green tea after every meal, tasting like a drink that wants to help, and assuredly does, this is Japan's national drink.

The toilet has it's own slippers, unique to this private room. My host family all used the same pink ones.

Rooms are all suitably placed within the house, and have a specific function, mine was the guest room, and the doors, lights, tv, heating were all operated from one battery-controlled remote control. I thought one night, after waking at around 2am, 'what if the batteries die? will they bring me too?'

From homes to streets, and attempting to find my friends lodgings in Kyoto was, as I have previously mentioned on this blog, an adventure and a half...the streets have no names. Furthermore, I learnt from my friend, driving me, that from one prefecture to another, it cannot be assumed that a Japanese can read the kanji of the place names in another. Oh!! Another myth of mine shattered. Therefore, finding one address in a city of millions, was a lottery.

Eventually my friends home was located, by chance and thanks to my Tokyo friend's driving skill, we rested at the old-style house, situated near the famous hills and mountains that surround Kyoto. They took me to some hot springs, near dormant volcanoes, of which there are an amazing 40 still active in Japan!! In addition to this, is a little-known fact that Japan is made up of 6000 islands. When asked the question, "How many islands make up Japan?", I answered 'two dozen or so' which was way off the mark, though I later learned and never imagined that the true figure ran into many thousands.

You may have seen the heavy snowfalls in Japan this past week, one of which seems to have caused the train crash in the north-west part of Honshuu, which is actually quite accustomed to snow. Coming from Norwich, which has the world's foremost Climatic Research Unit within the university, I was understandably interested in Japanese climate, beginning with my interest and study of meteorology and climatology many years ago...and it's an interesting link, because as a nation, Japan is the leader in climatic research, though Norwich has the leading unit. These are interesting facts! Japan and climate go together.

My time in Japan was taken up, enjoyably, with teaching and travelling, and nobody told me beforehand, that the students remained in the same classroom all day, and it was me, the teacher who stumbled from classroom to classroom through the day! This I found more tiring than the 12-hour flight, because my classrooms were mostly situated in different buildings, different streets, even different towns, necessitating a train journey at break-neck speed between lessons.

While there, my friend's had their birthday's, of course, and again some cultural learning fell upon me; namely that Japanese children all celebrated their birthday's on the first of January in the past, no matter when their real birthdate fell. So January the first must have been extremely eventful right across the country, and I wondered, in such a situation, who invited who to their birthday party??

The 24th, sunny and mild outside, Christmas seems the other side of the world right now, and it is actually.

I've opted-out of the shopping, only doing so when it seems fit to do so, and accordingly, feel more relaxed and happy for this Christmas, without too much 'outside inteference' : namely, commercialism.
Although I did buy some gifts for family; The Others dvd, nike polo, amaretto, camera, a Sugarbabes cd which is off to Japan right now, etc.

Tonight is a Mediterranean party, which I'm greatly looking forward to, not sure when or where it'll end, but who cares, it's amongst friends and a time for sharing, so bring it on.

Yesterday scared me, however, by 2.30pm I was beginning to fade indeed, the eyes became blurred, feet cold, hands motionless, and the lights went out. Fortunately I was able to make a phone call, and all I remember was being awoken on my sofa hours later. The pain in my spine is becoming unbearable, and sleep seems to merge with the day, due to it's unwillingness to succumb to deep dreams, though last night I dreamt of the hospital, (the one which is messing up my life), and in this dream I was speaking with a consultant, the same orthopaedic consultant who I neither like, nor dislike, but simply distrust), and he informed me, "Your spine is very complicated, how do you expect me to diagnose it...I can't".
With that, he went to the newspaper and ran a competition, "Please send us some suggestions for this patient's spine problem, the winning entry will be chosen as his spine injury diagnosis!"

This was actually a dream, but to me, it seems more like the reality of the situation.
I had the MRI scan on the 9th, the radiologist was a cool guy, and showed me all the scans, explained each of them, and showed me how they do it, but refrained from informing me of the problems, because "that's your GP's job" ...indeed...but my GP still has not got the scans, and neither have the hospital, and neither have the MRI department, who confirm they've been sent. So, where are they? Do I exist? Am I dead? Do they want me so?

I have phoned my surgery, who hysterically told me, "Oh, you can ring anytime you wish, but we will not have your results until at least the New Year". I'm so glad she didn't add '2006', for fear of my becoming too over-optimistic.

My life is in my hands, if not my feet, and there are other ways to enjoy living, and sharing with good souls who one comes into contact with at times like this. It all comes into perspective, when another loses it's sphere. I heard that 95% of patients feel that their illness has brought out something very positive in their lives. I second that.

What will you eat tomorrow?
To my blog friends and to all readers, Merry Christmas and have a great time!

Christmas food list: orange sauce, parsnips, garden potatoes, stuffing, turkey, bacon, sausage, cranberries, (not sauce), garlic bread, dates, Tuc biscuits, chillies, cheddar cheese, Kuchen Meister: Liqueur Amaretto, Cadbury's cream eggs, (after reading jojo's blog!), salmon. Not all for one meal though!

Drinks: soya bean, green tea, gin, San Miguel for my friends, Hubertus Trofen: Kräuter-likor.

" music: DJ Tiesto: "In Search of Sunrise 4", "Karma Lounge" from Bar de Lune.

Film: The Others

~~~

'At night home to supper, and it being now very cold, and in hopes of a frost, I begin this night to put on a waistcoat, it being the first winter in my whole memory that ever I staid till this day before I did so.'
-Pepys, December 24th, 1668

\ \ \

Amaretti
Traditionally served at christmas time in Italy.

2 egg whites
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
1 cup chopped blanched almonds
3/4 teaspoon almond extract

1. Add salt to egg whites and beat until frothy. 2. Add sugar gradualy, beating until mixture is stiff but not dry. 3. Add almonds and almond extract and fold in gently. 4. Drop almond mixture on buttered and floured baking sheet by the teaspoon, shape into small mounds, leaving room between each mound. 5. Let stand 2 hours. 6. Bake at 190 degrees celcius for 12 minutes or until they are delicately brown in colour.

How's everyone??
My last post was all about interesting events, life, Norwich, my day etc, and quite different, but upon pressing "save" the whole post was lost, irretrievable...ohhh noooo.

Anyway, I just post this tonight, to enjoy;

Italy has no standard 'Christmas tree', instead they decorate small wooden pyramids with fruit.

The Venezuelan capital of Caracas hosts an odd custom; the streets are blocked-off on Christmas Eve, allowing people to roller-skate to church, apparently!

An artificial spider and web are frequently included in the decorations of Ukrainian Christmas trees. A spider web found on Christmas morning is believed to bring good luck.

It is a British Christmas tradition that a wish made while mixing the Christmas pudding will come true only if the ingredients are stirred in a clockwise direction.

A typical traditional early English Christmas dinner consisted of a pig prepared with mustard.

Sending red Christmas cards to anyone in Japan constitutes bad etiquette, since funeral notices there are customarily printed in red.

In Norway on Christmas Eve, all the brooms in the house are hidden because long ago it was believed that witches and mischievous spirits came out on Christmas Eve and would steal their brooms for riding.

Some Christmas customs are associated with the weather and, according to an old
couplet, a Full Moon is unlucky: 'Light Christmas, light wheatsheaf; Dark
Christmas, heavy wheatsheaf.'

If Christmas is windy and Candlemas calm, the omens for the coming year's
weather are good; but rain during the 12 days after Christmas means a wet year.

It is said that if your fire burns brightly on Christmas Day it is a sure sign
of prosperity; if it refuses to light the householder will suffer setbacks in
the year to come.

Alsatian - E gueti Wïnâchte & E glecklichs Nej Johr!
Apache (Western) - Gozhqq Keshmish
Arabic: Idah Saidan Wa Sanah Jadidah

Basque: Zorionak eta Urte Berri On!
Bengali: Shuvo Naba Barsha
Bhojpuri: Naya Sal Mubarak Ho
Blackfoot: I'Taamomohkatoyiiksistsikomi
Bohemian: Vesele Vanoce
Breton: Nedeleg laouen na bloavezh mat

Catalan: Bon Nadal i un Bon Any Nou!
Cherokee: Danistayohihv & Aliheli'sdi Itse Udetiyvsadisv
Cheyenne: Hoesenestotse & Aa'e Emona'e
Cornish: Nadelik looan na looan blethen noweth
Corsian: Pace e salute
Creole/Seychelles: Bonn e Erez Ane

Dutch: Prettig Kerstfeest

Egyptian: Colo sana wintom tiebeen
Eskimo: (Inupik) Jutdlime pivdluarit ukiortame pivdluaritlo!

Faeroese: Gledhilig jol og eydnurikt nyggjar!
Farsi: Cristmas-e-shoma mobarak bashad
Finnish: Hyvaa joulua
Flemish: Zalig Kerstfeest en Gelukkig nieuw jaar
Frisian: Noflike Krystdagen en in protte Lok en Seine yn it Nije Jier!

Galician: Bo Nada
Gaelic (Irish): Nolag mhaith Dhuit Agus Bliain Nua Fe Mhaise
Gaelic (Scots): Nollaig chridheil agus Bliadhna mhath ùr!
Greenlandic: Juullimi Ukiortaassamilu Pilluarit

Hawaiian: Mele Kalikimaka
Hebrew: Mo'adim Lesimkha. Chena tova
Hindi: Shub Naya Baras

Icelandic: Gledileg Jol
Iroquois: Ojenyunyat Sungwiyadeson honungradon nagwutut. Ojenyunyat osrasay.
Indonesian: Selamat Hari Natal (same for Malaysia)
Irish: Nollaig Shona Dhuit, or Nodlaig mhaith chugnat

Japanese: メーリクリスマス　(Me-ri kurisumasu)
Javanese: Sugeng Natal lan warsa enggal

Kashmiri: Christmas Id Mubarak
Korean: Sung Tan Chuk Ha

Latin: Natale hilare et Annum Faustum!
Latvian: Prieci'gus Ziemsve'tkus un Laimi'gu Jauno Gadu!
Lausitzian:Wjesole hody a strowe nowe leto
Lithuanian: Linksmu Kaledu
Low Saxon: Heughliche Winachten un 'n moi Nijaar
Luxembourgeois: Schéi Krëschtdeeg an e Schéint Néi Joer

Maltese: LL Milied Lt-tajjeb
Mandarin: Kung His Hsin Nien bing Chu Shen Tan
Manx: Nollick ghennal as blein vie noa
Maori: Meri Kirihimete
Mongolian: Zul saryn bolon shine ony mend devshuulye

Nepali: krist Yesu Ko Shuva Janma Utsav Ko Upalaxhma Hardik Shuva & Naya Barsa Ko harkik Shuvakamana
Norweigan/Nynorsk: Eg ynskjer hermed Dykk alle ein God Jul og Godt Nyttår
Norweigan/Bokmål: God Jul og Godt Nyttår

Papua New Guinea: Bikpela hamamas blong dispela Krismas na Nupela yia i go long yu
Polish: Wesolych Swiat Bozego Narodzenia or Boze Narodzenie
Punjabi: Nave sal di mubaraka

Russian: Pozdrevlyayu s prazdnikom Rozhdestva is Novim Godom

Sardinian: Bonu nadale e prosperu annu nou
Scots Gaelic: Nollaig chridheil huibh
Sicilian - Bon Natali e Prosperu Annu Novu !
Singhalese: Subha nath thalak Vewa. Subha Aluth Awrudhak Vewa
Sinhala: Subha nath thalak Vewa. Subha Aluth Awrudhak Vewa
Somali: ciid wanaagsan iyo sanad cusub oo fiican.
Swahili: ºKrismas Njema Na Heri Za Mwaka Mpyaº
Swedish: God Jul och Gott Nytt År

Tagalog: Maligayamg Pasko. Masaganang Bagong Taon
Tahitian: Ia ora i te Noere e ia ora na i te matahiti 'api
Tamil: Nathar Puthu Varuda Valthukkal
Thai: Suksan Wan Christmas lae Sawadee Pee Mai
Tongan: Kilisimasi Fiefia & Ta'u fo'ou monu ia
Turkish: Noeliniz Ve Yeni Yiliniz Kutlu Olsun

Ukrainian: Srozhdestvom Kristovym
Urdu: Naya Saal Mubarak Ho

Valencian: Bon Nadal i millor any nou
Vietnamese: Chung Mung Giang Sinh

Welsh: Nadolig Llawen

Yiddish: Gute Vaynakhtn un a Gut Nay Yor

Zulu: Sinifesela Ukhisimusi Omuhle Nonyaka Omusha Onempumelelo

by lauren6
(if there are any errors, please forgive and correct me!!)

~~~

Teaser:
Who sung the lyric, "...Eskimo, Arapaho..."?
(Should be easy for anyone over 35.)

maai mai mai mai mai ไม้ใหมไม่ไหม้มยั้ "New wood doesn't burn, does it?"

I'm sure many will be Christmas-weary by now, but it reminds me of the past times when I was on the other sideof the world over the festive time, once in Philippines, once in Thailand, and once in Japan.
Here are a few oriental Christmas customs which I've put together. (If I've made any errors, please let me know.)

Christmas in Philippines

The only nation in the whole of Asia in which Christianity is the first religion. Christmas celebrations start a good nine days before the 25th, with a mass called Misa de Gallo. This mass retells the birth of Christ as read from the Bible.
The Panunuluyan pageant is held each Eve at this time, with a couple chosen to re-enact Joseph and Mary's search for shelter.

On Christmas Day mass is held hourly, enabling everyone to attend. (I have been to these, and the fiercely religious Filipinos really pack their churches, so much so, the congregation sprawl outside too.) Religious services include pastore, (or play), based upon the myth of the birth of the Christ Child. The pastore closes with a star from the upper part of the church sliding down a wire and coming to rest over the church's Nativity scene.

Christmas celebrations perhaps evolved from old tribal customs whilst incorporating other outside influences. Serenading cumbancheros, end their performances by singing Maligayang Pasko to the tune of "Happy Birthday".

Christmas in Vietnam

Traditional Vietnamese religions are Buddhism and the Chinese philosophies of Taoism and Confucianism. Under French rule, however, many people became Christians.
Christmas is one of the four most important festivals within the Vietnamese year, they being the birthday of Buddha, the New Year and the mid-autumn festival. Although the Christians observed the religious rituals of Christmas.

On Christmas Eve people would attend a midnight Mass, and afterwards they would return home for the all important meal, the Christmas supper. The dinner usually consisted of chicken soup, and wealthier people ate turkey and Christmas Pudding.

The European customs of Santa Claus and the decorated Christmas tree are observed and popular here, with children leaving their shoes outside on Christmas Eve.

Christmas in India

Christians in India will decorate banana or mango trees, and also light small oil-burning lamps as Christmas decorations, filling their churches with red flowers.

They give presents to family members and baksheesh, or charity, to the poorer people in the locality.

In India, the poinsettia is in flower at this time of year, and so the churches are decorated with this brilliant bloom for the Christmas Midnight Mass.

In South India, Christians put small clay lamps on the rooftops and walls of their houses over the festive period, just as the Hindus do during their own lovely festival called Diwali.

Christmas in Japan

It's very interesting to note the rise of Christmas in Japan, a nation which contains just 1% of it's population as Catholic. However, Christmas is observed right acorss the country, from malls, stores, streets, railway stations, (I remember Kyoto railway station last year had the most terrific Christmas tree display, the best I've ever seen), to people's own homes.

The exchange of gifts is of course popular too, and has become a part of Japanese life, to a lesser degree than western countries, but increasing with every year.

Japan has a Buddhist monk called Hotei-osho, acting as a kind of Santa Claus, bringing gifts to every house, for the children. Some believe he has eyes in the back of his head, therefore children behave accordingly, believing he is ever-watchful.

However, among the Christian fraternity in Japan, Christmas is not especially a family day, nor one for turkey or Christmas pudding, but rather a time to help others, for example, visiting the sick in hospital.

On Christmas Eve or Christmas night, the children in Sunday schools will feel happiest, as they put on programs that last for many hours, singing, reciting and they putting on dramas of the day Jesus was born in Bethlehem.

Most children may not see Hotei-osho so their presents will appear from Santa who goes around with a red-nosed reindeer, as in the west.

Christmas in Iran (Persia)

Christmas in Iran is known as the Little Feast. For the first 25 days of December, a great fast is observed, during which no meat, eggs, milk, or cheese can be consumed. This is known as a time of peace and meditation; a time for attending services at the church, and upon the completion of the fast, the feast is begun, for an abundance of meat is prepared for the Christmas dinner.

Christmas Eve marks the final day of the fast, and just prior to the dawn of Christmas Day, people attend Mass, receive Communion and it is not until they have received this Communion that they are permitted to break fast.

Most Iranian boys and girls have never heard of Santa Claus, therefore the Christmas exchange of gifts is not observed. But they do receive new clothes, which they will wear with pride throughout the Christmas week.

A dish eaten for Christmas day is a kind of chicken stew, which is cooked in large quantities and lasts several days.

by lauren6

Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy

Thich Nhat Hanh

Christmas is looming, and I'm keeping it simple, unlike the untoward happenings in blogland, regrettably.

I heard today, that 'it gets harder to meet people as you get older', which can relate to romance or friendship, to which I hesitated and gave some thought.

Do you agree with this statement?

I'm not sure I do, surely it's a matter of opinion, and up to the individual...and the activities in which we partake may change, but does that lessen the opportunity to meet people??

The programme added, 'once you reach 30, you have to ditch that dream' ...God, what a pesimistic outlook...are we so downtrodden now that we have to concede defeat just because we've turned thirty???
Does England really believe that 29 is sexy and 30 is totally off-limits?
I find that ridiculous.

As long as we don't worry about it too much...this society just seems to cause inherent insecurity in all it's forms. Why can't we hear anything positive to equate with the balance of life???

Well, just be proud of who you are and for heaven's sake don't listen to the garbage thrown at us, usually as subliminal footnotes of great offence, using language that takes a while to register, disabling our natural quick response.

We don't need anyone to tell us how to arrange our garden, or where to place our sofa, or even who to befriend, it's all ours...nobody else's.
Keep your space sacrosanct!

~~~

"The 21. of December began a Frost, which continued so extreamely that on New-Yeares even people went over and along the Thamis on the Ice from London-bridge to Westminster, some played at foote-ball as boldly there, as if it had been on dry land."
-Stow, December 21st, 1564

St.Thomas's Day. This is the shortest day of the year - this is the very point of entrance of the deepest cavern of winter...
M.S.Holland, December 21st, 1887

From the sublime to the ridiculous is but a step

Have you ever pondered about our famous capital's name 'London'? Whenever I spent time thinking of its name, it becomes quite a strange sounding city, and by my very thinking of it more deeply than usual, it becomes a far more dramatic sounding name.

Of course Londinium is the Roman name for London, which itself was named after Londinos (bold one).

But I put together a few London names and origins, some of very surprising origin indeed;

Acton: oak farm (first recorded, 1181)

Barnes: place by the barn (1086)
Battersea: Beaduric's island (1086)
Beckenham: Beohha's enclosure (973)
Bermondsey: Beornmund's island (712)
Bexleyheath: heath by a box wood (774)
Bloomsbury: de Blemund's manor (1291)
Brent: Celtic river name
Brixton: Beorhtsige's stone (1086)
Bromley: clearing where broom grows (862)

Camden: named after Charles Pratt Camden (c18th)
Catford: literally ford with wild cats! (1254)
Charring Cross: bend with a cross (1360)
Cheam: homestead by the tree stumps (967)
Chelsea: landing place for chalk (789)
Chingford: shingle ford (1086)
Chiswick: cheese farm (c1000)
Clapham: homestead by hillock (880)
Cockfosters: estate of chief forester (1524)
Croydon: valley of wild saffron (809)

Dalston: Deolaf's farm (1294)
Deptford: deep ford (1293)
Dulwich: marshy meadow where dill grows (967)

Ealing: Gilla's people (698)
Edgware: Ecgi's fishing enclosure (975)
Edmonton: Eadhelm's farm (1086)
Eltham: homestead frequented by swans (1086)
Enfield: Eana's open land (1086)
Epping: lookout place (1086)
Erith: muddy landing place (1086)

Finchley: clearing where finches are (1208)
Finsbury: Finn's manor (1235)
Fulham: Fulla's riverside land (705)

Greenford: green river crossing (845)
Greenwich: green (grassy) port (964)

Hackney: Haca's island (1198)
Hammersmith: place with a hammer smithy (forge) (1294)
Haringey: enclosure in the grey wood (1201)
Havering: Haefer's people (1086)
Hayes: overgrown with brushwood (831)
Heathrow: row of houses by a heath (1410)
Hendon: high hill (975)
Highbury: high fort (c1000)
Holborn: hollow stream (1086)
Holloway: hollow road (1307)
Hounslow: Hund's mound (1086)

Isle of Dogs: marshy area frequented by stray dogs (1593)
Isleworth: Gislhere's enclosure (1086)
Islington: Gisla's hill (c1000)

Kensington: Cynesige's estate (1086)
Kentish Town: estate held by man from Kent (1208)
Kew: spur of land by a landing place (1327)
Kilburn: cows' stream (1130)

Lambeth: landing place for lambs (1088)
Lewisham: Leofsa's homestead (1086)
Leyton: farm on the river Lea (1050)

Marylebone: St Mary's stream (1453)
Mayfair: place of the May fair
Mitcham: large village (1086)
Morden: hill in marshland (969)
Muswell Hill: mossy spring by a hill (1155)

Northolt: northern nooks of land (960)
Notting Hill: Cnotta's hill (1356)

Ockendon: Wocca's hill (1070)
Orpington: Orped's estate (1032)

Paddington: Padda's estate (1050)
Peckham: homestead by a peak (1086)
Penge: end of the wood (1067)
Pinner: place by a peg shaped ridge (1232)
Plaistow: place for playing (1414)
Plumstead: place of the plum trees (961)
Poplar: poplar tree (1327)
Putney: Putta's landing place (1086)

Rainham: homestead of the Roegingas (1086)
Richmond: named after Richmond (Yorkshire) (1502)
Roehampton: home farm where the rooks gather (1332)
Romford: wide ford (1177)
Rotherhithe: landing place for cattle (1105)
Ruislip: leaping place where rushes grow (1086)

St John's Wood: granted to the Knights of St John (1294)
St Pancras: named after a saint (1086)
Shepherds Bush: Shepherd's bushes (1635)
Shoreditch: ditch by a steep bank (1148)
Sidcup: flat topped hill (1254)
Soho: a hunting cry (1632)
Southall: southern nook of land (1198)
Southwark: southern defensive work (1086)
Stepney: Stybba's landing place (c1000)
Stoke Newington: new farm by the tree stumps (1086)
Stratford: ford on a Roman road (1177)
Streatham: homestead on a Roman road (1086)
Surbiton: southern grange (1179)
Sydenham: Cippa's homestead (1206)

Teddington: tide end town (969)
Thames River: dark river (Celtic) (51 BC)
Thamesmead: reclaimed marshland by the Thames (c1960)
Tooting: Tota's people (675)
Tottenham: Totta's homestead (1086)
Tower Hamlets: hamlets of the Tower of London (c1700)
Twickenham: Twicca's land in a river bend (704)

Upminster: higher minster (church) (1086)
Uxbridge: bridge of the Wixan people (1145)

Vauxhall: Falkes' hall (1279)

Walthamstow: place where guests are welcome (1075)
Wandsworth: Waendel's enclosure (1086)
Wapping: Waeppa's people (1220)
Wembley: Wemba's clearing (825)
West Ham: western riverside land (1086)
Westminster: western monastery (975)
White City: na