Cooking and Caroling

By timethief on December 20th, 2007

Today I’m simmering some apple sauce on my stove, oatmeal raisin cookies are cooling and the kitchen smells so delicious that it’s making my mouth water. Tonight I’ll be Christmas caroling with friends and afterwards we’ll be having some hot spiced wine (Jump link to recipe ).

Although I’m not a Christian, I’m not a grinch. As sad and as “broken” as I am, I will sing and I will make merry. And, as I sing, I’ll be sending the love in my heart out into the universe to my missing friend.

Well, that’s enough about me for today. Readers it’s your turn. Here’s a chance to share your traditions.

What is your favourite Christmas Carol?
Do you go out caroling?
Do you drink hot spiced wine or eggnog during the holiday season?

History - The person who is credited with bringing carols into formal worship during Christmas Eve Services was St. Francisis of Assisi. However, singing at Christmas goes back to the early centuries of Christianity and earlier still singing was an integral part of Winter Solstice celebrations. Today caroling remains the oldest of those innumerable folk customs still alive throughout the world during the coldest season of the year. It’s interesting to note that the tradition of carolers receiving hot meals or money in return for their performance was established in England and carried across the pond to the New World.

I’ve being practicing my part (mezzo-soprano) for several days and I think I’m sounding quite tuneful. Of all the carols we will sing the Candlelight Carol is the one I like best. It’s a beautiful carol when sung in 6 or 8 part harmony but, unfortunately, the only versions I could find of it on youtube were really badly sung. (If you find a musical version online that doesn’t make you wince then please post the link for me.)

Candlelight Carol (John Rutter)
How do you capture
The wind on the water?
How do you count all the stars in the sky?
How can you measure
The love of a mother
Or how can you write down
A baby’s first cry?

Candlelight, angel light
Firelight and star glow
Shine on his cradle till breaking of dawn
Gloria, Gloria in excelsis Deo!
Angels are singing
The Christ child is born

Shepherds and wise men
Will kneel and adore him
Seraphim round him their vigil will keep
Nations proclaim him
Their Lord and their Saviour
But Mary will hold him
And sing him to sleep

Candlelight, angel light
Firelight and star glow
Shine on his cradle till breaking of dawn
Gloria, Gloria in excelsis Deo!
Angels are singing
The Christ child is born

Find him at Bethlehem laid in a manger
Christ our Redeemer asleep in the hay
Godhead incarnate and hope of salvation
A child with his mother
That first Christmas Day

Candlelight, angel light
Firelight and star glow
Shine on his cradle till breaking of dawn
Gloria, Gloria in excelsis Deo!
Angels are singing
The Christ child is born
Angels are singing
The Christ child is born

Hot Spiced Wine Recipe

Hot spiced wine is very easy to make. Provided you have 2 bottles of good dry red wine on hand, all you need to pull out of your cupboards is a large saucepan and a strainer, as well as, a measuring cup, wooden spoon and a sharp knife.

Ingredients

2 bottles of good dry red wine
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
4 sticks cinnamon
5 whole cloves
1 orange
1 lemon

Instructions

Pour water into the saucepan and sit it on the stove burner.
Add the sugar, cinnamon and cloves.
Bring this to a slow boil for 5 minutes while stirring.
Remove the saucepan from the hot burner and place it on a cold one.
Pour the into the saucepan wine and stir.
Slice the oranges and lemons into thin rings and add them to the saucepan.
Place the saucepan on the burner again at a very low temperature setting and allow it to warm for about 40 minutes. (Whatever you do - do not boil.)
Strain the orange and lemon rounds out of the wine and serve!