December 20th: Themes for celebration and contemplation
If you are looking for some themes and points of interest to add to your advent countdown, the Bulldogz Christmas spirit is in full flow and we can provide you with some of the fun, serious and little known points of celebration for each day on this magical countdown.
The third of the Christmas Film World Cup quarter finals takes place today with Last Christmas taking on Die "Brazil" Hard. Cast your vote here!
December 20
Games Day
The 20th of December is Games Day, founded by Games Workshop in 1975 as a board game convention. This year it just so happens to fall on the last school day before the holidays and whilst your students may not be bringing a board game into school like we once did as kids, you could always reminisce on those last days of school when you tried to play "The Game of Life" in double French....
Go Carolling Day (US)
The tradition of going carolling has become less common as digital entertainment has gradually encroached on the joy of singing on the doorstep. Carols are specifically church Christmas hymns and not commercial Christmas songs, although carollers sometimes sneak in some more commercial numbers.
It is believed that the tradition started in 1223 at the church of St. Francis of Assisi. He is believed to have thought it was more satisfying to sing songs of joy during the Christmas period rather than solemn hymns. Carols use distinct medieval period musical patterns and are relentlessly popular and much loved.
December 20th in History
Events
1808 – Peninsular War: The Siege of Zaragoza begins.
1946 – The popular Christmas film It's a Wonderful Life is first released in New York City.
1973 – The Prime Minister of Spain, Admiral Luis Carrero Blanco, is assassinated by a car bomb attack in Madrid.
2020 - The Christmas Song World Cup quarter final between Shakin Stevens "Merry Christmas Everyone" and East 17 "Stay another day" saw the highest vote participation in the competition history as what was dubbed the "People's Final" went down to the wire with the lead being exchanged relentlessly in the evening session.
Births
1946 – Uri Geller, Israeli-English magician and psychic
1957 – Billy Bragg, English singer-songwriter and guitarist
1969 – Alain de Botton, Swiss-English philosopher and author
Deaths
1996 – Carl Sagan, American astronomer, astrophysicist, and cosmologist (b. 1934)
Christmas films
A comedy in which a man raised as an elf decides to travel to New York to find his real father.
The much loved comedy became an instant classic and is always a firm favourite over the Christmas season. It attracts the sensible money to take the crown although in 2018 it suffered a shock Last 16 elimination by Muppets Christmas Carol
Group E First Seed : Twice defeated Semi Finalist and after the first penalty shoot out in Christmas Film World Cup history yesterday, the film is into the semi final for a third time.
Christmas music
Mudd - It'll be lonely this Christmas is often mistaken as an Elvis tune was one of the flurry of the 1970s wave of British Christmas hits. A song of lost love at Christmas time that you can discover more about it here.
Mary's Boy Child (Oh my Lord) by Boney M is a joyful medley of Harr Belafonte's Mary's Boy Child and Boney M Oh My Lord and is an enthusiastic, energetic Christmas guilty pleasure. Find out more here.