Merry Christmas and goodwill to all!
My parents and I, plus one of my cousins, went to church for Christmas Eve service, which is always a musical event and usually has songs and narration in English. This year the songs were in English but the narration was in Mandarin. The service was jam-packed with Mandarin-speaking members because their usual service is on Friday evenings anyway, so it was easy to get them to come out. Not very many English-speaking people there, though. The sermon was in Cantonese with an English translation.
One of the songs the choir sang was "The Holly and the Ivy", which is not one of the Christmas hymns we traditionally sing at our church--too many pagan elements, I think. But it got me thinking... the song is perfect for the Christmas chapter of my Harry Potter fic. (Yes, everything is about Harry Potter these days.) Harry is a Christ-like redeemer figure, and it's no coincidence that he carries a wand made of holly. Anyway. I'll shut up now and give you the song.
The Holly and the Ivy by Mediæval Bæbes
The holly and the ivy, when they are both full grown,
Of all the trees that are in the wood, the holly bears the crown.
Oh, the rising of the sun and the running of the deer,
The playing of the merry organ, sweet singing in the choir.
The holly bears a blossom as white as lily flower,
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ to be our sweet saviour
Oh, the rising of the sun and the running of the deer,
The playing of the merry organ, sweet singing in the choir.
The holly bears a berry as red as any blood,
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ to do poor sinners good.
Oh, the rising of the sun and the running of the deer,
The playing of the merry organ, sweet singing in the choir.
The holly bears a prickle as sharp as any thorn,
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ on Christmas Day in the morn.
Oh, the rising of the sun and the running of the deer,
The playing of the merry organ, sweet singing in the choir.
The holly bears a bark as bitter as any gall,
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ for to redeem us all.
Oh, the rising of the sun and the running of the deer,
The playing of the merry organ, sweet singing in the choir.
Another version, Winchester Cathedral Choir, 1986.
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One of the songs the choir sang was "The Holly and the Ivy", which is not one of the Christmas hymns we traditionally sing at our church--too many pagan elements, I think. But it got me thinking... the song is perfect for the Christmas chapter of my Harry Potter fic. (Yes, everything is about Harry Potter these days.) Harry is a Christ-like redeemer figure, and it's no coincidence that he carries a wand made of holly. Anyway. I'll shut up now and give you the song.
The Holly and the Ivy by Mediæval Bæbes
Click to viewThe holly and the ivy, when they are both full grown,
Of all the trees that are in the wood, the holly bears the crown.
Oh, the rising of the sun and the running of the deer,
The playing of the merry organ, sweet singing in the choir.
The holly bears a blossom as white as lily flower,
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ to be our sweet saviour
Oh, the rising of the sun and the running of the deer,
The playing of the merry organ, sweet singing in the choir.
The holly bears a berry as red as any blood,
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ to do poor sinners good.
Oh, the rising of the sun and the running of the deer,
The playing of the merry organ, sweet singing in the choir.
The holly bears a prickle as sharp as any thorn,
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ on Christmas Day in the morn.
Oh, the rising of the sun and the running of the deer,
The playing of the merry organ, sweet singing in the choir.
The holly bears a bark as bitter as any gall,
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ for to redeem us all.
Oh, the rising of the sun and the running of the deer,
The playing of the merry organ, sweet singing in the choir.
Another version, Winchester Cathedral Choir, 1986.
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comment(s)