Merry Christmas 2009

Merry Christmas from our family to you. I am afraid I may not get the cards sent out on time. And some of you may not be on the list for various reasons. (Like I don't have your address).

BTW, this is Chimney Rock near Coyote Gulch in Southern Utah.

In the Bleak Midwinter

Christina Georgina Rossetti, wrote this poem in 1872 in re­sponse to a request from the mag­a­zine Scribner’s Monthly for a Christ­mas po­em. Gustav Theodore Holst put the poem to music in 1906 It is my wife, Yeongmi's, favorite Christmas song

In the bleak midwinter, frosty wind made moan,
Earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone;
Snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow,
In the bleak midwinter, long ago.

Our God, heaven cannot hold Him, nor earth sustain;
Heaven and earth shall flee away when He comes to reign.
In the bleak midwinter a stable place sufficed
The Lord God Almighty, Jesus Christ.

Enough for Him, Whom cherubim, worship night and day,
Breastful of milk, and a mangerful of hay;
Enough for Him, Whom angels fall before,
The ox and ass and camel which adore.

Angels and archangels may have gathered there,
Cherubim and seraphim thronged the air;
But His mother only, in her maiden bliss,
Worshipped the beloved with a kiss.

What can I give Him, poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb;
If I were a Wise Man, I would do my part;
Yet what I can give Him: give my heart.

Luke Chapter Two

Latin

Factum est autem in diebus illis, exiit edictum a Cæsare Augusto ut describeretur universus orbis.

Hæc descriptio prima facta est a præside Syriæ Cyrino:

et ibant omnes ut profiterentur singuli in suam civitatem.

Ascendit autem et Joseph a Galilæa de civitate Nazareth in Judæam, in civitatem David, quæ vocatur Bethlehem: eo quod esset de domo et familia David, ut profiteretur cum Maria desponsata sibi uxore prægnante.

Factum est autem, cum essent ibi, impleti sunt dies ut pareret.

Et peperit filium suum primogenitum, et pannis eum involvit, et reclinavit eum in præsepio: quia non erat eis locus in diversorio.

Et pastores erant in regione eadem vigilantes, et custodientes vigilias noctis super gregem suum.

Et ecce angelus Domini stetit juxta illos, et claritas Dei circumfulsit illos, et timuerunt timore magno.

Et dixit illis angelus:

Nolite timere: ecce enim evangelizo vobis gaudium magnum, quod erit omni populo:
quia natus est vobis hodie Salvator, qui est Christus Dominus, in civitate
David. Et hoc vobis signum: invenietis infantem pannis involutum, et positum
in
præsepio.

Et subito facta est cum angelo multitudo militiæ cælestis laudantium Deum, et dicentium:

Gloria in altissimis Deo,et in terra pax hominibus bonæ voluntatis.

Et factum est, ut discesserunt ab eis angeli in cælum: pastores loquebantur ad invicem:

Transeamus usque Bethlehem, et videamus hoc verbum, quod factum est, quod
Dominus ostendit nobis. Et venerunt festinantes: et invenerunt Mariam, et
Joseph, et infantem positum in præsepio.

Videntes autem cognoverunt de verbo, quod dictum erat illis de puero hoc.

Et omnes qui audierunt, mirati sunt: et de his quæ dicta erant a pastoribus ad ipsos.

Maria autem conservabat omnia verba hæc, conferens in corde suo.

English

And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.

(And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)

And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.

And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)

To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.

And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.

And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.

And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.

And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.

And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.

But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.

Letters from the North Pole

At our house we have received warning letters two years running from Santa's underlings along with the regular Christmas delivery of toys and candy. Here they are:

2006

From the desk of:
Saint Nicholas
Santa’s Workshop
North Pole City

Christmas Eve 2006

Dear Residents of: XXXXXXX Orem, Utah

This is to inform you that your household failed to provide the traditional snack for Santa on Christmas Eve. By longstanding tradition, children of all ages leave a plate of cookies and a glass of milk to provide the sustenance necessary for Jolly Old Saint Nicholas to make his yearly delivery. Without this food and the vital calories it supplies Santa would soon waste away and die.

This year you failed to provide:

□ Cookies
□ Milk
□ Pizza
□ Diet Coke
□ Caviar

Santa has overlooked this violation of Christmas tradition this year, but is placing your residence on probabtion. Failure to provide food next year could result is the cancellation of all future deliveries. Don’t foolishly place you and your family in jeopardy by failing to provide cookies and milk next year.

Sincerely,

Zicknob, Chief Delivery Elf for the Western US


2007

From the desk of:
Saint Nicholas
Santa’s Workshop
North Pole City

Christmas Eve 2007

Dear Residents of: XXXXXXX, Orem, Utah

This is to inform you that for the second your in a row you household failed to provide the traditional snack for Santa on Christmas Eve. By longstanding tradition, children of all ages leave a plate of cookies and a glass of milk to provide the sustenance necessary for Jolly Old Saint Nicholas to make his yearly delivery. Without this food and the vital calories it supplies Santa would soon waste away and die.

This year you failed to provide:
□ Cookies
□ Milk
□ Diet Coke
□ Filet Mignon in a light burgundy sauce with sautéed mushrooms

Santa has overlooked this violation of Christmas tradition for two years running. You were placed on probabtion last year, but still failed to meet your end of this festive Christmas tradition. If Santa could, he would place you and your family on the naughty list. However, his jolliness prevents any real or meaningful punishment of delinquents such as yourselves. It does not, however, prevent hollow threatening gestures. Therefore, please note that failure to provide food next year could result is the cancellation of all future deliveries. Don’t foolishly place you and your family in jeopardy by failing to provide cookies and milk next year.

Sincerely,
Zicknob, Chief Delivery Elf for the Western US

"Merry Christmas" in a Whole Lot of Languages

I dug this up on my hard drive. I can't remember where I got it and I can't vouch for the accuracy, but it's still kinda fun. (Some of these also say, "Happy New Year.")

Afrikaans - Geseende Kerfees en 'n gelukkige nuwe jaar
Albanian - Gëzuar Krishlindjet Vitin e Ri!
Arabic - I'D Miilad Said ous Sana Saida
Armenian - Shenoraavor Nor Dari yev Pari Gaghand
Basque - Zorionak eta Urte Berri On!
Bassa - Ngand Nwi Lam & Mwi Lam
Belorussian - Winshuyu sa Svyatkami i z Novym godam!
Bengali - Shuvo Baro Din - Shuvo Nabo Barsho
Bohemian/Czech - Prejeme Vam Vesele Vanoce a Stastny novy rok
Bulgarian - Chestita Koleda i Shtastliva Nova Godina
Catalan - Bon nadal i feliç any nou!
Cantonese - Seng Dan Fai Lok, Sang Nian Fai Lok
Cornish - Nadelik looan na looan blethen noweth
Croatian - Sretan Bozic
Danish - Glædelig Jul og godt nytår
Dutch - Vrolijk Kerstfeest en een Gelukkig Nieuwjaar!
Egyptian - Colo sana wintom tiebeen
English - Merry Christmas & Happy New Year
Esperanto - Gajan Kristnaskon & Bonan Novjaron
Estonian - Rõõmsaid Jõulupühi ja Head uut aastat
Farsi - Sal-e no mubarak
Finnish - Hyvää Joulua or Hauskaa Joulua - 0nnellista uutta vuotta
Flemish - Zalig Kerstfeest en Gelukkig nieuw jaar
French - Joyeux Noël et Bonne Année!
German - Froehliche Weihnachten und ein glückliches Neues Jahr!
Greek - Kala Christougenna Kieftihismenos O Kenourios Chronos
Gujarati - Natal ni shub kaamnao & Saal Mubarak
Hawaiian - Mele Kalikimaka & Hauoli Makahiki Hou
Hebrew - Mo'adim Lesimkha. Shanah Tova
Hindi - Shubh Naya Baras
Hungarian - Kellemes karácsonyi ünnepeket és Boldog újévet!
Indonesian - Selamat Hari Natal & Selamat Tahun Baru
Iraqi - Idah Saidan Wa Sanah Jadidah
Irish - Nollaig Shona Dhuit
Italian - Buon Natale e Felice Anno Nuovo
Japanese - Shinnen omedeto. Kurisumasu Omedeto
Korean - Sung Tan Chuk Ha
Kurdish - Seva piroz sahibe u sersala te piroz be
Latin - Pax hominibus bonae voluntatis
Latvian - Prieci'gus Ziemsve'tkus un Laimi'gu Jauno Gadu!+
Lithuanian - Linksmu Kaledu ir laimingu Nauju metu
Luxembourgeois - Schéi Krëschtdeeg an e Schéint Néi Joer
Malayan - Selamat Hari Natal
Mandarin - Kung Hsi Hsin Nien bing Chu Shen Tan
Mongolian - Zul saryn bolon shine ony mend devshuulye
Norweigan/Nynorsk - Eg ynskjer hermed Dykk alle ein God Jul og Godt Nyttår
Notu/Ewage - Keremisi dave be
Nyanja - Kristu akhale ndi inu munyengo ino ya Christmas
Nyankore Mukhulukhe Omwaka
Occitan - Polit nadal e bona annada
Ojibwe (Chippewa) - Niibaa' anami'egiizhigad & Aabita Biboon
Oneida - Wanto'wan amp; Hoyan
Oriya - Sukhamaya christmass ebang khusibhara naba barsa
Orokaiva - Keremisi javotoho
Oromo - baga wagaa hara isinin gaye
Palauan - Ungil Kurismas
Pompangan - Malugud Pascu at saca Masayang Bayung Banua!
Pangasinan - Maabig ya pasko & Malikot ya balon taon
Papiamento - Bon Pasco i Feliz Aña Nobo
Pashto - De Christmas akhtar de bakhtawar au newai kal de mubarak sha.
Pennsylvania German - En frehlicher Grischtdaag unen hallich Nei Yaahr!
Pohnpeian - Peren en Krismas & Peren en Parakapw
Polish - Wesolych Swiat i Szczesliwego Nowego Roku.
Portuguese - Boas Festas e um feliz Ano Novo
Punjabi - Nave sal di mubaraka
Pashto - Christmas Aao Ne-way Kaal Mo Mobarak Sha
Q'anjob'al - chi woche swatx'ilal hak'ul yet yalji Komami'
Quechua - Sumaj kausay kachun Navidad ch'sisipi & Mosoi Watapi sumaj kausay kachun
Quiche' - Dioa kkje' awuk'
Rapa-Nui - Mata-Ki-Te-Rangi & Te-Pito-O-Te-Henua
Rarotongan - Kia akakakaia te Atua i runga i te rangi Teitei,
e ei au to to teianei ao, e kia aroaia mai te tangata nei.
Rengma - Anu keghi Christmas nu amapi kethighi wa salam pi nthu chupenle
Rheto-Romance - Bella Festas daz Nadal ed in Ventiravel Onn Nov
Romani - Bachtalo krecunu Thaj Bachtalo Nevo Bers
Romanian - Craciun fericit si un An Nou fericit!
Rongmei - Mei kathui nata neila mei Khrisrmas akhatni gai mei tingkum kathan tu-na arew we
Roviana - Mami tataru Kirisimasi koa gamu doduru meke qetu qetu vuaheni vaqura ia
Russian - Pozdrevlyayu s prazdnikom Rozhdestva i s Novim Godom
Salar - YangI yilingiz gotlI bulsIn!
Sambal - Maligayang Pasko at Masayang Ba-yon Taon!
Sámi - Buorit Juovllat ja Buorre Oddajahki
Saamia - Muwule Omwaka Enjaya
Samoan - Ia manuia le Kilisimasi ma le tausaga fou
Sango -Gloire na Nzapa na ndouzou aho kouè, Na siriri na ndo sessé na popo ti ajo so amou nguia na Lo.
Santali - Raska nawa Serma
Saramaccan - Nuan wan suti jai o!
Sardinian - Bonu nadale e prosperu annu nou
Scots Gaelic - Nollaig chridheil agus Bliadhna mhath ur!
Secoya -Sihuanu'u Ejaerepa aide'ose'ere & Sihuana'u huaje ametecahue
Semandang - Selemat gawai Natal
Seneca - a:o'-e:sad yos-ha:-se:'
Serbian - Sretan Bozic. Vesela Nova Godine
Sicilian - Bon Natali e Prosperu Annu Novu !
Sinhala - Subha nath thalak Vewa. Subha Aluth Awrudhak Vewa
Soga - Mwisuka Sekukulu
Songe - Kutandika kua Yesu kuibuwa! & Kipua kipia kibuwa!
Sorani - Newroz le to Piroz be
Sorbian - Wjesole hody a strowe Nowe leto.
Somali - ciid wanaagsan iyo sanad cusub oo fiican.
Sotho/North - Mahlatsi a Matswalo a Morena le Ngwaga o Moswa
Sotho/South - Litakalerso Tse Monate Tsa Kere Semese Le Mahlohonolo a Selemo Se Secha
Slovakian - Vesele Vianoce a stastny novy rok
Slovene - Vesele bozicne praznike in srecno novo leto
Sorbian - Wjesole hody a strowe Nowe leto
Spanish - Feliz Navidad y Próspero Año Nuevo
Sranan - Wan switi kresneti nanga wan bun nyun yari!
Subanen - Piak Pasko Pu Piag Bago Tawn
Sudanese - Wilujeng Natal Sareng Warsa Enggal
Suena - Kerisimasi kokopai
Surigaonon - Malipayon na pasko sanan bag-on tuig!
Swahili - ºKrismas Njema Na Heri Za Mwaka Mpyaº
Swedish - God Jul och Gott Nytt År
Tagalog - Maligayang Pasko at Manigong Bagong Taon
Tahitian - Ia ora i te Noere e ia ora na i te matahiti 'api
Tagakaulu - Madyaw Pagsalog sa Pagka-otaw ni Jesus & Aw mauntong na bago Umay!
Tala Andig - Maayad ha pasko daw bag-ong tuig
Tamazight - Asseggwas Ameggaz
Tarifit - Asuggas Asa'di
Tamil - Nathar Puthu Varuda Valthukkal
Tanaina - Natukda Nuuphaa
Tayal - Pqaquasta ta. Pquasta hentang na Jesu
Thai - Suksan Wan Christmas lae Sawadee Pee Mai
Tlingit - Xristos Khuwdziti kax sh kaxtoolxetl
Tok Pisin - Meri Krismas & Hepi Nu Yia
Tokelau - Ke whakamanuia te Kirihimahi & Tauhaga Fou fiafia
Tonga - Kristo abe anduwe muciindo ca Christmas
Tongan - Kilisimasi Fiefia & Ta'u fo'ou monu ia
Toraja - Salama' Natal & Selama' taun baru
Trukese - Neekirissimas annim oo iyer seefe feyiyeech!
Tshiluba - Diledibua dilenga dia Mfumu - Tshidimu tshipia - tshipia th silenga
Tswana - Keresemose o monate le masego a ngwaga o montsha
Tubetube - Yayaliyaya Yesu sikabi kaiwena
Tumbuka - Kristu wabe namwe munyengo ya Christmas
Turkish - Noeliniz Ve Yeni Yiliniz Kutlu Olsun
Tutchone/Northern - Ut'ohudinch'i Hulin Dzenu & Eyum nan ek'an nenatth'at danji te yesohuthin ch'e hadaatle sh'o
Ukrainian - Veseloho Vam Rizdva i Shchastlyvoho Novoho Roku!
Umbundu - Natale, Natale, Oyo O Natale & Eteke Lio Bowano, Illimo Ciwa
Urdu - Naya Saal Mubarak Ho
Uvean - Italo fa ide tau fou nei eseke
Uyghur - YanghI yiling ahlqIs bolgey!
Vespi - Rastvoidenke i Udenke Vodenke
Vietnamese - Chuc Mung Giang Sinh - Chuc Mung Tan Nien
Votian - Yvaa rashtagoa! & Yvaa uutta vootta!
Waray-Waray - Maupay nga Pasko ngan Mainuswagon nga Bag-o nga Tuig!
Warlpiri - Miri Kirijimiji & Nyuntunpa Ngurrju nyayirni yapa
Welsh - Nadolig LLawen a Blwyddyn Newydd Dda
Yup'ik/Central - Alussistuaqegcikici
Yupik/Siberian - Quyanalghii Kuusma & Quyangalleq Nutaghamun Aymiqulleq
Xhosa - Siniqwenelela Ikrisimesi EmnandI Nonyaka Omtsha Ozele Iintsikelelo Namathamsanqa
Yiddish - Gute Vaynakhtn un a Gut Nay Yor
Yoruba - E ku odun, e hu iye' dun!
Zarma - Barka da Issa hay-yan hann & Barka da djiri barey-yan
Zaza - Newroz'a tu Piroz be
Zia - Kerisimasi wosewa
Zime - El ma ka bar vra aso vei Lu & El ma ka kim na mireu
Zulu - Sinifesela Ukhisimusi Omuhle Nonyaka Omusha Onempumelelo