Welcome to the official BraveGirl Publshing blog, where we talk about every thing Brave Girls want to know about. Books, fashion, healthy stuff and whatever else we have on our minds.
Merry Christmas! I have really enjoyed all of the Christmas research and blogging about all things Christmas this year. And I'm not done. It's Christmas Eve so I wanted to pull double duty before I start with the baking and the cooking for the family get together today. It's Health and Wellness Wednesday today at the BraveGirl blog so we are going to be looking at some yummy but healthy alternatives for those of us trying to be extra good this year.
But first, we've already covered what Christmas is about, why we have it on the 25th and when it was established so let's take a look at Christmas Eve.
Christmas Eve is the evening or day before Christmas Day. It occurs on December 24 in Western Christianity and the secular world,[4] and is considered one of the most culturally significant celebrations in Christendom and Western society, where it is widely observed, by Christians and by many others, as a full or partial holiday in anticipation of Christmas Day.
Christmas celebrations have long begun on the night of the 24, due in part to the Christian liturgical day starting at sunset,[5] a practice inherited from Jewish tradition[6] and based on the story of Creation in the Book of Genesis: "And there was evening, and there was morning – the first day."[7] Many churches still ring their church bells and hold prayers in the evening; for example, the Nordic Lutheran churches.[8] Since tradition holds that Jesus was born at night (based in Luke 2:6-8), Midnight Mass is celebrated on Christmas Eve, traditionally at midnight, in commemoration of his birth.[9] The idea of Jesus being born at night is reflected in the fact that Christmas Eve is referred to as Heilige Nacht (Holy Night) in German, Nochebuena (the Good Night) in Spanish and similarly in other expressions of Christmas spirituality, such as the song "Silent Night, Holy Night".
Many other varying cultural traditions and experiences are also
associated with Christmas Eve around the world, including the gathering
of family and friends, the singing of Christmas carols, the illumination and enjoyment of Christmas lights,
trees, and other decorations, the wrapping and/or opening of gifts, and
general preparation for Christmas Day. Legendary Christmas gift-bearing
figures including Santa Claus, Father Christmas, Christkind, and Saint Nicholas
are also often said to depart for their annual journey to deliver
presents to children around the world on Christmas Eve, although until
the Protestant introduction of Christkind in 16th-century Europe,[10] such figures were said to instead deliver presents on the eve of Saint Nicholas' feast day (December 6).
And now.... on to the yummies!!!!
Here are the first two menu items listed in the article Click here for 42 other menu items
Healthy Holiday Entrées
We've got all the holiday favorites, from our best roast turkey
recipes to salmon, spicy lamb, glazed ham, and even spinach pie.
Moroccan-Spiced Turkey with Aromatic Orange Pan Jus
Create an unforgettable holiday meal with one of our impressive
and incredibly tasty mains, which range from beautifully browned turkeys
to pork loin and roasted chicken.
First up is our Moroccan-Spiced Turkey, which has a fragrant spice rub
that infuses the turkey with subtle Middle Eastern flavor.
3 days before Christmas!!! Is everybody ready? I am. I am
excited for the holidays this year.A
lot of people are still struggling to find their Christmas spirit though and
I’m here to help.
This week we’re going to break down my top 8 favorite
Christmas songs. Now I’m warning you, I’m not into traditional Christmas songs.
Well, the songs maybe, but not the original artists. I like my Christmas trees
traditional (with a color theme and candy canes) but my music more modern and
*gasp* a little poppy. They're mostly from the 80s and 90s but what can I say? I'm a product of my environment. Click on the name of the song to watch the youtube video.
So let’s break it down, shall we:
8. I Wish Everyday Could Be Like Christmas by Bon Jovi – Now to
know me is to know that any Bon Jovi – no matter the era or the hair style –
makes me feel better. My best friendhas
a Bon Jovi Pandora station that she puts on in the car when she sees me frowned
up. So it’s only fitting that my Jon Bon is on this list.
6. I Want a Hippopotamus For Christmas by Shirley Temple – this
one just makes me smile. I had one of my God daughter’s hooked on this song one
year for Christmas to the point where she asked for a hippopotamus for
Christmas (which she got btw – a stuffed one).
4. The Night Santa Went Crazy by Weird Al Yankovich - WARNING: NOT CHILD FRIENDLY. For those of you who just can NOT get in the Christmas spirit. This is the song for you. I laugh so hard I cry every time I listen to this song.
3. Funky, Funky Christmas by The New Kids on the Block – Mock
me if you must (it’s okay, I know you are) but I love this whole album and yes,
I had the cassette when it first came out. A lot of the songs on here, made the
list because of the memories I have from being a kid and this song is no
different. It makes me happy. And it’s one of the first ones that get played
Thanksgiving night to get my Christmas holiday started.
1. Carol of the Bells Trans – Siberian Orchestra. Anything by them is absolutely
stunning. For those who don’t know them, they’re rock opera and they do
primarily Christmas music. It’s absolutely amazing.
We here at BraveGirl want to wish everyone a happy holiday season, no matter what you celebrate. I am a little late on getting this out there, but happy Chanukah. I thought since I've spent several weeks on origins and the meaning of Christmas. that I would find out about Chanukah as well and share it with my viewers:
What Is Hanukkah?
What Is Hanukkah?
Chanukah -- the eight-day
festival of light that begins on the eve of the 25th of
the Jewish month of Kislev -- celebrates the triumph of
light over darkness,
of purity over adulteration, of
spirituality over materiality.
More than twenty-one centuries ago, the Holy Land was ruled by the Seleucids (Syrian-Greeks), who sought to forcefully
Hellenize the people of Israel.
Against all odds, a small band of faithful Jews defeated one of the
mightiest armies on earth, drove the Greeks from the land, reclaimed the
Holy Temple in Jerusalem and rededicated it to the
service
of G-d.
When they sought to light the Temple's menorah (the seven branched candelabrum),
they found only a single cruse of olive oil
that had escaped contamination by the Greeks; miraculously, the one-day supply burned for eight days, until new oil could be prepared under conditions of
ritual purity.
To commemorate and publicize these miracles, the sages instituted the festival of Chanukah.
At the heart of the festival is the nightly menorah (candelabrum) lighting:
a single flame on the first night, two on the second evening, and so on till the eighth night of Chanukah, when
all eight lights are kindled.
On Chanukah we also add the Hallel and Al HaNissim in our daily prayers to offer praise
and thanksgiving to G-d for "delivering the strong into the hands of the weak,
the many into the hands of the few...
the wicked into the hands of the righteous."
Chanukah customs include eating foods fried in oil --
latkes (potato pancakes) and
sufganiot (doughnuts); playing with the
dreidel (a spinning top on which are inscribed the Hebrew letters nun, gimmel, hei and
shin, an acronym for Nes Gadol Hayah Sham, "a great miracle happened there"); and the giving of Chanukah gelt,
gifts of money,
to children.
So 80% of midwesterners (yes, that's a word, I swear) suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder or S.A.D. I thought for Health and Wellness Wednesday, we'd find out more about it. What it is exactly and how to cope with it.
Definition:
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that's related to changes in seasons — SAD begins and ends at about the same times every year. If you're like most people with SAD, your symptoms start in the fall and continue into the winter months, sapping your energy and making you feel moody. Less often, SAD causes depression in the spring or early summer.
Symptoms:
n most cases, seasonal affective disorder symptoms appear during late fall or early winter and go away during the sunnier days of spring and summer. However, some people with the opposite pattern have symptoms that begin in spring or summer. In either case, symptoms may start out mild and become more severe as the season progresses.
Major depression
Seasonal affective disorder is a subtype of major depression that comes and goes based on seasons. So symptoms of major depression may be part of SAD, such as:
Feeling depressed most of the day, nearly every day
Feeling hopeless or worthless
Having low energy
Losing interest in activities you once enjoyed
Having problems with sleeping
Experiencing changes in your appetite or weight
Feeling sluggish or agitated
Having difficulty concentrating
Having frequent thoughts of death or suicide
Fall and winter SAD
Symptoms specific to winter-onset SAD, sometimes called winter depression, may include:
Irritability
Tiredness or low energy
Problems getting along with other people
Hypersensitivity to rejection
Heavy, "leaden" feeling in the arms or legs
Oversleeping
Appetite changes, especially a craving for foods high in carbohydrates
Weight gain
Spring and summer SAD
Symptoms specific to summer-onset seasonal affective disorder, sometimes called summer depression, may include:
Depression
Trouble sleeping (insomnia)
Weight loss
Poor appetite
Agitation or anxiety
Seasonal changes in bipolar disorder
In some people with bipolar disorder, spring and summer can bring on symptoms of mania or a less intense form of mania (hypomania), and fall and winter can be a time of depression.
When to see a doctor
It's normal to have some days when you feel down. But if you feel down for days at a time and you can't get motivated to do activities you normally enjoy, see your doctor. This is especially important if your sleep patterns and appetite have changed or if you feel hopeless, think about suicide, or turn to alcohol for comfort or relaxation.
Treatment:
Treatment for seasonal affective disorder may include light therapy, medications and psychotherapy. If you have bipolar disorder, tell your doctor — this is critical to know when prescribing light therapy or an antidepressant. Both treatments can potentially trigger a manic episode.
Light therapy
In light therapy, also called phototherapy, you sit a few feet from a special light therapy box so that you're exposed to bright light. Light therapy mimics natural outdoor light and appears to cause a change in brain chemicals linked to mood.
Light therapy is one of the first line treatments for fall-onset SAD. It generally starts working in a few days to two weeks and causes few side effects. Research on light therapy is limited, but it appears to be effective for most people in relieving SAD symptoms.
Before you purchase a light therapy box, talk with your doctor about the best one for you, and familiarize yourself with the variety of features and options so that you buy a high-quality product that's safe and effective.
Medications
Some people with SAD benefit from antidepressant treatment, especially if symptoms are severe.
An extended-release version of the antidepressant bupropion (Wellbutrin XL, Aplenzin) may help prevent depressive episodes in people with a history of SAD. Other antidepressants also may commonly be used to treat SAD.
Your doctor may recommend starting treatment with an antidepressant before your symptoms typically begin each year. He or she may also recommend that you continue to take the antidepressant beyond the time your symptoms normally go away.
Keep in mind that it may take several weeks to notice full benefits from an antidepressant. In addition, you may have to try different medications before you find one that works well for you and has the fewest side effects.
Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy, also called talk therapy, is another option to treat SAD. Psychotherapy can help you:
Identify and change negative thoughts and behaviors that may be making you feel worse
Learn healthy ways to cope with SAD
Learn how to manage stress
Life Style and Home Remedies:
Make your environment sunnier and brighter. Open blinds, trim tree branches that block sunlight or add skylights to your home. Sit closer to bright windows while at home or in the office.
Get outside. Take a long walk, eat lunch at a nearby park, or simply sit on a bench and soak up the sun. Even on cold or cloudy days, outdoor light can help — especially if you spend some time outside within two hours of getting up in the morning.
Exercise regularly. Exercise and other types of physical activity help relieve stress and anxiety, both of which can increase SAD symptoms. Being more fit can make you feel better about yourself, too, which can lift your mood.
With Christmas being next week, I'm all about "what does it all mean??" and "where did these traditions start. I figured I'm not the only one, so I figured that I'd hook my readers up with where things came from.
First up, the Christmas tree:
The Christmas tree comes to us from Germany. Martin Luther is credited with being inspired by the starry heavens one night, and expressing his feelings to his family by bringing a fir tree into his home, and attaching lighted candles to its branches. Fir meant fire, and fire is an ancient symbol for spirit. The tree also pointed toward the heavens.
Evergreens were thought to represent the ever-burning fire of life. The color green signified the life force through the year. Eventually decorative balls represented the planets, while the star that radiates from the top reminds us of Bethlehem. The entire tree and decorations teach us that the universe is witness to the Incarnation.
Red at Christmas reminds us of the fire of the Spirit. Green affirms nature, and the ongoing life. And in the Incarnation, Spirit unites with nature.
In fact, the Christmas tree symbolizes to us a further appreciation of Jesus' birth. It is a means of retelling a miracle in a colorful and beautiful way so that we can further understand and appreciate Jesus' entering our world.
Actually, the tree is a reinterpretation of pagan rites, along with the use of other greens and decorations to commemorate in ancient times a celebration of the feast of Saturnalia - the birth of the Sun in the sky at the Winter Solstice. Along with the giving of gifts, the feast was later Christianized with the selection of December 25th to announce the birth of the Son of God to the world.
The tree also tells the story of a cosmic event - a mystery. In personal celebrations of Christmas the tree begins its use in the 16th century, and is later brought to America by German immigrants.
The heavens and earth rejoice in the coming of the Lord of Life. Our decision must be either for our Christmas tree to represent the celebration of the birth of Christ, or simply an acknowledgment of the pagan festival of the Winter Solstice.
Next? The yummy Candy Cane. LOVE THEM:
When the practice of using Christmas trees to celebrate Christmas became popular in Europe the people there began making decorations for their trees. Many of the decorations were food items including cookies and candy. The predecesor of our modern candy cane appeared at about this time in the seventeenth century. These were straight, white sticks of sugar candy.
Part of the Christmas celebration at the Cologne Cathedral were pagents of living creches. In about 1670 the choirmaster there had sticks of candy bent into the shape of a shepherd’s crook and passed them out to children who attended the ceremonies. This became a popular tradition, and eventually the practice of passing out the sugar canes at living creche ceremonies spread throughout Europe.
The use of candy canes on Christmas trees made its way to America by the 1800’s, however during this time they were still pure white. They are represented this way on Christmas cards made before 1900, and it is not until the early 20th century that they appear with their familiar red stripes. Today candy canes along with toerh sugars and fats that come with Christmas food have become a huge industry; along with the diet industry like theMedifast diet that comes after Christmas.
Many people have given religious meaning to the shape and form of the candy cane. It is said that its shape is like the letter “J” in Jesus’ name. It is also in the shape of the shepherds’ crook, symbolic of how Jesus, like the “Good Shepherd” watches over his children like little lambs. It is a hard candy, solid like a “rock”, the foundation of the Church. The flavor of peppermint is similar to another member of the mint family, hyssop. In the Old Testament hyssop was used for purification and sacrifice, and this is said to symbolize the purity of Jesus and the sacrifice he made.
Some say the white of the candy cane represents the purity of Jesus and his virgin birth. The bold red stripe represents God’s love. The three fine stripes are said by some to represent the Holy Trinity: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Others say they represent the blood spilled at the beating Jesus received at the hands of the Roman soldiers.
From its plain early beginnings to its familiar shape and color of today, the candy cane is a symbol of Christmas and a reminder of the meaning of the holiday.
So we covered Santa Claus, but where did the reindeer come from?
Sure, they pull Santa's sleigh at Christmas, but why? Who elected Reindeer? This legendary scenario makes its public appearance in the 1800s in the poem "A Visit from St. Nicholas." Also known as the "Night Before Christmas" we are enchanted by the eight tiny reindeer Santa calls out by name. This may have come from the early Norse myths in which Thor, the thunderous One was transported by a chariot pulled by goat who later morphed into reindeer as the legend was retold over time. I'm not sure about that, but I do know reindeer are symbolic of savvy knowing and they are cunning survivalists able to live in brutal environments. Indigenous people would have observed the reindeer pawing beneath packed snow to access nutritive greens. From this observation, our ancestors would have known where to go for medicinal herbs. Reindeer are one of the first beasts of provision - meaning the first upon humankind relied for food, supplies, warm clothing, tools. This puts the Reindeer on high status - worthy of honoring - and so it is an animal of nobility, worthiness and is symbolic of continuing the tribe (as it provides for its needs). But how can they fly? Reindeer have been known to have a taste for certain hallucinogenic mushrooms, and have been seen to act pretty loopy after consuming them. Apparently they were "flying high" in a hallucinogenic kind of way. This may explain the flying reindeer phenomenon.
And finally, why do we give each other presents at Christmas?
People give gifts at Christmas for many reasons. People who love and follow Jesus give gifts to remember the true "Gift" - Jesus. Giving presents also remind us of the gifts the wise men brought to Jesus: gold, frankincense and myrrh. They also give gifts to show their love for their families and friends. Some people tell the story of Santa Claus-a pretend figure whose kindness in giving gifts originates with Saint Nicholas who did, in fact, give gifts to the poor. But Santa Claus has nothing to do with the true meaning of Christmas.
In the original, pagan Christmas-which was not called Christmas, since it was not about Christ--gifts were given. But to Christians, gifts are given at Christmas as an opportunity to show love. Sadly, this season has been taken as a commercial opportunity and many people indulge in materialism and forget the true meaning of Christmas.
Okay, so, in case you haven't been told; I'm a HUGE nerd. Like ginormous even. Having my own blog to manage allows me to take my nerdiness to new levels and share it with the world. With it being Christmas, I was sitting around trying to figure out what I wanted to write about this week (thanks to the friend that suggested "Christmas-y stuff... good lookin' out). And then it hit me.
We all know what Christmas is supposed to symbolize, but how did it get it's start? When did it become a national holiday? Where and when did Santa enter the picture?
The following articles break it down for us:
The Rise of Christmas as a National Holiday in America
On June 28th, 1870, President Ulysses S. Grant signed
the bill to make Christmas a legal holiday in the United States of
America. Also on the bill was the declaration of the 4th of July and
Thanksgiving as holidays as well. It was originally introduced into the
House of Representatives by Rep. Burton Chauncey Cook of Illinois.
Christmas
had been celebrated by Christians as early as 354 A.D., but was mostly a
communal feast to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ on December 25th.
This days was chosen during the 4th century by Church leadership in
Rome because it was the date of the Southern Solstice, because of it's
"cosmic symbolism."
Christmas first came to America along with
the British Colonialists, although many of the Puritan leaders
disapproved of the holiday. After the American Revolution, the holiday
dropped in popularity due to it being seen as an English custom.
However, in the 1820s a public interest in Christmas was revived by
Washington Irving's short stories in his books The Sketch Book of
Geoffrey Crayon and Old Christmas, where he recounts Christmas
traditions. In 1822, Clement Clarke Moore wrote the poem A Visit From
St. Nicolas, more popularly known by it's first line: 'Twas the night
before Christmas. This is the point when Christmas first became
associated with commercialism and the annual purchase of gifts. With the
publishing of Charles Dickens's novel A Christmas Carol in 1843, it's
popularity as a holiday of good will and generosity began to rise.
Christmas
had reached a new high in popularity in the 1870s, prompting the 18th
President of the United States to sign it into law as a holiday. Since
then, the holiday seems to have taken on a life of its own. Getting
further from the original intention of the day (a recognition and
celebration of the birthday of the Christian savior Jesus Christ),
Christmas has become a time when humanity is encouraged to set their
petty differences aside and to celebrate being with each other with
gift-giving.
However, over time, the holiday has become more of a
part of the economy than a religious holiday, with it's dramatic
increase of people buying presents for each other. It has become the
largest annual economic stimulus for many countries around the world.
Not the day itself, but the shopping season that leads up to it.
Christmas Day in reality is the least active day for business and
commerce, seeing as most businesses are closed due to it being a
national holiday.
Santa really did exist!!!!!!!!!!!! A Children's Sermon adapted by the Rev. George Philip Hoy from Calendar of Christianity by Allan Hauck, Association Press
When did Santa Claus begin? We all know that
only God is eternal. So how did this wonderful Christmas character who
is so giving begin? We didn't make him up. Saint Nicholas, whose name
was changed over the years to Santa Claus, was a real person, a bishop in the church in the fourth century.
Saint Nicholas was born in Patara (Asia Minor) and later moved to Myra (Demre
in modern Turkey), where he was elected bishop. He died on Dec. 6
sometime between A. D. 326 and 341. Many stories have been told of his
generosity.
In Saint Nicholas' time, a young woman had to have a dowry (money or
material things which she brought to her husband) before she could be
married. It's a custom we have eliminated in our culture because we
believe in the equality of women and men. Saint Nicholas wanted to help a
poor nobleman with three daughters, but he wanted to do it anonymously
(without anyone knowing who did it). He didn't want to be praised for
his generosity. He gave for the joy of giving. So, three bags of gold
were thrown through the nobleman's window. However, the nobleman found
out who had given the gold for his daughters' dowries. After that, anonymous gifts of charity often were attributed to Saint Nicholas.
This good man also spent several years in prison because of his
faith. Many prisoners were converted to the Christian faith by his
witness.
The stories of Saint Nicholas came to America through the Dutch
settlers in the state of New York. He has changed through the years.
Originally, he was dressed in his traditional Bishop's robes. It
wasn't until the 20th century that he began to be dressed in the red and
white outfit in which he appears to us now in the persons of his many
"helpers." In fact, in 1874, the American cartoonist Thomas Nast drew him in a brown suit with brown fur trim.
Dr. Clement C. Moore,
a professor of Greek and Biblical Studies at General Theological
Seminary of New York, wrote "A Visit from St. Nicholas" (more commonly
know as "Twas the Night Before Christmas") in 1822. Only eight reindeer
pulled Santa's sleigh until the song "Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer"
was written.
Jesus, the Christ (the Messiah) is the most important person in the Advent/Christmas
season. However, since Saint Nicholas conveys a spirit of generosity
and love, we remember him and we too give gifts. Because Saint Nicholas
gave us such a good example of helping the poor, Santa Claus may well be
a healthy part of our celebrations. As Allan Hauck wrote in Calendar of Christianity,
If Santa Claus has become too commercial, too secularized, perhaps it
is "because we have forgotten his historical origin in the beloved
Bishop of Myra who obeyed Christ's command that we help all those who
are in need."
The Man Behind the Story of Father Christmas/Santa Claus
St. Nicholas was a Bishop who lived in the fourth century AD in a
place called Myra in Asia Minor (now called Turkey). He was a very rich
man because his parents died when he was young and left him a lot of
money. He was also a very kind man and had a reputation for helping the
poor and giving secret gifts to people who needed it. There are several
legends about St. Nicholas, although we don't know if any of them are
true! Image from the St. Nicholas Center www.stnicholascenter.org
The most famous story about St. Nicholas tells how the custom of
hanging up stockings to get presents in first started! It goes like
this:
There was a poor man who had three daughters. He was so poor, he did
not have enough money for a dowry, so his daughters couldn't get
married. (A dowry is a sum of money paid to the bridegroom by the brides
parents on the wedding day. This still happens in some countries, even
today.) One night, Nicholas secretly dropped a bag of gold down the
chimney and into the house (This meant that the oldest daughter was then
able to be married.). The bag fell into a stocking that had been hung
by the fire to dry! This was repeated later with the second daughter.
Finally, determined to discover the person who had given him the money,
the father secretly hid by the fire every evening until he caught
Nicholas dropping in a bag of gold. Nicholas begged the man to not tell
anyone what he had done, because he did not want to bring attention to
himself. But soon the news got out and when anyone received a secret
gift, it was thought that maybe it was from Nicholas.
Because of his kindness Nicholas was made a Saint. St. Nicholas is
not only the saint of children but also of sailors! One story tells of
him helping some sailors that were caught in a dreadful storm off the
coast of Turkey. The storm was raging around them and all the men were
terrified that their ship would sink beneath the giant waves. They
prayed to St. Nicholas to help them. Suddenly, he was standing on the
deck before them. He ordered the sea to be calm, the storm died away,
and they were able to sail their ship safely to port.
St. Nicholas was exiled from Myra and later put in prison during the
persecution by the Emperor Diocletian. No one is really knows when he
died, but it was on 6th December in either 345 or 352 AD. In 1087, his
bones were stolen from Turkey by some Italian
merchant sailors. The bones are now kept in the Church named after him
in the Italian port of Bari. On St. Nicholas feast day (6th December),
the sailors of Bari still carry his statue from the Cathedral out to
sea, so that he can bless the waters and so give them safe voyages
throughout the year.
You can find out lots about about St Nicholas at the St. Nicholas Center.
How St. Nicholas Became Santa Claus
In the 16th Century in Europe, the stories and traditions about St. Nicholas had become very unpopular.
But someone had to deliver presents to children at Christmas, so in the UK, he became 'Father Christmas', a character from old children's stories; in France, he was then known as 'Père Nöel'; in Germany, the 'Christ Kind'. In the early USA
his name was 'Kris Kringle'. Later, Dutch settlers in the USA took the
old stories of St. Nicholas with them and Kris Kringle became
'Sinterklaas' or as we now say 'Santa Claus'!
Many countries, especially ones in Europe, celebrate St. Nicholas'
Day on 6th December. In Holland and some other European Countries,
children leave clogs or shoes out to be filled with presents.
They also believe that if they leave some hay and carrots in their
shoes for Sinterklaas's horse, they will be left some sweets.
St. Nicholas became popular again in the Victorian era when writers, poets and artists rediscovered the old stories.
In 1823 the famous poem 'A Visit from St. Nicholas' or 'T'was the
Night before Christmas', was published. Dr Clement Clarke Moore later
claimed that he had written it for his children. However, some scholars
now believe that it was actually written by Henry Livingston, Jr., who
was a distant relative of Dr Moore's wife. The poem describes eight
reindeer and gives them their names. They became really well known in
the song 'Rudolph the Red nosed Reindeer', written in 1949. Do you know
all eight names? Click on Rudolph's nose to find out!
Did you know that Rudolph might actually be a girl!? Only female
reindeer keep their antlers throughout winter. By Christmas time most
males have discarded their antlers and are saving their energy ready to
grow a new pair in the spring.
The UK Father Christmas and the American Santa Claus became more and more alike over the years and are now one and the same.
Some people say that Santa lives at the North Pole. In Finland, they
say that he lives in the north part of their country called Lapland.
But everyone agrees that he travels through the sky on a sledge that
is pulled by reindeer, that he comes into houses down the chimney at
night and places presents for the children in socks or bags by their
beds, in front of the family Christmas tree, or by the fire place.
Most children receive their presents on Christmas Eve night or early
Christmas morning, but in some countries they get their presents on St.
Nicholas' Day, December 6th.
St. Nicholas putting the bag of gold into a stocking is probably
where the custom of having a tangerine or satsuma at the bottom of your
Christmas stocking came from. If people couldn't afford gold, some
golden fruit was a good replacement - and until the last 50 years these
were quite unusual fruits and so still special!
The biggest Christmas stocking was 51m 35cm (168ft 5.65in) long and
21m 63cm (70ft 11.57in) wide (from the heel to the toe). It was made the
volunteer emergency services organisation Pubblica Assistenza Carrara e
Sezioni (Italy) in Carrara, Tuscany, Italy, on 5th January 2011. Just
think how many presents you could fit in that!
Santa Claus and Coca-Cola
St. Nicholas in Harper's Weekly: January 1863
There's a Christmas Urban Legend that says that Santa's red suit was designed by Coca-Cola and that they might even 'own' Santa!
This is definitely NOT TRUE!
Long before coke had been invented, St Nicholas had worn his Bishop's
red robes. During Victorian times, he wore a range of colours (red,
green, blue and brown fur) but red was always his favourite!
In January 1863, the magazine Harper's Weekly published the first
illustration of St Nicholas/St Nick by Thomas Nast. In this he was
wearing a 'Stars and Stripes' outfit! Over the next 20 years Thomas Nast
continued to draw Santa every Christmas and his works were very popular
indeed (he must have been very good friends with Santa to get such good
access!).
This is when Santa really started to develop his big tummy and the
style of red and white outfit he wears today. Nast designed Santa's look
on some historical information about Santa and the poem 'A Visit from
St. Nicholas'. St. Nicholas in Harper's Weekly: January 1881
On January 1st 1881, Harper's Weekly published Nast's most famous
image of Santa, complete with a big red belly, an arm full of toys and
smoking a pipe!
This image of Santa became very popular, with more artists drawing Santa in his red and white costume from 1900 to 1930.
By 1931, when Coke first used Santa in their advertising, his image
was well established. The first 'Coke Santa' was drawn by artist Haddon
Sundblom. He took the idea of Nast's Santa but made him even more larger
than life and jolly, replaced the pipe with a bottle of Coke and
created the famous Coke holding Santa!
Coca-Cola also agree that the red suit was made popular by Thomas Nast not them!
So I have a new, ground floor apartment with a patio. For the first time in six years I have an outside to decorate. And I am SO on it. So being that it's fashion Friday - we're going to talk this years trends on Christmas decorations.
101 Fresh Christmas Decorating Ideas
Bring cheer to your house this holiday season with these easy decorating ideas.
Photo: Laurey W. Glenn
Create a Warm Welcome
Our favorite way to light up the season is with a brilliant array of
paper luminaries. Line them along front walks, driveways, and porches
for a fiery Christmas display that's so simple (and affordable) to pull
off.To create your own gleaming arrangement, generously cover the
bottom of white paper bags with sand, which will keep them sturdy and
stationary when exposed to the elements. Arrange bags in desired
positions (the luminaries lining the walk above at left all 2 feet
apart), and then insert tea lights or battery-operated LEDs. Bright Idea!
For a twist, use a hole punch to create snowflake patterns, or adhere
letter-shaped stickers spelling out a holiday message such as "NOEL" or
"CHEERS" to the bags. (Safety note: Never leave luminaries unattended, and extinguish the flames when finished.)
There are 102 ideas for decorating so click hereto see the rest of them. They're fabulous!
In the 16th Century in Europe, the stories and traditions about St. Nicholas had become very unpopular.
Did you know that Rudolph might actually be a girl!? Only female
reindeer keep their antlers throughout winter. By Christmas time most
males have discarded their antlers and are saving their energy ready to
grow a new pair in the spring.
