Christmas Eve

 

Arthur Rackham illustration for Twas the Night Before Christmas

Hope by Sliman Mansou

And here's a cute early rendition of Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer! It seems Montgomery Ward had a promotion in 1939 which meant giving a story book to each child entering their stores. Here's the link to Open Culture's article about the Origin of Rudolf the Red-nosed Reindeer

Short video is an early cartoon of the story, 

 1948 | 35mm | Max Fleischer Christmas Cartoon

Today's quote:

I don't believe in playing down to children, either in life or in motion pictures. I didn't treat my own youngsters like fragile flowers, and I think no parent should. Children are people, and they should have to reach to learn about things, to understand things, just as adults have to reach if they want to grow in mental stature. Life is composed of lights and shadows, and we would be untruthful, insincere, and saccharine if we tried to pretend there were no shadows. Most things are good, and they are the strongest things; but there are evil things too, and you are not doing a child a favor by trying to shield him from reality. -Walt Disney, entrepreneur and animator (1901-1966)

Dali's version of Santa

Charles Schulz gave us many sweet comics with a group of children and a few animals.

The celebration continues

While I'm visiting family in FL...so glad to see them, and to be here in December (you know why!) I do want to keep posting. Why do you think I have a laptop! Here're some oldies you might enjoy.

 

Macy's Parade, 1924 with Central Park Zoo elephants

First balloon animal in Macy's Parade was Felix the Cat. "Floats" may be the theme for my post.

Macy's Parade, 1930

The last float in the Asheville Thanksgiving Parade 2023. Black Mountain had it's Christmas Parade Dec. 2 this year.

I hope all my Sepia Saturday blogging friends have a very Happy Christmas, and a Merry New Year. See you in 2024! (I'll have some blogs here for the non-SS folks)

Sharing with Sepia Saturday for these 2 weeks!  

What somber people in North Carolina in 1956! Goodness!

Note the car for little boy on far left.

About 1916-17 Uncle Chauncey in the Auto, and Junior (my father, George Rogers) wearing a tin pail or such. My father had been born in 1914...So it's a guess as to dates. Chauncey was born in 1912 so they were close in age.

Today's quote:

The gift of disappointment is to bring us into reality so we don’t get stuck in the realm of how things might have been.

More to come...

 

And if you like the jazz of A Charlie Brown Christmas...enjoy the next 30+ minutes below. Includes fireplace log video.

Dali's version of the Three Wise Men

Today's quote:

Can anything be sadder than work left unfinished? Yes, work never begun.

 -Christina Rossetti, poet (1830-1894)

Winter Solstice wishes

 

Today around 10:30 pm is Winter Solstice. 

Starhawk in her book "The Fifth Sacred Thing" talks about a future where people would wish each other well by saying "May you never Hunger," to be answered by "May you never Thirst."

With climate catastrophe looming, having food and water available is an important part of our lives, or those of our children and their children. Remember the phrase of thinking of the seven generations to come? 

When I wish peace on earth I'm thinking of this, not so much of the wars that are so awful and continuing. The seventh generation to come.

What I tell my students, when they feel singularly unfortunate to
be born in this moment, is - 

"this is your moment, the moment your
soul showed up incarnate.  In this world.  It is an astonishing moment
to be alive.  You could have been born into a lull - instead you were
born into a tipping point. It's your one life and you've entered it at
a flexion point - a point when everything you do matters.  How
often in history does a soul get to live in such an era?  Don't waste it.
Show up for it.  With everything you've got.  Some will invent,
some will organize, some will witness, some will grieve, some
will console.  Live this life now.  Even if in fury and grief, live it.

You don't want to die not having lived.  It's incredibly easy to find
a way around experience rather than through it.  But you will have
cheated yourself out of ..... your life.  You are
here now.  Now is the time to live fully, not hide, not escape."

Jorie Graham

Winter Solstice Deer by Rion Wang

WINTER SOLSTICE PRAYER by Mary Saracino

Deep night, Dark night

Night of the longest sigh

Soulful night, Sacred night

Night of the longest dreams

Cold night, Holy night

Night of unfurling desires

Womb of the world, Birther of hope

Bringer of peace and good will

Pray, pray for all good things

That suffering for all will end

That life will thrive and generosity reign

In the hearts of all humankind

That joy will rise and children will fly

On wings of prosperity

Oh hear our plea, this silent night

When the moon is round in the sky

When hopes are high and eyes are wide

with delight and audacity

May Love prevail tonight, and always

Leading us back to our Source

May we dance with the dark, without hesitation or fear

And savor her promise of plenty

Deep night

Dark night

Night of the longest sigh

May our weary hearts stay vigilant and receptive

To all that is loving and dear

Four days till Christmas

Changes at Newgrange. This is an ancient site where the Winter Solstice is celebrated by the sun coming down the chamber to the back wall. It was sitting intact for centuries, until in the 20th century engineers decided to improve upon it.

Signs2

 

I admit to staying  up many a midnight hour looking at the ancestors who lived before me! What an interesting bunch of people they were!

This is probably why my ancestors are such interesting people!

Today's quote:

I think that I shall never see / A poem lovely as a tree. 

-(Alfred) Joyce Kilmer, journalist and poet (1886-1918) 

A special gift of this season, one I attribute to Solstice, Jethro Tull sings Ring Out These Bells.

Winter Solstice is tomorrow

Christmas is 5 days away.

While this didn't get added to the Signs2 meme, it is there in spirit.

I'm traveling south today and tomorrow, at 70 mph and stops for my 81 year old body's needs, it is a 9.5 hour trip that I'll easily need 2 days of driving to accomplish. I'm being careful, following the law, and hoping that everyone is also who's on the highways this week with me.

I do hope I can find a room at the inn tonight, I'm not very good sleeping in the car...what's that, you have barn room at half price? Mmmm, maybe. Depends on the animals. I cuddle with selective little animals, preferably cats.

Just saying...

These are serious anthropologists!

The stars and balls got it wrong, it's just two days till Winter Solstice!

Now this is a Father Christmas I could imagine sharing some great presents with me.

I'm not sure black people would want this guy with his list of the good kids. It's more likely PC people will purchase him and make him stand in public places where blacks might see him. 

St. Patrick's Cathedral 2017 New York City

Six days till Christmas

Today's quote:

That is happiness; to be dissolved into something complete and great. 

-Willa Cather, novelist (1873-1947)