A brief post for Christmas Eve.
“A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious dawn.”
“O Holy Night” originated in France in 1847, when the poet Placide Cappeau wrote a poem ‘Minuit, Chrétiens’ – (‘Midnight, Christians’). The French composer Adolphe Adam then set the text to music for Christmas Mass, with an English translation by John Sullivan Dwight appearing in 1855.
It seems its message resonates just as much in 2025, as when it was first written /composed:
I created the short YouTube video above, from scenes shot over the last couple of days, and for those who like the Christmas carol ‘O Holy Night’ from which the video’s title is taken, you might enjoy the recently made recording, below. It was part of the 2025 carol concert in London organised to support the Maggies’ charity. Which is also one of the charities supported by donations from the National Garden Scheme. 
The young Welsh baritone, Cai Thomas sings and evidently created this lovely arrangement.
Making time to listen to more music at Christmas is always something I look forward to, and here are another couple of short pieces I’ve discovered recently.
Firstly, a piece from Tchaikovsky’s Seasons suite of 12 pieces, one composed for each month. The composition for December is also known as ‘Christmas’, and is played live in this recording from 2015 by the young Lithuanian pianist, Vadim Chaimovich.
The second is one of the most well known from The Nutcracker ballet by Tchaikovsky, here in an orchestral performance by the Mariinsky Theatre Orchestra conducted by Valery Gergiev (with what appears to be a cocktail stick). What a melody and sound! This is one of our favourite pieces of music, and I only discovered after listening to this recording, that this most moving piece was heavily influenced by the death of his younger sister, Aleksandra, whom he adored. Click here for more on this famous ballet’s genesis.
As a footnote to this post, I should add the drama of yesterday. After getting that familiar sinking feeling following doing an early morning sheep count from the terrace. Being one short, and then spotting a strange, black-topped large object in our bottom field. I quickly worked out that this was one of our ewes (Tor Ddu = Black Belly) lying dead-flat on her back, with all four, black splashed legs, vertically rigid and up in the air. And not moving. Grabbing the camera, I saw that there was still some head movement, so dashed down in nightshirt, pullover and long johns, as I saw a corvid – crow or raven – swooping down to the field from overhead. Looking for eyeballs, no doubt. As I crossed the first lower field to reach her, I noticed the rest of the flock who were clearly spooked, weren’t looking at me. Or the upside down ewe, but rather a disappearing, dark-rust fox. Along with the raven, it had clearly anticipated a morning treat.
Rarely has a single, gentle helping hand been so vital, to easily roll the ewe onto her side. Once in this position she could right herself, unaided. Although clearly shaken by the experience of being stranded on her back, she was soon up and walking normally. I checked her number. 110 is ‘Jetfire’, our other TV star sheep. Very unusually for them, later in the day, the flock spent ages in a small, tight group, at the site of the incident.
What was being communicated? If anything? I’ll never know, the mysteries of sheep awareness often surprise me. 
I wish anyone who reads this today or tomorrow, a very Happy Christmas.
