And to all a good night!
Today is Christmas Eve..amazing how fast it comes every year. Just a few nuggets of trivia to share:
On this day in:
1777 - Kiritimati, also called Christmas Island, was discovered by James Cook.
1814 - The Treaty of Ghent was signed which ended the War of 1812.
1818 - "Silent Night" composed by Franz Xaver Gruber.
1906 - The first radio program, consisting of a poetry reading, a violin solo, and a speech, is broadcast
1914 - World War I: The "Christmas truce" begins.
1939 - World War II: Pope Pius XII makes a Christmas Eve appeal for peace
1953 - NBC's Dragnet becomes the first network-sponsored television program
1968 - Apollo Program - The crew of Apollo 8 enter into orbit around the Moon, becoming the first humans to do so.
Also as was pointed out to me a few nights ago, many faiths share the holiday season. So in this spirit, I'd like to pass on the following greetings:
To our Jewish friends:
Hanneirot hallalu anachnu madlikin 'al hannissim ve'al hanniflaot 'al hatteshu'ot ve'al hammilchamot she'asita laavoteinu bayyamim haheim, (u)bazzeman hazeh 'al yedei kohanekha hakkedoshim. Vekhol-shemonat yemei Hanukkah hanneirot hallalu kodesh heim, ve-ein lanu reshut lehishtammesh baheim ella lir'otam bilvad kedei lehodot ul'halleil leshimcha haggadol 'al nissekha ve'al nifleotekha ve'al yeshu'otekha.
Translation: "We light these lights For the miracles and the wonders, for the redemption and the battles that you made for our forefathers, in those days at this season, through your holy priests. During all eight days of Hanukkah these lights are sacred, and we are not permitted to make them serve except for to look at them in order to express thanks and praise to Your great Name for your miracles, Your wonders and Your salvations."
----Traditional Hanukkah Blessing
To our Wiccan and Pagan friends:
May the blessings of the God and Goddess be upon you in the coming year. May the good you perform in Their name come back to you threefold.
To our Christian friends:
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have eternal life."
--- John 3:16
To all of our non-religous friends:
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!"
--- " 'Twas the Night Before Christmas
Here's to everyone we know and love...take care of yourselves;stay warm and safe. Give twice as often to others as you do yourself and tell those around you how lucky you are to have them near. Merry Christmas!
On this day in:
1777 - Kiritimati, also called Christmas Island, was discovered by James Cook.
1814 - The Treaty of Ghent was signed which ended the War of 1812.
1818 - "Silent Night" composed by Franz Xaver Gruber.
1906 - The first radio program, consisting of a poetry reading, a violin solo, and a speech, is broadcast
1914 - World War I: The "Christmas truce" begins.
1939 - World War II: Pope Pius XII makes a Christmas Eve appeal for peace
1953 - NBC's Dragnet becomes the first network-sponsored television program
1968 - Apollo Program - The crew of Apollo 8 enter into orbit around the Moon, becoming the first humans to do so.
Also as was pointed out to me a few nights ago, many faiths share the holiday season. So in this spirit, I'd like to pass on the following greetings:
To our Jewish friends:
Hanneirot hallalu anachnu madlikin 'al hannissim ve'al hanniflaot 'al hatteshu'ot ve'al hammilchamot she'asita laavoteinu bayyamim haheim, (u)bazzeman hazeh 'al yedei kohanekha hakkedoshim. Vekhol-shemonat yemei Hanukkah hanneirot hallalu kodesh heim, ve-ein lanu reshut lehishtammesh baheim ella lir'otam bilvad kedei lehodot ul'halleil leshimcha haggadol 'al nissekha ve'al nifleotekha ve'al yeshu'otekha.
Translation: "We light these lights For the miracles and the wonders, for the redemption and the battles that you made for our forefathers, in those days at this season, through your holy priests. During all eight days of Hanukkah these lights are sacred, and we are not permitted to make them serve except for to look at them in order to express thanks and praise to Your great Name for your miracles, Your wonders and Your salvations."
----Traditional Hanukkah Blessing
To our Wiccan and Pagan friends:
May the blessings of the God and Goddess be upon you in the coming year. May the good you perform in Their name come back to you threefold.
To our Christian friends:
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have eternal life."
--- John 3:16
To all of our non-religous friends:
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!"
--- " 'Twas the Night Before Christmas
Here's to everyone we know and love...take care of yourselves;stay warm and safe. Give twice as often to others as you do yourself and tell those around you how lucky you are to have them near. Merry Christmas!