Day 10 - Christmas - Reflections, Reminiscing, Rememberance

Helen427
Level 10
Auckland, New Zealand

Day 10 - Christmas - Reflections, Reminiscing, Rememberance

Twas the night before Christmas in 1818, Joseph Mohr and Franz Xaver Gruber created the Christmas Carol  "Stille Nacht, Heilige Nacht" Silent Night, Holy Night now the common property of the entire Christian world , was performed for the first time  in Austria .

 

2018 marks the 200th anniversary of this song and may it be played, sung and shared all around the world to unite us in harmony on 24 December 2018.

 

May we all take a step back in time to reflect on what life was like 200 years ago for those who lived and made such incredible contributions to our society.

 

All the best to those who are in Austria for this incredible anniversary, I'm sure that there will be many who visit your lovely country singing this hymn in years to come.

 

Official Website for Commemerations of Stillenacht

https://www.stillenacht.com/en/

 

The Quiet Hour

"Silent Night, Holy Night"

 

High up in the Austrian Alps, in the region known as Tyrol - 'the land in the mountians' - we find the brithplace of the "Silent Night, Holy Night." Here the Tyrloean peaks, world famed for their snow-capped grandeur, rise in the lofty simplicity into the cool clear air, guarding little, smiling, peaceful valleys.

 

"Far up in these Alpine mountian, where a love of music is nature's gift to every child, nestles the remote town of Oberndorf, Austria. Here in 1818 lived a devout young Austrian priest, Joesph Mohr, & his friend, the village school master & church organist, Franz Gruber, who were together destined to give the world this beautiful Christmas hymn. The two men, both great lovers of music, had often talked of the fact that 'the perfect Christmas song had not yet been.

 

"Mediatating on this thought, Mohr sat in his church study on Christmas Eve 1818.

Outside, the hushed stillness of the night heightened the snowclad beauty of the mountian scene. the pure spririt of those high peaks filled his heart with vision of the radiant peace and joy ofthe first Christmas tidings 'Jesus the Saviour is born'. The thoughts which had long been forming in his mind suddenly found clear, musical expression that night in the song which we have come to know as 'Silent Night, Holy Night'.

 

"The next morning, Christmas day, Mohr hurried to his friend's home with the manuscript of his precious song. Gruber read it intently, and exclained with uncontrolled enthusiasm, 'Friend Mohr, you have found it - the right song - God be praised'!

 

"Gruber, thrilled with the spirit of his friend's verses, at once set to work to compose a perfect melody for the 'perfect song'. Fianlly the  soft, flowing air we now use came to him. 'It sings itself, you song,' he criued to the delighted priest. Gruber's real contribution to music lies in the beauty and simplicity of the tune, in is perfect blending in spirit with Mohr's verses. the two men then sang the hymn over together, to have it ready for the church service that night.

 

'Later in the same evening, when the villagers gathered in the gray little mountian church, Mohr and Gruber sang their new Christmas song before its first audience. it touched these listeners deeply, and after the service, they thanked the two friends with tears of joy in their eyes."

 

Silent Night, Holy Night!

All is calm, all is bright,

'Round yon virgin mother and child!

Holy Infant, so tender and mild

Sleep in heavenly peace.

 

Silent Night, Holy Night!

Shepherds quake at the sight!
Glories streamfrom heavens afar,

Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia;

Christ, the saviour is born.

 

Silent Night, Holy Night!

Son of god, Love's pure light,

Radiant beams from Thy Holy face,

With the dawn pf redeeming grace,

Jesus, Lord at Thy birth

 

Silent Night, Holy Night!

Guiding star, lend thy light,

see the eatern wise men bring,

Gifts and homage to our King,

Jesus, the Saviour is born.

 

Text courtesy of the National Library New Zealand  -Papers Past NZ https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/MTBM19391220.2.6

 

 

 

The words of this sacred song were written by Vicar Josef Mohr and the music by school teacher Franz Xaver Gruber, who at it's fiirst performance, on December 24, 1818, accompanied himself on a guitar.

The identical musucial instrument was to be used by Professor Felix Gruber, the grandson of the composer, in singing the carol after the consecration & opening of the chapel at Oberndorf, near Salzburg - text courtesy of Evening Star, Issue 22769, 2 October 1937 Papers Past NZ

 

Mozart's Grand Piano

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ESD19371002.2.30.1

 

 

 

When @Lizzie placed online about the Month of Celebration topic, in my wisdom I thought, what can I write about that may be different so I looked up the year "1818", 200 years ago, in Papers Past and have come up with an array of Past, Present and future items I hope we all can take inspiration from, share, reflect, reminisce and reflect on for the betterment of the whole world.

 

In advance, for those of you reading this topic, I will be posting images that may use up Data on your internet plan so if you are on Limited data save it to read when you are on another device

75 Replies 75
Huma0
Level 10
London, United Kingdom

@Lizzie

 

Well all of that seems like a lifetime ago, so I guess it's okay to forget the confidentiality agreements (can't remember if I signed any or not - old age setting in). But, I do remember meeting both Tony Blair and Gordon Brown while they were prime ministers.

 

Gordon (excuse the familiarity), was shorter than I expected, but actually very, very funny. Not at all the dull type he's portrayed as in the media.

 

Tony (first name basis, obvs.) only impressed me with how orange he was. I don't know if it was a fake tan or not, but he looked like he had been Tango-ed (I'm sure you remember those ads).

 

🙂

 

 

J-Renato0
Level 10
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Wounderful post @Helen427 . I love it.

I did not know that that Christmas song was turning 200 years!

All posts are very good and interesting as well.

Thanks  @J-Renato0  it's a pleasure to share and I to have learnt much about our incredible world Christmas history that we should all be sharing to help educate and learn

 

We are never to young to stop learning from sage one's in the world, are we?

Clara116
Level 10
Pensacola, FL

@Helen427 Wow, what a huge amount of very intriquing information - thanks so much esp. for all the wonderful old photos and history. I haven't read them all but will need more time and plan on it over the next few days.

Blessings, Clara

 

Helen427
Level 10
Auckland, New Zealand

 

 

Thanks @Clara116 , I hope it'll keep you and the family and friends entertained over the Christmas period and beyond

Best wishes

Dieneke0
Level 10
London, United Kingdom

@Helen427 - thanks for sharing this. I love it to find out more about the history and origin of things... it makes you appreciated it more.

 

Happy Christmas.

 

Dieneke 

Helen427
Level 10
Auckland, New Zealand

Thanks @Dieneke0 it's a pleasure and yes it's certainly appreciated we have our National Libraries who have wisely and wonderfully kept and uploaded the history before us - they didn't have things like "fake news" online in those earlier times.

 

Have you looked on your UK National library website for info?

The last time I looked they were as far back as the 1700's with there newspapers

All the best

Helen427
Level 10
Auckland, New Zealand

The Word's largest Christmas cake , alas I'm not quite sure if this is true or a porkie as 5000 eggs is quite a phenomenal number despite the fact that stoves and ovens in this era would have been made of metal it perhaps needs further exploring as to the truthfulness of this story, Tall Story perhaps..??

 

 

WORLD'S LARGEST CAKE. The largest Christmas cake ever made was the monster concoction with which Frederick Wilhelm I of Prussia surprised his soldiers, upwards of 180 years ago. The soldiers, to the number of 30,000, had just concluded a substantial meal when they were astonished to see a strange vehicle of immense size, and drawn by eight horses, approaching. It was ivery heavily laden, and as it drew nearer the load was seen to consist of an enormous cake. Some idea of its dimensions can be gathered from the fact that this amazing cake was 54ft high, 24ft in breadth, and nearly 3ft in thickness. In.jthe making of it some 36 bushels of flouir, one ton of butter, and 5000 eggs had been used up. The ingredients were mixed with 200 gallons of milk, a ton of yeast being added as ft "rising" agency.

 

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/OW19191216.2.193

Helen427
Level 10
Auckland, New Zealand

Jessie Buckland who lived at Highwic House, Newmarket, Auckland baking Christmas cake - 1896Jessie Buckland who lived at Highwic House, Newmarket, Auckland baking Christmas cake - 1896

https://digitalnz.org/records/31911643/mixing-a-christmas-cake

 

Helen427
Level 10
Auckland, New Zealand

630_19.jpg630_21.jpg630_15.jpg

 

Early 1900's Christmas Cards

Helen427
Level 10
Auckland, New Zealand

1005-9679.jpg

 

Showing a barefoot young girl? in a straw hat, clutching a doll and sitting in a chair while holding a chalk board with the words 'Alan? wishes all of you a Merry Xmas'. A child's toy can be seen on a stool to one side, and a door with coloured glass panes is in the background. -1900-1919  circa

 

portrait of a very young girl wearing a frilly bonnet and dress, leaning on a log and holding a sign 'A Merry Xmas'portrait of a very young girl wearing a frilly bonnet and dress, leaning on a log and holding a sign 'A Merry Xmas'

Portrait of a very young girl wearing a frilly bonnet and dress, leaning on a log and holding a sign 'A Merry Xmas'

 

Mistletoe 1899Mistletoe 1899

 

Christmas Expectations

Taken from the supplement to the Auckland Weekly News 23 December 1898, p001

 

Helen427
Level 10
Auckland, New Zealand

AWNS_19351211_p050_i001_vx.jpg

 

NEW ZEALAND'S OPEN-AIR CHRISTMAS: ATTRACTIVE SCENES IN NORTH AND SOUTH ISLANDS WHERE LAKES, SOUNDS AND SEASIDE, THE MOUNTAIN TRACKS, STREAM AND GLORIOUS NATIVE BUSH AFFORD THE HOLIDAY-MAKER AN UNRIVALLED RANGE OF CHOICE

Taken from the supplement to the Auckland Weekly News 11 DECEMBER 1935 p050

 

HAPPY YOUNG NEW ZEALANDERS GREET THE CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY SEASONHAPPY YOUNG NEW ZEALANDERS GREET THE CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY SEASON

 

HAPPY YOUNG NEW ZEALANDERS GREET THE CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY SEASON

Taken from the supplement to the Auckland Weekly News 11 DECEMBER 1935 p043SAFELY ANCHORED DURING THE CHRISTMAS CRUISE: AUCKLAND YACHTS AND LAUNCHES AT TE KOUMA, COROMANDEL, HAURAKI GULFSAFELY ANCHORED DURING THE CHRISTMAS CRUISE: AUCKLAND YACHTS AND LAUNCHES AT TE KOUMA, COROMANDEL, HAURAKI GULF

SAFELY ANCHORED DURING THE CHRISTMAS CRUISE: AUCKLAND YACHTS AND LAUNCHES AT TE KOUMA, COROMANDEL, HAURAKI GULF

Taken from the supplement to the Auckland Weekly News 11 DECEMBER 1935 p057

 

Photographs courtesy of Heritageimages NZ

Helen427
Level 10
Auckland, New Zealand

THE BEACH GIRL. A CHRISTMAS STUDYTHE BEACH GIRL. A CHRISTMAS STUDY

THE BEACH GIRL. A CHRISTMAS STUDY

Taken from the supplement to the Auckland Weekly News 13 DECEMBER 1939 p035CHRISTMAS TRAMPING IN THE SOUTH ISLAND: A VIEW FROM KEY SUMMIT OT MOUNT CROSSCUT, HOLLYFORD VALLEYCHRISTMAS TRAMPING IN THE SOUTH ISLAND: A VIEW FROM KEY SUMMIT OT MOUNT CROSSCUT, HOLLYFORD VALLEY

 

CHRISTMAS TRAMPING IN THE SOUTH ISLAND: A VIEW FROM KEY SUMMIT OT MOUNT CROSSCUT, HOLLYFORD VALLEY -Taken from the supplement to the Auckland Weekly News 13 DECEMBER 1939 p042

 

 

On this 13th day of December 1939, 70 years ago in New Zealand.

 

Have you visited Mount Crosscut, Hollyford Valley?

Helen427
Level 10
Auckland, New Zealand

A MERRY CHRISTMAS  1904A MERRY CHRISTMAS 1904

 

Taken from the supplement to the Auckland Weekly News 15 DECEMBER 1904 p001

 

Who is this young boy cuddling a Lamb?
Where was it taken in New Zealand?

Note the elves and other artworks in the background..

 

Photgraphs courtesy of George Grey Collection,  Heritageimages NZ

 

 

A CHRISTMAS SCENE ON KAWAU ISLAND, AUCKLAND, N.Z.A CHRISTMAS SCENE ON KAWAU ISLAND, AUCKLAND, N.Z.

A Christmas Scene at Kawau Island, Auckland, New Zealand 104 years ago in 1904.

Taken from the supplement to the Auckland Weekly News 15 DECEMBER 1904 p011

 

Helen427
Level 10
Auckland, New Zealand

A modern Maori Christmas 1904A modern Maori Christmas 1904

A Modern Maori Christmas Dinner 1904

 

Taken from the supplement to the Auckland Weekly News 15 DECEMBER 1904 p012

 

COOKING THE CHRISTMAS DINNER IN A STEAM HOLE AT ROTORUA, AUCKLAND, N.Z.COOKING THE CHRISTMAS DINNER IN A STEAM HOLE AT ROTORUA, AUCKLAND, N.Z.

Cooking The Christmas Dinner in a Steam Hole at Rotorua, Auckland, NZ

Taken from the supplement to the Auckland Weekly News 17 DECEMBER 1908 p018