Christmas Day and Boxing Day

I'd planned to do a little write-up of Christmas Day and Boxing Day, but I decided against it - every family has their own traditions and way of doing things, and to be honest, it's not that interesting hearing about other people's, is it? But all the same, I thought I'd just choose 5 photos from Christmas Day that summed up what we did (so my Aussie sister can see it) and a couple from Boxing Day. I hope you all had a great Christmas and that you have an excellent New Year!

Christmas Day

1. It's great when the family can all get together. This is my aunt and Nanna.

2. The cooks at work (my cousin Molly and Uncle John).

3. Christmas wouldn't be complete without the family singalong!

4. Or presents!

5. Rounding the day off by playing Cranium (our team won!).

Boxing Day

1. I experienced the joys - for the first time - of Guitar Hero. And I rocked.

2. Anna decides to take on Paul in an Expert challenge (a brave choice).

And finally, when we played Cranium on Christmas Day, I had to draw sweat with my eyes closed - not an easy task! But I don't think I did a bad job - they got it! I thought I'd share my artwork with you as a Christmas gift:

Carolling

And it's lovely to be home!

Coming home just two weeks before Christmas meant I was straight into the carolling period (although I had already done some carolling in the Faroes). I really enjoy carolling – and there was quite a bit to do. In my first week back we sang at an old people’s home, played at an old people’s home, played at a local scout carol service and played and sang in the high street.

But for me, the highlight of the carolling season is on Christmas Eve, when the younger people from the Salvation Army go to various people’s houses from the corps who might be on their own/are unwell, etc. One of the families from the corps provides us with food at the end, before most of us go to the late night service at the hall. There were 16 of us this year, and it we had a great time. The last couple of years we’ve also taken a four-part band out with us, which really adds to it (and means that the people we sing to realise it’s The Salvation Army, and open the door!).

So here’s a few pictures from the evening (the quality’s not great, because I left my camera at home and had to use my phone, which doesn’t cope brilliantly with darkness):

Sitting in one living room:

Stacey playing the horn (very beautifully, I might add!):

And my favourite picture from the evening. This is me and my Nanna on the doorstep as we sang Silent Night, which she requested. This photo was made possible by the unbelievably boring baritone part in Silent Night, which is all on the same note until the final line.

FAR12.1: My Final Week

So this post marks my final week in the Faroes (for a little while – I will be back later in the new year). And a busy ol’ week it’s been!

In most parts of Europe (and the USA and Australia, I think), the Salvation Army uses big collection pots when collecting money for its work at Christmas. In the UK we use hand-held collecting tins (which I kinda like, because otherwise it’s hard to know what to do with your hands when standing there!), but you know the saying – when in the Faroes... so I gave it a go.

This week I did two collecting stints at the SMS Shopping Centre. Now I love doing this kind of thing. I love being out there, on the street, so that people can come and speak to me if they want, and so I can give a personal thank-you to the people who support the work of the Army so generously. So on the one hand I was looking forward to it. On the other hand, I was having to do the whole thing in Faroese and that’s a little more intimidating!

But I got through it – one seven-year girl came and asked me where the money was going, but she seemed satisfied with my answer as she skipped off.

On my way to the centre (a little nervous).

My pot.

Help Us to Help

What was funny is that people said exactly the same things here as they say at home: ‘I always support The Salvation Army – they do such good work’ or ‘Only pennies I’m afraid, but every little helps!’ and so on. I liked that.

Obviously I did a lot of finishing off for my work during the final week, but that doesn’t make a good blog post.

One thing I like about the Army in Tórshavn is that they have a games night every fortnight, where the younger ones (or anyone who wants to come actually) get together to play a load of games, and then finish the evening with a big game of football or volleyball. And it was a great way to spend my last night in the Faroes – although I was responsible for the religious ‘thought’ halfway through, but that seemed to go well (I also had to lead a meeting on my last Sunday – I think the officers there were doing their best to make my time in the Faroes an officership training programme). Just some of the gang.

I’m really going to miss the Faroes and the people here – I’ve had a great time and made some really good friends.

PS. I’ve begun to update mitchenstein 365, so make sure you have a look. And I think the photos are of a slightly higher standard this year, even if I do say so myself!

PPS. I’ve also added William Booth’s quote (in the right-hand column) in Faroese. This is the first one I’ve translated myself. And remember, if you know the quote, or can translate it, into a language I don’t have, let me know!

FAR11.2: Gjøgnum viðarlundina/Through the Park

The first thing you notice when you arrive in the Faroe Islands is that there are no trees. None. On all sides you’re surrounded by rocky mountains (well, not on all sides, because chances are that water will be on at least one of the sides, but on the other side of the water, chances are, you’ll see mountains, so actually, my original sentence can still stand). There have been attempts to add trees, but the Faroese wind doesn’t treat them too kindly – plant a tree, and chances are it won’t be there when you come back.

All this makes the beautiful park in the centre of Tórshavn quite a special place...

I went to the park for the first time on my third or fourth day in the Faroes, and immediately thought how great it would look once the snow came. The other week, the snow did come and I ran (yes) to the park with my camera to find that the rain had washed the snow away. I ended up with this picture of ducks walking on the frozen pond, which is quite cool in itself, actually:So today when I woke up and saw that a few inches of snow had come overnight, I rushed back to the park, which – as I had hoped – was looking very Narniary.*

So here’s a few pictures: *In The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe obviously.

FAR11.1: Advent Starts, Faroese Style

Man, I am so fired up about Christmas this year. More than ever (well, that’s probably not completely true). But I’ve been good – I didn’t let myself listen to any Christmas music until 1st December, but then I made up for it! (Obviously, I heard Christmas music in shops, band practice, etc. but I had very little control over that).*

I was really excited about seeing how the Faroese would welcome in the Christmas season. As you’ve probably seen from the pictures, large parts of the Faroes look like a Christmas village anyway, so lights and snow just make it perfect.

This weekend I went to the lighting of the main tree in the centre of Tórshavn. There were so many people there, and the atmosphere was great.

Waiting for something to happen:

After a couple of readings (nicely aimed at kids and nicely religious – I haven’t spoken about religion in the Faroe Islands yet, have I?) and carols by the town band, Father Christmas (Jólamaðurin) arrived on a sleigh to light the tree. Impressed? I don’t think the crane was as invisible as the organisers may have hoped, but all the same. As he came out of the sleigh, there was a gasp around the crowd, and it was one of those moments: ‘Was that supposed to happen?’Fortunately it was, and he did his stuff and lit the tree. (This picture does look somewhat tragic, doesn't it?)

The crowd dispersed pretty quickly, but the surroundings they left behind were beautiful.Of course, Christmas is a busy time for the Salvationist, even when he’s living in the Faroe Islands. This weekend marked my first carolling of 2008, at the lighting of the Christmas tree in Hoyvík. I LOVE carolling :)

*Plus the Faroese carols don’t sound Christmassy anyway. Well, obviously to the Faroese they do. They would hear those songs and get a warm glow, whereas I’m like ‘What’s this?’ In the same way, they asked what I wanted to play, and I said ‘As with Gladness Men of Old’ (only because it has a nice euphonium part, and it was on the page I was looking at), and they didn’t think that was particularly Christmassy at all. I hear it, and immediately picture a little group of Salvation Army bandsmen, wrapped up warmly, playing on a street corner in deep snow, with a little lantern, and... But that’s just me.