It's only a week before Christmas and I thought
it appropriate for us on this Forum to wish
each other all the joys that this season usually
brings. Let us put aside our differences and do
just that. I'll go first:

To all of you:

I wish you joy all through your holidays
I wish you good luck that forever stays
I wish you the love of family and friends
I wish you happy days that never end.

Christmas is full of shiny things
That sparkle, gleam and glow
These holiday pleasures "dazzle us"
And yet, deep down, we know ...

That Christmas has its special gifts
Our year round joy depends
On the cherished people in our lives
OUR FAMILY, and friends!

Wishing all of you
A great day
And an exceptional year!

Holly Jolly...

Happy Festive Season to one and all. Keep safe.

Good Morning Paul,

I was hoping that people would come up with different
greetings in different styles and languages to show
their ancestry and diversity. Perhaps they still will?
One can only hope.

I found a few Aussie style greetings that are fun:

Deck the Halls
With Boughs of Gum Leaves
GALAH-La-La-La-La-La-La!

Then there's the old chestnut:

Dashing through the bush
In a rusty Holden ute
Kicking up the dust
Esky in the boot
Kelpie by my side
Singing Christmas songs
It's Summer time and I am in
My singlet, shorts and thongs

Oh! Jingle Bells, Ji9ngle Bells
Jingle all the way
Christmas in Australia
On a scorching Summer's day
Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells,
Christmas time is beaut
Oh what fun it is to ride
In a rusty Holden ute...

cont'd ...

In Lithuanian to say - " Merry Christmas and
A Happy New Year!" Its:

" Linksmu sv. Kaledu ir Laimingu Naujuju Metu!"

And you can add - "Viso Gero," (Best Wishes).

Hi Foxy,

In the main I don't think we have a very jolly bunch of this Forum.

I know this one;

Hari Kirihimete (Merry Xmas in Maori)

http://youtu.be/75pSQuOaUZQ

I like this one

Hi Paul,

Thank You for the Maori greeting.

I'm still hoping that others will join in - even those
that are not Christians. There are other celebrations
in December apart from Christmas that people can mention.
Hanukkah is one that comes to mind - even though it's
now over - it's worth acknowledging.

Warmth of Joy
Glow of Prosperity
Sparkle of Happiness
May you be Blessed
With All of these
And More!

Wishing You
happy
Hannukkah!

Full of Beauty and Light.

Thank You Paul for Mele Kalikimaka.

Mele Kalikimaka is the thing to say
On a bright Hawaiian Christmas day
That's the island greeting that we send to you
From the land where palm trees sway...

Hi Foxy,

2021 has not been a great year for many Australians, a disaster for some here and elsewhere. Spoke with our "family" in Fiji, my good mate there has had no income for nearly 2 years now, but he continues to help out with the charity 'Fiji Kids', delivering much needed Xmas hampers to needy families this week. Xmas is a special time for most of us, and we should be thankful we live in such a good country.

To all Australians of all political persuasions and faiths,

Merry Christmas and a Happy New year.

Here's a few more Aussie Christmas songs:

Across the plains one Christmas night
Three drovers riding fe, fey, fley
Looked up and saw a starry light
More radiant than the Milky Way

And on their hearts such wonder fell
They sang with joy, "Noel! Noel!"

The air was dry with summer heat
And smoke was on the yellow moon
But from the heavens faint and sweet
Came floating down a wondrous tune

And as they heard they sang full well
Those drovers three, "Noel! Noel!"

The black swans flew across the sky
The wild dogs called across the plain
The starry lustre blazed on high
Still echoed on the heavenly strain
And still they sang "Noel! Noel!"
Those drover three "Noel! Noel!"

___________________________________________________

Out on the plains the brolgas are dancing
Lifting their feet like warhorses prancing
Up to the sun the woodlarks go winging
Faint in the dawn light echoes their singing
Crana! Orana! Orana to Christmas Day

Down where the tree ferns grow by the river
There where the waters sparkle and quiver
Deep in the gullies bell birds are chiming
Softly and sweetly their lyric notes rhyming
Orana! Orana! Orana to Christmas Day

Friar birds sip the nectar of flowers
Currawongs chant in wattle tree bowers
In the blue ranges lorikeets calling
Carols of bush birds rising and falling
Orana! Orana! Orana to Christmas Day

The Telegraphists Greeting;

MRY XMAS es HPY NY es 73s 88s

de 73 BAZ ar

To everyone on the Forum, I do hope you have a very happy and relaxing Christmas, and a productive and 'healthy' 2022.

Thanks to everyone who have joined in to wish all
the posters on this forum a Merry, Bright, and Happy
Christmas and New Year.

I wonder how many of us use "Merry" or "Happy" in
our wishes for this season - and where did these
terms come from?

I'll have to look them up.

May every one of you of goodwill experience peace and joy as you spend time with family and understand why it is called Christmas.

Should we say - "Happy Birthday Jesus?"
Instead of "Merry Christmas" or "Happy Christmas?"

The word Christ comes from the Greek word "Christos"
which comes from the Hebrew meaning "Messiah."
The Messiah, in Judaism, is the name of the expected
king meant to deliver the Jewish nation, according to
Britannica.

There's more information about Christmas here:

http://whychristmas.com/customs/25th.shtml

Jesus' name in Hebrew was "Yeshua" which translates to
English as Joshua.

Yeshua, means Saviour - those that surrounded the birth of Jesus believed he would save Israel as a people from Roman occupation. Even his disciple did not fully understand his mission and were questioning him about when he would overcome the occupation forces. From the beginning of his mission the leader of the zealots in the wilderness expected him to join them to overthrow the Romans. However, he knew his mission was greater than Israeli nationalism, from the very commencment as he speaks of the faith of Gentiles that upset his Jewish listeners at Synagogue. Those with political and religious influence tried to take him out, but his life brought new hope to the World.

Josephus,

Here's something you might enjoy reading:

http://huffpost.com/entry/six-surprising-way-jesus_b_1773225

A YEAR TO REMEMBER - 2021.

World-wide pandemic

Travel ban

Lockdowns

Online school

Mask wearing

Hand sanitizer

Work from home

Sports cancelled

Hairdresser, beauty salon, cancelled

Entertainment - cancelled

Social distancing

Vaccinations

First Christmas
In Our New Home

Not so Merry and Bright, but doing our best.

Peace and Joy to All and a Healthy and Safe New Year!

Hi Foxy,

Hope the new house is working out well. This year, dead on the travel front, one trip to Byron NSW nowhere else. Sad, NZ and Fiji are calling. Promised our two favourite moko's (grandchildren, boy 15 and girl 16) a holiday, their pick. They want to go on a cruise, they have never been on a decent holiday, so a cruise it is, maybe in 2023.

Funny, grandson asked what am I going to do with my R M Williams gear. I said; "Now, or when I'm dead" He said; "I can't wear your stuff, like when you're dead".."Why not, I won't need it...okay go and get that black R M Williams shirt and try it on"...now I'm minus a shirt and a hat.

Dear Paul,

Well we're almost there with our Christmas celebrations.
For us Christmas Eve is the special night. I've made my
herrings with their special marinade and I'm about to
start on the Russian salad. The prawns have been ordered
for pick up, the ham is in the fridge, the Yule log
is ready and I'm counting off the time.

Please give our Best Wishes to your wife and family.
Take care and stay safe.

Thanks Foxy, all the best to you and your family for Christmas. Not sure whose coming, but Te Aroha has enough kia (food) to feed an Army.

Funny, Te got me to invite some friends over for Xmas afternoon....good no prob. She said; "Did you ask if they're vaccinated?"..."No I didn't"...."Well, you're going to have to ask them"...."ME, WHY ME?"...and if they say no?

Hi Paul,

Vaccinations are a problem.

My brother and his entire family are not vaccinated.
Not sure what we're going to do when they visit us
in Melbourne later in the year.
Fingers-crossed that they will change their minds by
then.

Merry Christmas everyone.
Stay safe.