Hail thou blest morn when the great mediator, 

Down from the regions of glory descends. 

Shepherds go worship the babe in the manger 

Lo for his guard the bright angels attend. 

​

Brightest and best of the sons of the morning, 

Dawn on our darkness and lend us thine aid. 

Star in the East the horizon adorning

Guide where our infant redeemer is laid. 

​

Cold on his cradle the dewdrops are shining, 

Low lies his head with the beast of the stall. 

Angels adore him in slumbers reclining, 

maker and monarch and savior of all. 

​

Say, shall we yield him in costly devotion, 

Odors of Edom and off'rings divine.

Gems from the mountain and pearls from the ocean, 

Myrrh from the forest and gold from the mine, 

Somewhere the original harmony must exist, 

hidden somewhere in the vast wilds. 

In Earth’s mighty firmament, 

in the far reaches of swirling galaxies, 

in sunshine, 

in a little flower, in the song of a forest, 

in the music of a mother’s voice, 

or in teardrops --

somewhere, immortality endures,

and the original harmony will be found.

How else could it have formed

in human hearts --music?

S'vivon sov, sov, sov, 

Hanukka hu hag tov, 

Hag simha hu laam, 

Nes gadol ha ya sham!

​

Little dreydl, spin, spin, spin, 

Hannuka is a festive time. 

A joyous holiday for everyone, 

For a great miracle happened there. 

Wassail comes from the Anglo-Saxon wes hael- to be healthy. Originally, wassails were taken seriously as blessings on farms and farmers that would help ensure the health of the coming year. The "Apple-Tree Wassail" comes from the cider country of Devon and Somerset, where it might be sung in the orchards or at the farmer's door. The references to "lily white pins" and "lily white smocks" are meant to flatter the farmer's family by listing the fine clothes and ornaments they could supposedly afford to wear. The twelfth day of Christmas (Epiphany) was though to be a perfect time to bless the orchards, in part because it was believed that evil spirits did their best to confound Christmas piety in the twelve days following Christ's birth. The holiday song "The Twelve Days of Christmas" is best known of the many tongue twisting counting songs intended to confuse imps and devils those vulnerable twelve days. 

​

Oh, lily, white lily, oh, lily white pin 

Please to come down an' let us come in. 

Oh lily, white lily, oh lily white smock, 

Please to come down an' turn back the lock. 

Our wassail, jolly wassail, 

joy come to our jolly wassail. 

​

How well it may bloom, how well it may bear, 

so that we may have apples and cider all year, 

Oh master and and mistress, how are you within?

Please to come down an' pull back the pin. 

​

Good health to yer house, may riches come soon, So bring us some cider, we'll drink down the moon. 

​

There was an old farmer an' he had an old cow. 

Went out to milk 'er, he didn't know how. 

He put his old cow down in his old barn, 

an' a little more cider won't do us no harm. 

​

Oh the ringles and the jingles and the tenor of the song goes merrily, 

​

Capfuls, hatfuls, three bushel baskets, little heaps under the stairs. Hip, Hip, Hooray!

Blow, blow, thou winter wind,

  Thou art not so unkind

      As man's ingratitude;

  Thy tooth is not so keen,

  Because thou art not seen,

      Although thy breath be rude.

Heigh-ho! sing, heigh-ho! unto the green holly:

Most friendship is feigning, most loving mere folly:

  Then, heigh-ho, the holly!

      This life is most jolly.

 

  Freeze, freeze, thou bitter sky,

  That does not bite so nigh

      As benefits forgot:

  Though thou the waters warp,

  Thy sting is not so sharp

      As friend remembered not.

Heigh-ho! sing . . .

Go tell it on the mountain, 

Over the hills and everywhere. 

Go on and tell it on the mountain 

that Jesus Christ is born. 

​

While shepherds kept their watching 

over silent flocks by night, 

behold throughout the heavens

there shone a holy light. 

​

The shepherds feared and trembled 

when lo! Above the earth 

Rang out the angel chorus 

that hailed our Savior's birth!

O come, all ye faithful,  joyful and triumphant, 

O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem. 

Come and behold Him, born the king of angels, 

O come let us adore Him, Christ the Lord. 

​

Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exaltation! 

Sing, all ye citizens of heaven above. 

Glory to God, all glory in the highest. 

O come let us adore Him, Christ the Lord. 

​

Yea, Lord, we greet Thee, born this happy morning, 

Jesus, to Thee be all glory given! 

Word of the Father, Now in flesh appearing 

O come let us adore Him, Christ the Lord. 

I, Miriam, stand at the sea

and turn 

to face the desert

stretching endless and 

still. 

My eyes are dazzled

The sky brilliant blue

Sunburnt hands unyielding white. 

My hands turn to dove wings. 

My arms

reach 

for the sky

and I want to sing

the song rising inside me. 

My mouth open

I stop. 

Where are the words?

Where the melody?

In a moment of panic 

My eyes go blind. 

Can I take a step 

Without knowing a 

Destination? 

Will I falter

Will I fall 

Will the ground sing away from under me? 

The song still unformed---

How can I sing? 

 

To take the first step---

To sing a new song---

Is to close one’s eyes

and dive 

into unknown waters, 

For a moment knowing nothing risking all---

But then to discover

 

The waters are friendly

The ground is firm. 

And the song---

the song rises again. 

Out of my mouth 

come words lifting the wind. 

And I hear 

for the first 

the song

that has been in my heart 

silent 

unknown

even to me.

Hanuka linda 'sta aki,

ocho kandelas para mi. 

​

Los pastelikos vo kumer, 

con almendrikas i la miel. 

​

Muchas fiestas vo fazer, 

con allegrias i plazer.

​

Una kandelika, dos kandelikas, 

tres kandelikas, kuatro kandelikas,

sintju kandelikas, seysh kandelikas, 

siete kandelikas, 

ocho kandelas para mi.

​

Beautiful Chanukah is here

Eight candles for me. 

I will give many parties

With happiness and pleasure. 

I will eat the little pies 

With almonds and honey. 

​

One candle, two candles, 

Three candles, four candles, 

Five candles, six candles, 

Seven candles, 

Eight candles for me. 

The tune used in "Old Fox Wassail" is found from Northern Europe right down the Balkans. In every country the melody is associated with midwinter rituals, which gives an idea of just how universal these musical charms oncer were. 

​

Here we come a wassailin'

among the leaves so green. 

Here we come a wanderin'

so fairly to be seen. 

Now it's wintertime strangers gather far and near, 

and we wish you, send you a happy new year. 

​

Bud and blossom, bud and blossom

bud and bloomin' bear

so we may have plenty of cider all next year. 

Hatfuls and in capfuls and in bushel bags and all, 

and the cider runnin' out of every gutter hole. 

​

Down here in the muddy lane there sits an old red fox, 

Starvin and a shiverin' and lickin' of his chops. 

Bring us out yer table and spread it if you please, 

only give us hungry was'ilers a bit of bread and cheese. 

​

The lanes are very dirty an' me shoes are very thin. 

I've got a little pocket I can put a penny in. 

If you haven't got a penny, a ha'penny will do. 

If you haven't got a ha'penny then God bless you. 

​

God bless yer men and maidens, 

yer cattle and yer store, 

and all that dwell within yer gates, 

we wish you ten times more. 

​

Now it's winter time, 

strangers travel far and near

and we wish you, send you a happy new year. 

We three kings of Orient are

bearing gifts, we traverse afar. 

Field and fountain, moor and mountain

following yonder star. 

​

Born a king on Bethlehem's plain. 

Gold I bring to crown him again. 

King forever, ceasing never

over us all to reign. 

​

Star of wonder, star of night, 

star with royal beauty bright. 

Westward leading, still proceeding, 

guide us to thy perfect light. 

​

Frankincense to offer have I. 

Incense owns a deity nigh. 

Prayer and praising all men raising, 

worship him God on high. 

​

​

Cold are the people, Winter of life, 

We tremble in shadows the cold endless night, 

Frozen in the snow lie roses sleeping, 

Flowers that will echo the sunrise, 

Fire of hope is our only warmth, 

Weary, its flame will be dying soon. 

​

Voice in the distance, Call in the night, 

On wind you enfold us You speak of the light, 

Gentle on the ear you whisper softly, 

Rumors of a dawn so embracing, 

Breathless love awaits darkened souls, 

Soon will we know of the morning. 

​

Spirit among us, Shine like the star, 

Your light that guides shepherds and kings from afar, 

Shimmer in the sky so empty, lonely, 

Rising in the warmth of the Son's love, 

Star unknowing of night and day, 

Spirit we wait for the loving Son. 

Gloria in excelsis Deo. 
Et in terra pax hominibus
bonae voluntatis.
Laudamus te, 
benedicimus te, 
adoramus te,
glorificamus te.
Cum Sancto Spiritu in Gloria Dei Patris, 
Amen

​

Glory to God in the highest.

And on earth peace

to all those of good will.

We praise thee. 

We bless thee. 

We worship thee. 

We glorify thee. 

With the Holy Spirit

in the glory of God the Father. 

Amen

Ding Dong! Merrily on high, 

in heaven the bells are ringing: 

Ding dong! verily the sky 

is riven with angel singing.

​

E'en so here below, below, 

let steeple bells be swungen,

And io, io, io, 

by priest and people sungen. 

​

Pray you, dutifully prime

your matin chime, ye ringers;

May you beautifully rime 

your evetime song, ye singers

​

Gloria, Hosanna in excelsis!

IT'S THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME

​

It's the most wonderful time of the year. 

With the kids jingle belling

and everyone telling you, "Be of good cheer,"

It's the most wonderful time of the year. 

​

It's the hap- happiest season of all. 

with those holiday greetings, 

and gay happy meetings

when friends come to call. 

It's the hap- happiest season of all. 

​

They'll be parties for hosting, 

marshmallows for toasting 

and caroling out in the snow. 

And there'll be scare ghost stories 

and tales of the glories of Christmases 

long, long ago. 

​

It's the most wonderful time of the year. 

There'll be much mistletoeing 

and hearts will be glowing, 

when loved ones are near. 

It's the most wonderful time, 

It's the most wonderful time,

It's the most wonderful time of the year! 

​

DECK THE HALLS

​

Deck the halls with boughs of holly, 

Fa la la la la, la la la la. 

'Tis the season to be jolly, 

Fa la la la la, la la la la. 

Don we now our gay apparel, 

Fa la la la la, la la la la. 

Troll the ancient yule tide carol, 

Fa la la la la, la la la la. 

​

See the blazing yule before us, 

Strike the harp and join the chorus, 

Follow me in merry measure, 

While I tell of yuletide treasure, 

​

Fast away the old year passes, 

Hail the New Year, lads and lasses, 

Sing we joyous all together, 

Heedless of the wind and weather, 

Fa la la la la, la la la la. 

​

JOY TO THE WORLD

 

Joy to the world! The Lord is come:

let earth receive her King; 

let every heart prepare him room, 

and heaven and nature sing x3

​

He rules the world with truth and grace, 

and makes the nations prove 

the glories of his righteousness 

and wonders of his love, x3

​

O HOLY NIGHT

 

O Holy Night! The stars are brightly shining, 

It is the night of our dear Saviour's birth. 

Long lay the world in sin and error pining. 

Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth. 

​

A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices, 

For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn. 

Fall on your knees! Oh hear the angel voices! 

O night divine, O night when Christ was born;

O night, O Holy Night, O night divine!

I will lie down in autumn

let birds be flying

Swept in a hollow by the wind

I’ll wait for dying I will lie inert unseen

my hair same-colored with grass and leaves Gather me for the autumn fires

with the withered sheaves

I will sleep face down in the burnt meadow

not hearing the sound of water over stones

Trail over me cloud and shadow

Let snow hide the whiteness of my bones

We wish you the merriest yule cheer. 

We wish you the happiest new year. 

May your tree be filled with happiness, 

happiness and friendliness for all. 

May your heart be filled with cheerfulness, 

Happiness and cheerfulness for all.