Preparing for Christmas
Christmas is soon here, and in
The streets are beautiful decorated with trees and garlands.
The tradition of the Christmas tree is believed to have originated in medieval 
The “
My Christmas preparation is almost done; I just have to decorate the tree and the Christmas table. Christmas Eve I will celebrate at home with family.
I have not turn the house upside-down to find dust to feed the vacuum cleaner, but gently drove the cleaner over the floor.
In stead I had an evening with friends baking a cake and some Christmas cookies, I have enjoyed visiting Christmas markets, been to concerts in concert halls and in churches, visiting friends for Advent coffee and tasting their cakes.
The symphonic band I`m playing with have given two Christmas concerts, and we always end the concert with O Holy Night (“Cantique de Noël”) composed by Adolphe Adam in 1847.
The lyrics are written by Placide Chapeau on request from a parish priest. It has become a standard modern carol for Christmas concerts for sumphonic band, solo performance and choir in Norway.
My favorite version of the carol is recorded with a Swedish tenor; Jussi Björling,
In the carol, the singer recalls the birth of Jesus
Oh holy night! The stars are brightly shining,
It is the night of the dear Saviour's birth.
Long lay the world in sin and error pining,
Till He appear'd and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
Fall on your knees! Oh, hear the angel voices!
Oh night divine, Oh night when Christ was born;
Oh night divine, Oh night, Oh night Divine.
Led by the light of Faith serenely beaming,
With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand.
So led by light of a star sweetly gleaming,
Here come the wise men from Orient land.
The King of Kings lay thus in lowly manger;
In all our trials born to be our friend.
He knows our need, to our weakness is no stranger,
Behold your King! Before Him lowly bend!
Behold your King, Behold your King.
Truly He taught us to love one another;
His law is love and His gospel is peace.
Chains shall He break for the slave is our brother;
And in His name all oppression shall cease.
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,
Let all within us praise His holy name.
Christ is the Lord! O praise His Name forever,
His power and glory evermore proclaim.
His power and glory evermore proclaim.
In 
Most people have holyday at Christmas, except for us working in health care and communication services. So I`ll be working the day of Christmas eve, but I`ll be of to celebrate Christmas eve with family.
I will be celebrating with a typical Norwegian Christmas dinner. The dinner consist of a rib with a good crackling, ribbe, (served with "cabbage à la norvégienne", surkaal, potatoes, carrots, cauliflower, sprouts, prunes and brown sauce).
Some familys serve salted and dried ribs of mutton, pinnekjøtt, (served with potatoes, carrots and mashed swedes), or lye-treated codfish, lutefisk (served with potatoes, bacon and pea stew).
For dessert: rice blended with whipped cream served with a red sauce, riskrem, caramel pudding, cherry mousse, or whipped cream blended with multer (orange, wonderful berries) "cloudberry" - found on the mountain - looks like rasberries).
After dinner I hopefully will have a visit of Julenissen (Santa Claus), and yes I have been a god girl this year.
Going to bed this evening I know I will hum Mary’s Boy child Jesus Christ.
This is also one of my favourite Christmas Corals.
The carol is written by Jester Hairston and was first recorded by Henry Belafonte in 1956.
Mary's Boy Child
Mary's boy child Jesus Christ, was born on Christmas Day.
And man will live for evermore, because of Christmas Day.
Long time ago in
Mary's boy child Jesus Christ, was born on Christmas Day.
Hark, now hear the angels sing, a king was born today,
And man will live for evermore, because of Christmas Day.
Mary's boy child Jesus Christ, was born on Christmas Day.
While shepherds watch their flocks by night,
they see a bright new shining star,
they hear a choir sing a song, the music seemed to come from afar.
Hark, now hear the angels sing, a king was born today,
And man will live for evermore, because of Christmas Day.
Oh a moment still worth was a glow, all the bells rang out
there were tears of joy and laughter, people shouted
"let everyone know, there is hope for all to find peace".
Now Joseph and his wife, Mary, came to
they found no place to bear her child, not a single room was in sight.
And then they found a little nook in a stable all forlorn,
and in a manger cold and dark, Mary's little boy was born.
Hark, now hear the angels sing, a king was born today,
And man will live for evermore, because of Christmas Day.
Mary's boy child Jesus Christ, was born on Christmas Day.
Oh a moment still worth was a glow, all the bells rang out
there were tears of joy and laughter, people shouted
"let everyone know, there is hope for all to find peace".
Oh my Lord...
On the rest of Christmas Days (in Norway Christmas lasts to 31 December) I`ll be visiting or have visit from family and friends.
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