Showing posts with label Christmas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Christmas. Show all posts
Jan 6, 2012
Twelve Days of Christmas
Today is officially the end of Christmastime and is the Epiphany, also Theophany, and the day that the three kings, Caspar (sometimes Gaspar), Melchior, and Balthazar showed up in Bethlehem after following the star. I find it interesting while searching my family genealogy, all three names are found, although not recently. OK, now get back to work.
What's in a Name, Belsnickel
German for "fur-Nicholas," is a fur-clad Christmas gift-bringer figure in the folklore of southwestern Germany, where my family is originally from. The figure is also preserved in Pennsylvania Dutch communities.
Belsnickel's fur covers his entire body, and he sometimes wears a mask with a long tongue. He is a companion of Saint Nickolas, a bit scary, and visits children at Christmas time to deliver socks or shoes full of candy, cakes, nuts, and fruit, but if the children are not good, they will find coal and/or switches (stick) in their stockings instead. Other traditions had him strewing those goodies on the floor and if an adult bent down to pick up something they were hit on the back from Belsnickel with a switch.
In many places, Belsnickel was a precursor to Santa Claus or St. Nickolas and the popularity in the US faded in the early 1900s. Many of the old traditional Santa equivalents always had coal and a switch for bad kids along with the goodies. Alas, many good life lessons have been replaced with the current - everyone gets everything attitude.
Belsnickel's fur covers his entire body, and he sometimes wears a mask with a long tongue. He is a companion of Saint Nickolas, a bit scary, and visits children at Christmas time to deliver socks or shoes full of candy, cakes, nuts, and fruit, but if the children are not good, they will find coal and/or switches (stick) in their stockings instead. Other traditions had him strewing those goodies on the floor and if an adult bent down to pick up something they were hit on the back from Belsnickel with a switch.
In many places, Belsnickel was a precursor to Santa Claus or St. Nickolas and the popularity in the US faded in the early 1900s. Many of the old traditional Santa equivalents always had coal and a switch for bad kids along with the goodies. Alas, many good life lessons have been replaced with the current - everyone gets everything attitude.
Dec 23, 2011
Old Saint Nicholas
On this day in 1823 in the Troy NY Sentinel published the poem we know as "A Visit from St. Nicholas" by Clement C. Moore. It was published anonymously under the newspaper editor’s title, Account of a Visit from St. Nicholas. Moore wrote it a year earlier and read it to his children, who saved it.
He was a professor of Oriental and Greek literature and never sought to do any more than read the story to his children that one time. Clement referred to the poem "a mere trifle." Some have questioned whether he was the author, but proof of another writer has been elusive.
It is known that Donner and Blitzen were originally from ''Dunder'' and ''Blixem'' Dutch for thunder and lightning. Rudolph didn't come along until 1939, but that's another story on my blog from December 17, 2010.
Prior to the poem, American ideas about St. Nicholas and other Christmas visitors varied considerably. The poem has influenced ideas about St. Nicholas and Santa Claus beyond the United States to the rest of the world. He was the first to describe eight tiny reindeer. Oh, and it ended with 'Happy Christmas to all'.
He was a professor of Oriental and Greek literature and never sought to do any more than read the story to his children that one time. Clement referred to the poem "a mere trifle." Some have questioned whether he was the author, but proof of another writer has been elusive.
It is known that Donner and Blitzen were originally from ''Dunder'' and ''Blixem'' Dutch for thunder and lightning. Rudolph didn't come along until 1939, but that's another story on my blog from December 17, 2010.
Prior to the poem, American ideas about St. Nicholas and other Christmas visitors varied considerably. The poem has influenced ideas about St. Nicholas and Santa Claus beyond the United States to the rest of the world. He was the first to describe eight tiny reindeer. Oh, and it ended with 'Happy Christmas to all'.
Dec 24, 2009
Christmas Wishes
Your friendship is a glowing ember through the year; and each December from its warm and living spark we kindle a flame against the dark, and with its shining radiance light our tree on Christmas eve.
Holiday Town Names
Place names associated with the holiday season include North Pole, Alaska (population 2,212 in 2008); Santa Claus, IN (2,314); Santa Claus, GA (250); Noel, MO (1,608); the village of Rudolph, WI (412) and Dasher, GA (849). There is Snowflake, AZ (5,673) and a dozen places named Holly, including Holly Springs, MS, Mount Holly, NC, and Holly, MI.
Christmas Thoughts
"On Christmas Eve all animals can speak." However, it is bad luck to test this superstition.
"The child born on Christmas Day will have a special fortune." My Aunt Marion was born on Christmas, 1908. She was special. Also, 25th December 1642, Sir Isaac Newton was born. He found white light could be split into the colors of the Rainbow.
Wearing new shoes on Christmas Day will bring bad luck.
Good luck will come to the home where a fire is kept burning throughout the Christmas season.
If a girl raps at the hen house door on Christmas Eve and a rooster crows, she will marry within the year.
A mild December precedes a cold snap later in the winter.
A green December fills the graveyard
A clear star-filled sky on Christmas Eve will bring good crops in the summer.
If sun shines through the apple trees upon a Christmas Day, when autumn comes they will a load of fruit display.
Snow on Christmas means Easter will be green.
A green Christmas; a white Easter.
If Christmas day be bright and clear there will be two winters in the year.
The nearer the New Moon to Christmas Day, the harder the Winter.
"The child born on Christmas Day will have a special fortune." My Aunt Marion was born on Christmas, 1908. She was special. Also, 25th December 1642, Sir Isaac Newton was born. He found white light could be split into the colors of the Rainbow.
Wearing new shoes on Christmas Day will bring bad luck.
Good luck will come to the home where a fire is kept burning throughout the Christmas season.
If a girl raps at the hen house door on Christmas Eve and a rooster crows, she will marry within the year.
A mild December precedes a cold snap later in the winter.
A green December fills the graveyard
A clear star-filled sky on Christmas Eve will bring good crops in the summer.
If sun shines through the apple trees upon a Christmas Day, when autumn comes they will a load of fruit display.
Snow on Christmas means Easter will be green.
A green Christmas; a white Easter.
If Christmas day be bright and clear there will be two winters in the year.
The nearer the New Moon to Christmas Day, the harder the Winter.
Best Christmas Gift
Do you know what the cheapest, yet best Christmas gift is?
A smile. It is free, yet timeless and priceless.
A smile. It is free, yet timeless and priceless.
Dec 23, 2009
Christmas Facts
$410 million in sales by US Christmas tree farmers in 2007. Of those, $109.3 million were from Christmas tree farmers in Oregon in 2007.
$470.3 million in imports of Christmas tree ornaments from China between January and August 2009. China was the leading country of origin for such items.
Dec 18, 2009
Lord of Misrule
In ancient Roman times, December 17 was the beginning of the festival of Saturnalia, in honor of the god Saturn (of agriculture). It was originally just a day event, but eventually grew into a seven day orgy of revelry, feasting, and merrymaking.
The Saturnalia was a holiday period for all, including the slaves, who changed places with their masters for the duration. Presents were exchanged, especially candles, informal clothes worn, and gambling games permitted. It was also customary to appoint a master of the revels (Saturnalicius princeps), a character that reappeared in England as the Lord of Misrule. The Lord of Misrule formally presided over the Christmas celebrations, or over the entire period from All-Hallows Eve (October 31) to Candlemas (February 2).
It is commonly believed that the church chose this time (Pope Julius I chose December 25) in an effort to adopt and absorb the traditions of the pagan Saturnalia festival. It was first called the Feast of the Nativity, the custom spread to Egypt by 432 and to England by the end of the sixth century. By the end of the eighth century, the celebration of Christmas had spread to Scandinavia. Today, in the Greek and Russian orthodox churches, Christmas is celebrated 13 days after the 25th, which is also referred to as the Epiphany or Three Kings Day, as it is believed then the three wise men finally found Jesus in the manger.
The Saturnalia was a holiday period for all, including the slaves, who changed places with their masters for the duration. Presents were exchanged, especially candles, informal clothes worn, and gambling games permitted. It was also customary to appoint a master of the revels (Saturnalicius princeps), a character that reappeared in England as the Lord of Misrule. The Lord of Misrule formally presided over the Christmas celebrations, or over the entire period from All-Hallows Eve (October 31) to Candlemas (February 2).
It is commonly believed that the church chose this time (Pope Julius I chose December 25) in an effort to adopt and absorb the traditions of the pagan Saturnalia festival. It was first called the Feast of the Nativity, the custom spread to Egypt by 432 and to England by the end of the sixth century. By the end of the eighth century, the celebration of Christmas had spread to Scandinavia. Today, in the Greek and Russian orthodox churches, Christmas is celebrated 13 days after the 25th, which is also referred to as the Epiphany or Three Kings Day, as it is believed then the three wise men finally found Jesus in the manger.
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