God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen

A slide show featuring images from vintage Christmas cards, and various traditional and classic Christmas time images, set to a guitar rendition of the traditional English Christmas carol, "God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen." The words in the title of that song are not understood today as they were originally written because the definitions have changed over the 700 years since the song was written. The literal translation of what the title says is, "God hold you steadfast and strong, gentlemen." When you understand what the title/first line of the song is literally saying, the lyrics of the whole song take on an entirely different, and more powerful meaning, the original meaning of the song. After Charles Dickens published this song in his Christmas classic, "A Christmas Carol", the Brits immediately took to saying "Happy Christmas" instead of "Merry Christmas" so the true meaning of the song wouldn't be lost in a weary translation of people thinking that the word, "merry" meant happy. This is why, even today, you frequently hear the words "Happy Christmas" as a greeting at Christmas time in England, instead of the words, "Merry Christmas". Enjoy the slide show, and the music.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Christmas
• carol
• God Rest Ye Merry-Gentlemen
• slide show
• holiday
• Jesus
• nativity
• Currier and Ives
• Merry Christmas
• Happy Christmas
• Dickens
• A Christmas Carol
• Sleigh
• snow
• Christmas tree

[Heylilvelvet]

@SamusVSMC no kidding o_o... my mom says "the older u get, the faster time goes" and doggone it shes right O_O...

[jeffray1944]

My parents bought our first stereophonic record player in 1958 and this was the first album I purchased with my paper route money.

[blackpryncezz]

Good Ol' pictures: Bring me my childhood memories of Christmas.

[KeberosSephiroph]

@jessegguitar Your point may be better argued were you to use proper grammar.

[jessegguitar]

@KeberosSephiroph big words small mind

[KeberosSephiroph]

@SamusVSMC Probably, but I was referring to the increased acceleration of time perception.

[SamusVSMC]

@KeberosSephiroph We'd still probably take it for granted.

[KeberosSephiroph]

@SamusVSMC Now, just imagine how bad it would be were our human lifespans not so very short. ;)

[SamusVSMC]

@KeberosSephiroph It's kind of sad thinking about it that way, like a train speeding up. At first it's slow, passing each station without rush but after a little time everything is flashing by, and you just have to hold on and hope the ride lasts.

[KeberosSephiroph]

@SamusVSMC It seems that way, because every subsequent year accounts for a smaller percentage of life you've experienced than the prior year.

[ff78cs]

God says we our lives are but a day in time.God bless and be merry for our time is short here on this blessed earth fashioned in his wonderful grace and will