It's that time of the year! The tree is decorated and the family are almost on their way. A stack of Christmassy films are piled next to the DVD player (Hogfather, The Nightmare Before Christmas, The Nativity Story and Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe) and lots and lots of music - from Early Music to Third Day's Christmas album are lined up on a playlist.
And, as always, here are a few of my favourite Christmas songs (and a new one recorded by one of my friends - Luan de Beer) to get you into the spirit.
May everyone reading and following this blog have a wonderful, blessed Christmas and New Year!*
*After a very tough year I've decided to rather take a break during this time - normal blogging will resume in the second week of January 2013.
With Christmas around the corner (and it looks like it's going to be a sweltering one), I thought I'd add the Chris Chameleon's "Kersfees in Afrika" (Christmas in Africa) video to this post, along with two of my favourite carols - "O, Holy Night" and "What Child is This?".
Before you know it, the
year is almost at its end. Summer is in full swing, the sale of ice and fans
are booming and everyone is getting into a festive spirit. While I love
traditional carols and many modern Christmas songs, it is sometimes nice to
have songs that doesn’t sing about snow or how cold it is. One of my favourite
Christmas songs is called “Somerkersfees” or “Summer Christmas”. It also brings
back so many good memories of Christmas and the family or church singing it
together. The song was written in 1971 and the lyrics of the first two verses
and music was written by Koos du Plessis, while the third verse was added by
Jannie du Toit. It has been included as song 358 in the Liedboek van die Kerk with the title “Welkom, o stille nag van
vrede”.
Below are a translation
of the lyrics along with the original and a video of the song.
Voor mens jou oë uitvee is
die jaar amper verby. Somer is in volle gang, die verkope van ys en waaiers is
aan die styg en almal kom in die gees van die seisoen. Alhoewel ek baie hou van
tradisionele Kersliedere en baie moderne Kersfees-liedjies, is dit partykeer
lekker om liedjies te hoor wat nie sing oor sneeu of hoe koud dit is nie. Een
van my gunsteling Kersliedere is “Somerkersfees” – hier vertaal as “Summer
Christmas”. Dit bring ook soveel goeie herinneringe terug van Kersfees en die
familie of kerk wat dit saam sing. Die lied is in 1971 geskryf en lirieke van
die eerste twee verse en die musiek is deur Koos du Plessis geskryf, terwyl die
derde vers deur Jannie du Toit geskryf is. Dit is as lied 358 in die Liedboekvan die Kerk opgeneem met die titel “Welkom, o stille nag van vrede”.
Hieronder is ’n vertaling
van die lirieke, saam met die oorspronklike teks en ’n video van die liedjie.
Welkom, o stille nag van vrede,
onder die suiderkruis,
wyl stemme uit die ou verlede
oor sterrehemel ruis.
Kersfees kom, Kersfees kom –
gee aan God die eer.
Skenk ons ‘n helder Somerkersfees
in hierdie land, o Heer.
Hoor jy hoe sag die klokke beier
In eeue-oue taal.
Kyk, selfs die nagtelike swye
vertel die ou verhaal.
Kersfees kom, Kersfees kom –
gee aan God die eer.
Skenk ons ‘n helder Somerkersfees
in hierdie land, o Heer.
Voel jy ook nou sy warm liefde
As ons die dag gedenk,
Toe Hy sy Seun aan ons gegee het –
Ons grootste kersgeskenk.
Christus kom, Christus kom –
gee aan God die eer.
Skenk ons ‘n helder Somerkersfees
in hierdie land, o Heer.
[1]
Text from the new edition of the Liedboek
van die Kerk (2001) by NG-Kerk Uitgewers./Teks uit die nuwe uitgawe van die
Liedboek van die Kerk (2001) deur
NG-Kerk Uitgewers.
