it's beginning to look a lot like christmas

The Christmas season is in full bloom here in the UK. They don't have Thanksgiving standing in the way of hanging lights and playing Christmas Carols. (Not that people really let it stop them in the US either). Cambridge is beautiful in the winter! So far we have had heavenly weather in the mid- 30s and 40s and a couple of beautiful fog "storms" which I have decided will be a very nice alternative to blizzards this winter. It is so mild here, but also wet wet wet. Everything outside is always damp.

A Cambridge "blizzard" of fog. (more fog photos)

In preparation for the season we bought a cheapo little Christmas tree at ASDA the UK's Walmart, and I picked up some ornaments and decorations at a local charity shop for nearly nothing. I also picked some holly from right outside our building. :) We spent an evening listening to Christmas Carols and trimming the tree. And I have been listening to them a lot since.

Brandon also surprised me by getting free tickets to the Advent Procession at King's College Chapel, right after Thanksgiving. It was so beautiful. The choir and ceremony moved from East to West through the chapel to represent the coming of Christ! That was the first time I had ever heard the chanting of the seven great "O Antiphons" of Advent. The "O Antiphons" are ancient chants (thought to be from the beginning of the sixth century) each addressing Christ with one of his scriptural titles, and then inviting him to come and help his people. One Antiphon is the basis of our popular song "O come, O come Emmanuel," one of my favorites!

"O come, O come Emmanuel. Redeem thy captive Israel. Who ache in lonely exile here, until the Son of God appears. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel. "

Last night we went to the pub "The Eagle" to hear the King's College choir sing Christmas carols. They have a concert this Thursday but it is £10-£20 for tickets and they told us they were basically doing all the same songs for us! It was the first "cold" day we've had here at a brisk 32 degrees, and this was the day we chose for sitting outside on the pub terrace for over two hours. I considered this to be the next phase in my "cold weather training" (thanks Dan!).