Embedded Files
Welcome to Issue 5 of the CFS Times!
As you are aware, we are heading up to the Christmas Season, and we are already into Advent!
Answer to last weeks riddle: The man was bald
This weeks riddle: What type of cheese is made backwards?
Lower School Nativity
On the 5th of December, Lower School did their yearly Nativity play, and on the 4th they did their dress rehearsal, which my class got to watch. They sung songs like "Knock, Knock, Knock at the Door" and "Hallelujah, Sing Hallelujah". They re-enacted the angel appearing to Mary, Joseph and Mary travelling to Bethlehem, King Herod sending the wise men, and the sheep in the field, who played the starring role. We really enjoyed all the songs and the acting, and we look forward to next year's Nativity.
Nativity Film Review
Nativity is a film about a teacher called Mr Maddens, a primary school teacher who was chosen to direct the nativity performance that year; unfortunately he’s a massive grouch when it comes to Christmas. Mr Maddens has to work with a teaching assistant named Mr Poppy- who is the polar opposite of Mr Maddens- and somehow pull off making and directing a nativity, whilst also dealing with a failed marriage.
On IMDb the film is rated 6.4/10, which I personally agree with.
Some good parts about this film is the humour, which is very funny for the most part, along with the songs, which are absolute bangers.
Some bad things about it is the plot, which is very predictable, but it’s a kids movie, what do you expect.
I asked people in my class what they think about Nativity:
‘It’s Alright.’
‘👍’
‘Overrated, but it’s quite amusing.’
‘mid.’
The best character is Bob, duh. (my opinion- and probably many others.)
Gingerbread man
The story behind the gingerbread man is,”A childless old woman bakes a gingerbread man, who leaps from her oven and runs away. The woman and her husband give chase, but are unable to catch him. The gingerbread man then outruns several farm workers, farm men, and farm animals.
Recipe -
375 g plain flour
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
3 tsps ground ginger
120 g unsalted butter (cold & cubed)
175 g light brown sugar
5 tbsps golden syrup
1 medium egg
Preheat your oven to 190C/180C Fan and line 3-4 baking trays with parchment paper (or do it in two batches if you only have two trays!)
Add the flour, bicarbonate of soda, and ginger to a large bowl and add the cold, cubed butter to the bowl
Rub together with your fingers until it resembles breadcrumbs! (Or mix the four ingredients in a food processor till its breadcrumbs!)
Mix the sugar into the mix and combine, and then add the golden syrup and egg - beat with a spatula/your hands until it is a smooth dough.
Knead the biscuit dough, and then roll the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface.
Roll it out to 1/2cm thickness and cut out your desired shapes! I did gingerbread men, snowmen, and Christmas trees!
Place them on the lined baking trays and bake in the oven for 10-11 minutes, cool on a wire rack fully, and then decorate how you please!
Facts about Christmas Music
We all love Christmas music, and Christmas music is in fact some of the most popular music ever! Here are some fun facts about Christmas music.
- The song Jingle Bells holds the Guinness World Record for being the first song played in space! It was broadcast on 16 December 1965 during NASA’s Gemini 6A space flight.
- Jewish composer Irving Berlin wrote the song White Christmas. The song was sung by Bing Crosby and has gone on to be the best-selling single of all time selling more than 50 million copies.
- The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire) was actually written and recorded during a heatwave.
- “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” and “Joy to the World” are two of the oldest English language Christmas hymns, originating in the 1700s.
- In 1906, a violin solo of “O Holy Night” was the second piece of music to ever be broadcast on radio.
- "Jingle Bells" was originally written about celebrating Thanksgiving, not Christmas.
- Brenda Lee recorded the original version of "Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree" when she was only 13 years old.
- The song "Let It Snow" never actually mentions Christmas or the holidays in the lyrics.
- "White Christmas" was used as a secret military signal during the fall of Saigon in April 1975.
The Relevance of ‘Brave New World’ in Our Society
Written in 1932 by Aldous Huxley, Brave New World is a novel depicting a possible dystopian future, taken from Huxley’s views of modern society at the time. He tackles different ideas throughout the book, such as drug use, recreational sex and the loss of individual identity. But the main overlying theme of the story is - ‘Is euphoria really worth abandoning what makes us people?’
‘Brave New World’
“Oh, wonder! How many goodly creatures are there here! How beauteous mankind is! O brave new world, that has such people in ‘t!”(The Tempest). The world of Brave New World is run on the basis of pleasure and constant happiness, as everyone is biologically modified before birth to fit a certain role, one they are taught at young age to enjoy, whether it is hard labour or office work. To combat any chances for negative emotions, the people in the story are constantly encouraged to seek leisure with others, whether it’s sports, movies or sex. The concept of lasting romantic relationships has also been rendered foreign to most citizens, being replaced with short, pleasure-based ones instead. The drug ‘soma’ is rationed to the citizens, which acts as a way to pacify any sadness or rational thought. But you might be thinking, ‘How does this relate to modern society?’
The Influence of Technology
Though as of now we aren’t born from bottles and engineered to fit our role in society, we may be swayed by our inventions a lot more than we think we are. For convenience, we have created machines that anticipate our needs and algorithms that analyse our interests and display relevant content. Though it seems as if these machines cater to our needs, have you ever stopped to think that you may be controlled by it as well? Society has begun to see technology as more of a tool, but rather a fundamental aspect of daily life. Our reliance on it may lead our actions, thoughts and opinions to be shaped by it. Think of the various social media platforms: how many of them dispense condensed forms of entertainment and information? The implementation of instant gratification is becoming increasingly common, and that’s why we have to be wary of the content we consume.
The Loss of Individuality
In Huxley’s frightening prophecy, individualism and deviating from societal standards is essentially a non-existent concept. People in Brave New World are brainwashed starting from their birth all the way to becoming young adults, in order not to disrupt the eerily perfect system of the city. We often see many examples around us of people conforming to societal standards for approval and to fit in, discarding one’s unique identity. The influence of social media only worsens this issue, where trends and popular views are spread across the world. The pressure to conform and mould oneself to fit a standard is very present in our lives, as we fear rejection, isolation and disapproval.
Absence of pain and The Pursuit Of Instant Gratification
Throughout our lives, we may find ourselves avoiding any form of pain or struggle. The pursuit of pleasure and the avoidance of troubles are the main reasons for drug abuse and the consumption of instant gratification, where all it takes to temporarily distract us from our sorrows and provide an escape from reality is a click of a button. Though as with the soma-high citizens of Brave New World, what we fail to realise is that pain, obstacles and sorrow are integral to what it means to be human. When we avoid such challenges in our lives, we deprive ourselves of the full emotional spectrum that life has to offer, and the opportunity to grow and learn from them. Without pain, there would be no fulfilment, and it is crucial that we do not lose sight of this.
How to Combat This
The most obvious answer would be faith - to put your trust in God and allow Him to guide you. In fact, religion was recognised in the book as a factor of what made humans uncontrollable, as it makes us recognise God as our leader, instead of being swayed by false promises of leisure, escape and eventually, losing our individuality and what makes us human. Having a strong faith allows us to stand tall in the face of adversity, have a clear sense of good and evil, and to be vigilant of the information and content we are given. We should take Brave New World as a warning - a reminder to be wary of the path we take towards a better future.
Page updated
Report abuse