Always lots and lots of happy children there.
A couple of hundreds came to the "Christmas tree feasts", proud Moms included..
In 1958 sugar and cars were still rationed. That is there was no free import of luxery goods. The old lady on the platform made hot coaco for the children and coffee for the grown ups. No tables. We used the yellow benches for tables and spilled lots of coaco on our new dresses. The blue flag with the yellow star is for missionary Ingeborg out in Belgian Congo. (Where she still is working as a teacher.) Homemade decorations, paper mostly.
At the age of ten I joined the junior musicians. The sniggering girl in the background, playing guitar, that's your mercury headed truly.Four candles are lit on this homemade candle cloth. Piano, trumpet, accordion, mandolin and 10 guitars. Some sound.
Svend provided a Christmas tree every year. Huge tree up to the ceiling. My uncle Leif played games and kept 200 kids focused and thrilled.Bet their having a good time in Heaven with him to lead the feasts. (He has also taken all these pics.)
When I had finished gymnasium I had to leave home to get further education. Every year I would get a phone. There's Christmas Tree Feast at Salem, will you come and help out with the preparations and food serving? I would have been so sorry if they had not bothered to ask.On the second feast;there were one for preschool children, one for elder, I even got time to walk around the tree and sing the old, dear songs.
Here I am 1971 in a lilac hood dress.
O, Christmas you season with childlike delight. O jul med din glede. Gustava Kielland
For Debbie's Daddy:
O, jul med din glede
Tekst og Tone: Gustava Kielland
1. O jul med din glede og barnlige lyst
vi ønsker deg alle velkommen;
vi hilser deg alle med jublende røst
titusende ganger velkommen!
Ref.:
Vi klapper i hendene,
vi synger og vi ler,
så gladelig, så gladelig.
Vi svinger oss i kretsen og neier, og bukker.
2. I Østerlands vise, I tre vise menn,
vi vet jo hvorhen I vil drage;
for vi vil jo også så gjerne derhen
og eder på reisen ledsage.
Ref.
3. Så rekker jeg deg nå med glede min hånd,
kom skynd deg og gi meg den annen,
så knytter vi kjærlighets hellige bånd
og lover å elske hinannen.
Ref.
I found a site translating the song from Norwegian to English line by line.
O `July with your joy
Fra Dikt From Dikt
Å jul med din glede og barnlige lyst To July with your joy and childlike desire
vi ønsker deg alle velkommen we wish you all welcome
vi hilser deg alle med jublende røst We greet you all with Jublende voice
ti tusene ganger velkommen Tuesday tusene times welcome
Vi klapper i hendene We pat in the hands
vi synger og vi ler We sing and we laugh
så glad er vi, så glad er vi so glad we are so glad we are
vi svinger oss i kretsen og neier We turn us in the circuit and neier
og bukker and bows
I Østerlands vise, I tre stjernemenn In the Baltic's view, the star of three men
vi vet nok hvorhen I skal drage we know enough where I should dragon
for vi ville også så gjerne derhen for we would also like so derhen
og eder på reisen ledsage and photos on the trip escort
Vi klapper i hendene We pat in the hands
vi synger og vi ler We sing and we laugh
så glad er vi, så glad er vi so glad we are so glad we are
vi svinger oss i kretsen og neier We turn us in the circuit and neier
og bukker and bows
Så rekker jeg deg nå med glede min hånd So I prefer you now enjoy with my hand
kom, skynd deg og gi meg den annen come, hurry up and give me the other
Så knytter vi kjærlighets hellige bånd So we associate love sacred ties
og lover å elske hinannen and promise to love hinannen
Vi klapper i hendene We pat in the hands
vi synger og vi ler We sing and we laugh
så glad er vi, så glad er vi so glad we are so glad we are
vi svinger oss i kretsen og neier We turn us in the circuit and neier
og bukker and bows
Gustava Kielland Gustava Kielland
