'Twas The Night Before GeneaChristmas!

Another tradition! A version of "Twas The Night Before" has been posted by footnoteMaven every year since December 24, 2007. The only changes have been to include advances in technology and now, social media. So as you wait for Santa, please enjoy!




‘Twas the night before GeneaChristmas and from coast to coast,
every GeneaBlogger had penned their last post.

Had told Christmas stories both merry and bright
while blog caroling old favorites on YouTube all night.

There’d been last minute Tweets, facebooking and song.
We’d shared Christmas memories, all played along.

Nothing’s left for us now but to track Old St. Nick;
New Jersey, Missouri, Seattle, he’s quick.

Before this night’s over his reindeer’ll alight
on the roof tops of GeneaBloggers to right

The wrongs of the census, transcription, and fire;
to give each of us our one true heart’s desire.

Please, one missing ancestor, one smashed brick wall,
then dash away, dash away, dash away all.

I’ve not been naughty, I've tried hard to be nice.
Collecting old photos my one proven vice.

Reward me dear Santa I’ll promise you this;
the year 2014 will be one not to miss!

And I heard him exclaim ere he drove out of sight.
Merry Christmas To All and To All A Good Night!

Do You Hear What I Hear?

Said the footnoteMaven to the Bloggers all
Do you hear what I hear?
Ringing thru the web, Bloggers all
Do you hear what I hear?

A song, a song
With a Christmas Ring

Why it must be Blog Caroling

Why it must be Blog Caroling 


Thank You All For Keeping This Tradition
It  is better late than not at all.
And sharing is what Christmas is all about!
I enjoyed each and every one of your carols
I listened to each beautiful arrangement
and I loved them!

Merry Christmas!

Come Blog Caroling With Us

Songs, songs
sung by a choir of
Genealogy, Family History and FaceBook Angels,
Blog Caroling!

Let The Blog Caroling Begin!  
Select the name of the Blog to view the carol.
 

Bill West, of West in New England blog carols The Wexford Carol, my personal favorite. Yes, Bill, great minds!

Vickie Everhart of BeNotForgot carols "From Christmas Day 150 years ago . . . I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day . . ." Thank you Vickie! So good to carol with you.

Carol - Reflections From the Fence says Here is mine, Merry Christmas fM. Celebrating the reason for the season, again, yep, the threepeat! Well, if it's good enough for a threepeat it must be special. Merry Christmas Carol!

 

Denise Olsen - "Over at Moultrie Journal we're Decking the Halls with a bit of Geneablogging Christmas goodness past . . ." This is a can't miss.

Here's mine - it's a Huron Indian Carol which all Canadian school children learn. From  Lorine McGinnis Schulze of the Olive Tree Genealogy blog comes T'was in the Moon of Wintertime. In the Huron Language it is Jesous Ahatonhia. I have provided the YouTube video of it sung in Huron, French and English.What fun!

Heather Wilkinson Rojo - Nutfield Genealogy caroling Si Me Dan Pasteles said..."Thanks for hosting the blog caroling again this year! Merry Christmas!" So glad we could all get together! Merry Christmas to you!

Linda McCauley of Documenting The Details recommends we listen to a Christmas Carol on a steel drum. Oh, Linda, I like it!

Kristin carols along with Carol of the Bells on Finding Eliza -Unique, clever and oh so entertaining! Go see this one.

From Susan Clark, "Merry Christmas! We are caroling at Nolichucky Roots, singing an anthem from long ago choir days. Sing We Noel sparks many memories." Everything's better with a little history, especially Christmas!

 

Jacqi Stevens raises her virtual voice - "After a bleak year, A Family Tapestry is Adding A Hopeful Voice to Blog Caroling with the Gloucester Cathedral Choir's tender offering of Gustav Holst's setting to Christina Rossett's poem, "In the Bleak Midwinter." Merry Christmas, footnoteMaven, and thanks for once again hosting this charming digital tradition." I know a little something about bleak Jacqi so thank you very much for taking the time to carol with us this year. Merry Christmas and may your New Year be bright.

 

Debra Newton-Carter of In Black and White : Cross Cultural Genealogy says "I hadn't thought of it this year until I saw your post...thanks for the invitation! This isn't a true carol in the musical sense, but it is a favorite Christmas song. I hope you enjoy it: Mary Did You Know." I enjoyed it very much! 

 

Cheri Hudson, Carolina Girl Genealogy, gives us her Father's memory of his Mother. Her contribution -Jolly Old St. Nicholas. A 1949 rendition. Oh, I like this!

Jill Ball, Genius, tells us she's "I'm in with another Australian favourite. So appropriate today in Sydney where the mercury has hit 95f. You can find The three drovers at the Geniaus blog. Merry Very Warm Christmas to you and the Mister, Jill.

Shelley of My Genealogical Journey greets us with, "Compliments of the Season to all. We are blog caroling again this year with Jingle Bells From Stanley and the Ten Sleepless Nights." Try it, you'll love it! Why, I'd be sleepless in Seattle for this carol.

Nancy says, "Oh, footnoteMaven, I was afraid you weren't going to lead the choir this year. I'm so glad you've invited us to carol with you again. I'm singing at My Ancestors and Me and other relatives too. Thanks and Merry Christmas to you and yours." Yes, Nancy love, late but in the spirit. And a very Merry Christmas to your family, ancestors and other relatives too!

From Fran Ellsworth, Branching Out Through The Years, "Merry Christmas! Learned something this year reflected in While Shepherds Watch Their Flocks." It's always good when you can put genealogical finds to good work Caroling! Merry Christmas!

Lisa, A Light That Shines Again, really has the spirit! "Hello dear footnoteMaven! I've joined you for some caroling once again. This time it's "The Twelve Days of Christmas". I've shared the lyrics (in Irish and English) and the back story about the song's hidden meaning within my article "God in a pear tree: The hidden meaning behind 'The Twelve Days of Christmas.' A very Merry Christmas to you, your family, and all of your readers."

 

And one more for you from, 100 Years In America, in which I share my favorite Christmas song ("O Holy Night") and some special memories of Christmas Eve.

 

And I couldn't resist: just one more! "'Don't blow the tall white candle out...': A song for Christmas Eve, from Small-leaved Shamrock."

 

Merry Christmas Lisa Love, your Christmas joy and enthusiasm are infectious! Sing on!

 

And too adorable to miss is our own Missy Corley, Bayside Blog, singing her way through Christmas for all her friends! "My Holiday Recording Debut!" Oh Missy, I'm so glad you gave us this peek into your childhood. Adorable!

 

Kellie Reeve Griffith, The People In The Pencil Box, gives us a television tradition. "For 27 years, Darlene Love has been a special guest on the Late Show with David Letterman for his last show before Christmas." This is a real treat! Thank you Kellie.

 

My dear friend Becky Jamison of Grace and Glory joins the Caroling with Joy To The World. And with all this joyous noise, at such late notice, it proves there is real 'Joy In The World."'

LisaMary Wichowski of Taphopolis (say that twice), carols with Lulaby To Jesus and sends blessings to us all. And to you LisaMary a very Merry Christmas. May all your research wishes come true.

Denise Levenick, The Family Curator sends us a "Merry Christmas to You and Yours! With love from Penny D. - Still loving "Silent Night," especially this version." Oh, PennyD, it would not be Christmas without your post.

From our very own Dear Myrt, Where Are You Christmas! Pat Richley-Erickson, tells us; I pray for the peace and love, tenderly sung by a girl of tender years. Though we come from all walks of life, with different religious beliefs, one thing rings true -- the desire for peace and love among family and dear friends.

Merry Christmas, dear, dear fm, and Mr. Maven. It's been rough, but we are glad to see you are both on the mend. May the new year bring additional miracles of health and strength. And to quote another "tiny person", Dicken's Tiny Tim, "God bless us everyone!" Oh Pat, how I do love you! Merry Christmas to you and Mr. Myrt from the Maven Mansion. Where Are You Christmas? You're in our hearts this time of year!

 

And From My Friends On Facebook:

Jo Graham I'm being lazy - "Child in a Manger" "AKA "Leanabh an Aigh" or just plain "Bunessan", after the village on the Island of Mull where Mary MacDonald who wrote it lived. She died in 1872 and as a Gaelic-speaker, she never learned English, but many English versions can be found online. It's sung to the tune of "Morning has Broken". Enjoying the carols, Footnote Maven, better (and more meaningful to us genies) than the radio can come up with! "So true Jo!

 

Libbi Powell Crowe sends us a beautiful Angels We Have Heard on High!  Words: Tra­di­tion­al French car­ol (Les Anges dans Nos Cam­pagnes); trans­lat­ed from French to Eng­lish by James Chad­wick in Crown of Je­sus, 1862. Music: Gloria (Barnes), French car­ol mel­o­dy; ar­ranged by Ed­win S. Barnes. Thank you so, Libbi, for making this a real Christmas!

 

Skip Murray (Kim Place) says "I pick the same favorite Carol every year, it really is my fav. No time to blog this year, but can't resist an opportunity to join in a sing a long. This year, I present for your listening pleasure, a modern version of my fav, instead of the traditional large choir version. Enjoy! No matter what Holiday you celebrate this time of year, I wish each and everyone of you Love and Joy!" I can't thank you enough for taking the time to carol along from the comfort of faceBook. A very Merry Christmas, baby!

 

Doris Irene Buckley Haskell "My favorite is Joy to the World. Merry Christmas!" I love that one as well. Merry Christmas to you!

 

And my own, Good Bloggers All This Christmas Time - The Wexford Carol.

---

 

Well, by now my friends there have been enough bells ringing for each of us and those we love to be wearing wings. I wish you all a Merry Christmas and the very best of new years!

Trivia:

carol. French carole. Originally a song to accompany dancing,
but later, by common usage, it came to refer to old,
Christmas-season religious songs.

Caroling, also known as wassailing, actually began in medieval times as a pagan ritual. The wassail, a hot beverage usually made with hot ale or mulled cider, was a ritual honoring the apple and fruit orchards in the dead of winter. Farmers went from farm to farm pouring wassail on the roots of trees while making a lot of noise to scare off the bad spirits responsible for making the days shorter and colder. Eventually the custom of going door to door singing and drinking became a Christmas tradition. (This is one of the many versions of the story of caroling, but all agree it is rooted in pagan ritual.)

Carols were formerly sung at large Christmas feasts and family dinners, in the open air on Christmas Eve or Christmas morning, and at the time of public worship in the churches on Christmas Day.

You will note as you travel around caroling that the women singers far outnumber the men.

Perhaps this explains why:

In Pasquils' "Jests," an old book published in 1604, there is a story of an eccentric knight who, at a Christmas feast which he had made for a large number of his tenants and friends, ordered no man at the table to drink a drop "till he that was master over his wife should sing a carol."

After a pause one poor dreamer alone lifted his voice, the others all sitting silent and glum. Then the knight turned to the table where the women sat, and bade "her who was master over her husband" sing a carol. The story says that forthwith "the women fell all to singing, that there was never heard such a catter-walling piece of musicke."

Good Bloggers All This ChristmasTime

The Wexford Carol
("Good People All, This Christmastime")
(Enniscorthy Carol)

carol. French carole. Originally a song to accompany dancing,
but later, by common usage, it came to refer to old,
Christmas-season religious songs.

To Blog Carol I have selected probably the best known of Irish Christmas songs (and my very favorite carol), "The Wexford Carol." The Wexford Carol has roots reaching back to twelfth century Ireland, traceable to the proximity of the County and town of Wexford. The Wexford Carol was included in The Oxford Book of Carols and tells the story of the birth of Christ.

It is interesting to note that Christmas carols were rare in Ireland, but County Wexford has a 300 year tradition of handing down carols from generation to generation. Families in the area were each entrusted with a carol and with sharing that particular carol with the generations. During Christmas the carols were sung in the homes of these families and in the church by the choir. The choir consisted of six men who sang the carols unaccompanied.

Please sing along with this beautiful rendition; YoYo Ma and Allison Krauss performing The Wexford Carol.

Good people all, this Christmas time,
Consider well and bear in mind
What our good God for us has done,
In sending His beloved Son.
With Mary holy we should pray
To God with love this Christmas Day;
In Bethlehem upon the morn
There was a blest Messiah born.

The night before that happy tide
The noble virgin and her guide
Were long time seeking up and down
To find a lodging in the town.
But mark how all things came to pass:
From every door repelled, alas!
As long foretold, their refuge all
Was but a humble oxen stall.

Near Bethlehem did shepherds keep
Their flocks of lambs and feeding sheep;
To whom God’s angels did appear
Which put the shepherds in great fear.
“Prepare and go”, the angels said,
“To Bethlehem, be not afraid;
For there you’ll find, this happy morn,
A princely Babe, sweet Jesus born.”

With thankful heart and joyful mind,
The shepherds went the babe to find,
And as God’s angel has foretold,
They did our Savior Christ behold.
Within a manger He was laid,
And by His side the virgin maid
Attending to the Lord of Life,
Who came on earth to end all strife.

Merry Christmas

I hear you singing, my friends.
How I love Blog Caroling!!
What a joyous noise we will make
when we all come together to sing-along.

Remember, you have until midnight in
Hawaii, Today, to sing-along!

We will assemble Monday, December 23
to tour all the Caroling Blogs! 

fM's Tradition of Blog Caroling!

Yes, Geneabloggers it's time for fM's favorite Christmas tradition. From the comfort of my blog, with Hot Toddy in hand, my flannel jammies and furry slippers on, I will blog my favorite Christmas Carol on Sunday, December 21. (I sing so much better online than in person!)

So my fellow GeneaBloggers, I challenge each of you to blog your favorite Christmas Carol - Blog Caroling. We'll all sing along! (Blog Caroling is posting the lyrics, youtube video, etc. of your favorite Christmas carol on your blog.)

Blog Carol between today and Monday, 23 December. Post a note to the comments for this article directing us to your Blog Caroling Post and I will create a listing of all our favorites. (Please list Your Name, Blog Name, Favorite Carol and the link to your post in the comments below.)


If you sing along with us, feel free to snag the Victorian Santa Blog Caroling Badge above. When you select the badge, select "Save As" and choose the .png file. This has a transparent background and will show minus the white background.