The Krampus Kalendar: B is for the BOX of Delights

The Box of Delights is a children's fantasy novel by John Masefield, remembered as much for the BBC's 1984 dramatisation of it. In the story, Kay Harker returns from boarding school only to find himself mixed up in a battle to possess a magical box, which allows the owner to go small, go swift, experience magical wonders contained within, and travel into the past.


The dramatisation is noted for its Yuletide atmosphere (it is set during Christmas, after all) and has become something of a nostalgic treat for followers of cult TV. The seasonal theme music is Victor Hely-Hutchinson's wonderful orchestral arrangement of "The First Noël" from his Carol Symphony.

If you've never seen it, it's worth checking it out, and if you remember it fondly from your childhood, as I do, enjoy the following clip as you take a trip down memory lane and recall a creepy children's Christmas classic...

I have made my own homage to The Box of Delights in 'TWAS - The Krampus Night Before Christmas, and will do the same in 'TWAS - The Roleplaying Game Before Christmas, which is currently funding on Kickstarter.

   

To find out more about the festive season and its many traditions, order your copy of the Chrismologist's Christmas Explained: Robins, Kings and Brussel Sprouts today!

The book is also available in the United States as Christmas Miscellany: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Christmas.

      

The Chrismologist's Advent Calendar 2017 - Day 24

Jesus refulsit omnium (meaning 'Jesus, Light of the Nations) is the earliest known hymn in honour of the Nativity, which means, effectively, it must be the first Christmas carol!



To find out more about the history of the Christmas carol, pick up your copy of Christmas Explained: Robins, Kings and Brussel Sprouts today!

The Chrismologist's Advent Calendar 2017 - Day 18

Do you remember The Computer's First Christmas Card? Well this is a bit like The Computer's First Christmas Carol...



And you thought  Mariah Carey's All I Want For Christmas Is You couldn't get any worse...

To find out more about the festive season and its many traditions, order your copy of the Chrismologist's Christmas Explained: Robins, Kings and Brussel Sprouts today!

The book is also available in the United States as Christmas Miscellany: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Christmas.

      

The Chrismologist's Advent Calendar 2017 - Day 13

Today it's the turn of one of my favourite Christmas carols as re-imagined by one of my favourite '70s prog-rockers...



To find out more about the festive season and its many traditions, order your copy of the Chrismologist's Christmas Explained: Robins, Kings and Brussel Sprouts today!

The book is also available in the United States as Christmas Miscellany: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Christmas.

      

The Chrismologist's Advent Calendar 2017 - Day 12

Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol is a perennial favourite, at this time of year, but here's a rather different take on Scrooge's story by the steampunk band The Men Who Shall Not Be Blamed For Nothing...



Another perennial favourite is the Chrismologist's Christmas Explained: Robins, Kings and Brussel Sprouts.

The Chrismologist's Advent Calendar 2017 - Day 5

In the mountainous regions of central Europe tonight, people will be keeping an eye out for Krampus, the Christmas Devil. For where Father Christmas giveth, Krampus taketh away...



You can find out more about the sinister Krampus and Krampusnacht in Christmas Explained: Robins, Kings and Brussel Sprouts.

The Chrismologist's Advent Calendar 2017 - Day 2

It's getting quite wintry here in the UK, so here's a seasonal favourite from David Essex.



Did you know, the Chrismologist's Christmas Explained: Robins, Kings and Brussel Sprouts even explains the mysteries of snow and ice!

The book is also available in the United States as Christmas Miscellany: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Christmas.

      

The Chrismologist's Advent Calendar 2017 - Day 1

This year, the Chrismologist's Advent Calendar is going to consist of popular Christmas songs and carols. Can you guess what will be the final song of the season that will be revealed on Christmas Day itself?



To find out more about the festive season, order your copy of the Chrismologist's Christmas Explained: Robins, Kings and Brussel Sprouts today!

The book is also available in the United States as Christmas Miscellany: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Christmas.

     

Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree - The Chrismologist's Christmas Quiz 2014 - The Answers!

Okay - here are the answers to the Christmas Eve Eve music quiz...



Question 1
What is the name of this Christmas carol? In Dulci Jubilo
Bonus point – Who is playing all of the instruments? Mike Oldfield

Question 2
Who is singing with Bing Crosby here on Little Drummer Boy? David Bowie
Bonus point – What was the year? 1982

Question 3
Which band had a number 2 Christmas hit with this song in 2003? The Darkness
Bonus point – Which song beat them to No. 1? Mad World

Question 4
What is the name of the group singing this song, first recorded in1982? The Spice Girls
Bonus point – What is the name of the song? Christmas Wrapping

Question 5
What is the name of this Christmas song? Fairytale of New York
Bonus point – Name either of the singers. Ronan Keating and Marie Brennan

Question 6
Which character sings this song in the 2013 Christmas movie frozen? Elsa
Bonus point – Who is the singer? Idina Menzel

Question 7
Who is this singing in 1969? Pinky and Perky
Bonus point – What is the song they are singing? Santa Claus is Coming to Town

Question 8
Who is this singing Jingle Bells in 1995? Julie Andrews
Bonus point – Which festival was the song originally written to celebrate? Thanksgiving

Question 9
Which Christmas carol is this from 2010? God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
Bonus point – Which band was the singer in during the 1980s? Eurhythmics

Question 10
Who is this singing One More Sleep ‘Til Christmas? Kermit the Frog
Bonus point – Which 1992 Christmas movie is it from? The Muppet Christmas Carol

Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree - The Chrismologist's Christmas Quiz 2014

Here's a bit of fun to entertain the family this Christmas. Play the following video (with the volume turned right up to 11) and see if you can answer the questions below. Or, even better, split into teams and see who in your family knows the most about Christmas carols and popular festive songs.



Question 1
What is the name of this Christmas carol?
Bonus point – Who is playing all of the instruments?

Question 2
Who is singing with Bing Crosby here on Little Drummer Boy?
Bonus point – What was the year?

Question 3
Which band had a number 2 Christmas hit with this song in 2003?
Bonus point – Which song beat them to No. 1?

Question 4
What is the name of the group singing this song, first recorded in1982?
Bonus point – What is the name of the song?

Question 5
What is the name of this Christmas song?
Bonus point – Name either of the singers.

Question 6
Which character sings this song in the 2013 Christmas movie frozen?
Bonus point – Who is the singer?

Question 7
Who is this singing in 1969?
Bonus point – What is the song they are singing?

Question 8
Who is this singing Jingle Bells in 1995?
Bonus point – Which festival was the song originally written to celebrate?

Question 9
Which Christmas carol is this from 2010?
Bonus point – Which band was the singer in during the 1980s?

Question 10
Who is this singing One More Sleep ‘Til Christmas?
Bonus point – Which 1992 Christmas movie is it from?

(Answers to follow on Boxing Day.)

Gaudete, Gaudete Christus Est Natus

Today, in the liturgical calendar, is Gaudete Sunday, or Rejoice Sunday.

The day takes its name from the first word of the introit of this day's Mass:

Gaudete in Domino semper: iterum dico, gaudete. Modestia vestra nota sit omnibus hominibus: Dominus enim prope est. Nihil solliciti sitis: sed in omni oratione petitiones vestræ innotescant apud Deum. Benedixisti Domine terram tuam: avertisti captivitatem Jacob. 

This translates as:

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, rejoice. Let your forbearance be known to all, for the Lord is near at hand; have no anxiety about anything, but in all things, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be known to God. Lord, you have blessed your land; you have turned away the captivity of Jacob.

Of course, mention the word Gaudete to people today, and they're just as likely to think of the following carol...

Barack Obama sings Deck The Halls

Jingle Bells as you have NEVER heard it before!

The Chrismologist's Advent Calendar - Day 23

Enchanted Carols

The Chrismologist's Advent Calendar - Day 16

Looking for a new CD to play in the house ad infinitum this Christmas? Then look no further!

To find out more about Christmas music and the history of the humble Christmas carl, pick up a copy of What is Myrrh Anyway? Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Christmas (published in the US as Christmas Miscellany) today.

Sir Christemas

The Chrismologist's Advent Calendar - Day 15

Not a version of the classic Christmas song I'd come across before, but a very pleasant distraction nonetheless...

W is for Winterval (and Wassail)

Winterval - you might have heard of it. It caused a bit of a furore a few years back.

In fact, it all started in 1997 when Mike Chubb was working for Birmingham city council during the rejuvenation of the city centre. As the council's head of events he and his team were charged with creating a marketing strategy to cover:

"41 days and nights of activity that ranged from BBC Children in Need, to the Christmas Lights Switch On, to a Frankfurt Christmas Market, outdoor ice rink, Aston Hall by Candlelight, Diwali, shopping at Christmas, world class theatre and arts plus, of course, New Year's Eve with its massive 100,000 audience."

Chubb realised that with so many events competing for visitors, marketing them as individual occasions would be expensive, time-consuming and ineffective in acquiring sponsorship or funding. What the events needed, he decided, was a "generic banner under which they could all sit". His team settled on 'Winterval' – a portmanteau of 'winter' and 'festival'.

Little did he or anyone else on the events team realise that this name was to found one of the most persistent urban myths of modern times, and that 11 years later he would be writing an article explaining – again – what the event was and how it was never about renaming or banning Christmas.

To read more about this story, click here.

Of course, W is also for Wassail. The word 'wassail' comes from the Old English 'waes hael' meaning 'be healthy', but came to denote the practice of travelling from house to house, demanding food and drink in return for a few verses of whatever carol the singers could remember at the time.

Did you know...?

The expression 'to drink a toast' originates with the custom of wassailing?

Today you can enjoy English Heritage's own Wassail Ale and hear a traditional wassailing song as sung by the popular Britpop band Blur!

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You will find many other such tasty morsels of information in my book What is Myrrh Anyway?- and its American counterpart Christmas Miscellany: Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Christmas.

Dominick the Christmas Donkey

Family Green are off to this Carol Concert later today. But we've also been enjoying this of late:

H is for Holly

No, not that Holly! This holly.

To the pagan peoples of Europe, evergreens possessed magical powers; how else was it that the holly, fir and ivy stayed green and kept their leaves in the depths of winter when other plants vanished and trees were left as leafless skeletons compared to the green glory of summer?

So, understandably, in the freezing depths of winter, when all other life seemed to have disappeared from the world, these same pagan peoples brought evergreens into their homes, partly in the hope that some of their magical protection might rub off on them.

Our Roman ancestors considered evergreens lucky and during the feast of Saturnalia they too decorated their homes with boughs of holly and the like. And thanks to their connections with the concept of eternal life, it is easy to see how evergreens came to be such a central part of the Christian feast of Christmas, seeing as how the Church teaches that Jesus rose from the dead to eternal life himself, and offers the same to his faithful servants.

The presence of evergreen plants in the home during the festive season has lived on in several forms; through the Christmas tree, carols such as ‘The Holly and the Ivy’ and ‘Deck the hall with bough of holly’, and of course with the Christmas wreath.

The tune of ‘Deck the Hall’ is Welsh and dates back to the sixteenth century, although it originally belonged to a winter carol, 'Nos Galan'. However, I'll warrant you've never heard it sung quite like this before...

Did you know...?
The most popular girl's name in December 2008 was... Holly! The Office for National Statistics published its findings and overall, throughout the year, Holly came 22nd on the list of most popular girls' names. And a suitably seasonal names for a boy, Gabriel, was a high climber, up 14 places to the number 78 slot.

* * * *

You will find many other such tasty morsels of information in my book What is Myrrh Anyway? - and its American counterpart Christmas Miscellany: Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Christmas.

F is for Figgy Pudding

Let’s get one thing clear right from the start; figgy pudding is not Christmas pudding. That’s plum pudding. The constituent ingredient of figgy pudding is figs, whereas plum pudding – the traditional Christmas pudding – should be made with plums. Easy, isn’t it? So, in that case, why is everyone so familiar with figgy pudding when it’s hardly eaten anymore?

Well, it’s all down to the carol ‘We Wish You a Merry Christmas’ in which the name of the pudding is mentioned:

Oh, bring us a figgy pudding;

Oh, bring us a figgy pudding;

Oh, bring us a figgy pudding and a cup of good cheer.

We won't go until we get some;

We won't go until we get some;

We won't go until we get some, so bring some out here.

Many people would be surprised by the appearance of figgy pudding, which looks more like a white Christmas pudding.

What is Myrrh Anyway? - and its American counterpart Christmas Miscellany: Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Christmas - contains a recipe for figgy pudding, as well as recipes for two different plum puddings.

Caroling Star Wars-style