Dec
Saturday Salon: Scent of Christmas in the air
It’s the first day of December. Which means it’s 24 days till Christmas Day. I haven’t started shopping, or really started thinking too much about it, but you can feel that something has shifted in the Beaufetheringstone house. If Lady B had an iPod and a speaker system, her playlist would likely be queued up with all the best Christmas music. As it is, I’ve heard her humming a few carols around the house.
I first learned that song in seventh grade chorus. I never really thought much about who Wenceslas was and what country he had ruled. He was as much a myth to me as Achilles or Zeus.
However, recently, as I was perusing a map of Prague, I spotted Wenceslas Square and the song that I hadn’t thought of since junior high sprung back into my mind. Then, in a fit of research not dissimilar to how I get distracted while writing, I looked up the history of Wenceslas. Here’s the Horrible Histories version:
But I digress. The reason I was looking at that map is because I am about to visit Prague for the first time and I am ridiculously excited. And while some people play Christmas music to get themselves in the mood for the holidays, I have downloaded some Czech language pop songs to ease me in to this little vacation. I find that when I grow comfortable with the sound of a language, travelling is always a little bit easier.
One of the things I am particularly excited about is Prague’s rich Jewish history and well-preserved Jewish quarter. And where better to spend Hanukkah, the festival of lights, which starts next week? Hmm, I think it might be time to put on some Hanukkah music.
Do you have any rituals that you do? Either to prepare for the holidays or to prepare for vacations?
Dec 1, 2012
1:34 am
Why hello Lady Sabrina -
I hope you have a wonderful time in Prague! Are you sure that your not going so you won’t have to try to evade Lady B rounding up all her guests and try to sing a few songs? I hope you remember how Arthur tried to “sing” along last year and everyone ended up losing their place in the song!
Oh dear, perhaps Lord Hastings will decide to take a trip to our home in the city! You know we don’t live far enough away form her here in the countryside to tell her we wouldn’t be able to attend! Poor Lord Hastings, he definately won’t want to attend especially after Arthur sat on his head last Christmas while he was trying to sing!
No, no, please don’t mention I stopped by to Lady B. I must be off and start packing immediately!
Lady Hastings
Dec 1, 2012
10:34 pm
I am ridiculously excited about this trip and I certainly hope that any memorable moments that happen in the ballroom during my absence are captured for posterity.
Dec 1, 2012
11:00 am
Have fun in Prague! I can’t believe it is December – where has this year gone? You will probably not believe that I am basically done my Christmas shopping – only need like two more pressies – would be completely done if we did pollyannas in our house or just got one pressie for each member instead of like four. I have a BIG family (12 people to buy for) and they are generous, which makes you feel like you have to keep up. Others would come to our house and be shocked by the amount of stuff.
Besides overdoing Christmas, traditions in my family include stockings for everyone. Since we are running out of room on our fireplace mantle, I am taking the suggestion of my nephew’s girlfriend (who I already think of as my niece – those two should just marry all ready) and have the couples share a stocking. The singles and kids (there are only 2 in this group) get their own stocking. In the stocking I have been putting English Crackers, but that is going by the way side. However another English tradition is still being held – Chocolate Coins. Having coins in your stocking means you will have prosperity in the upcoming year. So, I like to put chocolate coins as part of the goodies.
I have a personal tradition for myself – when I put up the Christmas tree, I like to have Les Miserables in Concert (the 10th anniversary edition) on the telly. It started when PBS started to play it during Christmas time and then I bought the VHS tape version of it and just have kept it up. I have had to buy the DVD version of it to keep up with my tradtion and CAN”T WAIT to see Hugh Jackman as Valjean in the upcoming version.
Dec 1, 2012
3:20 pm
I like your tree trimming music selection, Jamie! I’m so excited about the movie I might have to actually go see it right when it comes out! Okay, maybe I’ll wait a day.
Dec 1, 2012
10:34 pm
I don’t often see movies in the theatre but I agree. This is one I will probably go out to see right away!
Dec 1, 2012
1:44 pm
I am sooo jealous of your trip to Prague! I hope you have a wonderful time, and I can’t wait to hear all about it.
Most of our ritual preparations are the standard – putting up the tree and decorations, making cookies, etc.
There’s a street near ours (though I’m glad it’s NOT ours) where the whole street hangs these big glowing ornaments in the trees, and it’s rather magical at night. We love to drive down it whenever we have the excuse.
Dec 1, 2012
10:35 pm
I’ve actually now purchased one present. Normally I wait until the week before Christmas.
That street sounds beautiful.
Dec 1, 2012
1:49 pm
GKW is one of my very favorite carols, Sabrina, so thank you for this. I especially enjoyed the Horrible History. Have a wonderful time in Prague – I am madly jealous!
Getting ready for Christmas and getting ready for vacation mean the same thing. Mad last minute panic because I am *never* ready. This year’s the double whammy because I’m flying to London on Christmas Eve. I shall be lucky if I have clothing, let alone gifts for the thousand relatives. OTOH I shall be able to gorge on mince pies without having to make them myself …
Dec 1, 2012
10:36 pm
Oh, wow. We used to always fly on Christmas Day because it was emptier but ChristmasEve will be very dramatic.
And I am jealous of the food you will enjoy!
Dec 1, 2012
3:32 pm
That Horrible History version was deeply gigglicious. Thanks, Sabrina!
I hope you have a very wonderful time in Prague! It’s such a beautiful city. I loved every moment I spent there. Jan (John) Hus is an even bigger Czech hero in Prague, btw, a marvelous historical character about whom, unlike the poor sainted Wenceslas, we know lots. He became quite another sort of martyr… burned at the stake as a heretic… so I guess that’s why we don’t sing about him at Christmastime. :}
Dec 1, 2012
4:00 pm
Oh Christmas! I haven’t even begun yet! I’m dreading the shopping, looking forward to the light putting up, and wish I could go see Prague in winter splendor!
Dec 1, 2012
10:37 pm
It’s going to snow while we’re there. I haven’t seen snow in…7 years! I miss it dreadfully.
Dec 1, 2012
4:13 pm
With my family, I have “gurd my loins”, to get me through a couple of days.. Did I spell this right?.. I hate to comprimise and th at is what I seem to have to do Christmas after Christmas. But hey I can come home Chrismtas day and shut myself in my home and read to my hearts content.. Sounds like a great time to…
Dec 1, 2012
10:38 pm
Loading up my kindle so I can read too. So many books…
Dec 1, 2012
4:30 pm
Prague! How exciting Sabrina! Hope you have a fabulous time – take lots of pics to share, please. : )
No dyed in the wool traditions other than I never put up a single decoration until the first of December (putting up wreath and tree today). I always have a manger somewhere amidst the decorations and we always open one gift on Christmas Eve in celebration of the birth of the baby Jesus. Oh, almost forgot, my hubby and I watch either CHRISTMAS VACATION or LOVE ACTUALLY – we shoot for Christmas Eve but if we have other plans we do it the night before. Sharing these films is our only real quiet time together. We cuddle, laugh, and enjoy because the rest of the holiday is spent with family and we are not always together.
Happy Saturday and Let the Holidays Begin! : )
Dec 1, 2012
10:39 pm
Our only tradition is going down to spend the holiday with my inlaws. Christmas eve, we usually put the last few ornaments on the tree. My mother-in-law makes the most delicious holiday food.
Dec 1, 2012
5:44 pm
Amy, you brought up my other tradition! Every year I watch Muppet’s Christmas Carol, Christmas Vacation, It’s A Wonderful Life and I love to watch A Christmas Story on TBS’s 24 hour marathon – I watch it at least twice and would watch it all through if the family would let me.
I have this thing about Dicken’s Christmas Carol. I have it in many different forms and if I see it a different version I more often than not buy it. My favorite version being Muppet’s. I have Flintstone’s version, Barbie’s version, Looney Tunes, Dora, the explorer and I have seen it in ballet version, too. The Ford’s Theater version play is really cool, too!
Dec 2, 2012
2:21 am
Jaime, I love Dicken’s A CHRISTMAS CAROL in any form too, even the musical! I almost got to see the production at Ford’s Theatre one year but a storm came along and I couldn’t make it in to the city to see it. Maybe some day I will, I hope. : )
Dec 8, 2012
1:02 am
[...] much as Sabrina loves her Good King Wenceslas, his 10th century reign wasn’t immortalized in carol-form until 1853, when the lyrics were set to [...]