The True Spirit of Christmas

A Hindu family in the UK has been opening their shop on Christmas Day for the past 23 years to provide companionship to locals who might otherwise be alone during the holiday. The Patel family, who run the store in Seaton, Devon, offer free mince pies, sherry, and coffee to visitors. Their tradition began in 2000 when they noticed that some community members had nowhere to go on Christmas. The Patels' gesture has been warmly received, with many locals expressing gratitude for the sense of community it fosters.

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The jingle bell story

Long ago, in the crisp winter of 1857, a man named James Lord Pierpont penned a tune that would echo through the ages. At the time, it bore the title "One Horse Open Sleigh," a lively melody inspired not by yuletide celebrations but by the thrill of sleigh races in Medford, Massachusetts. In those days, sleigh riders often tied jingle bells to their horses and sleighs—not for decoration, but for safety. The cheerful jingling alerted others to the sleigh's approach, especially in the snowy hush of winter when visibility was low. This simple precaution became the heartbeat of Pierpont’s joyous song, capturing the spirit of dashing through the snow.

The song made its debut at Boston's Ordway Hall, performed by Johnny Pell and the spirited Ordway's Aeolians. Though not originally written with Christmas in mind, it began its journey into history. In 1889, banjo player Will Lyle recorded it on an Edison cylinder, making it one of the earliest examples of recorded music. Unfortunately, that version is lost to time, but an early vocal rendition titled "Sleighride Party" survives, a testament to the song’s enduring charm.

In the decades that followed, "One Horse Open Sleigh" began to drift into the arms of the holiday season. By the 20th century, with the rise of phonograph records and radio, its merry tune found a home in the hearts of Christmas revelers. A pivotal moment came in 1943, when Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters released their rendition, sealing its fate as a timeless Christmas classic.

What began as a practical tool for sleigh rides, jingling to keep the snowy roads safe, transformed over time into a melody synonymous with the holiday spirit. From snowy sleigh rides in Massachusetts to carolers around the globe, "Jingle Bells" has jingled its way into the hearts of millions, a festive anthem of joy and cheer.

Original Lyrics

Dashing through the snow,

 In a one-horse open sleigh,

 O'er the fields we go,

 Laughing all the way.

 Bells on bob tail ring,

 Making spirits bright,

 What fun it is to ride and sing,

 A sleighing song tonight! 

 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! 

 A day or two ago,

 I thought I'd take a ride 

And soon, Miss Fanny Bright,

 Was seated by my side,

 The horse was lean and lank,

 Misfortune seemed his lot ,

He got into a drifted bank,

 And then we got upsot,

  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! 

 A day or two ago,

The story I must tell,

 I went out on the snow,

 And on my back I fell,

A gent was riding by,

 In a one-horse open sleigh,

 He laughed as there I sprawling lie,

 But quickly drove away,

  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 ,

And sing this sleighing song,

Just get a bobtailed bay ,

Two forty as his speed,

 Hitch him to an open sleigh,

 And crack! You'll take the lead ,

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!

Remembrance Day

Some events were waiting to happen in history and they would have one way or the other. Following the assassination of the Archduke Ferdinand II, the heir apparent of the powerful Austro-Hungarian Empire, they declared war against Serbia. To help the Serbians Russians joined the war and soon Germany joined the war to help AustriaHungary. The various alliance treaties of the time brought Britain and France to the war on the side of Russians, soon many countries joined the war in Europe, Africa, Arabia, Asia..

The war took a name of its own, "The Great War../..The World War". The death and destruction caused by the war took an epic proportion, never before has so many died, wounded and cities and countries destroyed as the war continued for four long years. 

On the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918 an Armistice or a truce was signed. The day began to be called as Armistice day and later became  Rememberance Day remembering all the soldiers who fell in the war.

On November 11 everybody wear a red poppy made of silk or paper on their shirts and holds a minute or two of silence in memory of the dead. Why Poppies?

The simple and the common red poppy flower was the first flower that grew over the marked and unmarked tomb of the fallen soldiers in the battlefield.

Flanders is in Belgium which became a killing field just like Dunkirk became in the second world war two decades later. It was one of the many battlegrounds of the long war. 

A Canadian soldier fighting on the side of Allies wrote this poem which is like A rememberance day Anthem.

There is no better love than giving up one's life for one's brothers. 

Our Sikh regiment fought for Britain in the war in Europe, Arabia, Jerusalem... 

Almost every British India town has a cenotaph which is a monument raised to the memory of the dead who are buried elsewhere. We have two at Fort Cochin.

The cenotaph infront of the first European church in India, St. Francis CSI Church, Fort Cochin. 

Durham Miners' Banners

The Miners banners of Durham

All Saint's Day

 November 1: All Saint’s Day

Hebrew 11:40 “That they without us should not be made perfect.”

“They” are those who have walked the walk, ran the race, fought the fight and passed out of sight. But with the passage that follows, which I understand to be an illustration taken from the arena with its surrounding tiers of watchers, it surely must mean this; we and they are still parts of one another; our victories delight them, fill up the measure of their perfection of joy, because they delight in Him who is their sole delight. Let us give joy to the Heavenly host to-day. They are somewhere near enough to see us. Let us give joy to their Lord and ours by being, as never before, all one in the love that passes knowledge. “Beloved, let us love.”

Amy Carmichael of Donhavur (1867-1951)

Ride forth Singing!

 

Ride forth singing.

If thou hast a fearful thought, share it not with a weakling; whisper it to thy saddle-bow, and ride forth singing.

King Alfred the Great

Have I a fear that Thou dost know?

Fear of weakness, fear of failing

(Though Thy power is all-prevailing)

Or a haunting fear of bringing

Care to others?

 

“Share it not with a weakling;

Whisper it to Thy saddle-bow,

And ride forth singing.”

 

Many fears can murmur low;

Fear of ills the future holdeth

(Though, indeed, Thy grace upholdeth),

Dulling fear and fear sharp stinging,

Fear that tortures.

“Share it not with a weakling,

Whisper it to thy saddle-bow,

And ride forth singing.”

 

 Amy Wilsom Carmichael

1867-1951

“Without vision people Perish.”

Amy was a Church of England’s missionary representing the  Zenana Missionary Society. She came to India  in 1895 from Ireland, lived and worked in India till her death on 16 January 1951, three years after independence. She did not return to England even for once since her arrival. Though the English Missionaries as a policy did not interfere with the traditions and social customs of the country Amy’s and Reverend Thomas Walker ’s (Walker Aiyyah (Salutation with respect, elder brother)) work among the temple children put her in the danger of being arrested and imprisoned, eventually her involvement  led to the enactment of a law abolishing the Deva Dasi practice in Indian temples.

The bringing up and maintenance of the children and widows she saved from difficult life circumstances paved way for the founding of the Dhonavur Fellowship in the village of Dhonavur in Tirunelvelli district of Tamilnadu in South India. She became a mother to hundreds of children  and gave them hope and good chance in life. The fellowship was self-sustained with their own farms, cattle, homes, schools, hospital, and workshop for skill development and is spread over 400 environmental and eco sustainable acres of land making Amy one of the pioneering environmentalist of our country. The DF is still active and continues to do Amy’s  good work.

She wanted to be one with the ones she served unlike others who maintained the difference. She dyed her body with coffee to look brown and wore the Indian cotton saree (blue Sheela) and is accredited as one of the first to adopt Indian Sarees among the missionaries.

In 1931 at the age of 64 she had an accidental fall which forced her to remain housebound till her death in 1951. She used the time well to read and meditate and wrote 17 of her 35 books which included her missionary experience, poems, devotional songs, prayers etc. depicting her spiritual evolvement over the years. The last two years of her life she was completely bed ridden after another fall in the house, her mind and intellect remained active till three days before her death when she fell into a coma and died at the sun rise of 16 January 1951.

Her children and the missionaries who have come from different parts of the world and volunteered to work for her without any salary took very good care of her during this period of house boundness and carried on the activities of the fellowship. She wanted her grave to be unmarked but her children put a granite bowl of water for the birds she liked very much with a simple inscription, “Amma 18-1-1951”.