A 'Silent Night' as Carolers Told To Stop Singing at [Sasha Cohen] Skating Show

Associated Press ^ | 12/41/06 | staff report

[Lazamataz]

The only thing that offends Jews about Christmas, is that most people think that Jews are offended by Christmas.

I'm offended by the offhand off-ended things that offends Jews offending me oftenly.

[SJackson]

Non-Jew insults non-Jews. So who gets the blame? The nearest JOOOOOO !!!!

Good thing you didn't say that in yiddish.

[SJackson]

Cohen's mother said the 2006 Olympic silver medalist and U.S. National Champion had taken part in Christmas tree lighting ceremonies at New York's Rockefeller Center and in California.

Not surprised.

[ELS]

And it's wonderful to hear the sacred carols on stations like WJMJ... I've had more than my fill of "Santa Baby" and Elvis' "I'll Have a Blue Christmas" already... *yeesh*

Don't get me started on secular "Christmas music"! ;-) One of the things that has me most ticked off about this PC anti-Christmas junk is that stores no longer play sacred carols. I remember as a kid hearing songs like Hark the Herald Angels Sing or O Come, All Ye Faithful when I went shopping with my family. Now all I hear is Jingle Bell Rock, Have a Holly, Jolly Christmas, etc. ARRRGH! Stop the insanity! I'll see if I can tune into that radio station, thanks.

I'll get back to you about carols being sung on and after Christmas.

[ELS]

I hadn't realized that carols aren't supposed to be sung until after Christmas. Why is that?

This Christmas Overview gives a good explanation as well as some nice explanations of Christmas symbols and an excerpt from Dom Gueranger's The Liturgical Year about the mystery of Christmas.

In short, the Christmas season or Chrismastide begins on Christmas Day. The time leading up to Christmas is Advent. Advent is like a mini-Lent, penitential. Once Christmas arrives, then the feasting and celebration begin. The Twelve Days of Christmas end on January 5th and January 6th is the Feast of the Epiphany. However, Christmastide lasts 40 days until February 2nd which is Candlemas, the Feast of the Purification.

I have pinged a few others to clarify any inaccuracies or fill in any gaps in what I have said as well as possibly adding any information about practices in the Orthodox tradition.

[MaestroLC]

She was in that CSI:NY episode for about 2 minutes. LOL. She's a great skater, but she needs work on how to be an actress. A lot of work. I wish her well.

[Susannah]

"Sasha with Christina Aguilera in New York where they both performed at the lighting of the Christmas tree in Rockefeller Center."

there's a video of that performance at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0frh1UqcMUc
Christina sang the song "Hurt"

[juliej]

You are correct. G-d rest thee merry gentlemen is a beautiful song. I am sure she did not object and was probably stunned by the incident - I know I would be!

[juliej]

I think she suffers from nerves. However, she is a beatiful classic skater.

[juliej]

Gorgeous girl - great stretch! Better than Nancy Kerrigan.

[Kolokotronis]

"I have pinged a few others to clarify any inaccuracies or fill in any gaps in what I have said as well as possibly adding any information about practices in the Orthodox tradition."

You are correct. Advent for us Orthodox is a 40 day fast period for repentence. We call it, colloquially, the "Advent Lent" to distinguish it from Great Lent, the Apostles Lent in June and the Lent before the Feast of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos on August 15.

The celebrating comes after Christmas Eve.

[Scotsman will be Free]

Shoot! Forgot about the OT possibility. Retire for a year, and my brain goes to hell.
Like you said, he should have stuck to normal business practice. Listen to the stupid muni employee with a look of sympathy, slowly wander over to where the choir was, listen to a tune or two, slowly wander back to the stupid muni employee, and tell her there's nothing he can do. Constitutional rights, and all of that inconvenient stuff.
Better yet, call his sergeant and dump it in his lap. LOL.

[Horatio Gates]

Yep. Thats about how I'd do it. Except I'd probably join in and sing along for a few tunes. Then again that might be the most effective way to end the singing for good...LOL

[SuziQ]

Look for the Sasha Cohen PR machine to start furiously spinning this any time now.

She and her mother have already said they didn't ask the choir to stop singing anything. She said she likes hearing Christmas carols, since she knows it's the season. The organizer did this on her own; silly PC overreaction to what she thought MIGHT be a problem. If she'd ASKED Sasha, she would not have the problem she has now.

[nutmeg]

In short, the Christmas season or Chrismastide begins on Christmas Day. The time leading up to Christmas is Advent. Advent is like a mini-Lent, penitential. Once Christmas arrives, then the feasting and celebration begin. The Twelve Days of Christmas end on January 5th and January 6th is the Feast of the Epiphany. However, Christmastide lasts 40 days until February 2nd which is Candlemas, the Feast of the Purification.

Belated thanks for the information and link you posted in #145. I knew some of this, but your info sure helped fill in the gaps. "Christmastide"... of course! That's the term WJMJ announcers use to describe the time between Christmas Day and January 5th ("The Twelve Days of Christmas") when they play (mostly sacred) Christmas music.

[SoCal Pubbie]

I heard the Hanukkah song again. It's called Eight Days and Nights, by Adam Chester. Here's a bit about the song:

http://www.adamchester.com/news.html

You can get a preview here:

http://www.lulu.com/content/205548

Enjoy it in good health!

[freekitty]

That about says it.