"One can never have enough socks," said Dumbledore. "Another Christmas has come and gone and I didn't get a single pair. People insist on giving me books."
J. K. Rowling
Showing posts with label Christmas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Christmas. Show all posts
Wednesday, 25 December 2013
Tuesday, 24 December 2013
A Visit from St. Nicholas
A Visit from St. Nicholas
A Visit from St. Nicholas
'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;
The children were nestled all snug in their beds;
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads;
And mamma in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled our brains for a long winter's nap,
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.
The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow,
Gave a lustre of midday to objects below,
When what to my wondering eyes did appear,
But a miniature sleigh and eight tiny rein-deer,
With a little old driver so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment he must be St. Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name:
"Now, Dasher! now, Dancer! now Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! on, Cupid! on, Donder and Blixen!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!"
As leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky;
So up to the housetop the coursers they flew
With the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too—
And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.
He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;
A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a pedler just opening his pack.
His eyes—how they twinkled! his dimples, how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard on his chin was as white as the snow;
The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke, it encircled his head like a wreath;
He had a broad face and a little round belly
That shook when he laughed, like a bowl full of jelly.
He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself;
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk,
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose;
He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight—
“Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!”
Source: The Random House Book of Poetry for Children (Random House Inc., 1983)
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;
The children were nestled all snug in their beds;
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads;
And mamma in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled our brains for a long winter's nap,
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.
The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow,
Gave a lustre of midday to objects below,
When what to my wondering eyes did appear,
But a miniature sleigh and eight tiny rein-deer,
With a little old driver so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment he must be St. Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name:
"Now, Dasher! now, Dancer! now Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! on, Cupid! on, Donder and Blixen!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!"
As leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky;
So up to the housetop the coursers they flew
With the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too—
And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.
He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;
A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a pedler just opening his pack.
His eyes—how they twinkled! his dimples, how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard on his chin was as white as the snow;
The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke, it encircled his head like a wreath;
He had a broad face and a little round belly
That shook when he laughed, like a bowl full of jelly.
He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself;
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk,
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose;
He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight—
“Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!”
Source: The Random House Book of Poetry for Children (Random House Inc., 1983)
Monday, 16 December 2013
Literary Gift Company
For those of you who are still Christmas Shopping, and for you all to keep in mind for birthdays etc, there is a really lovely website that supplies a hand-picked selection of beautiful and practical gifts for book lovers, including clothing, jewellery, perfume, reading tools, games, and much much more.
Wednesday, 11 December 2013
UCSU: Blackpool Rocks Festival
The University of Cumbria is sponsoring Blackpool Rocks – the biggest indoor winter music festival in the North West. The festival takes place at Blackpool Winter Gardens on Saturday 21 December with The 1975, Disclosure and Wretch 32 headlining.
As part of our sponsorship, students are being offered a fantastic
travel and ticket deal for £36. This includes return travel through Stacey’s
Coaches with pick-up and drop-off points
in Carlisle, Ambleside and Lancaster.
Ticket bookings can be made by ringing Stacey’s Coaches on 01228 511127.
If you want to buy a ticket without travel, Blackpool Rocks is offering
a no booking fee discount to students which costs £26.50 and can be
bought here.
For more details about the festival and the full line-up, click here.
This is a fantastic way to start the Christmas break and with a
fantastic line-up at such an inexpensive cost who could resist!!
Monday, 18 November 2013
'A Christmas Carol' at The Dukes Theatre
The Dukes present their unique take on this seasonal classic.
It's Christmas Eve in Lancaster and the miserly Ebenezer Scrooge is looking forward to yet another night with perfect company: Himself. But little does he know of the fun and fantasy that fate has in store for him tonight...
When three spirits come knocking in turn, Scrooge must come face to face with the consequences of a lifetime of bitterness and discover the true meaning of Christmas in the process.
Charles Dickens' memorable story is given a proper Northern twist in an all new adaptation by Debbie Oates that is packed with songs, humour and plenty of Bah Humbug.
Price ranges from £5.00 - £16.50 for a ticket, and groups of five or more qualify for a new Friends & Family offer.
(The preview is on 29th November and all tickets are £5.00)
The play will be run from Fri 29 Nov 2013 to Sat 4 Jan 2014.
For more information and booking go to http://www.dukes-lancaster.org/christmas.
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