My Account
By Lyn Johnston, Albertland Museum
Edward (Ted) Witheford arrived in New Zealand with his parents and brothers on the Albertlanders ship Gertrude in 1863. He chronicled many pioneer activities with witty verse, including Christmas in New Zealand (greatly abridged here) which was probably written in the late 1800s:
Christmas is come and some wonder why
Tis so rich with the golden of days gone by
While we think of the Christmas of long ago
With its frosting of ice and its mantle of snow
And we thank the giver of all good things
For the beautiful weather our Christmas brings
And our hearts go out with the earnest wish
That nature were always as gracious as this
With each generous measure of good from her stores
That blesses our Christmas day spent out of doors
Some think it far better the beaches to roam
Than sit down to beef and plum pudding at home
While others still their bliss will seek
In private picnics down the creek
Some others keep the day in solemn state
And scarcely pass outside the garden gate
These home reunions how they do adore them
As their forefathers mostly did before them
To gather in far and wide
Their kith and kin for Christmastide
The old folks sit ’neath the shade of the trees
And smile as young voices are borne on the breeze
Last but not least of the Christmas joys
Is the Christmas tree laden with candles and toys
Where the eye rests on beauty wherever it turns
In room all resplendent with nikaus and ferns
Then in order to help their enjoyment along
Some finish the evening with music and song
Scarce heeding clocks whose timely warning
Give out it must be nearly morning
And folks must take their several ways
To meet perhaps some other day
Wishing each other as I do here
A Merry Christmas and Happy New YearEdward (Ted) Witheford arrived in New Zealand with his parents and brothers on the Albertlanders ship Gertrude in 1863. He chronicled many pioneer activities with witty verse, including Christmas in New Zealand (greatly abridged here) which was probably written in the late 1800s:
Christmas is come and some wonder why
Tis so rich with the golden of days gone by
While we think of the Christmas of long ago
With its frosting of ice and its mantle of snow
And we thank the giver of all good things
For the beautiful weather our Christmas brings
And our hearts go out with the earnest wish
That nature were always as gracious as this
With each generous measure of good from her stores
That blesses our Christmas day spent out of doors
Some think it far better the beaches to roam
Than sit down to beef and plum pudding at home
While others still their bliss will seek
In private picnics down the creek
Some others keep the day in solemn state
And scarcely pass outside the garden gate
These home reunions how they do adore them
As their forefathers mostly did before them
To gather in far and wide
Their kith and kin for Christmastide
The old folks sit ’neath the shade of the trees
And smile as young voices are borne on the breeze
Last but not least of the Christmas joys
Is the Christmas tree laden with candles and toys
Where the eye rests on beauty wherever it turns
In room all resplendent with nikaus and ferns
Then in order to help their enjoyment along
Some finish the evening with music and song
Scarce heeding clocks whose timely warning
Give out it must be nearly morning
And folks must take their several ways
To meet perhaps some other day
Wishing each other as I do here
A Merry Christmas and Happy New YearEdward (Ted) Witheford arrived in New Zealand with his parents and brothers on the Albertlanders ship Gertrude in 1863. He chronicled many pioneer activities with witty verse, including Christmas in New Zealand (greatly abridged here) which was probably written in the late 1800s:
Christmas is come and some wonder why
Tis so rich with the golden of days gone by
While we think of the Christmas of long ago
With its frosting of ice and its mantle of snow
And we thank the giver of all good things
For the beautiful weather our Christmas brings
And our hearts go out with the earnest wish
That nature were always as gracious as this
With each generous measure of good from her stores
That blesses our Christmas day spent out of doors
Some think it far better the beaches to roam
Than sit down to beef and plum pudding at home
While others still their bliss will seek
In private picnics down the creek
Some others keep the day in solemn state
And scarcely pass outside the garden gate
These home reunions how they do adore them
As their forefathers mostly did before them
To gather in far and wide
Their kith and kin for Christmastide
The old folks sit ’neath the shade of the trees
And smile as young voices are borne on the breeze
Last but not least of the Christmas joys
Is the Christmas tree laden with candles and toys
Where the eye rests on beauty wherever it turns
In room all resplendent with nikaus and ferns
Then in order to help their enjoyment along
Some finish the evening with music and song
Scarce heeding clocks whose timely warning
Give out it must be nearly morning
And folks must take their several ways
To meet perhaps some other day
Wishing each other as I do here
A Merry Christmas and Happy New YearEdward (Ted) Witheford arrived in New Zealand with his parents and brothers on the Albertlanders ship Gertrude in 1863. He chronicled many pioneer activities with witty verse, including Christmas in New Zealand (greatly abridged here) which was probably written in the late 1800s:
Christmas is come and some wonder why
Tis so rich with the golden of days gone by
While we think of the Christmas of long ago
With its frosting of ice and its mantle of snow
And we thank the giver of all good things
For the beautiful weather our Christmas brings
And our hearts go out with the earnest wish
That nature were always as gracious as this
With each generous measure of good from her stores
That blesses our Christmas day spent out of doors
Some think it far better the beaches to roam
Than sit down to beef and plum pudding at home
While others still their bliss will seek
In private picnics down the creek
Some others keep the day in solemn state
And scarcely pass outside the garden gate
These home reunions how they do adore them
As their forefathers mostly did before them
To gather in far and wide
Their kith and kin for Christmastide
The old folks sit ’neath the shade of the trees
And smile as young voices are borne on the breeze
Last but not least of the Christmas joys
Is the Christmas tree laden with candles and toys
Where the eye rests on beauty wherever it turns
In room all resplendent with nikaus and ferns
Then in order to help their enjoyment along
Some finish the evening with music and song
Scarce heeding clocks whose timely warning
Give out it must be nearly morning
And folks must take their several ways
To meet perhaps some other day
Wishing each other as I do here
A Merry Christmas and Happy New YearEdward (Ted) Witheford arrived in New Zealand with his parents and brothers on the Albertlanders ship Gertrude in 1863. He chronicled many pioneer activities with witty verse, including Christmas in New Zealand (greatly abridged here) which was probably written in the late 1800s:
Christmas is come and some wonder why
Tis so rich with the golden of days gone by
While we think of the Christmas of long ago
With its frosting of ice and its mantle of snow
And we thank the giver of all good things
For the beautiful weather our Christmas brings
And our hearts go out with the earnest wish
That nature were always as gracious as this
With each generous measure of good from her stores
That blesses our Christmas day spent out of doors
Some think it far better the beaches to roam
Than sit down to beef and plum pudding at home
While others still their bliss will seek
In private picnics down the creek
Some others keep the day in solemn state
And scarcely pass outside the garden gate
These home reunions how they do adore them
As their forefathers mostly did before them
To gather in far and wide
Their kith and kin for Christmastide
The old folks sit ’neath the shade of the trees
And smile as young voices are borne on the breeze
Last but not least of the Christmas joys
Is the Christmas tree laden with candles and toys
Where the eye rests on beauty wherever it turns
In room all resplendent with nikaus and ferns
Then in order to help their enjoyment along
Some finish the evening with music and song
Scarce heeding clocks whose timely warning
Give out it must be nearly morning
And folks must take their several ways
To meet perhaps some other day
Wishing each other as I do here
A Merry Christmas and Happy New Year
History - Albertland Museum
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