Your favorite Christmas or winter songs

[IncarnateX]

Are you from Northern Europe?

Yup. Denmark.

What are the Christmas traditions there? What do you do, and what do you eat on Christmas Night? And what are your traditional Christmas songs (not pop - traditional)?

That depends on how far back you go. When we were Vikings and christianised the tradition was fused with our midsommer celebration of the return of the sun, an event called jol, and to this day we still call it "Jul". At that time we would sit around long tables drinking mead and eating flesh and sometimes crack each others skulls for the fun of it.

Now a day it is more on par with the rest of the world. We gather our families, eat roasted pork and duck. Songs are the same as rest of Europe, holy night and so forth with a few local hymns also. We dance around the Christmas tree and then it is time to give each other gifts.

One local characteristic is worth mentioning though, namely the concept of "hygge", where Christmas is fused with our winter traditions of having a good time in a cosy environment. Hard to translate but see this:

http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-34345791

Cheers

[surreal]

Correct Fluffy I agree with the Bible Scientists that The Christchild was born in a cool and dry Bethlehem in difficult circumstances probably in Oct/Sep

In my Country Christmas is ....sun and fun for everyone ( hidey hidey ho!) I have the full info on how Christmas came to be how we Celebrate it today with all the trimmings and areligious paganistic symbolism too.. but for me the importance of the Christmas message is that God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son Jesus Christ that whom ever belives in Him Shall not perish but have everlasting life... that grace and that assurance to me is the Biggest gift.. and it is available to all who wants to belive!! Its ones choice whether they want to accept this gift of Salvaltion or not.. There is no pressure... I chose to simply believe and accept this free gif t

[fluffy_little_something]

Real Christmas has nothing to do with snow, cold weather, Nordic culture, etc., most of what we in the West associate with Christmas is the heathen Santa Claus component. I think my friend in Rio, who went to the beach today, is closer to real Christmas than Scandinavians are.
Jesus was not even born in December, but probably in September or October according to bible scientists

Yes, you are right. Christmas was "moved" to December to replace the Winter solstice celebration (the same way that we have countless Saint celebrations in June to replace the Summer solstice celebration). But it's the spirit of the celebration that matters, not the historical accuracy.

Well, I think I am just too down-to-earth and rational to fall for something like Christmas.
I actually prefer the original heathen celebration of "Christmas" because it actually meant something to early farmers. Thanksgiving is another celebration that makes sense to me.

Anyway, the thread is also about winter songs, which obviously don't have to have anything to do with Christmas. I always liked Bent's Winter instrumental:

[Numanoid]

Yup. Denmark.

En dansk dreng? Da må du synes om:

[IncarnateX]

En dansk dreng? Da må du synes om:

Ja selvfølgelig, en klassiker, men den er nok svær at sælge til et internationalt publikum som vinter sang, da de næppe forstår et ord

[el-bo (formerly ebow)]

It's a story about a guy giving his heart away, as a christmas gift. The guy even, "wrapped it up and sent it". Do people give gifts on Halloween or Independence day?
No law saying that xmas songs need to name-check certain things to gain authenticity - Manger...Check...Wise men...Check...Virgin Birth...Check

It's kinda irrelevant whether any of us thinks it meets the requirements of a christmas song. The fact that it has been culturally tied to this holiday for 33 years gives it a de facto christmas gem

It's relevant for those to whom Christmas has a meaning. Besides, he could have given his heart for her birthday, for her graduation, whatever. It was a business decision, and shameless exploration of the season. As a Christmas song its meaningless, IMO. But if you think that is the song that fills your Christmas spirit, by all means...

Christmas has been transformed into a "commerce and shopping" season, and the real meaning of the celebration is being lost. That's what I have been trying to point.

Most xmas songs revolve around business decisions, and it's been a commerce/shopping season for most of my life (And I'm 44). That doesn't change the fact that 'Last christmas" has outgrown it's humble beginnings by mere fact that it has been woven into 33 of my christmas's, to date. That makes it a bonafide xmas song.

As for christmas having meaning for you: Good for you, but take it somewhere else

[deastman]

[aMUSEd]

[fmr]

As for christmas having meaning for you: Good for you, but take it somewhere else

I take it here, where it belongs. Did you read the thread title? Merry Christmas

[Numanoid]

As for christmas having meaning for you ... take it somewhere else

Huh ?

Where then, to Bethlehem PA perhaps ?

[fluffy_little_something]

Or to Belém in this country

[.jon]

We still call it with the ancient name, joulu (from yule). So does the rest of Scandinavia. The North remembers.

I think something important was lost when the annual celebrations were ripped separate from solar calendar and mutilated to accommodate some desert voodoo. Guess the return of the sun doesn't mean that much when you live closer to the equator. Anyway, we took one step away from living in harmony and never found our way back.

[Karma_tba]

[Numanoid]

We still call it with the ancient name, joulu (from yule). So does the rest of Scandinavia. The North remembers.

+1

I am based about 1500 km directly west of your city, and here we call it "jol" or "jul"

[fmr]

We still call it with the ancient name, joulu (from yule). So does the rest of Scandinavia. The North remembers.

I think something important was lost when the annual celebrations were ripped separate from solar calendar and mutilated to accommodate some desert voodoo. Guess the return of the sun doesn't mean that much when you live closer to the equator. Anyway, we took one step away from living in harmony and never found our way back.

The symbolism of the Christmas Tree has to do with the return of the light, AFAIK, and, also AFAIK, it comes or is based in a northern tale. As I said, Christmas was moved to the 25th of December to replace the solstice celebration. But the cultural traditions of each land got mixed with the religious festivity, and in the end people celebrate the two in one, I guess. The reunion of the family, and being all gathered in a cosy environment, as Incarnate X mentioned, has something to do with that, no?