PF 2011!

It's time to post my New Year's Greetings, PF 2011!

PF =Pour féliciter

The phrase may be French, but the custom is Czech. 

I'm going to combine it with an old Swedish custom which takes place at Skansen in Stockholm, the recitation in Swedish translation of Lord Tennyson's poem, which comes from In Memoriam (106) . The poem is always read out loud by a famous actor as the clock strikes midnight to ring in the New Year

Ring, klocka ring!

Ring, klocka, ring i bistra nyårsnatten
mot rymdens norrskenssky och markens snö;
det gamla året lägger sig att dö...
Ring själaringning över land och vatten!

Ring in det nya och ring ut det gamla
i årets första, skälvande minut.
Ring lögnens makt från världens gränser ut,
och ring in sanningens till oss som famla...

Ring, klocka, ring... och seklets krankhet vike;
det dagas, släktet fram i styrka går!
Ring ut, ring ut de tusen krigens år,
ring in den tusenåra fredens rike!

From the original poem by Tennyson:

Ring out, wild bells, to the wild sky,
        The flying cloud, the frosty light :
        The year is dying in the night ;
    Ring out, wild bells, and let him die.
 
Ring out the old, ring in the new,
        Ring, happy bells, across the snow ;
        The year is going, let him go ;
    Ring out the false, ring in the true...
   
Ring out old shapes of foul disease ;
        Ring out the narrowing lust of gold ;
        Ring out the thousand wars of old,
    Ring in the thousand years of peace.

  
Both wonderful customs to wish people peace, health and happiness in the New Year. PF 2011!