Wassail On

Today it's Epiphany, January 6th. These past couple of weeks my mother has wanted to continue singing Christmas songs way beyond Christmas day, and I have done so with her. For some cultures, Epiphany, is the day to celebrate Christmas, the day the Three Wise Men visited baby Jesus in the crèche. It's also Twelfth Night, twelve nights after Christmas. Whatever we call this day my holiday decorations are still up, the red and green garland on the railings.

Back decades ago when I was a teenager neighbors would sing Christmas songs on Christmas Eve going house to house. My mother and I were the first family members out of the house, our boots swishing in the snowdrifts, overcoats open to the fresh crisp air. At each residence more neighbors would join us until we had quite a throng at the end of the U-shaped street. One of the songs we sang was "Here We Come a Wassailing."

I didn't realize that this song has been traditionally sung on Twelfth Night in England. In the 1600s people would sing this song going house to house and share "wassail" a "communal bowl of mulled ale or mead" that was passed. "Wassail" means "waes hail" in Anglo Saxon, or, "be in good health." (Source: historicgeneva.org).

There are other cultures that expand the singing and socializing with others at holiday time like "La Parranda," which Puerto Ricans celebrate around Christmas time into January. "La Parranda" means "the party" or "spree," and there's usually a surprise element. A small group of friends or relatives make a surprise visit late in the night to share holiday glee. It's more of a surprise musical attack with singing and instrumental playing. A performance group, friends or family, tip-toes up the stairs of the front porch of the home to be visited and upon cue begins playing and singing loudly Puerto Rican secular holiday songs.

One year I happened to be visiting some friends of mine, a Puerto Rican family, and it was New Year's Eve. It wasn't quite midnight, and suddenly there was a loud burst of singing and guitar playing, so loud I thought it was an attack. I felt panicked, clutched my chest, even though these were cheerful melodies. I didn't know enough Spanish to translate, but I knew this was happy music. Everyone in the living room laughed at my horror stricken face as they opened their front door for "La Parranda." The group of performers were invited in, and they were listened to first. Then our group began singing along with the performers, and, even I was humming along. Later the performing group went on to other neighbors' homes to continue the "gleeful attack." (Source: Wikipedia)

Truly this is the season to share music. "Love and joy come to you."

copyright 2022 Georgiann Foley

Cherished Book and Las Posadas:

Nine Days to Christmas

copyright 2021 Georgiann Foley

Can you tell how well loved this picture book Nine Days to Christmas was to me? I read and reread this book till the dust jacket crumbled. Yes, it's the story that frequently drew me to the book, but how I could pore over those pictures and want to know more about this place and these people. The hardbound cover that was under the dust jacket has images of piñatas impressed into the flocked material. This was a gift to me by my Aunt Aida and Uncle Nelson when I wasn't much older than the main character, a girl named Ceci, a five-year-old in Mexico.

Little did I know that decades later I would be teaching second language learners, second graders, most of whom

were Mexican. In their reading primers one year was a story about how children in a Mexican town make paper lanterns in December to prepare for the Las Posadas. The Mexican town has its children act out the Christmas story of Jesus and Mary searching for shelter from house to house, and how they sing a song and hold lanterns to light up the night.

How many of my second language learners knew about Las Posadas? Only half. I knew of the story and tradition, but I didn't know the song for the procession. They learned the tradition, and I learned the song in Spanish. The melody was hard to master as its notes are meandering yet beautiful. Together we made paper lanterns, and we practiced the story including having some of my students be the homeowners who sing out in response that there's no room in the inn. When we performed for the parents they were smiling as they joined in with the singing.

The story is by Marie Hall Ets and Aurora Labastida and is illustrated by Marie Hall Ets, and is a Caldecott Award winner (1960). Each page is two-thirds illustration and there are full scenes of home, farmers' market, and the procession of Las Posadas, a cultural and religious celebration leading up to Christmas day. Each page is done in mixed media with pencil, ink, and washes of color with a great contrast of dark and light.

As we near Christmas in 2021 people ask me if I'm ready for the holidays. Surely, we are if it's about the ham ready to be baked or the garland twisted on the railing leading up to our front door. But it's this book in my hands that I must look at one more time. I must see the glee on Ceci's face in this story and watch the glow of the star piñata that will brighten the winter night.

Gathering Stories at Advent

copyright 2021 Georgiann Foley

In the Midwest people are stringing colorful lights on awnings preparing for the holiday season. We've had snow flurries even before today, December 1st, and it's Advent. I read Sarah Schutte's online article "Hark! 'Tis Advent," and some of her family traditions reminded me of our family. Mom and Dad, and all of us, would carry down these bulky boxes of ornaments and lights to decorate the Christmas tree. However, it was the box of Christmas books that I most looked forward to. I would curl up in an armchair and pull out a picture book or a storybook and read about Christmas in other lands, or about a mysterious holiday where a stranger leaves something magical by the fireplace.

Ms. Schutte gives a suggested holiday book list, and, yes, we did have J.R.R. Tolkien's book entitled Letters from Father Christmas on our list, too. However, one book she didn't have is a picture book that's entitled Carl's Christmas by Alexandra Day. This subtle action story is all illustrations, and, you, the reader makes up the story based on what you see. A dog is left to watch over a baby, and, how that baby does get into things! It's quite humorous. Isn't the holidays about joy, surprises, and wonderment?

Here's one of the illustrations from Alexandra Day's picture book. Also, check out the link below for Ms. Schutte's article.

https://www.nationalreview.com/2021/11/hark-tis-advent/