Once in royal David's city

Dec. 24th, 2013 10:34 am
glaukopis: Painting: Angels from triptich (angels)
So another Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols has come and gone. Things were a bit different this year: "Adam Lay Ybounden" wasn't sung; there were no less than three sightings of Benjamin Britten, no doubt in honor of his centennial; and several of the carols, including "A New Year Carol," were entirely new to me. All in all, it was a good service. (I'd been secretly hoping for "Personent Hodie," but, well, you can't get everything you want.) "King of quires supernal" remains a marvelous phrase.

All the cookies have been made and are ready to be consumed, starting tonight. We're on track for a more or less white Christmas, as temperature won't rise above freezing until around noon tomorrow.
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Reno erat Rudolphus

Dec. 15th, 2013 11:08 am
glaukopis: Painting: Angels from triptich (angels)
Someone on SoundCloud has translated "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" into Latin and recorded it as a plainsong. It is indeed the most wonderful time of the year.

Decorating was accomplished yesterday. The artificial tree, in a number of stages from assembly to tinsel, as well as the fireplace/mantel paraphernalia (old Advent calendars, cards people have sent us, randomly acquired figurines and stuffed animals) and the Playmobil crèche (with added Magi). Next task: bake gingerbread, Russian teacakes, anise cookies, macaroons, and chocolate oatmeal cookies. All of these are fairly easy except the first, which inevitably involves a death struggle with the sticky dough, although the results are well worth it.
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