Season's greetings! (It's that time again!)

Cybershot · #2 (**permalink**) 17-12-2010, 12:40 AM

"Chemo" the Snowman sends good wishes to one and all for the Festive Season

Drosera · #3 (**permalink**) 19-12-2010, 12:22 PM

black · #4 (**permalink**) 20-12-2010, 12:15 PM

paul m · #5 (**permalink**) 21-12-2010, 06:32 PM

Greetings to all - a happy solstice which, I believe, is tonight at 00.38 Central European Time/GMT - which is about as close to midnight as you can get for the longest night.
Winteranfang: Die kälteste Jahreszeit beginnt mit der Wintersonnenwende

So the days get longer from tomorrow - Summer's nearly here!

Suzanne B · #6 (**permalink**) 22-12-2010, 01:30 PM

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL

AND ALL THE VERY BEST FOR 2011

basquesteve · #7 (**permalink**) 23-12-2010, 03:11 PM

"]http://

]Worldwide Wildlife and Environment Forum

I have only been a member since March but have learnt so much thank you all

goosey · #8 (**permalink**) 24-12-2010, 07:43 AM

Me again

, but I just wanted to wish you all the best for the coming festivities, and hope you all get where you need to be and your visitors get to you safely.

Eat, drink and be merry, and to you and yours, have a lovely Christmas.

Shirley

x

paul m · #9 (**permalink**) 31-12-2010, 05:20 PM

Happy New Year, people.

I'm, staying in to watch Jools Holland bring in the New Year (although the show was probably recorded in July) - I'm looking forward to seeing Toots Hibbert (of Toots and the Maytals who I saw many years ago) - I had rather assumed he was dead so it will be quite cheering to see him on TV!

Reggae | The Black Past: Remembered and Reclaimed

I hope you all have fun in your own ways!

PS: I'm sure I've asked this before but why is New Year's Eve in France, St. Sylvestre?

goosey · #10 (**permalink**) 31-12-2010, 10:12 PM

Gelukkig Nieuwjaar!

Happy New Year to the world from the very noisy, smokey and firework crazy Netherlands and the old goose herself!

lemars · #11 (**permalink**) 02-01-2011, 08:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by paul m

Happy New Year, people.

I'm, staying in to watch Jools Holland bring in the New Year (although the show was probably recorded in July) - I'm looking forward to seeing Toots Hibbert (of Toots and the Maytals who I saw many years ago) - I had rather assumed he was dead so it will be quite cheering to see him on TV!

Reggae | The Black Past: Remembered and Reclaimed

I hope you all have fun in your own ways!

PS: I'm sure I've asked this before but why is New Year's Eve in France, St. Sylvestre?

Hi Paul - I'm sure others can be more specific than this, but I felt bound to look this up myself.

Sylvester, son of the priest Rufinus, was a Roman, but his origins are obscured by all sorts of legends. His mother’s name was Justa and he was educated by the priest Cyrinus.

He was enormously hospitable and `hosted’ a Christian from Antioch, Timothy, who - after making many converts - was beheaded on the orders of the prefect of the city, Tarquinius.

Sylvester won the martyr's body and, with the Pope Miltiades, buried him near the tomb of St. Paul in the garden of a pious lady, Theon.
Tarquinius then arrested Sylvester and ordered him to deliver Timothy’s property and to deny his faith. Sylvester refused and was sent to prison where he was released after Tarquinius himself was strangled with a fishbone. Pope Miltiades ordained him a priest.

He was elected 33rd Pope - succeeding Miltiades – and maintained his position for 22 years (31st January 314 – December 31st 335) during the reign of Constantine the Great (306 – 337)

He died at an advanced age and was buried in the cemetery of St. Priscilla on the Via Salaria (31 December 335).
The New Year celebration itself has its origins in Rome. The night before Jan. 1, the Romans enjoyed a long and sumptuous meal, while they awaited the arrival of the New Year. According to tradition, the greater the number of courses served during this meal, the more the year would be prosperous and abundant. This tradition radiated out with Roman colonization.

Lemars