posted December 12, 2006 08:07 PM         

In the opening stave of A Christmas Carol Dickens describes Ebenezer Scrooge:

Oh! But he was a tight-fisted hand at the grind- stone, Scrooge! a squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous, old sinner! Hard and sharp as flint, from which no steel had ever struck out generous fire; secret, and self-contained, and solitary as an oyster. The cold within him froze his old features, nipped his pointed nose, shriveled his cheek, stiffened his gait; made his eyes red, his thin lips blue and spoke out shrewdly in his grating voice. A frosty rime was on his head, and on his eyebrows, and his wiry chin. He carried his own low temperature always about with him; he iced his office in the dogdays; and didn't thaw it one degree at Christmas.

External heat and cold had little influence on Scrooge. No warmth could warm, no wintry weather chill him. No wind that blew was bitterer than he, no falling snow was more intent upon its purpose, no pelting rain less open to entreaty. Foul weather didn't know where to have him. The heaviest rain, and snow, and hail, and sleet, could boast of the advantage over him in only one respect. They often "came down" handsomely, and Scrooge never did.

Nobody ever stopped him in the street to say, with gladsome looks, "My dear Scrooge, how are you? When will you come to see me?" No beggars implored him to bestow a trifle, no children asked him what it was o'clock, no man or woman ever once in all his life inquired the way to such and such a place, of Scrooge. Even the blind men's dogs appeared to know him; and when they saw him coming on, would tug their owners into doorways and up courts; and then would wag their tails as though they said, "No eye at all is better than an evil eye, dark master!"

But what did Scrooge care? It was the very thing he liked.

posted December 12, 2006 08:23 PM         

Charles Dickens has probably had more influence on the way that we celebrate Christmas today than any single individual in human history except one.

At the beginning of the Victorian period the celebration of Christmas was in decline. The medieval Christmas traditions, which combined the celebration of the birth of Christ with the ancient Roman festival of Saturnalia (a pagan celebration for the Roman god of agriculture), and the Germanic winter festival of Yule, had come under intense scrutiny by the Puritans under Oliver Cromwell. The Industrial Revolution, in full swing in Dickens' time, allowed workers little time for the celebration of Christmas.

The romantic revival of Christmas traditions that occurred in Victorian times had other contributors: Prince Albert brought the German custom of decorating the Christmas tree to England, the singing of Christmas carols (which had all but disappeared at the turn of the century) began to thrive again, and the first Christmas card appeared in the 1840s. But it was the Christmas stories of Dickens, particularly his 1843 masterpiece A Christmas Carol, that rekindled the joy of Christmas in Britain and America. Today, after more than 160 years, A Christmas Carol continues to be relevant, sending a message that cuts through the materialistic trappings of the season and gets to the heart and soul of the holidays.

Dickens' describes the holidays as "a good time: a kind, forgiving, charitable, pleasant time: the only time I know of in the long calendar of the year, when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely, and to think of other people below them as if they really were fellow-passengers to the grave, and not another race of creatures bound on other journeys". This was what Dickens described for the rest of his life as the "Carol Philosophy".

Dickens' name had become so synonymous with Christmas that on hearing of his death in 1870 a little costermonger's girl in London asked, "Mr. Dickens dead? Then will Father Christmas die too?"

posted December 12, 2006 08:46 PM         

a good time: a kind, forgiving, charitable, pleasant time: the only time I know of in the long calendar of the year, when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely, and to think of other people below them as if they really were fellow-passengers to the grave, and not another race of creatures bound on other journeys.

posted December 13, 2006 10:39 AM         

These days are zooming by. I keep imagining the wonderful kiss and great big hug I am going to get when I walk out of that terminal. I cant wait to give her kissess and hugs also.

We have five months of time to make up for, thats alot of kissess and hugs.....GNAGIB

posted December 13, 2006 12:36 PM         

Yay, you know I'll be waiting there with a big goofy grin on my face.... NP....
waiting for ya honey-buns....

Two Days and a wake up....

I love you Bear!!!

posted December 13, 2006 01:16 PM         

I like the Muppet Christmas Carol the best

posted December 13, 2006 01:19 PM         

There magic in the air this evening
Magic in the air
The world is at her best, you know
When people love and care
The promise of excitement is one the night will keep
After all, there's only one more sleep til Christmas

The world has got a smile today
The world has got a glow
There's no such thing as strangers when
A stranger says hello
And everyone is family, we're having so much fun
After all, there's only one more sleep til Christmas

Tis the season to be jolly and joyous
With a burst of pleasure, we feel it all right
It's the season when the saints can employ us
To spread the news about peace and to keep love alive

posted December 13, 2006 04:19 PM         

I have three more nights to sleep alone on my end before my baby comes home ... He's coming by way of the Meteor shower that Petron posted about on the "heads up" thread

posted December 14, 2006 08:53 AM         

lol this is the best thread!!

posted December 14, 2006 09:40 AM         

I love the way Bear and Pid smooch on line...its wonderful....and for the two lovers...

posted December 14, 2006 09:50 AM         

Who is scroodgiest?

I once heard of a guy that used to cut his teabags in half....and sow em up and use em

Sorry Mak....surely ye like a little romance and passion dont ye?

Me and Blue could do with some words of love and passion on line....any offers guys?

posted December 14, 2006 11:33 AM         

One more day and a wake up. It is and has been a long time since the last I got to see my baby. I cant wait to see and hold my baby.

Walking out of the Airport terminal and seeing my baby's smile is going to be extrememly awesome, I miss it. This is the last time we will ever have to be apart. Yea.

posted December 14, 2006 01:03 PM         

When all the songs are over
and all the words been said
The sun grows dim across the sky
and the world prepares for bed

I oft can take a moment now
to view the sky above
and whisper God a simple prayer
to thank him for your love

xx

posted December 14, 2006 01:19 PM         

How simple my life is now you are here,
How I cherish each breath,
How I crave the light and laughter you have brought me.
I have fallen in love without taking a step,
Fallen into the sweetest of dreams,
How I hope no one wakes me.
The simplest gesture wraps itself around my heart,
Where I will hold it forever.

Each time we say goodbye a part of me weeps,
Though I know it is not forever
To my aching soul it is an eternity.
I see my happiness shine in your eyes,
Every time you hold my hand my heart skips a beat.
How sweet life is to be yours;
How meaningless life is without you.

They know nothing of the loneliness before you
Nothing of the empty tears I cried day after day,
How did you do it, I ask myself,
How did you banish the fear, the darkness?
You have made me see that nothing is that bad,
That I am strong and worthy of happiness,
You have saved me from myself.

Everyday I wake up and smile to myself
Knowing you are waiting for me,
Knowing you can't wait to see me.
How would I go on if you were not there to hold me up,
To bless me with your love and light?
How I am glad you have found me
My life is now complete...
I am home.

posted December 14, 2006 01:49 PM         

Those poems are beautiful.

Still one more day and a wake up. I cant wait until I sleep then all I will have is one more wake up.

posted December 14, 2006 02:20 PM         

We have an 1 1/2 hour drive from the airport to our place. LOL..... think we can make it or will we pull over to... Observe the Geminoid meteor shower LOL....

The poems were beautiful and I have saved them. Hmmm...... thank you all for the compliments.

Bear is a blessing... and quite the man

I love you Bear..... Two more nights of sleeping alone.. then hee hee... we'll be quite busy at night.

posted December 14, 2006 04:23 PM         

To observe

Of course..

Enjoy ... you pair of lovebirds and take some photos will ye...

posted December 14, 2006 04:37 PM         

Obviously something very rude....tut tut.....

posted December 15, 2006 11:22 AM         

I cant spill the beans I am sorry but it something I consider sacred and very special. I will tell you though it is one of many pacts between pidaua and myself. This one is to settle disputes and arguements between us.