To Warm The Winter's Night

Excerpt from "The Shortest Day" (Spoken) 0:20

This is a very beautiful poem by Susan Cooper which celebrates the Winter Solstice. While the Solstices were not as important to the ancient Irish as the major fire festivals; Lughnasadh (August 1); Beltane (May Day, May 1); Imbolc (February 1- Bridgit); and Samhain (November 1, Halloween), they were none the less celebrated. Of the Solstices and Equinoxes, the Winter Solstice was the most important, since it marked the rebirth of the sun after the shortest day. Many cultures celebrated this time to commemorate the birth of various gods. The Winter Solstice falls between two major fire festivals Samhain (sow-an) or Halloween and Imbolc. 

In Newgrange, County Meath, there is an ancient tomb covered with beautiful artwork (the double spiral on this site is one of the symbols from Newgrange). Once a year, at the Winter Solstice, the tomb fills with light and the beautiful artwork can be seen. While it seems best to leave it's origins to the historians, there is no doubt that the ancient Irish considered this day important.

It also marked "The Shortest Day" or "The Darkest Midnight" and was cause for celebration, since - once the shortest day has passed, it meant the journey toward Spring could begin.

Horn Dance (England) 1:44

A dance performed from All Souls to the Twelfth Night in hopes of bringing in the luck for the New Year! In many of the Celtic cultures, the tradition of going door to door and caroling or the idea of procession was common. All Souls Night or Samhain (sow- an) has come down to us as Halloween, when going door to door is still part of our culture. 

While the tradition of "caroling" and going door to door to sing for ones neighbors is only done during the Holiday Season in recent years. In times gone by, it was common to carol from door to door for many of the major festivals.

This tune comes from Abbots Bromley in Staffordshire. Eight men danced through the village with antler horns on their heads in order to "bring in the luck" for the New Year. The tradition still continues in Abbots Bromley. This dance is thought to have its origins in Pre-Christian Fertility Rites. 

Calon Lan (Wales) 3:29

Calon Lan pays tribute to the rich choral tradition of the Welsh people and speaks to the idea that a good heart can do a great deal of good.

Reflections on a Scottish Christmas Spoken 0:28

by Johnny Cunningham 

The dark of winter wraps around us tight.
The lamps are fired, and flickering light
beats time to the fiddle as notes float softly down, like the years' first snow.
While outside the window a blast of late December wind
whistles harmony to the drone of the pipes.
We push the old year back against the wall
so we can dance a jig for Christmas and welcome in the new.

Merry Christmas Jig (Ireland)  2:55

Musical gatherings were part of my childhood, mostly in peoples homes. The tradition of music, song, dance and storytelling still holds strong in many Celtic countries. Never, more so during the Holidays. A dance to welcome in the season!

The Darkest Midnight (Ireland) 4:56

In the depts of harsh winter, a reminder of sacred celebration invests The Darkest Midnight, a reverent and haunting view of the season. "The Darkest Midnight" is one of the Kylemore carols, which are sung to this day in Kylemore. They have lasted through time and form a very special part of the Christmas music that has come down to us.

Excerpt from "The Shortest Day" (Spoken) 0:21

Welcome Yule! Yule marks the rebirth of the suns power. Another symbol of death and rebirth - going from the darkness into the light. For many, Yule runs from before the Solstice until New Year's Day. Many people associate Yule with the "Yule Log," a piece of wood decorated with evergreens, mostly holly and candles. Holly was another ancient symbol for the Irish; it was thought to hold special properties, since it was "neither tree 'nor bush".

Nöel Nouvelle (Brittany) 2:02

I associate this piece with Brittany, located at the Northwest corner of France and considered part of the Celtic countries. There is a wonderful tradition of Celtic music in this area.

Silent Night/Óiche Chuain 3:22

There are a few pieces of music which take me to a specific place and time in childhood. This, for me, conjures up vivid memories of Christmas Eve.

Mummer's March (Ireland) 2:44

A somewhat more thoughtful side to the usually mischievous mummers.

Goodnight to You/Óidhche Mhath Leibh (Scotland) 5:43

A sort of parting at night's end. Merry meet, merry part and merry meet again. A reminder that after the Season - we must return to the normal run of life. Traditionally Yule ended on January 6th. The Christian Calendar celebrates "Little Christmas" on January 6th also. During my childhood, this was the day that the decorations were taken down.

9th Century Irish Poem (Spoken) 0:30

I have news for you:
The stag bells, winter snows, summer has gone
Wind high and cold, the sun low, short its course
The sea running high.
Deep red the bracken; its shape is lost;
The wild goose has raised its accustomed cry,
cold has seized the birds' wings;
season of ice, this is my news
(9th century Irish)

The Olde Year How Away Has Fled (Greensleeves) (England) 3:51

Some melodies transcend time and bards over the centuries have sought to make them more meaningful in their own time by adding new lyrics. This is my favorite version of "Greensleeves." Originally thought to be have been written by Henry VIII, it pays tribute to the New Year.

That Night in Bethlehem/Don Óiche Ud Í mBeithil (Ireland) 3:23

One of the oldest Irish Carols in existence. December marks the celebration of many solar "saviors" and Gods, usually on December 25th. Many of them have the word "Light" in their titles. They include, Baal, Dionysus and of course, Jesus Christ. This ancient piece celebrates the Birth in Bethlehem.

To Warm The Winter's Night (excerpt, spoken) 0:18

by Adam Victor Christianson

Is there a moment quite as keen
or memory as bright
as light and fire and music sweet 
To Warm the Winter's Night

Ag Criost An Siol (Ireland) 4:14

This piece is taken from the mass of the great composer Sean O'Riada.

Áine Minogue: Irish Harp, vocals, spoken word
Johnny Cunningham: Fiddles, spoken word, percussion
Cillian Vallely: Irish pipes, whistles
Byron Duckwall: Cello
Alasdair Halliday: Vocals
Kathy Halvorson: Oboe
Bob Patton: Soprano sax

WINTER SOLSTICE/ CHRISTMAS & WHEEL OF THE YEAR READING LIST

Adler, Margot. Drawing Down the Moon: Witches, Druids, Goddess-Worshippers, and Other Paga

Baigent, Michael, Richard Leigh, and Henry Lincoln. Holy Blood, Holy Grail. New York, Delacorte Press, 1982.

Berg, Elizabeth. Family Traditions, Celebrations for the Holidays and Everyday. Pleasantville, N.Y., Reader's Digest, 1994.

Burland, C. A. Echoes of Magic: A Study of Seasonal Festivals through the Ages. Totowa, NJ: Rowman and Littlefield, 1972.

Campanelli , Pauline and Dan Campanelli. Ancient Ways: Reclaiming Pagan Traditions. St. Paul, MN: Llewellyn Publications, 1991.

Campanelli , Pauline and Dan Campanelli. Wheel of the Year: Living the Magical Life. St. Paul, MN: Llewellyn Publications, 1989.

Charlton, Jim and Robbins, Maria. A Christmas Companion: Recipes, Traditions and Customs from Around the World. New York: Perigee Books, 1989.

Child, F. J. English and Scottish Ballads. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, 1904

Count, Earl W. 4000 Years of Christmas. New York: Henry Schuman, 1948.

Del Re, Gerard & Patricia. The Christmas Almanack. New York: Doubleday & Company, 1979.

Flynn, Tom. The Trouble with Christmas. Buffalo, NY: Prometheus Books, 1993.

Frazer, James George. The Golden Bough, A Study of Magic and Religion Scribner, 1996 reprint edition.

Freeman, Mara Kindling the Celtic Spirit. Harper San Francisco, 2000.

Green, Marian. A Calendar of Festivals: Traditional Celebrations, Songs, Seasonal Recipes & Things to Make. Rockport, MA: Element Inc.,1991.

Hadfield, John, ed. The Christmas Companion. New York: E. P. Dutton & Company, 1941.

Heinberg, Richard. Celebrate the Solstice; Honoring the Earth's Seasonal Rhythms. Wheaton, IL: Quest Books, 1993.

Heilbron, John L. The Sun in the Church: Cathedrals As Solar Observatories. Harvard University Press,1999.

Henes, Donna. Celestially Auspicious Occasions; Seasons, Cycles & Celebrations. New York, NY: Berkley Publishing Group, 1996.

Hole, Christina. Christmas and Its Customs. New York: M. Barrows and Company, 1958.

Hottes, Alfred Carl. 1001 Christmas Facts and Fancies. New York: A.T. De La Mare Company, 1954.

Jackson, Ellen and Ellis, Jan Davey. The Winter Solstice. Millbrook Pr Trade, 1994.

Karas, Sheryl Ann The Solstice Evergreen: History, Folklore and Origins of the Christmas Tree. Aslan Pub, 1998.

King, John Robert. The Celtic Druids' Year: Seasonal Cycles of the Ancient Celts . New York, NY: Blandford Press, 1996.

McKibben, Bill. Hundred Dollar Holiday: The Case for a Joyful Christmas. Simon & Schuster, 1998.

Matthews, John and Caitlin. The Winter Solstice: The Sacred Traditions of Chrismas. Wheaton, Illinois: Quest Books, 1998.

Mayer, Bernadette. Midwinter Day

Morrison, Dorothy. Yule

Panati, Charles. Sacred Origins of Profound Things: The Stories Behind The Rites and Rituals of The World's Religions. New York, NY: Penguin Arkana, 1996.

Pfeffer, Wendy. The Shortest Day

Pilcher, Rosamunde Winter Solstice

Ralls-MacLeod, Karen, Music and the Celtic Otherworld. St. Martin’s Press, 175 Fifth Ave., NYC, NY, 2000 ISBN# 0-312-23241-1

Robinson, Jo and Coppock Staeheli, Jean. Unplug the Christmas Machine: A Complete Guide to Putting Love and Joy Back into the Season. Quill, 1991.

Santino, Jack. All Around the Year, Holidays and Celebrations in American Life. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1995.

St. James, Elaine. Simplify Your Christmas : 100 Ways to Reduce the Stress and Recapture the Joy of the Holidays. Andrews & McMeel, 1998.

Starhawk, Anne Hill, Diane Baker Circle Round: Raising Children in Goddess Traditions. Bantam Doubleday Dell, 1998.

Van Renterghem, Tony. When Santa Was a Shaman: The Ancient Origins of Santa Claus & the Christmas Tree. St. Paul, MN: Llewellyn Publications, 1995.

Wentz, Evans, The Fairy Faith in Celtic Countries (originally published in 1911)

Calon Lan (Shining Heart) 

NID WY'N GOFYN 'BYWYD MOETHUS;
AUR Y BYD NA'I BERLAU MAN:
GOFYN WYF AM GALON HAPUS
CALON ONEST, CALON LAN.

PE DYMUNWN OLUD BYDOL
HEDYN BUAN GANDDO SYDD;
GOLUD CALON LAN RINWEDDOL,
YN DWYN BYTHOL ELW FYDD.

CHORUS:
CALON LAN YN LLAWN DAIONI
TECACH YW NA'R LILI DLOS:
DIM OND CALON LAN ALL GANU
CANU'R DYDD A CHANU'R NOS.

English Translation (by Rees Harris) 

I seek not life's ease and pleasures,
Earthly riches, pearls nor gold;
Give to me a heart made happy,
Clean and honest to unfold

Chorus: 
A clean heart o'erflow'd with goodness,
Fairer than the lily bright;
A clean heart forever singing,
Singing through the day and night

If I cherish earthly treasures
Swift they flee and all is vain;
A clean heart enriched with virtues
Bring to me eternal gain

Morn and evening my petition
Wings its flight to heaven in song;
In the name of my Redeemer,
Make my heart clear, pure and strong.

The Darkest Midnight 

The darkest midnight in December
No snow nor hail nor winter storm
Shall hinder us for to remember
The Babe that on this night was born.
With shepherds, we are come to see
This lovely Infant's glorious charms.
Born of a Maid, as the prophet said,
The God of love in Mary's arms.

Ye blessed angels join our voices
Let your gilded wings beat fluttering o'er
While every sould set free rejoices
And everyone now must adore.
We'll sing and pray that he always may
Good people one and all defend
God grant us grace in all our days
A merry Christmas and a happy end.

Nöel Nouvelle 

Noel nouvelet, noel chantons ici
Devotes gens, crions a Dieu merci
Chantons Noel Pour le roi nouvelet
Noel nouvelet, noel chantons ici

En Bethleem, etant tous reunis
Trouvent l'enfant, Joseph, Marie aussi
La creche etait au lieu d'un bercelet.
Noel nouvelet, noel chantons ici

Voici mon Dieu, mon Sauveru Jesus-Christ.
Par qui sera le pridige accompli
De nous sauver par son sang vermeillet!
Noel nouvelet, noel chantons ici.

Nöel Nouvelle English Translation

Refrain:

Sing we Noel for Christ, the new-born King, Noel!
Sing we Noel for Christ, the new-born King.
Christmas comes anew, O, let us sing Noel!

Angels did say, "O shepherds, come and see,
Born in Bethlehem, a blessed Lamb for thee."

Refrain

In the manger bed, the shepherds found the Child;
Joseph was there, and Morther Mary mild.

Refrain

Soon came the kings from following the star,
Bearing costly gifts from Eastern lands afar.

Refrain

Silent Night/Óiche Chuain 

OICHE CUAIN, OICHE MHIC DE
TACH NA SUAN, DIS AR AON
DIS IS SILSE FAINE LE SPEIS
NAOIR BEAG NAOI GHEAL
CEANNANTAIS CAOMH
CHRIOST NA CHOLADH GO SEIMG
CRIOST NA CHOLADH GO SEIMH

OICHE CHUAIN, OICHE MHIC DE
EIRIGH AR DTUS
CHUALA AN SCEIL
AILLILUIA, AINGEAL A GLAOCH
CAINTEAR SUARIC I NGAR IS I GCEIN
CHRIOST AR SLANAOITHEIOR FHEIN
CHRIOST AR SLANAITHEOR FHEIN.

Goodnight to You/Óidche Mhath Leibh 

SORAIDH LEIBH IS OIDHCHE MHATH LEIBH
OIDHCHE MHATH LEIBH, BEANNACDH LEIBH
GUIDHEAM SLAINTE GHNATH BHI MAR RIBH
OIDHCHA MHATH LEIBH, BEANNACHD LEIBH

CHAN'N 'EIL INNEAL CIUIL A GHLEUSAR,
DHUISGEAS SINUAIN MO CHLEIBH GU NOIBH
MAR NI DUAN O BHEOIL NAN CAILENG
OIDHCHE MHATH LEIBH, BEANNACHD LEIBH

GRIAN CHA LAIGH AH NOCHD AIR MILTEAN
LIS AM BINN A FUINN 'S A ROINN
'S DO 'M BI 'N SGOUL 'NA MHOR - THOIL-INNTINNN
DH'INNSEAS DHAIBH GU 'N ROBH EINN CRUINN

ASTAR CUAIN CHA DEAN AR AGARADH
'S DARACHD DAIMH AM BANNAIBH TOINNT;
GLEIDH' AN T-AGH NA DH'FHAG A BHEANNACHD
OIDHCHE MHATH LEIBH, BEANNACHD LOIBH

THUIT AR CRANN AIR SAOGHAL CARACH
'S COMA SUD, THA MHAITHEAS LEINN
'BLDH SINN BED AN DOCHAS RA=MBATH;
OIICHCHE MHATH LEIIBH, BEANNACHD LEIBH.

The Olde Year Now Away has Fled (Greensleeves) 

Translation by Lawrence Rosenwald 

THE OLD YEAR NOW AWAY IS FLED,
THE NEW YEAR IT IS ENTERED
THEN LET US NOW OUR SINS DOWNTREAD
AND JOYFULLY ALL APPEAR
LET'S MERRY BE THIS HOLIDAY
AND LET US RUN WITH SPORT AND PLAY
HAN SORROW, LET'S CAST CARE AWAY - 
GOD SEND YOU A HAPPY NEW YEAR

COME, GIVE US MORE LIQUOR WHEN I DO CALL
I'LL DRINK TO EACH ONE IN THIS HALL
I HOPE THAT SO LOUD I MUST NOT BAWL
BUT UNTO ME LEND AN EAR
GOOD FORTUNE TO MY MASTER SEND
AND TO MY DAME WHICH IS OUR FRIEND
GOD BLESS US ALL, AND SO I END
AND GOD SEND US A HAPPY NEW YEAR

Don Oiche Ud I mBeithil

Don oíche úd i mBeithil, beidh tagairt ar ghréin go brách,
Don oíche úd i mBeithil go dtáinig an Bhréithir slán;
Tá gríosghrua ar spéarthaibh 's an talamh 'na chlúdach bán;
Féach Íosagán sa chléibhín, 's an Mhaighdean 'Á dhiúl le grá

Ar leacain lom an tsléibhe go nglacann na haoirí scóth
Nuair in oscailt ghil na spéire tá teachtaire Dé ar fáil;
Céad glóire anois don Athair i bhFlaitheasaibh thuas go hard!
Is feasta fós ar talamh d'fhearaibh dea-mhéin' siocháin!

Don Oiche Ud I mBeithil English Translation

Translated by Seán MacRéamoinn, Date Unknown

1. I sing of a night in Bethlehem
A night as bright as dawn
I sing of that night in Bethlehem
The night the Word was born

2. The skies are glowing gaily
The earth in white is dressed
See Jesus in the cradle
Drink deep in His mother's breast

3. And there on a lonely hillside
The shepherds bow down in fear
When the heavens open brightly
And God's message rings out so clear

4. Glory now to the Father
In all the heavens high
And peace to His friends on earth below
Is all the angels cry

Ag Críost an síol
Ag Críost

Ag Críost an síol

Ag Críost an fómhar
I n-iothalainn dé

go dtugtar sinn
Ag Críost an mhuir 

Ag Críost an t-iasc
i liontaibh dé

go gcastar sinn
O fhás go haois 

is ó aois go bás

do dhá láimh a Críost

anall tharainn

O bhás go críoch

ní críoch ach ath-fhás
I bPárrthas na nGrást go rabhaimíd

Ag Críost an síol
Ag Críost English Translation

Christ's is the Seed
Christ's is the Harvest 

Into God's barn
May we be brought.

Christ's is the sea
Christ's is the fish 

In the nets of God
May we be caught.

From Birth to age
and from age to death,

May your two arms, O Christ,
be around us.

From Death to the end 

Not the end but a rebirth,

In the Paradise of Graces
May we be.

THE BOSTON GLOBE
.....A tender Holiday Masterpiece........

THE PATRIOT LEDGER
.....a musical treasure.....

THE IRISH ECHO
...a haunting and beautiful creation.... on the of the most unusual, original and beautiful Christmas (or should I say Holiday) Albums to appear in a long time......

PROVIDENCE PHOENIX
......I'll bet she puts a spell on you......

FOLK ALMANAC
...One of the flat out prettiest Christmas albums to tumble down the chimney in a long time.... This is a soft masterpiece; ancient yet fresh, always lovely, always true to the warm spirits of this cold season..... 

LEADING EDGE REVIEW
....One of the best, most original, and creatively executed holiday albums we've ever come across........This album will make you feel closer to the season and to a gentle celebration of another year's passing rooted in the richness of the ancient past........

HEARTSONG REVIEW
....a Christmas album of exceptional integrity and grace which will enrich every holiday season.. 

BOSTON IRISH REPORTER
....Pick of the Month (December 1995).....

THE BOSTON GLOBE

by Scott Alarik

Gifted local harpist-singer Minogue, collaborating with Johnny Cunningham, has produced a spellbinding portrait of midwinter's moods and textures. Her harp is austere, never glissando-glossy or aimlessly lush. Familiar melodies such as "Noel Nouvelle" and "Greensleeves" are delivered gracefully, with gorgeous string and oboe support from Cunningham and Kathy Halverson. Minogue's shy whisper of a soprano delivers a lulling Gaelic version of "Silent Night" and the ethereal "Darkest Midnight." Spun together with brief snatches of spoken narration, this is a tender holiday masterpiece.

MIDWEST BOOK REVIEW

by Suzie Housley

Let the festive tunes radiate through your ears. As holiday celebrations play out in your head, these musical melodies will be the perfect introduction to jumpstart anyone's festival holiday mood.

To Warm the Winter's Night would be the ideal selection to make any Christmas a memorable occasion. Each one of the sixteen tracks offers a unique blend of Celtic cheer.

Áine Minogue is world famous for bringing together the best form of musical entertainment. Through her hands music takes on a magical melody. Each one of her CD's will earn a place in your permanent audio collection.

I highly recommend To Warm the Winter's Night to listeners who crave the best in music and wish to explore the world through the songs they are hearing. Áine Minogue is an artist who guarantees to offer the best of her ability to her audience.

You may wish to start with poetry. Check our articles, especially the article on "Newgrange and the Winter Solstice," as well as the related slide shows.

You may also want to check our the DVD "Winter, A Meditation" and related videos.

If it's not here, please let us know - we would love to include it. Many thanks, Aine

MID-WINTER POETRY

A Leaf From The Tree of Songs

By Adam Christianson

When harpers once in wooden hall
A shining chord would strike
Their songs like arrows pierced the soul
Of great and low alike

Aglow by hearth and candleflame
From burning branch ot ember
The mist of all their music sang
As if to ask in wonder

Is there a moment quite as keen
Or memory as bright
As light and fire and music (sweet)
To warm the winter's night?

Lord of the Dance

Traditional

I danced in the morning when the world was begun
I danced in the moon and the stars and the sun;
I was called from the darkness by the song of the earth,
I joined in the singing and she gave me birth.

(chorus, repeat after each verse)

Dance, then, wherever you may be!
I am the Lord of the Dance, said he,
And I'll lead you on, wherever you may be, I will lead you all in the Dance, said he!

I sleep in the kernel and I dance in the rain,
I dance in the wind, and through the waving grain,
And when you cut me down, I care nothing for the pain --
In Spring I'll be Lord of the Dance again!

I see the maidens laughing as they dance in the sun,
I count the fruits of the of the harvest, one by one;
I know the storm is coming, but the grain is all stored,
So I sing of the dance of the Lady and the Lord.

We dance ever slower as the leaves fall and spin
And the sound of the Horn is the wailing of the wind;
The Earth is wrapped in stillness and we move in a trance,
but we hold on fast to our faith in the dance.

The sun is in the south and the days lengthen fast,
And soon we'll sing for the winter that is past,
Now we light the candles and rejoice as they burn,
and Dance the dance of the sun's return.

They cut me down, but I leap up high!
I am life that will never, never die.
I'll live in you and you'll live in me --
I am the Lord of the Dance, said he!

The moon in her phases and the tides of the sea,
the movement of Earth, and the seasons that will be
Are rhythm for the dancing and a promise through the years --
The Dance goes on through joy and tears.

The Shortest Day by Susan Cooper

So the shortest day came, and the year died,
And everywhere down the centuries of the snow-white world
Came people singing, dancing,
To drive the dark away.
They lighted candles in the winter trees;
They hung their homes with evergreen;
They burned beseeching fires all night long
To keep the year alive,
And when the new year's sunshine blazed awake
They shouted, reveling.
Through all the frosty ages you can hear them
Echoing behind us - Listen!!
All the long echoes sing the same delight,
This shortest day,
As promise wakens in the sleeping land:
They carol, fest, give thanks,
And dearly love their friends,
And hope for peace.
And so do we, here, now,
This year and every year.
Welcome Yule!!

I have news for you

(9th century Irish)

I have news for you:
The stag bells, winter snows, summer has gone
Wind high and cold, the sun low, short its course
The sea running high.
Deep red the bracken; its shape is lost;
The wild goose has raised its accustomed cry,
cold has seized the birds' wings;
season of ice, this is my news

The Olde Year Now Away is Fled

(sung to Greensleeves) 13th Century English
Translation By Lawrence Rosenwald

The olde year now away is fled,
The new year it is entered
Then let us now our sins downtread
And joyfully all appear
Let's be merry this holiday
And let us run with sport and play
Han sorrow, let's cast care away -
God send you a happy new year

Come, give us more liquor when I do call
I'll drink to each one in this hall
I hope that so loud I must not bawl
But unto me lend me an ear
Good fortune to my master send
And to my dame which is our friend
God bless us all, and so I end
And God send us a happy new year

The Wren Song

The Wren, the Wren the king of all birds,
St. Stephenses day, he was caught in the furze.
Although he is little, his honor is great,
Rise up, kind sir, and give us a trate.
We followed this Wren ten miles or more
Through hedges and ditches and heaps of snow,
We up with our wattles and gave him a fall
And brought him here to show you all.
For we are the boys that came your way
To bury the Wren on Saint Stephenses Day,
So up with the kettle and down with the pan!
Give us some help for to bury the Wren!

Winter by Tommy Makem

WINTER, a sharp bitter day
the robin turns plump against the cold
the sun is week
silver faded from gold
he is late in his coming and short in his stay
Man, beast, bird and air all purging, all cleansing,
earth already purified awaits the rite of spring
Her bridal gown a virgin snow and frosts in her hair
A snowdrop by the road today bowed gracefully
and high upon the wing up in the sparkling nothingness,
a lone bird began to sing
Can gentle spring be far away?

Reflections On a Scottish Christmas by Johnny Cunningham

The dark of winter wraps around us tight.
The lamps are fired, and flickering light
beats time to the fiddle as notes float softly down, like the years' first snow.
While outside the window a blast of late December wind
whistles harmony to the drone of the pipes.
We push the old year back against the wall
so we can dance a jig for Christmas and welcome in the new

A Childhood Christmas

by Patrick Kavanagh (1905-67)

I

One side of the potato-pits was white with frost-
How wonderful that was, how wonderful
And when we put our ears to the paling-post
The music that came out was magical
The light between the ricks of hay and straw
Was a hole in Heaven's gable. An apple tree
With its December-glinting fruit we saw-
O you, Eve, were the world that tempted me
To eat the knowledge that grew in clay
And death the germ within it! Now and then
I can remember something of the gay
Garden that was childhoods. Again
The tracks of Cattle to a drinking-place,
A green stone lying sideways in a ditch
Or any common sight the transfigured face
Of a beauty that the world did not touch.

II

My father played the melodeon
Outside at our gate
There were stars in the morning east
And they danced to his music.
Across the wild bogs his melodeon called
To Lennons and Callans.
As I pulled on my trousers in a hurry
I knew some strange thing had happened.
Outside in the cow-house my mother
Made the music of milking;
The light of her stable-lamp was a star
And the frost of Bethlehem made it twinkle.
A water-hen screeched in the bog,
Mass-going feet
Crunched the wafer-ice on the pot-holes,
Somebody wistfully twisted the bellows wheel.
My child poet picked out the letters
On the grey stone,
In silver the wonder of a Christmas townland,
The winking glitter of a frosty dawn.
Cassiopeia was over
Cassidy's hanging hill,
I looked and three whin bushes rode across
The horizon-the Three Wise Kings.
An old man passing said:
'Can't he make it talk' -
The melodeon. I hid in the doorway
And tightened the belt of my box-pleated coat.
I nicked six nicks on the door-post
With my penknife's big blade-

There was a little one for cutting tobacco.
And I was six Christmases of age.
My father played the melodeon,
My mother milked the cows,
And I had a prayer like a white rose pinned
On the Virgin Mary's blouse.

Celtic blessings for the season

"Nollaig Faoi Shean Is Faoi Mhaise Dhuit"
Knoll-ig f'wee haan ss f'wee shun-ah g-with
(A Christmas of Happiness and Joy to you) (old Irish Saying)

"May peace and plenty be the first to lift the latch on your door, and happiness be guided to your home by the candle of Christmas."

"In the New Year, may your right hand always be stretched out in friendship and never in want."

The Magic of Christmas lingers on
Though childhood days have passed
Upon the common round of life
A Holy Spell is Cast

(old verse)

AN OLD MAN'S WINTER NIGHT by Robert Frost

All out of doors looked darkly in at him
Through the thin frost, almost in separate stars,
That gathers on the pane in empty rooms.
What kept his eyes from giving back the gaze
Was the lamp tilted near them in his hand.
What kept him from remembering what it was
That brought him to that creaking room was age.
He stood with barrels round him -- at a loss.
And having scared the cellar under him
In clomping there, he scared it once again
In clomping off; -- and scared the outer night,
Which has its sounds, familiar, like the roar
Of trees and crack of branches, common things,
But nothing so like beating on a box.
A light he was to no one but himself
Where now he sat, concerned with he knew what,
A quiet light, and then not even that.
He consigned to the moon, such as she was,
So late-arising, to the broken moon
As better than the sun in any case
For such a charge, his snow upon the roof,
His icicles along the wall to keep;
And slept. The log that shifted with a jolt
Once in the stove, disturbed him and he shifted,
And eased his heavy breathing, but still slept.
One aged man -- one man -- can't keep a house,
A farm, a countryside, or if he can,
It's thus he does it of a winter night.

A BLESSING

Slàinte maith, h-uile latha, na chi ‘snach fhaic!
Gun cuireadh do chupa thairis le slainte agus sonas.
A h-uile là sona dhuibh ‘s gun là idir dona dhuib.
Nollaig Chridheil agus Bliadhna mhath ùr!

    Good health, every day, whether I see you or not!
May your cup overflow with health and happiness.
May all your days be happy ones.
Merry Christmas and a happy New Year!

CELTIC MID-WINTER TRADITIONS

Here are some winter traditions that have come down to us:

Winter Solstice
Going Door to Door
The Kylemore Carols
Yule and the Yule Log
Little Christmas
December and the Sun Gods
The Mummers
Carols
Hunting the Wren

Winter Solstice

While the Solstices were not as important to the ancient Irish as the major fire festivals; Lughnasadh (August 1); Beltane (May Day, May 1); Imbolc (February 1- Bridgit); and Samhain (November 1, Halloween), they were none the less celebrated. Of the Solstices and Equinoxes, the Winter Solstice was the most important, since it marked the rebirth of the sun after the shortest day. Many cultures celebrated this time to commemorate the birth of various gods. The Winter Solstice falls between two major fire festivals Samhain (sow-an) or Halloween and Imbolc. In Newgrange, County Meath, there is an ancient tomb covered with beautiful artwork, which remains in darkness for much of the year. The double spiral on this site is one of the symbols which can be seen at the Newgrange site. Once a year, on the Winter Solstice, the tomb fills with light to reveal the beautiful artwork on the walls. While it seems best to leave its origins to the historians, there is no doubt that the ancient Irish considered this day important. It also marked "The Shortest Day" or "The Darkest Midnight" and was cause for celebration, since - once the shortest day has passed, it meant the journey toward Spring could begin.

Going Door to Door

While the tradition of "caroling" and going door to door to sing for ones neighbors is only done during the Holiday Season in recent years. In times gone by, it was common to carol from door to door for many of the major festivals. It is thought that certain tunes were found particularly useful for this tradition. The album "To Warm the Winters Night" celebrates this tradition. A dance entitled "The Horn Dance" was performed from All Souls to the Twelfth Night in hopes of bringing in the luck for the New Year! In many of the Celtic cultures, the tradition of going door to door and caroling or the idea of procession was common. All Souls Night or Samhain (sow- an) has come down to us as Halloween, when going door to door is still part of our culture. "The Horn Dance" comes from Abbots Bromley in Staffordshire. Eight men danced through the village with antler horns on their heads in order to "bring in the luck" for the New Year. The tradition still continues in Abbots Bromley. This dance is thought to have its origins in Pre-Christian Fertility Rites.

The Kylemore Carols

The Kylemore carols are a beautiful collection of Christmas carols from the village of Kylemore. In the depths of harsh winter, a reminder of sacred celebration invests these haunting old melodies, many of which are sung to this day in Kylemore and elsewhere. For a sample of "The Darkest Midnight," arguably the most well-known and loved Kylemore Carol, see track number six on the album To Warm the Winter's Night.

Yule & the Yule Log

Yule marks the rebirth of the suns power. It is yet another symbol of death and rebirth - going from the darkness into the light. For many, Yule runs from before the Solstice until New Year's Day. Many people associate Yule with the "Yule Log," a piece of wood decorated with evergreens, mostly holly and candles. Holly was another ancient symbol for the Irish; it was thought to hold special properties, since it was "neither tree 'nor bush".

Speaking of logs - here's a lovely poem from Mother Goose that teaches children about the best logs to burn for a good winter fire:

In the Green Wood from Mother Goose

(making the fire)

Oak-logs will warm you well,
That are old and dry;
Logs of pine will sweetly smell
But the sparks will fly.
Birch-logs will burn too fast,
Chestnut scarce at all;
Hawthorn-logs are good to last -
Catch them in the fall.
Holly-logs will burn like wax,
You may burn them green;
Elm-logs like to smoldering flax,
No flame to be seen.
Beech-logs for winter time,
Yew-logs as well;
Green elder-logs it is a crime
For any man to sell.
Pear-logs and apple-logs,
They will scent your room,
Cherry-logs across the dogs
Smell like flower of the broom.
Ash-logs, smooth and grey,
Burn them green or old,
Buy up all that come your way -
Worth their weight in gold.

Little Christmas

Traditionally Yule ended on January 6th. The Christian Calendar celebrates "Little Christmas" on January 6th also. During my childhood, this was the day that the decorations were taken down and yet another turkey was cooked to mark the end of the season.

December and the Sun Gods

December marks the celebration of many solar "saviors" and Gods, usually on December 25th. Many of them have the word "Light" in their titles. They include, Baal, Dionysus and of course, Jesus Christ.

The Mummers