The Forum Advent Calendar - 1st December 2009

[gisela]

continuing December 13th

Here is the background of Saint Lucia (Lucy)
Saint Lucy - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This catholic saint celebration has been mixed in with other traditions. In the middle-ages the 13th was the longest night because of a flaw in the old calendar. Superstition and misunderstandings brought a "work-stop" on Lucia day. All work had to stand still as otherwise the "Lusse-man" would make trouble at the mill or in the barn or whatever. Lucia was confused with Lucifer and people were a bit scared and stayed indoors.
Although.... apparently they also partied like one could only do in the old days. Because the lent(?)(fast?) began Lucia day, eating had to be at an absolute maximum during the night, and this was the longest night, so plenty of time to stuff yourself. Whole pigs were eaten and lots of dancing, crossdressing(!) sometimes with masks, and going in gangs from house to house preferrably acting ridiculous :lol: Briinging a cow around dressed up and with candles somehow attached to the head was also "fun"
Sorry for the confusing and non existing timeline. I think we've moved into the 1800's now.
Someone thought these customs were too unrefined and sometime during 1700-1800 a possibly german tradition of angelic-like girls giving out presents got blended into it. This mix slowly spread throughout the country and became the event it is today.
Choosing the Lucia is always a controversial happening and many argue that the "beauty and popularity" contest is not inline with a modern equal society.
Anyway, this tradition is not going away anytime soon.

These are the buns we eat. They are sooo yummy
Saffron bun - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
How to make Lussekatter - a story about lussekatter, lucia, santa lucia, lussebulle, lussebullar on CommunityOfSweden.com
I hope you enjoyed a look into the scandinavian customs for a day.

Gisela

 

[Mosaic]

Sounds like a fun time the St Lucia Day festival. Thanks for sharing that Gisela. Learning about other cultures customs is very interesting.
~Mosaic

 

[Daimona]

Today is Lucia day! It's a BIG tradition in Sweden and quite a bit smaller in Denmark. I believe it is also celebrated in Norway and maybe some other countries around here but I am not sure about how much.

Oh yes, it's celebrated in Norway as well - but we got the tradition from Sweden. In Norway it is celebrated mostly in schools and kindergartens, but of course some grown-ups to it for fun as well (often making it some kind of parody). I've asked some German and Swiss friends of mine, but they had never heard of this tradition.

I was actually Lucia this afternoon - with my shamadan. :lol: The plan was to have some cute kids opening the concert (i.e. the traditional Lucia), but they had to pass it on and me and some other folks stepped in. I got to be Lucia, because of my shamadan (if not me, some of the men would have been Lucia instead ), and the others trotted after me in togas made from bedspreads with candles and glitter in their hair while singing.

I planned to videotape it to show you, but unfortunately, the lady handling my camera didn't make it and all I've got was a single photo worthy the first prize of worst photo while performing ever; I looked like a fat ghost trapped in a chandelier with Christmas tree glitter all over… :lol:

 

[Shanazel]

After two months of almost constant problems with my internet and computer viruses, I am sooooo grateful to be able to be back in time for the Advent Calender. I've gone through the whole thread today and am feeling deliciously cozy. MMMWHAH! And big hugs to all participants. I hope I can come up with something half as lovely for the twentieth- and that viruses and Bresnan will allow me to share it.

 

[Mosaic]

Daimona, you have to show us the photo, it sounds wonderfully funny from your description.

Shanazel, glad you are back and able to enjoy the advent calendar... look forward to your contribution!
~Mosaic

 

[gisela]

Thank's for adding your story Daimona! And you know of course which thread to post your "worst performance picture" in :lol:?!

Good to have you back, Shanazel!

 

[Prusilusken]

14 th DEC 2009

*Stumping around frantically because I don't have the time to finish the drawing I planned to share with you guys...deciding if the sketches are worth sharing or if I should rather finish the project and share it later in december...*

:think: Toughie! :think:

Oh, Well - at least I also had these lovely links planned out for you already :

First up is an open invitation to join me while I'll be watching THIS event! :dance::

All about Project CYBER GYPSY - a webcast dance performance

And then, because I am really more of a yule person than christmas person, and because I think this is just a lovely song:



And finally THIS - because it just cracks me up to no end!!! :lol:



Now I venture out into the quarter-of-an-inch of snow we just had to thoroughly enjoy the last gypsy- and tribal classes of the year 2009.

Thanks Gisela - And YAY! We have snow!!!

 

[gisela]

Weee! Thank's!
I am already "going" to the cybergypsy project. It'll be very interesting to see how it's done and recieved.
BTW if you want to embed videos- ONLY put the numbers after the = sign between the youtube-codes, NOT the entire url, and it should work.

Wow :shok: you have snow?! We don't, and we are only like what 30 minutes apart? I bet it's coming soon ! I can't wait!

 

[karena]

Thanks Gisela and Prusiluskn :clap:

I was in Denmark about this time last year and it snowed. Very xmassy. Although it was just rain by the time I wandered round Tivoli Gardens. Very xmassy though.

 

[Mosaic]

That was a great lot of goodies Prusilusken. The cyber gypsy dance sounds great, I will try to work out the time so i can see it as well.
~Mosaic

 

[Aniseteph]

15th December

Hey Khanjar, Fairytale of New York is my favourite too, sooo Christmassy.

Here's the Walking in the Air sequence from The Snowman. I've chosen it for fuzzy Christmas nostalgia value, and because it's got some local features for me. The golden building is the Brighton Pavilion, then they fly out over Brighton Pier.



The snow is not representative of normal Christmas weather conditions on the South Downs though. . Last year we just got a couple of inches in February; here is my daughter's snowman, standing a mighty couple of feet tall, if that.

 

[Mosaic]

The walking on air is very cute, and I love your daughter's snowman:lol: He looks like he had a hard night out
~Mosaic

 

[karena]

Thanks Aniseteph - that's quite a snowman

 

[Amulya]

16 th DEC 2009

What would this calendar be without some special X-mas themed belly dance costumes? The second one, there's nothing wrong with, but it would do well in an X-mas themed show.

But that's not all, I found a clip from a X-mas themed belly dance performance which I really like :



I wish everybody a merry Christmas and a happy new year!

(does the clip show? On my computer it doesn't show )

 

[Mosaic]

Amulya the clip isn't showing. By the way in the third costume pic, does that model have a moustache?
~Mosaic

 

[Dev]

Thank you ladies and gentlemen for your contributions. worthy anticipation what's coming next.

Amulya I have corrected the YT code for you.

 

[Amulya]

Amulya the clip isn't showing. By the way in the third costume pic, does that model have a moustache?
~Mosaic

Yep it does, that's how it was sent in to me :lol:

and thanks Dev for correcting the code, that always goes wrong for me!

 

[Mosaic]

This is a fun thread, I like Dev eagerly await each new contribution. Dev you are clever i didn't see the YT link for Amulya's video to fix it, where did you see it?

Amulya, the dancer in that vid is one of our members, (Miss Vega) she would be proud to know she was part of our advent calendar. It's a lovely piece.
~Mosaic

 

[karena]

17th Dec

A little early from me, but I have a very busy day tomorrow (2 xmas parties!) so I thought I'd post now, but no peeking till tomorrow

First I have pics of a wreath that I made

Then, I thought I'd share this with you. A little bit of what's going on in the UK this Xmas...

Here in the UK there is a campaign at the moment which started in facebook but is now spreading across the media. Briefly, for the last few years the xmas number 1 has been the X-factor release which is a 'talent' show controlled by Simon Cowell which I imagine you have versions of. The Xmas number 1 used to be a big excitement each year, with a race between various records, and people were a bit fed up that this was no more due to the Xfactor domination, so they started a campaign to get people to buy Rage Against the Machine's 'Killing in the Name of' and donate money to our homeless charity, so this year there is a big race, kind of Xfactor vs protest/choice. So here is a clip relating to it.
*Warning* explicit lyrics.


If anyone gets interested, you'll find it in UK media, or you can try facebook but the groups keep crashing as there is too many people on them.

 

[Mosaic]

If your advent is for 17th it is 17th here so I can look:lol:

Clever lady with the holly, the wreath looks great! None of that here we have to use the pretend stuff, seeing it is summer. Will check out your video contribution shortly.
~Mosaic