Holiday Themed Dances that I used at the Ashford Contra last Sunday were Star of Bethlehem (Bob Isaacs), A Contra Carol (Joseph Pimentel) and Heavenly Bodies (Al Green) but there are many others with appropriate titles but not necessary an interesting content. You might consider Dancing the Winter Away Jim Kitch, Deck the Hall (Don Flaherty) or Joy to the World (Don Flaherty) Barrie Bullimore London UK On Thu, Dec 14, 2017 at 6:39 PM, Jonathan Sivier jsivier(a)illinois.edu [trad-dance-callers] <trad-dance-callers(a)yahoogroups.com> wrote:

Linda wrote Since I live so far away (Texas), can you share "Star of Bethlehem" and "A Contra Carol"? Thank you. Star of Bethlehem (Bob Isaacs) LDI A1 with nbr, balance (right hand) and box the gnat; star right A2 next nbr allemande left and swing first nbr B1 Circle left 3/4, swing partner B2 ladies chain across (to first nbr); star left A Contra Carol (Joseph Pimental) LDI A1 Nbr #1 pull by right (the present), Nbr #2 allemande left (the future); Nbr #1 pull by right, Nbr #3 (the past) allemande left A1 star right (Nbr#1); women drop out, men allemande right x 3/2 B1 Partner gypsy and swing B2 Ladies chain; half hey across (women start right) trust this helps. Barrie On Thu, Dec 14, 2017 at 9:02 PM, 'Linda S. Mrosko' elmerosko(a)gmail.com [trad-dance-callers] <trad-dance-callers(a)yahoogroups.com> wrote:

THE HOLLY BERRY Longways whole set for as many as will. Music: My Love Is But A Lassie Yet. We use an old fife tune, Granile's Delight. Has extra measures allowing for a longer swing. All forward and back/ All change places/ First couple chasse to bottom/ Grand galop. (Everyone face down the set, and follow first couple who is at the bottom of set. Galop around to left hand side of set back to where you started the galop/ All swing partners, finishing on own side of set. This dance is the way we do it at Dudley dances, adapted from a dance from Yorkshire, If you need to stay with the phrasing, have no more than six couples in the set. *********************************************** THE RIBBON DANCE Longways whole set for as many as will. 6 to 8 couples works best if you want to stay with the phrasing. Need one ribbon per couple. Ribbon should be an inch wide and about 16 inches long. Red, green or silver. Each couple hold one ribbon between them. Don't let go. Music: This dance has its own music. We like to use Ding Dong Merrily On High. Another good tune is Forest Green which is the alternate music for Oh Little Town Of Bethlehem. Number the couples 1s and 2s. Over and under with the ones and twos. (Couple one make an arch, dance down over two who move up into one's place. Return to place with twos going over ones...4 steps each way. Do all that again. All the ones and twos do this./ Promenade. (All follow the top couple and promenade around to left of set down to bottom and back to place.) All make bridges and first couple pass under to remain at foot/ All swing without letting go of the ribbon. (Usually an elbow hook swing) ************************************************** CHRISTMAS HORNPIPE Duple proper longways Music: The same, but it's on BFlat for gods sake, so we use Enrico Hornpipe on D...works for us better. First man balance the two ladies and swing 3 hands around ( He balances twice to his partner and second lady...the ladies balance also at the same time) / First lady balance to the two gents, swing 3 hands around/ Active couples down the center and back, cast around second couple, and right hand star, left hand back with the second couple. ****************************************** JINGLE BELLS #1 square set, Singing call First lady to your right, balance that first gent, swing with the next, you swing him round and round, balance to the last, balance up and down, swing your own in the middle of the ring and six hands all around. Six hand round a six hand ring, round them you will go, when you all are home again, listen to the call, you dosido your corners all and dosido your own, the second lady ready to dance when you hear the call. JINGLE BELLS #2 square set. Singing call First couple join the sides, forward six you go, six fall back and don't be slow, first couple dosido, go right back to place, forward six again, odd two swing in the middle of the ring and six hands around. Oh six hand round to Jingle bells. (Active couple join the sides, lady stand beside her corner, first gent beside his, forward six etc. (I don't know if Page composed this dance but he used to call it. Actually recorded it on a 78 rpm Disc Label.) THE CARDING A square set. Can be done as a six or eight couple set. Music:Any 2/4 tune will do. We use an old cotillion. Head couples chasse easily in three steps, stamp lightly, chasse out. Then chasse across the set with eight steps changing places with opposite couple. Do the same thing back to place. Side couples do the same. We call this figure Carding, because it simulates the action of a wool card. The rest of the dance is stars and circles between which they do the carding. We do it during this solstice season because carding has something to do with wool which has something to do with sheep which has something to do with Christmas. So there. Dudley who is still stacking wood. On Fri, Dec 15, 2017 at 5:10 AM, 'Mo Waddington' mjw(a)mowaddington.plus.com [trad-dance-callers] <trad-dance-callers(a)yahoogroups.com> wrote: