A tale of the quaint and old English traditions of celebrating Christmas. Irving travels to the English countryside and meets an old schoolmate, who invites him home to spend Christmas at the family estate.
(Summary written by Gesine)
5 episodes
The LibriVox community wants to bring you a special treat for the 2006 Holiday Season. Here is a collection of traditional Christmas carols recorded by our wonderful voluteers. Enjoy! (Summary by Linda)
12 episodes
John Peerybingle, a carrier, lives with his wife Dot (who is much younger than he), their baby, their nanny Tilly Slowboy, and a mysterious lodger. A cricket constantly chirps on the hearth and acts as a guardian angel to the family, at one point assuming a human voice to warn John that his suspicions that Dot is having an affair with the lodger are wrong.The life of the Peerybingles frequently intersects with that of Caleb Plummer, a poor toymaker employed by the miser Mr. Tackleton. Caleb has a blind daughter Bertha and a son Edward, who travelled to South America and seemingly never returned. Tackleton is now on the eve of marrying Edward's sweetheart, May.In the end, the lodger is revealed to be none other than Edward. Tackleton's heart is melted by the Christmas season, like Ebeneezer Scrooge, and surrenders May to marry her true love. It is suggested ambiguously that Bertha regains her sight at the end. (Wikipedia)
10 episodes
Carol Bird was born on Christmas Day. She has spent all of her 11 years putting others above herself, always finding ways to make their lives a little more special. Even when faced with her own illness, the pure goodness of her heart shines through. She vows to find a way to spread Christmas cheer and decides to give a grand Christmas Party for a poor neighbourhood family. (summary by Laura Caldwell and Sarah Jennings)
7 episodes
You know the story of the Three Wise Men of the East, and how they travelled from far away to offer their gifts at the manger-cradle in Bethlehem. But have you ever heard the story of the Other Wise Man, who also saw the star in its rising, and set out to follow it, yet did not arrive with his brethren in the presence of the young child Jesus? Of the great desire of this fourth pilgrim, and how it was denied, yet accomplished in the denial; of his many wanderings and the probations of his soul; of the long way of his seeking, and the strange way of his finding, the One whom he sought—I would tell the tale as I have heard fragments of it in the Hall of Dreams, in the palace of the Heart of Man. (Summary written by Henry van Dyke.)
2 episodes
Old miser Ebenezer Scrooge undergoes a major transformation after being visited by his deceased colleague Jacob Marley, who warns him to change his ways and has three spirits visit him on the night of Christmas Eve. (Introduction by Jeff Robinson)
5 episodes
Altamirano nos da a creer que este cuento es una historia verídica, que le fue contada por el narrador. Es, simplemente, la historia de un soldado que se encuentra con un cura en las montañas el día de Nochebuena, y pasa con él y con su pueblo la noche de fiestas. (Resumen de Karen Savage)
11 episodes
In The Feast of St. Friend, a Christmas book, Arnold Bennett shares his views on Christmas as the season of goodwill. As always, Bennett's writing includes some thought-provoking ideas liberally spiced with his wry sense of humour, and as always too, you can barely believe it was written so long ago. This was published exactly 100 years ago, in 1911. (Introduction by Ruth Golding)
10 episodes
This year's LibriVox selection of traditional Christmas carols, hymns and songs in English, French, German, Greek, Italian and Ukrainian. We wish you all a happy and peaceful Christmas.
English:
All Children are on Christmas Eve - Words & Music: Rev. Charles L. Hutchins (1838-1920).
Angels from the Realms of Glory - Words: James Montgomery (1771-1854); Music: Henry T. Smart (1813-1879).
Angels We Have Heard on High - Words: French Carol, trans. James Chadwick (1813-1882). Music: 'Gloria' French carol melody.
The Babe of Bethlehem - Old Kentish carol, arr. Henry R. Bramley (1833-1917) & John Stainer (1840-1901).
The First Nowell - traditional English carol, first published in its current form in Carols Ancient and Modern (1823) edited by William Sandys.
Good King Wenceslas - Words: John Mason Neale (1818-1866). Music: from Piae Cantiones (1582) arr. Henry R. Bramley (1833-1917) & John Stainer (1840-1901).
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing - Words: Charles Wesley (1707-1788) Music: Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847), arr. William H. Cummings (1831-1915).
The Holly and the Ivy - Words: Traditional. Music: Traditional, arr. Henry R. Bramley (1833-1917) & John Stainer (1840-1901).
I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day - Words: Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882) Music: John B. Calkin (1827-1905).
In Little Bethlehem - Words: Katherine Parker; Music: George W. Wilmot. In Beginner and Primary Songs for use in Sunday School and the Home.
In the Bleak Midwinter - Words: Christina Rossetti (1830 - 1894); Music: Gustav Holst (1874 - 1934).
Joy to the World - Words: Words: Isaac Watts (1674 - 1748); Music: 'Antioch' pieced together from 'Messiah' by George F. Handel (1685 - 1759) arr. Lowell Mason (1792-1872).
Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming - Words: Words: v. 1-2, 15th Century German, trans. Theodore Baker ( 1851–1934); v. 3,4 Fridrich Layriz (1808-1859), trans. Harriet Reynolds Krauth (1845-1925); v. 5, 15th Century German, trans. John C. Mattes(1876-1948). Music: 'Es Ist Ein Ros Entsprungen (Rhythmic)' German from Köln, 1599, arr. Michael Praetorius (1571-1621).
Masters in this Hall, or, Nowell, Sing We Clear - Words: William Morris (1834-1896); Music: French Traditional.
O Come, O Come, Emmanuel - Words: translated from the Latin by John Mason Neale (1818-1866). Music: 'Veni Emmanuel', 15th Century.
Rise Up, Shepherd an' Foller - Words & Music: American Traditional arr. Franklin Robinson.
Sweet Was the Song the Virgin Sung - From William Ballet's Lute Book c.1600. Music: arr. Dr. Charles Wood (1866–1926).
Wassail! Wassail All Over the Town! (Gloucestershire Wassail) - Words & Music: English Traditional.
We Three Kings of Orient Are - Words & Music: Rev. John Henry Hopkins, Jr. D.D. (1821-1891).
What Child is This? - Words: William Chatterton Dix (1837-1898). Music: English Traditional.
français (French):.
Dans cette étable - Words: French Traditional; Music: Charles Gounod (1818-1893).
Deutsch (German):.
Es kommt ein Schiff geladen - Words: Daniel Sudermann (1550 - 1631?); Music: first published in Andernacher Gesangbuch 1608.
ελληνικά (Greek):.
I Parthenos Simeron (Η Παρθένος Σήμερον) or Today the Virgin - Words and music: St. Romanos the Melodist (5th Century).
italiano (Italian):.
Canzone di Natale - Music: Arranged by Alberto Bimboni.
українська мова (Ukrainian):.
Коляда (Kolyada) - Words and music: Traditional Ukrainian..
Про різдво Христове... (Prorizdvo Khrystove) - Words and music: Traditional Ukrainian.
26 episodes
Haven't you always wondered how to properly accept a formal dinner invitation? Perhaps you have a débutante under your wing, in which case you need to make sure her appearance in society goes perfectly, to increase her chances of a brilliant match. And what exactly would be your duties as her chaperon? These and many other questions are expertly answered by Marion Harland in this little volume. - Summary by Carolin
44 episodes
This book provides the hostess with ideas for parties and games. There are five sections: Socials and Parties, Outdoor Affairs, Birthdays and Other Anniversaries, Announcements and Showers, and Weddings, and within each section are subcategories. Mostly antiquated, being written in the era of WWI, they do provide guidance to what was "normal" back at the turn of the century. - Summary by Lynda Marie Neilson
42 episodes
