Claudia Chapman

 

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Claudia Chapman

Author - Musician - Mystic


Claudia Chapman Switchback Trail

 

The Winter Book

I invite you to take part in the time honored Celtic tradition of telling stories and sharing songs as the nights grow long with winter. This collection of stories, songs and essays grew out of my yearly ritual of creating an advent calendar for family and friends. Participants receive one message a day to open, just like the door of an advent calendar.

Interspersed between the stories, poetry and mummers play are seven brand new Yuletide carols, written in the language of nature. Virtually any piece is suitable for universal sharing, whether in a Montessori or Waldorf setting, or at a seasonal celebration. They express the spirit of waiting in darkness, anticipating both the nativity of Christmas and the rebirth of light at the Winter Solstice. The songs are filled with spirit. Around a bonfire or at a winter concert, people grow quiet when they hear them. Fully notated, they can be sung or simply enjoyed as poetry.

The stories and essays reflect my interest in Anglo-Celtic folklore. Many of them were influenced by my years as a Morris Dancer and liturgical musician.

Rudolph’s Mark was written for my son, Bran. One Christmas Day, Bran discovered the apple we had left out for Rudolph remained uneaten. When I picked the apple up and examined it very closely I “discovered” a small bite mark. The story is my explanation of how that bite came to be.

I won’t give any more away, except to say that the collection is arranged as an advent calendar, 
with something new to read each day. Begin your advent journey by looking beneath the cover.

Contents

Welcome         1

Decembertide

 

The trees are bare.

The harvest in.

The daylight fades.

The nights draw in.

In to Decembertide we go.

We journey to’rd

the winter snow.

The sky is black.

The stars shine bright.

The air is clear,

this advent night

In to Decembertide we go.

We journey to’rd

the winter snow.

The candle’s lit.

The earth lies still.

The loaf is baked.

The cup is filled.

In to Decembertide we go.

We journey to’rd

the winter snow.

 

Definition of Advent and Yuletide 2
Enter the Darkness 5
Summer’s End 6
Jack O’ The Lantern and Jack Frost  8
Song: Jack Frost 10
Song: Autumntide         12
Martinmas        14
The Tao Of Turkey  15
Let’s Talk About Christmas 17
Song: Crows 19
Crow Poem         24
Song: Welcome Is The Season 25
Long Journey Home 28
Saint Nicholas Day 33
First Snow 32
Song: Cloister Carol 33
Song: Decembertide         37
Christmas Cards 40
The Encyclopedia of Mysteries 42
Dog In A Manger         44
Song: The Fire’s Kyrie 47
Forgetting         50
Santa Claus        52
Hopi Katsinas  54
Katsinas and Father Frost  56
Savor The Darkness 58
Keep Saturn in Saturnalia 59
Zen and the Art of Tree Lighting         60
Brighid and Herne 62
Winter Solstice 63
Song: Midwinter’s Eve         64
Ice Lanterns         66
Rudolph’s Mark 68
The Christmas Tree 70
Chicken and Stars 72
The Hat City Mummer’s Play 74
Song: The Celtic Epiphany Carol         80
Plough Monday  86
Douglas Fir Christmas Tree 87
Song: Return of the Light         92
Bran’s Original Advent Calendar 93

 

Order The Winter Book

$22.00 plus CT Tax and shipping.  We will email you the invoice. email us