For all of the world we offer hope for world peace and wish you happy holidays for (Christian) Christmas, (African) Kwanzaa, (Hispanic) Las Posadad-Noche Buena-Navidad, (Jewish) Hanukkah-Rosh Hashanah, (Persian) Yalda, (Islamic) Eid al-Adha-Muharram, (Buddhist) Rohatsu, (Hindu) Sankranti, (Celtic) Winter Solstice and (Chinese) New Year.
France
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays
Feliz Navidad y Felices Fiestas
Mexico
Joyeux Noël et joyeuses fêtes
Syria
Buon Natale e Buone Feste
Russia
Frohe Weihnachten und frohe Feiertage
Vrolijke Kerstmis en Gelukkige Vakantie
Jerusalem
Καλα Χριστουγεννα και καλες διακοπες
Feliz Natal e Boas Festas
England UK
И Рождеством Христовым праздники
メリークリスマス休暇で幸せ
India
聖誕快樂，節日快樂
China
A Christmas Celebration
This is Rockefeller Center in NYC - the America we want you to remember.
. From the Coltons Point Times -- have a great, safe and loving holidays....
Please join us in praying for peace, praying for love, and praying for the safety of all God's creations.
There is magic in the air on the 21st as once again we recall the days of the ancient Celts, of honoring the Earth and all God's creations, a time of meditation, and a time of celebration. Today is the first day of Winter, the sacred Solstice.
From a time long ago when Druids and Wizards ruled the Earth, King Arthur united the English under one king, and Merlin the Wizard protected the first king to bridge the Pagan and Christian cultures. Now that would take a mighty powerful Wizard.
I journeyed to England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland in search of the ancient Celts and found them at Stonehenge, Glastonbury, Edinburgh, the Giant's Causeway and Newgrange, the ancient Irish tomb where the sun hit the center on the equinox. I stood in the center of that tomb.
So today I honor and celebrate magic, good magic that is, and the Celtic days of the Druids when all that was needed was provided without electricity, cell phones, television and computers. How did we ever survive? And today I honor you - all God's creations.
What Does the Winter Solstice Mean Spiritually? It’s Celebrated in Tons of Religions and Cultures
For many of us in the Northern Hemisphere, the winter solstice means one thing: a few long, cold, dark months are ahead of us, with seemingly no end in site. While the winter solstice might not be something worth celebrating to you, to others, it's an extremely spiritual day full of sacred rituals. In fact, to some, all of that extra darkness isn't a bad thing at all — it actually adds to the spiritual significance of the day. The winter solstice has so many spiritual meanings that make it so much more than just the shortest day of the year.
For many cultures around the world, the winter solstice (which falls on Dec. 21 this year) marks an important milestone. It's the shortest day of the year and the longest night of the year, and signals a powerful transition point between seasons that is impossible to ignore. Because of this, it has been celebrated and revered in ancient civilizations, indigenous cultures, and various religions, all of which have their own rituals for taking advantage of the unique energy.
According to Forever Conscious, "The winter solstice celebrates the longest hours of darkness or the rebirth of the sun and is believed to hold a powerful energy for regeneration, renewal and self-reflection. In Pagan times the winter solstice was referred to as Yule and was a celebration of the Goddess (Moon) energy. It was believed that on this day, the moon would give birth to the sun." That certainly puts a slightly more magical spin on things!
Each year, the winter solstice falls a few days before Christmas and New Year's Eve. This isn't just a fun coincidence; in fact, there's a much deeper meaning there. According to Alokananda.com, "The spiritual and energetic significance of the winter solstice is multi-layered, but the most direct relevance is that it symbolizes the birth of the sun." The birth of the sign is representative of the birth of Jesus. Alokananda.com says, "The birth of these higher beings at this time of the solstice was symbolic of the birth of the spiritual sun within, that we are not separate from the creator, as we have been conditioned to believe to feel that we are less than divine beings." That's where the religious aspect comes in.
If you aren't particularly religious or spiritual, you might feel like this has nothing to do with you. Actually, it does! The winter solstice is a time of quiet energy, where you get the opportunity to look within yourself and focus on what you want and need. It's a time to set goals and intentions for the coming year, to examine and let go of our past, and to make changes within ourselves. The solstice is essentially tied to a personal awakening.
Feeling inspired to embrace a more spiritual take on the solstice this year? One way to celebrate is to take part in Christmas traditions, if you celebrate the holiday. The holiday is actually strongly based on Pagan beliefs, which are also strongly tied to the winter solstice. If you aren't a religious person at all, though, you can still take part in the spirituality of the day. There are so many rituals that are linked with the solstice, and honestly, they might bring a whole new meaning to new year's resolutions. It might feel overwhelming to pick just one, but there are a few options out there anyone can take part in.
Take Advantage of the Natural Light
In the Northern Hemisphere, the winter solstice marks the shortest day of the year. It will probably be black outside by 4 p.m., which, let's admit, can feel a little bit depressing. So it's no surprise that, for many cultures, taking advantage of the light they're given is so important on this day. Try to get outside while it's light out to connect with nature. Take a walk, go for a hike, bundle up and enjoy your coffee while sitting outside for a little bit. You won't have much time, so take advantage of it while you can!
Light Your Way Through the Darkness
A lot of common solstice rituals include candlelight to get through the extra darkness of the day. Mystic Mamma suggests making glass mason jar lanterns with candles to light all day. Mystic Mamma also suggests that once the sun goes down, turn off all the lights and spend a moment or two in darkness. Once you've honored the sun's light in your mind, you can light some candles on your own, or with loved ones.
Set Up a Fire Releasing Ceremony
The winter solstice can be about looking inwards and getting rid of the past you don't need to hold onto. Mystic Mamma suggests making a fire (outside or in a fire place!), and gathering with loved ones (you can obviously do this alone too). Grab a piece of paper, write down the things you want to let go of, then toss the paper into the fire as a symbol of release.
Celebrate with Friends and Family
An important part of celebrating the solstice has always been showing your love to the people closest to you, like friends and family members. Circle Sanctuary says, "At the heart of Saturnalia was the custom of family and friends feasting together and exchanging presents. Continue this custom by visiting, entertaining, giving gifts, and sending greetings." Make the solstice feel a lot more cozy by having people over for a small, casual party.
Disconnect and Focus on Yourself
Probably the most important spiritual meaning of the winter solstice is that this is a time meant to reflect and recreate yourself. You should spend at least an hour doing that on Dec. 21. Light a candle, keep the lights off, and embrace the darkness. Turn your phone off, and don't even think about using a laptop or your TV — not even your smart watch! Take some time to think deeply about yourself, your past, and what you want for your future. This is a time where you aren't harsh about your decisions, and you really let things go. Could there be a more perfect way to enter the new year?
At age six Kaylee could barely talk or communicate because she has autism and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Then she went to Killard House and discovered the magic of music. Listen as she sings from her heart to your soul.
Kaylee Rogers Video with lyrics
Double click for full screen
The best feel-good story of recent years, in which the highs and lows have cancelled each other out, is the remarkable story of the ten-year old Irish Lass from Northern Ireland, Kaylee Rogers. It seems the parent of a school friend quietly slipped into the viral world a recording from a Special Needs choir performance at the school last Christmas that stunned the world.
There are so many amazing aspects of this story.
First there is the incredible singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen from Canada who wrote an amazing Jewish song, 'Hallelujah.' Cohen died a little over two years ago, November 7, 2016, a month before the ten-year old first performed her version of Hallelujah in concert.
Cohen released his song 'Hallelujah' in 1984 and slowly it became popular, until 1991 when the first of 300 other artists released a version of the Cohen sleeper, and it became a monster hit. The song was voted one of the top 50 songs of the 1960’s and the 20th Century and Cohen’s YouTube version has logged over 100 million views.
Then the lyrics of the magical Cohen composition were changed from a Jewish to Christian song, and the result was even greater magic. The altered lyrics were originally devised by a Christian rock band called Cloverton in 2014, who had their video taken down on YouTube due to a copyright infringement claim by Sony. However, the lyrics are now being used to cover the song by the choir and Kaylee, and a good thing too.
Kaylee Rogers, then a ten-year old Special Needs student from Northern Ireland, has autism and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. She could barely talk or communicate at age six when she began attending the Killard House Special Needs school in Donaghadee, County Down, Northern Ireland.
She began singing as a way to build her confidence. In barely a year over 7.2 million people have seen the video though no CD was made, it was just a school concert after all.
As reported at the time:
"When she took to the stage in her Killard House uniform an amazed silence engulfed the room. The next four-and-a-half minutes were pure magic as she sang beautifully to an entranced audience and brought grown men to tears."
We salute Kaylee Rogers for her courage in fighting autism and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and battling her way back from the silence in the tomb of autism. What an amazing profile in courage and determination.
To then go and have the strength and courage to sing the lead part in a school Christmas concert last year, which thanks to the Internet and YouTube have been seen by over 7.2 million people, is simply astonishing.
Please listen to her magical performance. The Kaylee lyrics appear with the song since few people know there is a new version of the song. Please double click the screen for a full screen version.
Christmas version of Leonard Cohen's 'Hallelujah'
The alternative lyrics were written by the Christian rock band Cloverton
A 10-year-old girl from Northern Ireland has gone viral after a video of her singing a variation on Leonard Cohen's 'Hallelujah' for her school choir performance was posted on Facebook.
Kaylee Rodgers, from Donaghadee, County Down, has autism and ADHD, and began singing as a way to build her confidence.
The video of her singing the Killard House school choir's version of 'Hallelujah' has attracted more than 100,000 (now 7.2 million)) views from people around the world.
It was originally posted by parent Nichola Martin, who was proud of her son Blake who also took part in the choir.
Kaylee told ITVthat she was excited just to be singing, but that it was also "amazing" that the video had received so much attention. "I just loved doing it," she said.
Colin Millar, head teacher at Killard House, said: "For a child who came in P4 and would really talk, couldn't really read out in class, to stand and perform in front of an audience is amazing.
American Oscar winner Susan Sarandon Kaylee fan
"It takes a lot of effort on Kaylee's part."
The alternative lyrics sung by Kaylee were written by contemporary Christian rock band Cloverton, who are based in Manhattan, Kansas.
Their version - which was posted on YouTube in 2014 but muted due to reported copyright issues with Sony Columbia - sparked a debate at the time over whether it was disrespectful to change Cohen's lyrics to suit a Christian message, since Cohen was Jewish.
Cohen's opening lyrics: "Well I heard there was a secret chord/That David played and it pleased the Lord/But you don't really care for music, do you?" were changed by the band to: "I've heard about this baby boy/Who's come to earth to bring us joy/And I just want to sing this song to you," and so on for the duration of the song.
Frontman Lance Stafford told the Jewish Telegraphic Agencyat the timethat "no disrespect to Leonard Cohen was meant". "When we rewrote the lyrics, I had no idea Leonard Cohen was Jewish," he said. "We didn't perceive it as a song celebrating Jewish culture or written for Jewish people."
Leonard Cohen died in his sleep aged 82 after a fall in the night on 7 November 2016, after a career spanning five decades. He released his 14th studio album You Want It Darker on 21 October of the same year.
Northern Ireland singing sensation Kaylee wows black tie Boston ball with rendition of Hallelujah
Kaylee Rogers sings at the Boston Winter Ball
By Brett Campbell
February 16 2017
A singing schoolgirl from Co Down has stunned an American audience at the Boston Winter Ball after she stole the show with a live performance of Hallelujah.
Kaylee Rogers (10) received a standing ovation when she reduced those attending the lavish ceremony to tears.
When Kaylee moved to Killard House in primary four, she struggled to talk and read out loud in class because she has autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), but it quickly became apparent that she had no problem singing.
The primary seven pupil captured hearts around the world in December when a video of her singing in the school's Christmas concert went viral.
The recording of her adaptation of Hallelujah has been viewed by millions of people online.
Principal of Killard House, Colin Millar, said Kaylee's cover of the Leonard Cohen song evoked a lot of emotion in the grand ballroom of the Fairmont Copley Plaza hotel.
He said: "When she took to the stage in her Killard House uniform an amazed silence engulfed the room. The next four-and-a-half minutes were pure magic as she sang beautifully to an entranced audience and brought grown men to tears."
Mr Millar described the audience's reaction as "the perfect tribute to the angelic voice of this 10-year-old Killard House pupil".
The Boston Winter Ball caters to socially-minded young professionals in the city and has established itself as one of the most anticipated events in its social calendar.
The beneficiary of this year's ninth annual black tie event was the Corey C Griffin Foundation, a charity which supports philanthropic causes, particularly those that serve young people.
Mr Steven Greeley, a friend of the Griffin family, was one of the many people around the world who watched Kaylee's video at Christmas. He believed she represented the guiding principles of the foundation so he quickly contacted the school to arrange for Kaylee to sing live at the ball.
The Corey C Griffin Foundation was launched in the summer of 2014 when 27-year-old Corey Griffin died in a tragic accident in Nantucket - a small isolated island off Cape Cod in Massachusetts - just a day after he had raised $100,000 (£80,300) for his Boston College friend Pete Frates' initiative to raise money for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
Pete, who was diagnosed with the disease in March 2012, is credited as the person who started the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge and Corey has been referred to as the co-founder of the phenomenon which went viral on social media during the summer in which he died. Boston businessman, Arthur S DeMoulas, was recognised at the event and received an award celebrating his focus on philanthropic work.
Executive director of the Corey C Griffin Foundation, Melissa Bowman, said: "Mr DeMoulas greatly admires Kaylee's courage and perseverance to overcome adversity and sharing the evidence of that through her beautiful voice was one of the highlights of the evening.
"We understand that she hasn't performed publicly outside her school in Northern Ireland and we were delighted to welcome her to the United States to share her talent here."
Kaylee, who is normally very shy, has been growing in confidence through singing and has been praised by her school principal for embodying the ethos of the special needs school in Donaghadee.
Killard House Special School
Killard House Special School choir singing Hallelujah
I have a young niece who can’t speak at all, even at 5 years old, but is such sweet and mild-tempered girl and such a joy to all of us. Seeing the milestones that Kaylee has achieved even with her disorders, I am heartened to know that En En may one day be able to overcome her own disorders, to learn to speak and do things on her own like Kaylee does, and perhaps unleash her special ability.
This Christmas-themed remake of Hallelujah consists of lyrics by American Christian rock band Cloverton.
Welcome to the website for Killard House School in Donaghadee.
Killard House School is a co-educational Controlled School providing for children and young people with additional special educational needs. These include Moderate Learning Difficulties, Speech and Language Difficulties and Autistic Spectrum Disorder.
Here at Killard House we provide education in a friendly, happy, supportive and caring environment with regard for the personal well being of our pupils.
We promote the personal and social development and a feeling of self-worth for all of our children and young people. The school is based upon good relations between children and young people, staff and those with parental responsibility.
Killard House School embraces an inspiring school motto of ‘Together We Can’ and the school prides itself with providing personalised multisensory learning experiences for the pupils in a safe and caring family environment. In fact everyone in the school refers to it as the ‘Killard House family’.
The school was founded over fifty years ago in Newtownards and in 2009, it relocated to the Donaghadee High School site. It provides education for over 200 pupils aged 3 to 18 years as well as providing Outreach Support for 30 pupils, aged between four and 11 years of age, as part of the South-Eastern Region (EA) support for Special Educational Needs in mainstream schools (Speech and Language and Moderate Learning Disability).
The school consists of a Nursery, Primary and Post-Primary Department along with 6 Social Communication Units (P1 - P7) providing a specialised programme for pupils on the Autistic Spectrum. The Primary Department also provides education for pupils with moderate and complex learning profiles in eight MLD classes P1- P7 aged pupils. The Nursery classes are two daily sessions a morning session and afternoon session with 4 pupils in each session.
