Filed under: Uncategorized
Carol: Silent Night
(This isn’t one of Heartland’s official Christmas carols, but students often know it!)
History: “Silent Night” was first a German song.”Stille Nacht” was first performed in 1818 at a church in Oberndorf, Oberndorf, Austria. A young Catholic priest, Father Joseph Mohr, had come to Oberndorf the year before. Father Joseph wrote the words. The melody was composed by Franz Xavier Gruber. On Christmas Eve 1818, Mohr brought the words to Gruber and asked him to compose a melody and guitar accompaniment for that night’s mass, because the church organ didn’t work. “Silent Night” is the world’s most popular Christmas carol, and has been translated into over 300 languages.
Lyrics:
Silent night, holy night
All is calm, all is bright
‘Round yon virgin Mother and Child
Holy infant so tender and mild
Sleep in heavenly peace
Sleep in heavenly peace
Silent night, holy night!
Shepherds quake at the sight!
Glories stream from heaven afar;
Heavenly hosts sing Al-le-lu-ia!
Christ the Savior is born!
Christ the Savior is born!
Christ the Savior is born!
Silent night, holy night
Son of God, oh, love’s pure light
Radiant beams from Thy holy face
With the dawn of redeeming grace
Jesus, Lord at Thy birth
Jesus, Lord at Thy birth
Jesus, Lord at Thy birth
Filed under: Uncategorized
Theme: Christmas Carols sung at Heartland
Carol: Frosty the Snowman
History: Gene Autry got a songwriting team, Nelson and Rollins, to try writing yet another Christmas hit song. Autry recorded this song in 1950, and it was so popular that a children’s book was written about Frosty. In 1969, a TV show was made about Frosty, with narration by the famous actor Jimmy Durante. Fun fact: like “Jingle Bells,” there is no mention of Christmas in this song!
Lyrics:
Frosty the Snowman
Was a jolly happy soul
With a corn cob pipe and a button nose
And two eyes made out of coal
Frosty the Snowman
Is a fairytale they say
He was made of snow, but the children know
How he came to life one day
There must have been some magic
In that old top hat they found
For when they placed it on his head
He began to dance around
Oh, Frosty the Snowman
Was alive as he could be
And the children say he could laugh and play
Just the same as you and me
Thumpety thump thump, thumpety thump thump
Look at Frosty go
Thumpety tump thump, thumpety thump thump
Over the hills of snow
Frosty the Snowman
Was a jolly happy soul
With a corn cob pipe and a button nose
And two eyes made out of coal
Frosty the Snowman
A fairytale they say
Was made of snow
But he came to life one day
There must have been some magic
In that old top hat they found (some magic in that hat)
For when they placed it on his head
He began to dance around
Frosty the Snowman (snowman)
Knew the sun was hot that day (hot that day)
So he said, “Let’s run, and we’ll have some fun
Now before I melt away”
Frosty the Snowman
Had to hurry on his way
But he waved good-bye, saying, “Don’t you cry
I’ll be back again some day!”
Filed under: Uncategorized
Theme: Christmas Carols sung at Heartland
Carol: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
History: Rudolph first appeared in a 1939 children’s colouring book, written by Robert Louis May for the American department store Montgomery Ward. Robert May said his daughter liked reindeer, and he said he was treated like Rudolph as a child. While May was staring out his office window in downtown Chicago, a thick fog blocked his view—giving him a flash of inspiration. “Suddenly I had it!” he recalled. “A nose! A bright red nose that would shine through fog like a spotlight.” May got Johnny Marks to write a song about Rudolph, Gene Autry recorded the song in 1949, and a Christmas television show about Rudolph was made in 1964.
Lyrics:
You know Dasher and Dancer and Prancer and Vixen
Comet and Cupid and Donner and Blitzen
But do you recall
The most famous reindeer of all?
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
Had a very shiny nose
And if you ever saw it
You would even say it glows
All of the other reindeer
Used to laugh and call him names
They never let poor Rudolph
Join in any reindeer games
Then one foggy Christmas Eve
Santa came to say
“Rudolph, with your nose so bright
Won’t you guide my sleigh tonight?”
Then how the reindeer loved him
As they shouted out with glee
“Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
You’ll go down in history”
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
Had a very shiny nose
And if you ever saw it
You would even say it glows
All of the other reindeer
Used to laugh and call him names
They never let poor Rudolph
Join in any reindeer games
Then one foggy Christmas Eve
Santa came to say
“Rudolph, with your nose so bright
Won’t you guide my sleigh tonight?”
Then how the reindeer loved him
As they shouted out with glee
“Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
You’ll go down in history”
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Carol: Jingle Bells
History: It was written by James Lord Pierpont, possibly in 1857. It might have been for a church choir, or it might have been a drinking song. No one knows for sure. It became associated with Christmas because of its winter theme. It is the first Christmas song ever recorded, too, in 1898! A plaque at 19 High Street in Medford, Massachusetts, USA, commemorates the “birthplace” of “Jingle Bells”, claiming Pierpont was inspired by the town’s popular sleigh races during the 19th century.
Lyrics:
Dashing through the snow
In a one-horse open sleigh
O’er the fields we go
Laughing all the way
Bells on bob-tails ring,
Making spirits bright.
What fun it is to ride and sing
A sleighing song tonight, oh!
Jingle bells, jingle bells,
Jingle all the way.
Oh what fun it is to ride
In a one-horse open sleigh, hey!
Jingle bells, jingle bells,
Jingle all the way.
Oh what fun it is to ride,
In a one-horse open sleigh.
Now the ground is white,
Go it while you’re young.
Take the girls tonight,
Sing this sleighing song.
Get a bobtailed bay,
Two forty for his speed,
And hitch him to an open sleigh,
And you will take the lead.
Oh, jingle bells, jingle bells,
Jingle all the way.
Oh! what fun it is to ride,
In a one-horse open sleigh, hey!
Jingle bells, jingle bells,
Jingle all the way.
Oh! what fun it is to ride,
In a one-horse open sleigh,
Oh, what fun it is to ride
In one horse open sleigh!
Filed under: Uncategorized
Theme: Christmas Carols sung at Heartland
Carol: Here Comes Santa Claus
History: In the 1940s, cowboy movie star Gene Autry got the idea for the song after riding his horse in the 1946 Santa Claus Lane Parade in Los Angeles, U.S.A., because the people watching started chanting “Here comes Santa Claus!” Gene Autry first recorded the song in 1947; it became a big hit, and has been popular ever since. This song is one of Teacher Jeneen Tomko’s favourites!
(Thanks to Wikipedia.org and Encyclopedia.com for information about this week’s carols.)
Lyrics:
Here comes Santa Claus, here comes Santa Claus, right down Santa Claus Lane
Vixen and Blitzen and all his reindeers pulling on the reins
Bells are ringing, children singing, all is merry and bright
So hang your stockings and say your prayers, ’cause Santa Claus comes tonight
Here comes Santa Claus, here comes Santa Claus, right down Santa Claus Lane
He’s got a bag that’s filled with toys for boys and girls again
Hear those sleigh bells jingle jangle, oh what a beautiful sight
So jump in bed and cover your head, ’cause Santa Claus comes tonight
Here comes Santa Claus, here comes Santa Claus, right down Santa Claus Lane
He doesn’t care if you’re rich or poor, he loves you just the same
Santa Claus knows we’re all God’s children, that makes everything right
So fill your hearts with Christmas cheer, ’cause Santa Claus comes tonight
Here comes Santa Claus, here comes Santa Claus, right down Santa Claus Lane
He’ll come around when chimes ring out that it’s Christmas morn’ again
Peace on Earth will come to all if we just follow the light
So let’s give thanks to the lord above, ’cause Santa Claus comes tonight
Here comes Santa Claus, here comes Santa Claus, right down Santa Claus Lane
Vixen and Blitzen and all his reindeers pulling on the reins
Bells are ringing, children singing, all is merry and bright
Hang your stockings and say your prayers, ’cause Santa Claus comes tonight
Filed under: Uncategorized
Theme: Christmas
Word: (Christmas) stocking (noun)
Meaning: a large sock that children leave out (for example on a mantle) when they go to bed the night before Christmas so that it can be filled with presents
Examples:
- My Christmas stocking is filled with clementines, walnuts, chocolate, and small presents!
- Should I get my dogs Dexter and Aurora stockings too?
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Theme: Christmas
Word: tinsel (noun, uncountable)
Meaning: long pieces of thin, shiny material used as decoration, especially for Christmas and Christmas trees
Examples:
- Tinsel is not as popular anymore because it’s not environmentally friendly.
- Do you have tinsel on your Christmas tree?
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Theme: Christmas
Word: mistletoe (noun, uncountable)
Meaning: an evergreen plant (= one that never loses its leaves) that grows on trees, with small, white fruits and pale yellow flowers. Mistletoe is often used as a Christmas decoration, and it is traditional to kiss someone under it
Examples:
- Mistletoe makes great Christmas decoration, but you don’t have to kiss anybody if you don’t want to!
- Is mistletoe common in your country?
Filed under: Uncategorized
Theme: Christmas
Word: ornament (noun)
Meaning: decoration for your Christmas tree
Examples:
- There are many different kinds of ornaments. I put classic ornaments on my tree as well as funny ones!
- What type of Christmas ornaments do you like?
Filed under: Uncategorized
Theme: Christmas
Word: garland (noun)
Meaning: A garland is a decorative braid, knot or wreath of flowers, leaves, or other material. Garlands can be worn on the head or around the neck, hung on an inanimate object, or laid in a place of cultural or religious importance.
Examples:
- Garlands look great on bannisters and mantels.
- You can shop for garlands at places like Canadian Tire.
Heartland English School - Word of the Day 