Jingle Bells (Not)

[Webbo]

Hello folks,

I've not heard a single Christmas Carol so far this year, but things are far from quiet. Christmas here in Australia heralds the arrival of the cicadas, or to be more accurate the arrival of their adult mating stage. Near my house, the cicada pupae have emerged from underground in the last week after growing and feeding on the sap in tree roots for the last 7 years or so. This short clip was taken this morning at the end of my street.


https://youtu.be/xjGv0w15VOw

Here is a photo of the pupae shell cases after they have molted into adults.



And, a still shot of an adult.



The pupae climb a tree then molt into their winged, adult form. Thereafter, the males sing their guts out in the trees to attract a mate. When there is a hundred or so of these critters in a tree, they can make quite a racket. Our local Redeye cicada is a big bug being about 5 cm from the nose tip to the wing end. A related species is capable of 120 dbl at a distance of 50 cm and I daresay a Redeye would be up there too in song generating capability.

I'm missing Christmas Carols as they really are important for getting into the spirit of Christmas. Even carols involving snow would be welcome though they really don't fit with our season down here.

Best wishes to all for the season,
Webbo 

[Bealman]

Well that's put me off me dinner!

We get them here too, but I haven't bothered investigating in such detail.

We used to get Christmas beetles, but haven't seen any around for years.

[KevTheBusDriver]

first sound of Christmas in UK is when you hear 'Last Christmas' by Wham! This year I heard it at Coventry Arena shopping centre on 30 November.

[Dorsetmike]

Classic FM overdo the Christmas "music

[EtchedPixels]

I am reminded of Noddy Holder's comment about hating hearing *that* song as Christmas nears, then remembering it's his pension


In the meantime though:

God take those merry gentlemen
and put them on a bus
I do not care where it goes
But make it far from us
To save us all from drunken wails
The vomit and the fuss

Oh tidings of humbug and woe
tidings of humbug and woe
Oh tidings of humbug and woe

Oh god those merry gentlemen
are singing in the street
They sound like sheep that are lost
A woeful whining bleat
I wish they'd learn to sing in tune
Or maybe keep the beat

Oh tidings of humbug and woe
tidings of humbug and woe
Oh tidings of humbug and woe

I wish those merry gentlemen
Were all put on a train
And sent to somewhere distant
And not let back again
I'd even pay the fares for some
To clear it from my brain

Oh tidings of humbug and woe
tidings of humbug and woe
Oh tidings of humbug and woe

God take those merry gentlemen
And guide them to a bar
Keeping them drinking all the night
So they cannot walk that far
And we shall have a silent night
And no more mental scars

Oh tidings of humbug and woe
tidings of humbug and woe
Oh tidings of humbug and woe

Oh tidings of humbug and woe
tidings of humbug and woe
Oh tidings of humbug and woe

[The Q]

first sound of Christmas in UK is when you hear 'Last Christmas' by Wham! This year I heard it at Coventry Arena shopping centre on 30 November.

On a landrover forum they play Whamagedon, who can say they heard "last Christmas" last.
I managed till Dec 20th last year..

[Greygreaser]

As an ex-chorister of many years, both as boy treble and later as a baritone, I'm more interested in the wider ranger of Christmas music from religious as well as secular and those tunes borrowed and bent into the basket of 'carols'.
Renditions vary widely and I find some appalling given my experiences of choral performances whilst some of the 'pop' performances have an appeal for me and get full welly on the hi-fi.
Slade, Whizard, Steeleye Span, Mike Oldfield, Boney M, Johnny Mathis, Paul Mcartney and Queen sit well but there are a number of others that I enjoy but for preference, and because I know the harmonies, it's the traditional carols that appeal the most.

[cmason]

Hmmmm... here in the Land of Wa they started pumping the music out immediately teh shops were doen with Halloween. This year it is a bit mad - so far I there are 3 of those "cookie cutter" German style Christmas Markets set up just here in Yokohama that are open all month. I guess most will of seen things - rows of large gareden sheds with opening fronts and counters pushing everything from nutcracker soldiers to marshmallow hot chocolate with German style Christmas foods. At least they do also sell beer. Its the latest trend imported from overseas however the gut does not somehow seem sustainable to me... 

Colin

[zopadooper]

This just manifested itself from my wife's keyboard.

Happy Chrostmas everybody.

Christmas Eve

With the baking and wrapping and preparing all done
I was looking forward to a tomorrow-of-fun.
I poured out a wine and cosied down in my chair
Pulled off my socks and let down my hair.
I glanced at the clock, it was twelve twenty three,
Then, Santa, fell down our parlour chimney.
 I rushed to the hearth, but all I could see

Were two black boots and legs to the knee.
"Help me, I'm stuck," a muffled voice cried,
"I'll do what I can ," I quickly replied.
In a panic I said, "Stay where you are,
I hope you don't suffer from clausphobia."
 
"Hold in your stomach," I yelled up the flue.
"I'll pull and I'll shove on the count of two."
There were rumblings and groanings of the scary kind,
And slitherings and slidings, rude words unrefined,
Then out popped Santa, sooty but fine,
Thus Christmas was saved in the Saint Nick of time.

Gill Reed

[zopadooper]

oops!!

It should have said Happy Christmas.

There are more Christmas poems if you are interested