White Christmas - Irving Berlin

Translated into ASL by David Bar-Tzur

Created 15 December 2004, links updated monthly with the help of LinkAlarm.

EXPLANATION OF THE GLOSSING SYSTEM
(to understand how I describe the signs in this translation).

SNOW-FALLING+. ||: ME VISUALIZE ENJOY SNOW FOR CHRISTMAS. LOOK~LIKE CHRISTMAS USED-TO-BE. EACH TREE WHITE~TOP SHINY AND CHILDREN SEARCH"each", WANT SEE SLEIGH SLEIGH-GO-BY DURING SNOW. ME VISUALIZE ENJOY SNOW FOR CHRISTMAS. EACH TIME ME SIT WRITE CHRISTMAS CARD, SIGN-NAME"each". HOPE YOUR"plural" FUTURE (<) ALWAYS HAPPY, (>) ALWAYS BRIGHT"slow". HOPE EVERY-YEAR YOUR"plural" CHRISTMAS SNOW BUILD-UP"slow" DEEP"slow". :|| SAY-#YES, HOPE EVERY-YEAR YOUR"plural" CHRISTMAS SNOW BUILD-UP"slow" DEEP"slow".


Notes: SNOW-FALLING+ - (2h)[5], POs down, FOs away, wg as hands descend. This is meant to be signed while the introductory music is playing. For added drama you can make it first come from the NDS and fall diagonally towards the DS and then reverse it for the second time you sign it.

The signs between "||:" and ":||" are to be repeated.

USED-TO-BE - [5], PO > NDS, FO up, hand spirals vertically while moving back over shoulder.

WHITE~TOP SHINY - after TREE is signed, leave the DH in place and sign WHITE with the NDH, bringing the final handshape up to the top of the "tree" and releasing the "snow" unto it + [open 8], PO > "tree", FOs away, twists repeatedly at wrist while ascending.

SLEIGH SLEIGH-GO-BY - (2h)[X], POs > signer, FOs up, are held high and brought back in a big downward arc towards the signer as if outlining the runners of a sleigh + DH [3], PO > signer, FO > NDS, slowly pass by as the signer watches it with NDH [5], PO down, FO away. moving slightly from side to side but always staying under the DH. This motion classifier is added to allow the sleight to go by in slow motion while still showing that it is moving quickly. I've changed it to watching a sleigh rather than listening to sleigh bells, not to be politically correct, but to paint a prettier picture than listening to a sound that a deaf listener probably wouldn't associate with Christmas anyway.

SIGN-NAME"each" - This is signed while the word "write" (from "every Christmas card I write") is drawn out in the song in order to "buy time".

SAY-#YES - [Y], PO away, FO up, is drawn back to the signer with a snap while closing to an [S].

Lyrics:

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas,
Just like the ones I used to know,
Where the tree tops glisten and children listen
To hear sleigh bells in the snow.

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas
With every Christmas card I write.
May your days be merry and bright,
And may all your Christmases be white.

treble clef as a symbol for musicTo hear the music (without words), go to Christmas sing: White Christmas.

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