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C2 Georgetown f Acton Dec 1382 Feast of lights in SJ merrie old England Over yean ago Council of Tours that the days through Epiphany which falls on January were a time of festivity The Feast of This day known is England It became customary through the centuries lor the reigning King of Twelfth Night revels by throwing dice In the 17th century Charles played for high stakes winning ISO pounds one and losing 100 pounds the next both open tremendous sums for Festivities- included a King and Queen of the feast Slic es of a plum cake containing a bean and a pea were served and the man who Rot the bean and the woman who got the pea were crowned King and Queen With toasts to the royal pair the party got into full swing Revels wound up with final kisses under the mistletoe Customers Thank You for your patronage over the past year We wish you health happiness from management and staff at to On behalf of all my friends and neighbors I am making a donation to Georgetown Hospital in lieu of sending Christmas cards IvanCrabtree merry Christmas to all with special to all our customers Lit GLEN ALUMINUM Fred Micallef Season to and one peace and toq and fie ptospect of a and Satisfying ikAx os a note of cheer at HALTON HIUS ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR On hot mas a Sa gl I over iho Id moss a oy new si no you and you Ch a I FIRST LINE TELEVISION SALES SERVICE Music expresses mans feelings at Christmas Across the centuries man has still celebrated as St Basil day In looked music to express his happy Greece and children receive their feels al Christmas time Christmas gifts on thai day Ben Van Doom Gary Don Seddon Sana Mark Handy Mike Noble OpenMon tow From the medieval Mary full of grace to the modern White Christmas and Rudolph the Red- Nosed Reindeer songs have been a favorite part of Christmas tkms In the tradition of Christmas music there are simple carols blending reverent wonder with quiet joy Martin Luther s Away in a Manger for Instance or the the mid nineteenth century hymns It Came upon a Midnight Gear We Three Kings of Orient Are Little Town of Bethlehem There are merry songs ing the mood of the such as the time honored Deck iho Hoi Is or the modern Rudolph and Frosty the Snowman Composers Inspired Famous composers have had Christmas ration tor some of their most renowned music At Christmas and Easter loo people gather hear performances of Han del Messiah Bach Christmas Oratorio and Berlioz du are other examples of serious music often specialty per formed at Christmas Twentieth century composers too have written music around Christmas hemes Probably the most la miliar example is Mcnotti Amahl and the Night Visitors an opera commissioned for television and performed annually Christmas Cantata and Britten Ceremony of Carols are other notable examples To Honor St Basil S nee the herald angel sang bringing glad lid ngs of great joy shepherds watching their flocks the people of many lands have contributed to the history of Christ maa hymns and carols In the fourth century St Basil the Great of Greece emerged victorious in his struggle for Christianity with the Byzantine Emperor Julian To celebrate this victory a musical poem or carol was sung in his honor The first day of the New Year is Tudor Time In England during Tudor times Christmas celebrations began on All Saint Day November 1 and continued until Candlemas on February The Lord of Misrule acted as a master of ceremonies a I the festivities Much of the music tor all this merrymaking was extemporaneous Many songs were passed by word of mouth from genera I ion to songs such as The Boar Head Carol referring to the board or pig which was tradl tional at the Yule and The First Now ell First Christmas carol composed In the United States was the work of an iBth century leather worker named William Billings A tanner by trade but a by inclination Billings composed the carol A Vir gin Unspotted The song one that Is still sung and few hymnals now include It but carol singers today owe William Billings a considerable debt gratitude During Puritan limes in England the singing of carols and indeed the whole celebration of Christmas was banned The Puritan minded American colonics followed suit Billings more than any other Individual who managed to persuade the Puritan New land settlors that singing songs at Christmas I sinful Source of Song Among the well loved Christmas hymns Is It CamC Upon a Midnight Clear Tho words to this one were by a Unitarian minister of Weston Mass named Edmund II Scars Time Just about a hundred years ago One melody of this hymn was composed by a Detroit journalist and editor another melody was adapted from an old British folk tune by a composer better known for his long string or light hearted operetta hits This was Sir Arthur Sullivan of the team Gilbert and Sullivan Let us give you the BIRD may jrow enjoy the MntxHUMied spirit and Joy of to friend John Jewellers DOWNTOWN GEORGETOWN 8774313 ACTON 8530921