Lögberg-Heimskringla - 17.12.1993, Page 20

20 • Lögberg-Heimskringla • Föstudagur 17. desember 1993
Borinn er sveinn i Betlehem
íBetlehem er barn oss fœtt
Því fagni gjörvöll Adams œtt.
Hallelúja. .-,.•
Þaö barn oss fœddi .-,.• fátœk mœr .-,.•
Hann er þó dýrðar Drottinn skœr.
:.: Hallelúja.:.:
Hann varíjötu .-,.• lagður Iágt..•„•
en ríkir þó á himnum hátt.
:.: Hallelúja. .-,.•
Hann vegsömuðu .-..• vitringar. .-..•
hann tigna himins herskarar.
:,: Hallelúja.
Þeir boða frelsi' og .-,.• frið á jörö
og blessun Drottins barnahjörð.
:,: Hallelúja. .-,.•
Vér undir tökum .„• engíasöng. :„•
og nú finnst oss ei nóttin Iöng.
:.: Hallelúja. .-„•
Vér fögnum komu .-„• frelsarans, .„•
vér eru systkin orðin haris.
Hallelúja. .„•
Hvert fátœkt hreysi .„• höll nú er. .„•
því Guö er sjálfur gestur hér.
:,: Hallelúja.
í myrkrum Ijómar .-„• lífsins sól. .-„•
Pér, Guð, sé lof fyrir gleðileg jól.
:.: Hallelúia. :.:
This Hymn is one that is
sung during the Christ-
mas season in Iceland,
and has been for centuries. The
text is written in the I4th cen-
tury and the tune is from the
Middle Ages. For the ones that
read Icelandic the text is clear. a
praise to the birth of Christ. We
trust you will sing this to your
children and grandchildren this
Christmas.
The picture shows that even
today, with all the Iights and
distractions that are around, the
Iittle boy in Iceland finds the
advent candles as fascinating as
children always have. It is
sometimes said that Christmas
is for children, but is it not for
the child in all of us?
At this time of the year, I am
sure, most of us thinb bacfe to
our own childhood and the
Christmases past. It is so with
me. My childhood was in
Iceland, to be more specific in
Reyfejavífe. Yes it was often
overcast and darfe, but the light
that at this time of year brings
to the heart of people seems to
me to have brightened up the
city. In my recohection. the
first sign of Christmas coming
was a certain window facing
Austurstœti, called Sbemmu-
glugginn, if I remember right.
Something magical appeared in
this window. a mechanical
Santa-CIaus that moved his
head and turned pages in an
advertising boob. We children
of that time could stand for
great length marvelling over
this wonder. There were few
outside decorations at that
time, but the spirit was there.
The ships would be bringing the
trees to decorate the homes
and churches. Apples and
oranges, not normally seen at
other times of the year, would
bring this wonderful smell to
stores and homes. The excite-
ment was on for us children
before WW II. It was peace and
we were blessedly unaware of
our parents' worries and strug-
gles.
In our house, the tree was
not decorated until Iate at night
on the 23rd, or after we chil-
dren had gone to bed. When
we got up in the morning the
room where the tree was
became off-Iimits to us and the
Iongest day of the year lay
ahead. Washed and cleaned
around four o’clocfe we were
ready for church at six. Our
family attended services at the
old Cathedral in down town
löí
Reyfejavíb and that is where we
headed with our father for a six
o'clocb service. Mother stayed
home preparing dinner. I have
often found it amazing that
even when the Germans were
flying over Reyfejavíb and the
signal was given to go to the
shelters, my mother was the
only one to stay home, she had
no time for that sort of a thing
— she was busy preparing a
meal. The Lord has given her a
Iong life. now in her 97th year
and she is still at home. The
Iongest hour of the longest day
was the hour spent in church.
The sermon most often went
over my sister Helga’s and my
head, but the singing I will
always remember. The old
Reyfejavíb pastor, Séra Bjarni
Jónsson usually Ied the service,
Iater to be joined by Séra Jón
Auðuns that Iater succeeded
him. In attendance was the
Bishop of Iceland Sigurgeir
Sigurösson who I always
loobed up on as second only to
God, and his wife dressed in
Sbautbúningur —- what a sight.
Weil it finally ended, and with
sore bottoms after sitting on the
hard pews, we headed home.
When at home, dad would
disappear into the room where
the tree was and what seemed
libe forever, he Iit the candles
on the tree. We did not have
electric lights at that time. Well,
finally, the door opened.
Mother and father never missed
the opportunity to see the Ioob
on our faces when we saw the
tree with all its light, that was
their reward for everything
they did for us at Christmas.
The tree stood there — the
most beautiful tree that could
be found — we thought. At the
base all the presents, not to be
had right away because first we
had to have our meal, which in
our household was ptarmigans
on Christmas eve (Hangibjöt on
Christmas day). After we fin-
ished our meal we had to wait
until all the dishes had been
cleaned and put away so both
our parents could be there.
Magical things came out of
these parcels, not necessarily
store-bought, but magical. I
recall one Christmas when I
was around four and not very
brave, my father had hired a
Jólasveinn to give.us the pre-
sents. I was so scared that in
order to reach a wooden trucfe
that an old man, connected to
our family had made, I Iay flat
on my tummy, stretched out
my arms and only after mother
had stretched out the string that
was attached to the bumper of
the trucfe, did I finally manage
to get my gift. I stayed away
from Santa but deep down I
was grateful to him for having
brought me such a wonderful
gift for what hours can't a boy
spend with a trucfe and what
mountains of earth could he
not move. As is traditional in
Iceland we always got a boofe
or two and when we got older
Christmas night was spent read-
ing them resulting in red eyes
in the morning.
Christmas was spent visiting
with family afternoon on
Christmas day at my matemal
grandfathers, evening at my
paternal grandmothers, boxing
day somewhere else. We were
usually exhausted when all this
was over. But I hope grateful
for what we got as gifts and not
forgetting the Christmas mes-
sage the all important. For
Christ was born for us and died
for us. May we always Iive life
according to his teachings.
Bestu jóla og
nýárs óskir.