Christ the Light of the World.

        In the Oriental Church they have a service called the "Feast of Lights." It is held at night, because, when Christ came the world spiritually was in darkness. The whole church is filled with people who come there with unlighted tapers in their hands. Each taper signifies the human soul without Christ. Some of the clergy represent the Twelve Apostles, and as soon as each Apostle receives a taper, he lights it from a central taper on the altar and communicates the light to another and another and another. Soon the whole church is filled with a sea of glittering lights, all coming from the central one, and yet no man has lost anything by giving to his neighbor.

• Feast of Lights, 2016 Concert.
• Christmas Lights Celebration 2020

"Oh Come All Ye Faithful" Carol

Illustrated sheet music of "O Come All Ye Faithful," CC.

        "O Come, All Ye Faithful" (originally written in Latin as "Adeste Fideles") is a Christmas carol that has been attributed to various authors, including John Francis Wade (1711–1786), John Reading (1645–1692), King John IV of Portugal (1604–1656), and anonymous Cistercian monks. The earliest printed version is in a book published by Wade. A manuscript by Wade, dating to 1751, is held by Stonyhurst College in Lancashire.

       The text has been translated innumerable times into English. The most common version today is a combination of one of Frederick Oakeley's translations of the original four verses, and William Thomas Brooke's translation of the three additional verses. It was first published in Murray's Hymnal in 1852. Oakeley originally titled the song "Ye Faithful, approach ye" when it was sung at his Margaret Chapel in Marylebone (London), before it was altered to its current form. The song was sometimes referred to as the "Portuguese Hymn" after the Duke of Leeds, in 1795, heard a version of it sung at the Portuguese embassy in London. McKim and Randell nonetheless argue for Wade's authorship of the version people are now familiar with.), as does Bennett Zon in what may be the only article in a scholarly journal on the question (though Zon thinks it equally plausible that the author was someone else known to Wade).

• Lauren Daigle sings "O Come All Ye Faithful"
• O Come All Ye Faithful by Hillsong Worship
• TobyMac sings a newer version of "O Come, All Ye Faithful"
• The Most Wonderful Christmas Music for Your Family to Celebrate by Gretchen Louise

Carrie Underwood sings "O Come All Ye Faithful"

Glad Christmas Bells

Illustrated sheet music of "Glad Christmas Bells", CC.

Glad Christmas Bells from 1881

Glad Christmas bells, your music tells
The sweet and pleasant story;
How came to earth, in lowly birth,
The Lord of life and glory.

No palace hall its ceiling tall
His kingly head spread over,
There only stood a stable rude
The heavenly Babe to cover.

No raiment gay, as there He lay,
Adorned the infant Stranger;
Poor, humble Child of mother mild,
She laid Him in a manger.

But from afar, a splendid star
The wise men westward turning;
The livelong night saw pure and bright,
Above His birth place burning.

''Glad Christmas Bells'' on the piano.

Merry Christmas

MERRY CHRISTMAS
by Hannah More Kohaus

Welcome! merry Christmas morn,
Happy day when Christ was born;
When I bend my knee to pray,
I will thank God for this day.

What a precious Christmas gift,
From the mother's knee they lift,
When the wise men from afar,
Found Him by the guiding star.

"Christmas gift!" He says to all
Who are listening to His call,
"What have you to give to me?
I will give my life for thee."

But He's 'way up in the sky,
And we cannot reach so high;
So we'll give His children dear,
Gifts, for they are ever near.

Christ's Pilgrimage

 CHRIST'S PILGRIMAGE
 by Hannah More Kohaus

God's messengers bore to earth one day
A spirit divine, enrobed in clay,
To be mankind's redeemer for aye,
And the angels called Him Jesus.

A babe in a manger cradle lay,
His bed lined only with sweet, clean hay,
But round his head shone a kingly ray,
And the wise men called Him Holy.

A man walked forth on the busy street,
Shod with the gospel of love his feet,
Mercy-deeds dropping and thrilling words sweet,
And the children called Him Father.

A soul was cruelly nailed to a cross, -
A heavenly gain but an earthly loss ;
As death was tinged with a radiant gloss,
And the people called Him Savior.

The heavens opened its own to recall;
The spirit then breathing a blessing on all,
Re-entered with joy the celestial hall,
And Jehovah called Him " Beloved."

Sanctissima Carol

Click the download sheet music for "Sanctissima", CC.

       "O sanctissima" (O most holy) is a Roman Catholic hymn in Latin, seeking the prayers of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and often sung in various languages on her feast days. The earliest known publication was from London in 1792, presenting it as a traditional song from Sicily; but no original source or date has been confirmed for the simple melody or the poetic text. The tune is often called "Sicilian Mariners Hymn" or similar titles, referring to the seafarers' nightly invocation of Mary as their maternal protector: Our Lady, Star of the Sea. The tune has been notably reused for the German Christmas carol "O du fröhliche" (O, how joyful), the English recessional hymn "Lord, Dismiss Us With Thy Blessing", and the first half of the American civil rights anthem "We Shall Overcome".

       Similar Latin lyrics have been set to entirely different tunes since the 1500s, by notable composers and arrangers including Leonhard Kleber (probably editing another composer), Louis-Nicolas Clérambault, E.T.A. Hoffmann, Antonín Dvořák, and Fritz Kreisler (using a melody of Arcangelo Corelli).

O Thou Joyful Day (O Sanctissima) on the piano.

How to make a trimmed vintage pod ornament

Left, the backside of the pod decorated with gold glitter.
Right, the front side with gold braid, red velvet and a tiny plastic, trumpeting angel.

      I found this example of a milkweed pod ornament at a flee market a few years ago. These were very trendy back in the 1960s and 70s. You will need to gather a few pods, glitter, gold braid, velvet, cotton balls and tiny figures to make something similar for your own tree. Then it's just a matter of gluing everything in place. Use white school glue to apply an even layer to the backside of the pod before drizzling the pod with glitter. Let this dry. Then do the same with a bit of velvet for the inside of the pod and let the white glue harden again. Next, use a hot glue gun to stick on the gold trim, cotton batting for clouds and finally the tiny figure of an angel. You can find these figures at hobby shops during the holiday season.

More Milk Weed Pod Transformations:

• Milk Weed Pod Christmas Ornament from Create It-Green
• Old-Time Milkweed Pod Ornaments
• Milkweed Pod Ornament by Martha B.
• Assemble Our Milkweed Pod Baby Ornament

A free pattern for a Chrismon Crown cross stitch...

A free cross stitch crown pattern for those
of you who enjoy needlework.

        For this crown cross stitch use five strongly contrasting colors of: wool, floss, embroidery silk, filoselle or crewel. Any one of these fibers may be handsomely commingled in a design of this kind. The squares marked alike are to be alike in color, and the colors may be whatever you choose. Although a Chrismon crown would be traditionally worked in gold, silver, white and or yellows. The design may also be embroidered on canvas of any variety, or on a cloth, felt, velvet, plush etc...

More Chrismon Cross Stitch Patterns:

• 55 Cross Stitch Chrismons by Designing Women and here
• Learn more about the history behind Chrismon designs and download free patterns for churches and crafting at home
• A crown Chrismon for the Christmas Tree...

The Coventry Carol

Click to download the largest available size. "The Coventry Carol" sheet music, CC.

       The "Coventry Carol" is an English Christmas carol dating from the 16th century. The carol was traditionally performed in Coventry in England as part of a mystery play called The Pageant of the Shearmen and Tailors. The play depicts the Christmas story from chapter two in the Gospel of Matthew: the carol itself refers to the Massacre of the Innocents, in which Herod ordered all male infants under the age of two in Bethlehem to be killed, and takes the form of a lullaby sung by mothers of the doomed children. 

       A variant of the carol was supposedly collected by folklorist John Jacob Niles in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, in June 1934 (from an "old lady with a gray hat", who according to Niles's notes insisted on remaining anonymous). Niles surmised that the carol had been transplanted from England via the shape note singing tradition, although this version of the carol has not been found elsewhere and there is reason to believe that Niles, a prolific composer, actually wrote it himself. Joel Cohen uncovered an early shape note choral song from the 18th century which also includes some of the lyrics to the Coventry Carol and has a tune at least marginally resembling Niles' variant. For this reason, Cohen argued that the Appalachian variant was likely to be authentic and that Crump et al. have been too quick to assume chicanery on Niles' part due to his proclivity for editing some of his collected material.

The Coventry Carol sung by 

Westminster Cathedral Choir

DIY Chalkboard Painted Ornaments

Wooden flat of a poinsettia, coated with black chalkboard
 paint and then chalkboard pencils used to add details.

       These rustic ornaments remind me of grade school days. Yes, I'm old enough to remember when chalkboards, which were green then, were still being used inside of classrooms! However, I'm not so old that the kids were using individual slates to copy sentences from a chalkboard. We copied our assignments using pencils and paper, wise guy...

Supply List:

• black chalkboard spray paint
• chalkboard markers or pencils in white and Christmas colors
• acrylic adhesive spray paint
• free patterns for wooden cutouts here
• wooden flats from hobby store (optional)

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. You may either purchase wooden flats from a hobby store or cut them yourself in a shop using these free patterns here.
2. Treat the wooden ornaments with black chalkboard paint. I think that spray paint gives the smoothest coat but you may have some of this paint already in a can and wish to use it instead.
3. After the paint has dried completely, draw on the designs using a white outline from a chalk pencil.
4. Then add a few color accents using red, pink, yellow or green chalk pencils or pens if you prefer.
5. Spray the finished versions with acrylic sealer to keep the chalk drawings from smearing or fading. 

Left, a Christmas bell painted to look like a chalkboard.
Right, a rocking horse painted with chalkboard pencils too.

 

Left, old Santa with hat and Right, a traditional candy cane
both painted with chalkboard paint and then decorated using chalk pencils.

See Andrea Chebeleu paint chalkboard wood slice ornaments.

More Chalkboard Related Crafts:

• Chalkpaint a Wooden Slat Basket
• Chalkpaint a Carved Wooden Dust Pan
• 5 Ways to Make a Dresser for a Dollhouse
• Update a classic pull-cart with chalkboard paint
• How to Upcycle a Child's Suitcase
• Chalk transfer a parking lot & service station

We Wish You A Merry Christmas!

Illustrated carol, "We Wish You a Merry Christmas", CC.

       "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" is a traditional English Christmas carol, listed as numbers 230 and 9681 in the Roud Folk Song Index. The famous version of the carol is from the English West Country.
       Many traditional versions of the song have been recorded, some of which replace the last line with "Good tidings for Christmas and a happy new year". In 1971, Roy Palmer recorded George Dunn of Quarry Bank, Staffordshire singing a version close to the famous one, which had a familiar version of the chorus, but used the song "Christmas is Coming" as the verses; this recording can be heard on the Vaughan Williams Memorial Library website. Amy Ford of Low Ham, Somerset sang a version called "The Singers Make Bold" to Bob and Jacqueline Patten in 1973 which again used a similar chorus to the famous version and can be heard via the British Library Sound Archive. There are several supposedly traditional recordings which follow the famous version exactly, but these are almost certainly derived from Arthur Warrell's arrangement.

• Version of "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" by Pinkfong Baby Shark for kids
• "We Wish You A Merry Christmas" by the Royal Choral Society sung in rounds
• Commissioned by Maestro Duain Wolfe for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Orchestra "We Wish You a Merry Christmas"
• The same popular carol, GMYS Symphony String Orchestra, Holiday Concert at Deering Estate...

Craft a kissing bauble for the tree...

Back and front of a finished kissing bauble on a white Christmas tree.

Supply List:

• scrap Christmas novelty fabric
• faux mistletoe
• ribbon
• pins or glue optional
• Styrofoam ball or a recycled Christmas bauble
• needle and thread to match

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Place a bauble or Styrofoam ball in the center of your Christmas scrap fabric. Gather up all of the side at the top of the bauble to make sure that you a have plenty of fabric to cover the ball entirely. Wrap the threaded needle around the gathered fabric and then backstitch through all of it to hold the fabric firmly in place.
2. Tie a ribbon around the top of the gathers, gluing it in place once you have the ribbon looking the way you prefer.
3. Pin or glue the faux mistletoe in place and insert a wire hanger.

Why we kiss under the mistletoe.

Craft Vintage Looking Candy Canes

Craft Crossed Candy Canes from Chenille Stems

The unusual diamond pattern shown above is achieved by twisting together pipe
 cleaners that are already dyed with candy cane stripes at the factory.

Supply List:

• two red and two white chenille stems
• one metallic green chenille stem

Directions:

1. Twist together one red and one white chenille stem until the length of the stems look like candy canes. Repeat this step with a second red and white pair of chenille stem.
2. Bend each candy striped stem into a shepherd's hook.
3. Cross the to hooked canes and then twist the green metallic chenille stem around the two candy stems to form a bow.

More Candy Cane Goodies:

• Candy Cane Snowman
• Dress Up a Candy Cane

"Joy To The World!"

"Joy to the World!" illustrated vintage sheet music. CC.

       "Joy to the World" is a popular Christmas song. English minister Isaac Watts added the words to the song. As of the late 20th century, the song was the most published Christmas hymn in North America. The lyrics are based on Psalm 98, 96:11-12 and Genesis 3:17-18. The song was first published in Watts' collection The Psalms of David in 1719.
       The version of this hymn heard since 1848 is from an edition by Lowell Mason for The National Psalmist. It was his fourth revision of the tune he named ANTIOCH.
       A version from the Trinity Choir was very popular in 1911. Since then, the song has been recorded by a number of artists, including Johnny Cash, Mariah Carey, Pat Boone, Ella Fitzgerald, The Supremes and Nat King Cole.

• "Joy To The World" sung live at the Helix in Dublin by Celtic Women
• Pentatonix sing "Joy To The World from their new holiday album "Evergreen"
• Mariah Carey sings "Joy to the World" live at St. John the Divine
• "Joy to the World" Advent, Christmas and Epiphany traditional hymn version by Concordia Publishing House
• David Phelps sings "Joy to the World" and "For Unto Us A Son Is Born" from his Christmas With David Phelps" CD

Thomas Nast's "Christmas Drawings"

        "These Christmas drawings by Nast appeal to the sympathy of no particular religious denomination or political party, but to the universal delight in the happiest of holidays, consecrated by the loftiest associations and endeared by the tenderest domestic traditions. Christmas is the holiday of all; but it is especially the Children's day. The grotesque and airy fancies of childhood which cling about Santa Claus, as the good genius of Christmas, are reproduced here in delightfully imaginative reality by the artist, so that visitors here may feast of true Christmas cheer." 

Santa is caught bringing Christmas joy.

The table is set for a Christmas feast!

A little girl collects her Christmas toys to move to the nursery.

Nast drew a little boy crying outside a toy store window at sign.

More Illustrations from Thomas Nast: 

• Nast's Illustration of Christingle meaning "Little Christ Child"

The Doll's Letter to Santa Claus

 The Doll's Letter to Santa Claus by Ellen Manly

She hates to let you choose it
Because you are a man,
But maybe it will suit her
If you do the best you can.

We'd like a set of dishes-
Our old one's nearly gone;
Full half the plates are broken,
And all the cups but one.
The spoons have long been missing,
And all of us agree
That forks are not convenient
When one is sipping tea.

Please bring a little carriage,
Lucille Matilda begs;
She suffers from dyspepsia
Because of broken legs.
As walking's not much pleasure
She rarely ventures out,
And feels she'd soon be better
If she could drive about.

Almira wants a necklace,
And Rosalie, a dress;
An easy-chair for Hattie,
And this is all we guess-
Not all that we could think of,
But all we should expect,
And if you'll not forget us
We are
Yours with great respect,
Louisa Arabella.
Almira Henriette.
Lucille Matilda Frances.
Ann Rosalie Lisette.
Jane Hattie Angelina.
X Stands for Baby Blue.
Marie Roberta Sue.

P.S. Private:
The children played Cowboys and Indians
On last Thanksgiving night,
And Tommy Tucker scalped me,
And made me just a fright.
So if you could remember
A curly wig for me,
I'd be your ever grateful,
Devoted,
Susy Lee.

"I Saw Three Ships" Carol

Vintage sheet music of "I Saw Three Ships" lyrics included.
from the CC.

       The earliest printed version of "I Saw Three Ships" is from the 17th century, possibly Derbyshire, and was also published by William Sandys in 1833.

       The lyrics mention the ships sailing into Bethlehem, but the nearest body of water is the Dead Sea about 20 miles away. The reference to three ships is thought to originate in the three ships that bore the purported relics of the Biblical magi to Cologne Cathedral in the 12th century. Another possible reference is to Wenceslaus II, King of Bohemia, who bore a coat of arms "Azure three galleys argent". Another thought was the three kings that came to baby Jesus.

       An arrangement by Martin Shaw appears in The Oxford Book of Carols. The Carols for Choirs series of carol books features an arrangement of the carol by Sir David Willcocks. Organist Simon Preston and former conductor of the Choir of King's College, Cambridge, Sir Philip Ledger, have also written arrangements that the choir have performed at the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols in recent years. This carol is also featured in the musical Caroline, or Change, but as a counterpoint. Adapted by Jon Schmidt on Jon Schmidt Christmas album. John Renbourn has arranged it (in a rather free adaptation) for guitar. The song appears on Nat King Cole's 1960 LP "The Magic Of Christmas" (l/k/a "The Christmas Song"), arranged by Ralph Carmichael. Progressive rock singer Jon Anderson released a version as the title track of his album 3 Ships in 1985. Sufjan Stevens recorded a version of the song in 4/4 time for his album Hark!: Songs for Christmas, Vol. II. Wikipedia

"Rare video featuring Marianne and The Chieftains 

performing the song 'I Saw Three Ships A Sailing'. From 

the Chieftains 1991 CD 'Bells Of Dublin'."

The "Jingle Bells" Carol

Vintage sheet music of "Jingle Bells" with lyrics, CC.

       "Jingle Bells" is one of the best-known and commonly sung American songs in the world. It was written by James Lord Pierpont (1822 -1893) and published under the title "The One Horse Open Sleigh" in the autumn of 1857. It has been claimed that it was originally written to be sung by a Sunday school choir, or as a drinking song. Although it has no original connection to Christmas, it became associated with Christmas music and the holiday season in the 1860s and 1870s, and it was featured in a variety of parlor song and college anthologies in the 1880s. It was first recorded in 1889 on an Edison cylinder; this recording, believed to be the first Christmas record, is lost, but an 1898 recording also from Edison Records survives.
       It is an unsettled question where and when Pierpont originally composed the song that would become known as "Jingle Bells". A plaque at 19 High Street in the center of Medford Square in Medford, Massachusetts, commemorates the "birthplace" of "Jingle Bells", and claims that Pierpont wrote the song there in 1850, at what was then the Simpson Tavern. Previous local history narratives claim the song was inspired by the town's popular sleigh races during the 19th century.
       "Jingle Bells" was originally copyrighted with the name "The One Horse Open Sleigh" on September 16, 1857. The song was first performed on 15 September 1857 at Ordway Hall in Boston by the minstrel performer Johnny Pell. Pierpont's lyrics are strikingly similar to lines from many other sleigh-riding songs that were popular at the time; researcher Kyna Hamill argued that this, along with his constant need for money, led him to compose and release the song solely as a financial enterprise: "Everything about the song is churned out and copied from other people and lines from other songs - there's nothing original about it."
       By the time the song was released and copyrighted, Pierpont had relocated to Savannah, Georgia to serve as organist and music director of that city's Unitarian Universalist Church, where his brother, Rev. John Pierpont Jr. served as Minister. In August 1857, Pierpont married Eliza Jane Purse, the daughter of the mayor of Savannah. Pierpont remained in Savannah and never went back North.
       The double-meaning of "upsot" was thought humorous, and a sleigh ride gave an unescorted couple a rare chance to be together, unchaperoned, in distant woods or fields, with all the opportunities that afforded. This "upset", a term Pierpont transposed to "upsot", became the climactic component of a sleigh-ride outing within the sleigh narrative.

"Jingle Bells" by Kimié Miner

I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day

Vintage illustration of the Christmas carol, "I Heard the Bells" with
lyrics, from the CC.

       "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day" is a Christmas carol based on the 1863 poem "Christmas Bells" by American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. The song tells of the narrator's despair, upon hearing Christmas bells during the American Civil War, that "hate is strong and mocks the song of peace on earth, good will to men". The carol concludes with the bells carrying renewed hope for peace among men. 

       In 1861, two years before writing this poem, Longfellow's personal peace was shaken when his second wife of 18 years, to whom he was very devoted, was fatally burned in an accidental fire. Then in 1863, during the American Civil War, Longfellow's oldest son, Charles Appleton Longfellow, joined the Union Army without his father's blessing. Longfellow was informed by a letter dated March 14, 1863, after Charles had left. "I have tried hard to resist the temptation of going without your leave but I cannot any longer", he wrote. "I feel it to be my first duty to do what I can for my country and I would willingly lay down my life for it if it would be of any good." Charles was soon appointed as a lieutenant but, in November, he was severely wounded in the Battle of Mine Run. Charles eventually recovered, but his time as a soldier was finished.

       Longfellow wrote the poem on Christmas Day in 1863. "Christmas Bells" was first published in February 1865, in Our Young Folks, a juvenile magazine published by Ticknor and Fields. References to the Civil War are prevalent in some of the verses that are not commonly sung. The refrain "peace on Earth, goodwill to men" is a reference to the King James Version of Luke 2:14.

Casting Crowns sings, "I heard the bells on Christmas Day"

A second version here.

Illuminated Christmas Carol Pages

These cleaned original illuminated pages are of The First Christmas Carol would make charming greeting card art for this year's Christmas Season. These two are from the 1800s and have been cleaned for visitors here. Don't forget to write a handwritten note to your loved ones using unique prints from our collections.

More Illustrated Christmas Carols:

• "O Little Town of Bethlehem"
• "A Song for Christmas"

Sampling the punch or egg nog...

        Retro illustrations of men and women sampling the punch or egg nog at a party. These come from the 1950s and are only in black and white.

The hostess samples here homemade
punch before a party.

This punch bowl is as big as the man standing
above it! Merry Christmas text.

This secretary makes one potent egg nog for all her office
business partners. Is it the egg nog or mistletoe their
looking forward to?

More Christmas Egg Nog:

• Christmas Egg Nog - text and illustration
• Christmas Party Punch - invitations, 3 versions
  

Good Yule Postcards!

A postcard showing the nisse or
 tomte delivering gifts.

       Jultomten, or just tomten, is the being who brings the gifts at Julafton (the evening of December 24). The gifts are called julklappar, and are probably a modern version of the Yule log. Jultomten does not climb down the chimney, he delivers the gifts in person. This task is often performed by an old man who secretly dresses up as Jultomten and knocks at the door with a sack of gifts.

A small girl rides a a Gävle goat.

       The function of the Yule goat has differed throughout the ages. In a Scandinavian custom similar to the English tradition of wassailing, held at either Christmas or Epiphany, young men in costumes would walk between houses singing songs, enacting plays and performing pranks. This tradition is known from the 17th century and still continue in certain areas. The group of Christmas characters would often include the Yule goat, a rowdy and sometimes scary creature demanding gifts.

These nisse or tomte ride a Gävle goat.

       Julebukking is a Scandinavian Christmas tradition. Between Christmas and New Year's Day, people wearing masks and costumes (Julebukkers) go door to door, where neighbors receiving them attempt to identify who is under the disguise. In one version of Julebukking, people go from door to door singing Christmas songs. After they have sung, they are usually awarded with candy. Another tradition requires that at least one person from the visited household join the band of Julebukkers and continue to the next household.

Jenny Eugenia Nyström was a painter and illustrator who is mainly known
 as the person who created the Swedish image of the jultomte on numerous
Christmas cards and magazine covers, thus linking the Swedish version of
Santa Claus to the gnomes and tomtar of Scandinavian folklore.
The postcard above is by her.

       The Christmas goat is mentioned in many older Christmas songs dated back to the late 19th and early 20th century, when the Santa Claus tradition had not been fully established throughout Sweden. Among the songs are Julbocken, Julpolska and Raska fötter springa tripp, tripp, tripp.

A Gift Tag for Food Gifts

       A retro Christmas dinner gift tag for those of you gifting food stuffs, or restaurant experiences for family and friends. Here is Santa, Dad and a small boy ready to consume a giant holiday turkey with all the trimmings. text "Christmas" and a tag for you to fill out... all in greyscale

Santa Toasts the Christmas Holiday

text, "Here's to you and a Merry Christmas."

Description of Postcards: Jolly Old St. Nicholas, toasting with Christmas punch, mulled wine or egg nog take your pick, Santa's beard, red suit, restored antique postcards for Christmas Greetings and crafts, holly berries and leaves

           

text, "A Merry Christmas, Cast dull care away, For here's to Xmas day. Join the festive bowl,
And be a jolly soul."

Vintage Christmas Carolers Clip Art

 

Children gather at the family piano to sing with their mother.

A couple sings carols from sheet music.

A musician and a servant carrying a boar's head celebrate Christmas.

Victorian carolers perform and sing in the street.

Have a question about the illustration? Just type it in the comment box and I'll get back to you as soon as possible. I only publish content that is closely related to the subject folks.

More Christmas Carol Clip Art:

• The Boy's Choir and The Victorian Boy's Choir and Christmas Greetings from The Choir postcard
• Angelic Announcement "Christmas Carols"
• "Joy To The World!"

Quick and Easy Christmas Placecards

Step-by-step process for place-cards.

        A Christmas Place-Card: At Christmas dinner we like to have a card at each guests chair. The drawing, just right, shows step-by-step how to make a card that will hold a candle or perhaps a small sprig of holly.

1. Take a piece of heavy white paper that is six inches long and two inches wide. 
2. Fold it in the middle, like Figure 2.
3. Cut two slits in the fold, near the middle like figure 3.
4. The part you have cut makes a holder for a Christmas candle or holly sprig. Make a card for everyone at the holiday dinner table this year.
   

More Easy Christmas Place-Cards: 

• Mini tree stump Christmas place card holders
• Top 10 Creative DIY Christmas Place Cards

Christmas Spirit

by Adelaide Burnett, Age 15

The day had pulled its curtain and lit its multitudes of light.

Flakes of snow fell through the endless sea of night.

The world and all its cares were packed away,

To wait the herald sun's announcing of the coming day.

The fingers of the branches reached into the gelidity of air,

And formed a lacy network against the heavens everywhere.

God, seated on His celestial throne above,

Sent down to the world below rays of joy and love.

The Holy Spirit of Christmas settled over all the land,

And soon the nations everywhere would join hand in hand,

To sing, praise, and worship as with one great accord,

On the birthday of our Savior, Jesus Christ our Lord.

From All These Signs

"Boys should be good in summer, and better in the fall,
but along about December they should be best of all."
 Alice Crowell Hoffman.

From All These Signs by Blanche Elizabeth Wade

A Holly wreath; a Santa Claus;
A spray of mistletoe;
A candy cane; a rope of grease;
Some stockings in a row;
A chime of bells from tall church-tower;
A carol sung with glee;
Sharp, frosty air; a glowing log;
A stately hemlock-tree;

Bright tinsel gleam; soft candle-light;
A great star in the sky;
The sound of sleigh-bells in the air;
A hint of reindeers nigh;
A parcel tied with gay, red blow;
A secret, too, to hide-
From all these signs, why any one
Would know 'twas Christmas-tide! 

10 Free Woodcut Patterns for Tree Ornaments

       Christmas tree decorations that you can make yourself! The children will delight in watching you make these clever Christmas tree ornaments in so many different designs, that certainly will add beauty and individuality to the tree. Any light board, even cardboard may be used. Paint or decorate in bright appropriate colors. Enamel paints arc best to use, however acrylic paints work just as well when a coat of acrylic sealer is applied afterwards to assure durable beauty. Use a small brush.

       If you wish to enlarge the patterns or reduce them simply draw the same outlines on paper that has been ruled off in larger or smaller evenly spaced squares. Paint edges and both sides of ornaments in main color, then trace or draw in details; paint in color of your choice or use the following color suggestions.
       Each design is worked out carefully and is sealed 1/4" inch for each block. Draw your own pattern on wrapping paper by squaring off as large an area as required for design, then draw in the pattern outlines as shown for all designs and cut each out. Lay the paper on thin plywood or the material you arc using and trace around. Cut out design with jig, coping or keyhole saw.
       For hanging on tree, place a small screw eye in the edge of ornament near the top; pull a short length of colored string or tinsel through for fastening to tree.

Painting Suggestions:

• Horse— Make any desired color with markings in a contrasting color; mane and tail to correspond with color of horse; hoofs black; make the rocker black; saddle and bridle a light brown.
• Bell—Make red with black or gray clapper and yellow strip, make ribbons any desired color; all high lights should be white.
• Bear—Body and feet should he black or brown; red tongue and black nose and eyes; trousers could be any bright color in a check or plaid; derby and suspenders in matching color.
• Poinsetia—Paint red with black markings; make center yellow and green.
• Lantern—Red candle with a yellowish red flame; frame of lantern silver or gray and details in black; holder green; outlines in black.
• Lamb—White body, black feet, nose and eyes; pink or blue ribbon at neck; yellow or gold bell.
• Angel—Dress could be pink or blue, stripe white; wing white; details and folds black or dulled shade of color; hair brown or yellow; eyes blue, green, or brown; mouth red; cheeks pink; face and hands flesh color; holly should be natural with red berries and green leaves.
• Santa Claus Face—Face flesh with blue eyes, bright red mouth and nose; cheeks a light red; outline details in black; make cap red with white tassel; paint the four spots for ermine around cap black.
• Dog—Make body brown, tan or gray; red tongue; black nose; eyes green, brown or black; plaid ears to harmonize with the color of the dog.
• Candy Cane—Make white with red stripes.

Color this toy street peddler from 100 years ago...

Description of Coloring Page: selling old-fashioned toys, street peddler, clowns, balls, toy trains, sleigh bells, under the columns, an Old English Christmas

Don't forget to drag the png. or jpg into a Word Document and enlarge the image as much as possible before printing it folks. If you have a question about this coloring page, just type into the comment box located directly below this post and I'll try to get back to you as soon as I can.

 

 

It's up to you to connect the dots and see what the monkey saw at the Christmas fair!

Monkey has a friend he met at the Christmas fair.