Ġēolamonaþ¹

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Okay, another post with a foreign title, this one is the Anglo-Saxon name for December (and January as well). In Old English it was called "geōla" which apparently means Yule.

Languages, I find them interesting.

But yes, December, what I think of as the Christmas month (being Christian) but it is also the month of Hanukkah. There are other holidays from other cultures and religions in this month but, honestly, I don't really care. Not in my wheelhouse, not in my tradition. It's not that I dislike those holidays, it's just that I don't celebrate them so why fret over them?

When I was a kid (long, long ago) there was, to my knowledge, a single Jewish family in my home town. Well, it was the only Jewish family with a kid in my grade in school. Heck, there may have been others, I just didn't know about them and it isn't critical to my story. (You knew there was a story coming, right?)

Anyhoo, there was a Jewish girl in my class. I don't remember if she got Hanukkah off or not.  I don't think so. We thought it kind of sucked that she had a holiday and had to be in school. Yes, she did get Christmas off. Seemed odd at the time. That was pretty much my introduction to different religions/cultures when I was a kid. No big deal.

Oddly enough I knew a number of people who had big issues with Catholicism. Growing up it seemed that there weren't all that many of them. We had more Russian Orthodox when I was a kid than Catholics. At least that's how I remember it. (I think that these days they don't call themselves "Russian" Orthodox back home, just Orthodox.) Honestly, I had no idea what that meant back in the day. (Yes, I do now.)

I have learned over the years that people are much the same anywhere you go, different customs sure, some of them very bizarre to a generic westerner, but not all that different with regards to dreams and aspirations. Unless you're talking politicians, they all pretty much suck, no matter where you go. (I'm sensing a trend here in my distain for those who seek to hold power over others, because really, that's what it is, IMHO.)

Yes, I have drifted away from my point. Yes, there is a point.

Christmas is definitely my favorite time of year. I have many happy memories as a kid of this holiday. All centered around family. Parents, brothers, grandparents, uncles, aunts, and cousins. Colorful lights, Christmas trees, gifts under the tree, Christmas carols, lots of good things to eat, and games, there were always board games.

My brother The Olde Vermonter and I usually got a board game for Christmas, something military-related usually. Something along these lines -

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Yes, it had little plastic Fokker D-VIIs and SPAD-13s on little stands. Great fun. There were others -

• Battle Cry, American Civil War (1961)
• Broadside, War of 1812 naval (1962)
• Dogfight, World War I aerial (1963)
• Hit the Beach, World War II amphibious (1965)
• Skirmish, American Revolution (1975)

We had the first four, the fifth came along when were older and out on our own. (If I had known about it, I would have bought it, I've always been into military board games.)

But as the uncles, aunts, cousins, and grandparents began to leave on the evening of Christmas Day, The Olde Vermonter and I would load up a couple of plates with Christmas goodies (grapes, crackers, cheese, nuts, various chocolate yummies and the like) and head up to the only room uncluttered with Christmas stuff in the house, my parents' bedroom.

There, on a throw rug at the foot of the bed, we'd play whatever game we got for Christmas that year and often dig out the one (or more) of the ones from previous Christmases. Good times, fondly remembered.

Another thing we did in the weeks leading up to Christmas was go to the Christmas fair at our church. We'd paint Nativity figures, attempt to build wreathes, and eat whatever goodies the church ladies had brought. In the evening we'd go upstairs to the sanctuary and watch our church's Christmas play.

My Mom and another lady always sang What Child is This? (my mother is a wonderful singer). The highlight of the play was when the three kings arrived. A classmate of mine's Dad was always one of those kings, and hearing him sing We Three Kings in his basso profondo voice was awesome. I can hear that to this day.

It was a candlelight service and that's when it felt like Christmas really began. Rather appropriate that it felt to me that Christmas was really here after a church service. I mean that is what the holiday is all about, innit?

The coming of the Lord.

Ah, such happy memories.

No doubt I shall share more of these over the coming days. From when I was a kid, to when my kids were still at home. Christmas should be centered on the Lord, surrounded by family.

It is the Way.

¹ Se mōnaþ is nemned on Leden Decembris, and on ūre geþeōde se ǣrra geōla, forðan ða mōnþas twegen syndon nemde ānum naman, ōðer se ǣrra geōla, óðer se æftera. (Olde English - translation below.)

The month is called in Latin December, and in our language geōla for two months enjoy the same name; the first one Se Ǣrra Geola [The Preceding Yule] and the other Se Æftera [The Following]. (Source)