Good-bye to the Twelve Days...

Yesterday marked the Twelfth Day of Christmas.

There may not have been twelve drummers drum-ing, but there was definitely rejoicing in heaven and on earth as God incarnate became manifest to the world: in the East, "Theophany" - the appearance/manifestation of God Triune, Father, Son and Holy Spirit at Christ's baptism - is celebrated and remembered on January 6, across the Orthodox World. (In the West, this January feast is referred to as "Epiphany", the appearance of Christ to the Gentiles as represented by the Magi.)

Thus ends the festive Nativity season. And thus, I must now un-decorate my house of all things Christmas and get back to blogging. 

Good-by Nutcrackers, St. Lucia, and my tree.  Hello to more Good Books for 2021!

Nativity Hymn

Merry Christmas!  Today's book pairs liturgical poetry with sweet images of Christ's birth in the style of Byzantine iconography. Its simplicity and beauty draw its readers into the profound "Today!" of our Lord's birth...

Available HERE, from Orthodoxchristianchildren.com

Today the Virgin gives birth to the Transcendent One, 

And the earth offers a cave to the Unapproachable One! 

Angels with shepherds glorify Him! 

The wise men journey with a star! 

Since for our sake the Eternal God was born as a Little Child!

Christ is Born!
Glorify Him!

CHRISTMAS IN A (LITTLE GOLDEN) NUTSHELL!

Fun for nostalgic adults, this Everything I Need to Know About Christmas collection of Little Golden Book illustrations is full of cheery reflections about the season.  (I'm pretty sure St. Nicholas is bringing me a copy.)

Did you know you can find old-fashioned fun and the Gospel Nativity, all under one golden cover? My personal favorite is The Christmas ABC, with vintage illustrations by Eloise Wilkin...

Here's to a Spectacular Christmas!

I highly recommend Radio City Music Hall's "Christmas Spectacular" to anyone visiting New York City around the Christmas holidays.  The theatre itself is nostalgic (and cavernous, with lots of seating).  We were touched and inspired by the glorious Living Nativity at the end.  But first, there was singing and dancing...and those Rockettes can do more than just kick!

The Radio City "Christmas Spectacular" was first performed in 1933, (it was the second year the Music Hall was in operation.) For this first Christmas show, the film "Flying Down to Rio" was screened, followed by a symphony performance, a toy shop ballet, the Rockettes performing "The March of the Wooden Soldiers," and a full-scale living nativity scene to close out the show.

Over the years, the  Christmas Spectacular has evolved, but there are many mainstays. Each year the show begins with the arrival of Santa, who acts as host for the evening. A scene always follows from the "Nutcracker," with the Rockettes performing the now-iconic "Parade of the Wooden Soldiers."

My husband and I enjoyed every minute of the show. As I mentioned, there is still a beautiful living nativity scene at the end - complete with live camels, donkeys and sheep surrounding the holy family.  Finally the show closes with a Rockette, kick-filled grand finale.  No doubt about it, New York knows how to celebrate Christmas!

"Joy to the World, the Lord is Come!

Let Earth Receive her King;

Let Every Heart Prepare Him Room,

And Heaven and Nature Sing!"

Three Favorite Nativity Books:

Click here for my review.

Click here for my review.

Click here for my review.

A GOOD REMINDER

[The text below is reprinted from my parish Sunday bulletin, "The Orthodox Weekly Bulletin" Vestal, Cliffwood, New Jersey, December 23, 2012]

Do you recall the "Dennis the Menace" comics, which chronicled the escapades of a mischievous young lad who constantly got himself into trouble? For many years on Christmas morning, newspapers would run a particular comic strip where Dennis would be standing in the middle of his living room, which was filled with toys and discarded boxes, bows and wrapping paper. With a look of bewilderment on his face, he asks this question: "Is this all there is?" 

source

Sadly, for many people, this is all there is to Christmas - the frantic rush to purchase something for someone who doesn't really need it in the first place, and who likely will return it to the department store the following day! Thankfully, for Christians, this festive day means much more. Whatever Christmas has become in all its secular glory, the most important aspect of this joyous feast is still summoned up in its first six letters: C H R I S T!

CHRISTMAS IN THE MANGER by Nola Buck, illustrated by Felicia Bond.  Sweet and gentle telling of the Nativity story for the very youngest, a "pat and peek" book with a rhyming text from the point of view of the animals, shepherds, Mary and Joseph.  The last line is so sweet,

"I am the baby asleep in the hay, and I am the reason for Christmas Day".

Christmas reminds us that "God so loved the world that he gave His Only-Begotten Son, so that whoever believes in Him may not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:16) Christmas is a time for us to recall that peaceful night when God sent a Savior to His people, keeping His ancient promise. It is a day for us to sing like the angelic hosts: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will towards men!" It is also a day for us to imitate the shepherds, who left from their encounter with the Christ Child glorifying and praising God, and an opportunity for us to exhibit the same perseverance as the Wise Men, seeking our King no matter the sacrifice involved.

image by Niko Chocheli - source

As we sing in one of the feast's hymns of Vespers: "Heaven and earth are united today because Christ is born." Indeed, this is all there is and all we need to know about this glorious day.

PREPARE O BETHLEHEM:  THE FEAST OF THE NATIVITY, by Niko Chocheli. Luminously illustrated verses from Orthodox hymns of the prefeast and feast of the Nativity. 

A good reminder in these last days of preparation...

LET THE FORTY DAYS BEGIN...

November 15 is here, and for me that means the start of Advent. Yesterday I came across a pretty incredible advertisement on YouTube - yes, a commercial - that captures a child's perspective on the difficulty of waiting during Advent and the joy of giving at Christmas. (Watch all the way through, for the twist at the end.)



For me, as an Eastern Orthodox Christian, Advent is not just a countdown for the arrival of Christmas and the day's festivities. It is a time to prepare my heart and draw nearer to God in anticipation of his coming through prayer, fasting, the reading of Scripture, and acts of charity.  This time of joyous expectation is also called the "Nativity Fast".

Whether you observe an Advent countdown for 40 days, or just during the month of December, hopefully some of the books on my "40 Books For 40 Days List" will be helpful as you and your children begin preparing your hearts for the Child whose arrival we anticipate during this holy Nativity season.

40 BOOKS FOR 40 DAYS LIST
November 15 GOD GAVE US CHRISTMAS by Lisa T. Bergren
November 16 MY FIRST CHRISTMAS, by Tomie DePaola
November 17 HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS by Dr. Suess
November 18 WHO IS COMING TO OUR HOUSE? by Joseph Slate
November 19 THE TOMTEN by Astrid Lindgren
November 20 I SPY CHRISTMAS
November 21 THE JOLLY CHRISTMAS POSTMAN by Allan Ahlberg
November 22 LOOK ALIKES CHRISTMAS by Joan Steiner
November 23 CHRISTMAS TROLLS by Jan Brett
November 24 BABAR AND FATHER CHRISTMAS by Jean De Brunhoff
November 25 CHRISTMAS IN NOISY VILLAGE by Astrid Lindgren
November 26 THE LITTLE DRUMMER BOY by Ezra Jack Keats
November 27 THE NUTCRACKER by Susan Jeffers
November 28 MERRY CHRISTMAS, CHEEPS! by Julie Stiegemeyer
November 29 CHRISTMAS MICE By Richard Scarry
November 30 CAN YOU SEE WHAT I SEE? THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS by Walter Wick
December 1 ONE WINTER'S NIGHT by John Herman, Diane Dillon, Leo Dillon
December 2 UNCLE VOVA'S TREE by Patricia Polacco
December 3 LETTERS FROM FATHER CHRISTMAS by J.R.R. Tolkien
December 4 THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS: A MAGICAL CUT-PAPER EDITION, Niroot Puutapipat
December 5 SANTA, ARE YOU FOR REAL? by Harold Myra
December 6 (St. Nicholas Day) THE LEGEND OF ST. NICHOLAS by Demi
December 7 CHRISTMAS IN THE MANGER by Nola Buck
December 8 B IS FOR BETHLEHEM, by Isabel Wilner
December 9 THE CHRISTMAS MIRACLE OF JONATHAN TOOMEY
December 10 THE GIFT OF THE MAGI, by O. Henry, illustrations Lizbeth Zwerger
December 11 THE BEST CHRISTMAS PAGEANT EVER by Barbara Robinson
December 12 THE FIRST CHRISTMAS; THE FIRST NOEL by Jan Pienkowski
December 13 BABUSHKA AND THE THREE KINGS by Ruth Robbins
December 14 THE FRIENDLY BEASTS by Tomie DePaola
December 15 CHRISTMAS NIGHT FAIR AND BRIGHT by Julie Stiegemeyer
December 16 THE MIRACLE OF ST. NICHOLAS by Gloria Whelan
December 17 TAKE JOY! TASHA TUDOR CHRISTMAS BOOK
December 18 WE THREE KINGS by Gennady Spirin
December 19 ANGELA AND THE BABY JESUS (Children's version) by Frank MCourt
ANGELA AND THE BABY JESUS (Adult Edition)
December 20 THE NATIVITY by Ruth Sanderson
December 21 CHRISTMAS POEMS Edited by Hayes and Laughlin
December 22 CHRISTMAS! by Peter Spier
December 23 CHRISTMAS ANGELS by M.J. Hummel
December 24 (Christmas Eve) PREPARE O BETHLEHEM By Niko Chocheli
December 25 (Nativity) THE NATIVITY OF OUR LORD by Mother Melania

Click here for more Advent ideas and activities.